Nurse Practitioner Programs at UC Irvine
The Sue & Bill Gross School of Nursing at University of California, Irvine is a premier institution for nursing education. This 7-year old school came to life after a $40 million gift from the William & Sue Gross Family Foundation in 2016. The University of California Regents gave their formal approval in January 2017. The school now stands proud as part of the Susan and Henry Samueli College of Health Sciences.
The school’s excellence shows in its rankings. US News & World Report places it among the top 6% of all programs. The school’s Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) program ranks #61 in Best Nursing Schools with an 84% acceptance rate.
This institution stands out because it blends humanity with data-driven practices. Students learn to connect with patients compassionately while providing care based on proven knowledge. The school shapes compassionate, skilled nurses who care deeply for vulnerable populations. They focus on planetary health, justice, and healthcare leadership development.
University of California, Irvine offers several paths to become a nurse practitioner. The core of their program—Doctor of Nursing Practice with Family Nurse Practitioner concentration (DNP-FNP)—leads the way as the first such program in the University of California system. Students become clinical experts and leaders through this complete three-year program that covers primary care across patient lifespans.
The school thrives with 29 full-time faculty members who teach 60 DNP students. The total graduate nursing enrollment reaches 153, which creates close student-teacher relationships. Faculty and students spend over 10,000 hours yearly helping local communities and providing healthcare to vulnerable populations.
Though young, the nursing school drives investigation and spreads knowledge to local, national, and global communities. Their steadfast dedication remains clear: reducing human vulnerabilities through nursing leadership, advocacy, education, and research.
Types of Nurse Practitioner Programs Available
UC Irvine has several paths to become a nurse practitioner. These programs cater to different educational backgrounds and career goals.
The Doctor of Nursing Practice with Family Nurse Practitioner concentration (DNP-FNP) is their premier program. This three-year hybrid program welcomes both BSN and MSN prepared nurses and blends online education with targeted on-campus sessions. Students learn through asynchronous methods with weekly online sessions and focused campus intensives that build clinical skills and develop scholarly projects. Students must complete 1,020 hours of clinical and professional practice during their studies.
The university also runs the UC Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP) Certificate Program. Advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs) can enhance their expertise in psychiatric and mental health care through this 12-month hybrid graduate certificate. California’s first multicampus PMHNP postgraduate certificate program combines online learning with three immersion sessions and regional clinical training. The 48-unit curriculum prepares students to take the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s PMHNP board certification examination.
UCI will launch its Family Nurse Practitioner Residency Program in October 2025. The program spans 24 months, combining intensive hands-on training with service to CalOptima members. Residents spend their first year in interdisciplinary mentorship, clinical observations, and comprehensive didactic learning. The second year focuses on providing healthcare to Orange County’s vulnerable populations. This initiative wants to create a community-based workforce that mirrors the populations they serve.
The DNP-FNP program gives students interested in teaching careers the option to take three nursing education courses. These courses qualify them to take the National League for Nursing Certified Nurse Educator examination. This certification opens doors to academic nursing roles while maintaining clinical practice.
These programs showcase UCI’s steadfast dedication to advancing nursing practice and meeting crucial healthcare needs in underserved communities.
Flexible Learning Formats
UC Irvine’s nurse practitioner programs are the foundations of flexible learning formats that help working healthcare professionals. The DNP-FNP program employs a hybrid approach that combines online education with on-campus sessions. Students can balance their professional responsibilities while building clinical expertise through both live and self-paced learning opportunities.
The program’s online component has self-paced coursework along with weekly live online sessions. Faculty support is available through virtual office hours throughout your educational experience. This setup creates strong connections with faculty and peers even in a remote learning environment.
The program’s campus visits are planned carefully. You’ll attend three on-campus intensives at key points – start, middle, and end of the program to work on scholarly projects. You will also need to visit campus a few times each year to build and improve your FNP clinical skills.
Yes, it is part of a wider shift in nursing education where many schools now offer flexible online and hybrid options that make it easier for graduate students. This availability is vital because nurses can now earn advanced degrees while keeping their clinical practice. The program’s structure strikes the perfect balance between academic excellence and ground practicality.
Admissions & Prerequisites
The University of California, Irvine requires specific qualifications from candidates who want to become Nurse Practitioners through their DNP-FNP program. Here’s what you need:
- A BS or MS in nursing from an accredited institution
- A minimum 3.0 undergraduate GPA
- An active, unrestricted California RN license
- One year of full-time US-based employment (minimum 1800 hours) as an RN by program start
- A grade of B or higher in a statistics course that covers descriptive and inferential statistics, completed within 5 years of starting the program
You can submit your application before meeting all these requirements, but you’ll need to complete them before the program starts. Your application should include a statement of purpose (1200 words maximum) that explains why you want to pursue a DNP degree and how it lines up with your career goals. You’ll also need to write a personal history essay (1200 words maximum) about your nursing experience.
The program needs one recommendation letter from a doctorally prepared professor or healthcare professional who can evaluate your readiness for doctoral studies. This letter should be recent – written within the last 3 years – and can’t come from family or friends.
International students must provide professional transcript evaluations from approved services and TOEFL/IELTS scores. The program strictly enforces all application deadlines.
What Sets the NP Programs Apart at University of California, Irvine
UC Irvine’s Nurse Practitioner programs excel in California’s competitive education sector through several unique features. The DNP-FNP program leads the way as the first program of its kind in the University of California system. Students receive doctoral-level preparation that combines clinical expertise with leadership skills.
The school’s focus on helping vulnerable populations makes it special. Students and faculty dedicate more than 10,000 hours each year to community healthcare projects. This hands-on experience in underserved communities helps students gain real-life training while they work to reduce healthcare gaps.
The school’s educational approach uniquely combines human connection with informed practice. Graduates develop both technical skills and compassionate care that are vital to advanced nursing practice.
UC Irvine’s new Family Nurse Practitioner Residency Program offers intensive training alongside community service to CalOptima members. This program creates healthcare professionals who understand and meet local healthcare needs.
Nurses looking to grow their practice can benefit from the multicampus Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner Certificate Program. This program, the first of its kind in California, offers a quick path to specialized certification without requiring a complete degree program.
These unique features create an education experience that focuses on clinical excellence, community participation, and professional leadership – the core values of UC Irvine’s approach.
Nurse Practitioners graduating from University of California, Irvine in 2025 can expect competitive compensation packages. UCI’s official salary structure places nurse practitioners in higher salary grades, with yearly earnings ranging from $88,000 to $147,250 based on expertise and specialty areas.
Orange County’s healthcare sector, including Irvine, stands out as one of California’s leading employment hubs. The county’s nurse practitioners earn six-figure salaries that surpass the state average. This financial outlook becomes even more attractive as the region just needs more available primary care.
UCI-trained nurse practitioners find roles in numerous healthcare settings. UCI Health employs NPs as Advanced Practice Providers who handle chronic medical conditions, deliver routine care, and carry out medical procedures within their approved standardized protocols. These professionals provide detailed patient care in both ambulatory and inpatient environments while coordinating treatment plans across medical teams.
UCI’s nurse practitioners make a significant difference in addressing California’s healthcare challenges. The state’s provider shortages mean NPs help more people get quality care. This real-world effect makes the career path rewarding—graduates secure stable jobs and make meaningful contributions to their community’s health.
UCI’s thorough educational programs prepare nurse practitioners for various roles. They work in outpatient clinics, urgent care centers, pediatric practices, and integrated hospital systems throughout Orange County.