Based on this philosophy, the curriculum is combined with research and leadership skills designed to prepare graduates to work effectively in a complex health care delivery system. The Department of Nursing was established in 1981. However, USC has been preparing leaders in nursing since 1945. In this early combination program with California Hospital, students who graduated from USC with a bachelor's degree in nursing were some of the first in the nation to earn that level of degree. Today, the department offers both the Bachelor of Science in Nursing and the Master of Science in Nursing degrees.
Innovative arrangements are available for RNs seeking a bachelor's or master's degree in nursing.
Post-master's degree certificates for nurses seeking leadership opportunities in specialty areas are yet other options. The department's highly regarded Bachelor of Science degree program is offered through the College of Letters, Arts and Sciences.