• California is home to a number of nursing colleges.stethoscope image by dinostock from Fotolia.com
  
  In the state of California, a number of colleges offer programs for registered nursing, a field the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts will grow by 22 percent from 2008 through 2018. Carrying the approval of the state Board of Registered Nursing, California's nursing colleges prepare students to take the National Certification Examination for state licensing. With locations throughout the state, California's nursing colleges include both public and private institutions.
  
  

Biola University

• Located 22 miles southeast of Los Angeles in La Mirada, Biola University is a private, interdenominational Christian college. The school opened in 1908 and has approximately 4,000 undergraduate students, 72 percent of which are from California, according to the 2009 Barron's Profiles of American College. The school's bachelor of science in nursing program requires coursework in psychology, statistics, family nursing, mental health, childbearing nursing, gerontology, critical care, community nursing, leadership and management. During the clinical rotations, students have the option to work in hospitals throughout the world as well as in the greater Los Angeles area. All students at Biola University must complete 30 credits of study in theology or religious studies.
  
  Biola University
  13800 Biola Ave.
  La Mirada, CA 90639
  562-903-4752
  biola.edu
  
  

University of San Francisco

• In 2010, U.S. News and World Report ranked the University of San Francisco 120th among national universities. The Roman Catholic Church founded the university in 1855. Approximately 69 percent of the school's nearly 5,500 undergraduate students are from California, explains the 2009 Barron's Profiles of American Colleges. The school's bachelor of science in nursing program is one of the university's largest. Before applying for admission to the School of Nursing, students must complete courses in anatomy, physiology, microbiology and psychology during their freshman years. Students accepted to the program complete six clinical rotations and study Jesuit philosophy in nursing in addition to core scientific and nursing topics. The school also offers master's and doctoral programs in nursing in specialties like clinical nurse leadership and nurse practitioning.
  
  University of San Francisco
  Ignatian Heights
  San Francisco, CA 94117
  415-422-6563
  usfca.edu
  
  

Humboldt State University

• Situated in the small town of Arcata nearly 200 miles north of San Francisco, Humboldt State University is a public institution and is the northernmost school in the California State University system. Nearly three-quarters of the school's approximately 6,900 undergraduate students are California residents, explains the 2009 Barron's Profiles of American Colleges. In addition to its traditional four-year bachelor of science degree, the school's Department of Nursing offers a shorter degree completion program for individuals who already have a registered nursing license in the state, but only hold an associate degree or diploma in the field. Both programs focus heavily upon rural public health nursing, and satisfy the education requirements for national Public Health Nurse Certification. Students take classes in nutrition, medications, discharge planning, preventative medicine, case management, long-term care and leadership as part of the required curriculum.
  
  Humboldt State University
  1 Harpst St.
  Arcata, CA 95521
  707-826-4402
  humboldt.edu