School of Nursing and Health Professions

Frequently Asked Questions

redarrowright Does Brandman have a pre-licensure nursing program?
redarrowright Do I need a California nursing license to enroll in a Brandman Program?
redarrowright What are the academic and professional entry requirements for Brandman nursing programs?
redarrowright Will I need to live in or near Irvine, CA to complete my degree?
redarrowright What is a “Term” and how does it compare to a traditional academic semester?
redarrowright Can I apply for financial aid if I am a part-time student?
redarrowright Can I work while completing my degree?
redarrowright Do Brandman graduate programs require a thesis or dissertation?
redarrowright Does Brandman offer continuing education courses or graduate certificates?
redarrowright Does Brandman offer degrees for primary care nurse practitioners?
redarrowright Does Brandman have a degree program that prepares me to become a nurse practitioner?
redarrowright Does Brandman allow nurses with a Master's degree in Nursing, who are not advanced practice nurses, to enter the Post-Master's to DNP program?
redarrowright How many credit hours is the DNP degree?
redarrowright Does the Brandman School of Nursing and Health Professions offer fully online degrees?
redarrowright How can I contact someone for other questions?
 

Q: Does Brandman have a pre-licensure nursing program?
A: All Brandman nursing programs require that you be a Registered Nurse (RN) before enrollment.

 

Q: Do I need a California nursing license to enroll in a Brandman Program?
A: All students enrolled in our programs must apply for a California license even if they will be doing their clinical in another state (where they must also be licensed). Post-Master's to DNP students who will be doing their residency in another state are only required to apply for a CA RN license and do not have to have an advanced practice license in CA.

 

Q: What are the academic and professional entry requirements for Brandman nursing programs?
A:
  • To enter the RN to BSN program, you must be an RN and have completed an Associate degree in Nursing
  • To enter the BSN to DNP program, you must be an RN and have a Bachelor’s degree in Nursing
  • To enter the Post-Master’s to DNP program, you must be an advanced practice nurse (NP, CNS, CNM, or CNA), be nationally certified in your specialty (if national certification exists), and have a Master’s degree in Nursing.

 

Q: Will I need to live in or near Irvine, CA to complete my degree?
A:

Students should be able to travel to Irvine 1 or 2 times a year for stays of 3 to 4 days each time. All programs in the School of Nursing and Health Professions are delivered using a blend of periodic immersion sessions at the Irvine campus; clinical practice in hospitals, clinics and health centers; and online lectures, demonstrations and exercises.

A list of affordable hotels that are near the campus will be provided. The closest airport is John Wayne Airport (SNA) in Orange County. Many of the hotels provide shuttle service from the airport and to the campus. A complete calendar for your program will be provided upon admission.


Q: What is a “Term” and how does it compare to a traditional academic semester?
A: Brandman has six terms each year, two in the Fall semester, two in the Spring semester, and two in the Summer semester. Each term is 8 weeks long. These shorter terms allow students to focus their study on a small number of courses and still complete a graduate degree in one or two years of full time study.

 

Q: Can I apply for financial aid if I am a part-time student?
A: Financial aid is available for students who take at least 2 cources per semester (1 course per term) while pursuing a degree at Brandman.

 

Q: Can I work while completing my degree?
A: Many students in the nursing and health professions programs work part-time while pursuing their education at Brandman. Some students are able to work full-time while pursuing their education in a part-time degree program.

 

Q: Do Brandman graduate programs require a thesis or dissertation?
A: Degree programs in the School of Nursing and Health Professions emphasize clinical and applied practice. Early in their programs, students identify a team of mentors who will guide them through the development of their capstone projects. Students complete the capstone project during the last half of their program of study. Projects take many forms but must demonstrate the student’s ability to do original scholarly work in their chosen discipline and must meet the requirements set by the applicable licensing/certification/accreditation organization.

 

Q: Does the Brandman School of Nursing and Health Professions offer continuing education courses or graduate certificates?
A:

Both continuing education courses and graduate certificates are offered. Information on these programs can be found under the Programs link at the school's website.

 

Q: Does Brandman offer degrees for primary care nurse practitioners?
A:

Students pursuing a BSN to DNP degree in the Gerontological Nurse Practitioner or the Family Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner program will have content on primary care and acute care practice. The other three specialties in the BSN to DNP degree programs are acute care specialties. Students pursuing a Post-Master's to DNP degree may be from any advanced practice specialty.

 

Q: Does Brandman have a degree program that prepares me to become a nurse practitioner?
A:

Brandman offers BSN to DNP programs in five nurse practitioner specialties:

  • Adult Acute Care Nurse Practitioner (AACNP)
  • Pediatric Nurse Practitioner - Acute Care (PNP-AC)
  • Neonatal Nurse Practitioner (NNP)
  • Family Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (FPMHNP)
  • Gerontological Nurse Practitioner (GNP)

 

Q: Does Brandman allow nurses with a Master's degree in Nursing, who are not advanced practice nurses, to enter the Post-Master's to DNP program?
A:

A nurse with an MSN or other Master's degree who is not an advanced practice nurse should enter the BSN to DNP program to become an advanced practice nurse in one of our five nurse practitioner specialty areas. Credits from core courses in their MSN such as nursing research, theory, and electives may be allowed to transfer into the DNP. Nurses who are not now or do not want to become an advanced practice nurse are not eligible for admission to the DNP program at this time.

 

Q: How many credit hours is the DNP degree?
A:

To earn the DNP degree, students must earn 73 credit hours. Students entering with a MSN degree may transfer a maximum of 40 credit hours from the MSN.

 

Q: Does the Brandman School of Nursing and Health Professions offer fully online degrees?
A:

All nursing programs in the School of Nursing and Health Professions are delivered using a blend of periodic immersion sessions at the Irvine campus; clinical practice or mentorship in hospitals, clinics and health centers; and online lectures, demonstrations and exercises. Information about degree programs in other health professions and certificate programs can be found under the Programs link at the school's website.

During immersion sessions, students will meet face-to-face to learn advanced information technology skills, engage in communication and teamwork exercises and practice clinical skills in a state-of-the-art simulation center using standardized patients, computer-managed manikins and three-dimensional virtual reality environments.

During online sessions, students will engage in instructor-guided or self-directed study using live and recorded lectures, demonstrations, tutorials and other activities.

This blend of teaching methods provides a rich and engaging learning experience for busy professionals who must juggle school, work and family.

 

Q: How can I contact someone for other questions?
A:

Call 800-581-4100 or e-mail nursing@brandman.edu for questions.