Vocational Nursing

Students must apply to the College of the Desert before applying to the nursing programs. Application information can be found on the Admissions & Records webpage. 

If you are a past COD student who has not enrolled in a course over the last academic year, you will be required to reapply to COD. 

*When the application asks you for a major, you will not have an option for "nursing". Please select "health sciences." Once accepted into the nursing program, we will manually change your major to Nursing. 

A separate application is required for admission to the VN program. Admission is by random selection of eligible candidates.

Eligibility criteria for the LVN program include: 

• 17 years old or older

• High School Diploma or equivalent on file with Admissions and Records (Official high school transcripts preferred)*
• 2.5 combined GPA in all prerequisite courses
• HS-062: Your Living Body OR Anatomy & Physiology sequence
• HS-013: General Nutrition
• HS-067: Introduction to Medical Dosage Calculation
• PSY 001: General Psychology

Although not required for eligibility, the multi-criteria worksheet is used to establish points for each applicant. The higher the points, the more likely the applicant is to gain entrance to the program. 

*Students are advised to verify that all transcripts and diplomas have been received by Admissions and Records before the application deadline.

In addition to eligibility and prerequisite requirements, once a student is registered, further items are required to begin courses and clinical rotations.

While Social Security Numbers are not required to take classes at COD, the facilities used by the Nursing Program for clinical instruction DO require them as part of their security clearance process. If you do not have a Social Security Number, please contact the Dreamer Resource Center for further information.

Valid Social Security card or ITIN	Valid Government ID
Clear background check	Clear drug screen
Current American Heart Association BLS certification	Physical Exam
Communicable disease clearance (titers & Vaccinations)	Meet ADA technical standards
Malpractice Insurance	iPad, iPad pencil, iPad keyboard (more info upon admission)

 

BLS certifications are required before the start of the semester. Please plan accordingly.

Students can obtain this certification through an outside resource or by taking KINE-001 First Aid and Safety (in-person/hybrid) at College of the Desert. KINE-001 will be offered in all terms based on enrollment numbers.

Please note that costs are estimated. Depending on insurance coverage and financial assistance, costs may vary. The total cost of the program is estimated at $3,786.50. Click here for a detailed list of associated costs.

The Licensed Vocational Nurse (LVN) program at College of the Desert is a 1-year program that starts in the Fall and continues through the Spring and Summer terms. Students attend in-person classes and training five days a week, and each day can last between 6 to 12 hours.

All grades must be officially posted and submitted with the application to qualify for points.

Applications will only be accepted during designated application periods.

Effective Spring 2020, the Nursing Program will accept online and hybrid courses until further notice.

Courses with emergency withdrawals (EWs) will not be considered repeats under the repeat policy, which allows for two repeats within seven years.

Pass/No Pass or Credit/No Credit courses are not accepted for prerequisite or degree requirements.

Applicants will apply using the updated multi-criteria detailed here.

Applicants are advised to thoroughly review all instructions before commencing the application. The application requires approximately one hour to complete and must be submitted in a single session, as saving progress for later completion is not permitted.

Please allow up to six weeks following the application deadline for processing.

Fall 2025: April 11-25, 2025

*Students will be notified by early June

Fall 2026: March 11-25, 2026

*Students will be notified by early May

Allow up to 6 weeks for processing after the application deadline. Students will be notified of their application status via their MYCOD student email.

*Notification timelines are subject to change. Students who have not received a notification after six weeks following the application deadline may contact nursingadmissions@collegeofthedesert.edu for further assistance.

Applications will be digital with automated responses. Please make sure to read the instructions thoroughly before beginning the application. The application must be completed at one time (no save option).

General Policy

As per 16 CCR 2535, the general policy for College of the Desert nursing programs is to provide all students be given credit for the nursing knowledge and skills they have acquired through education and/or experience and be placed at a level that will assure
successful attainment of educational goals. The form for Credit for Previous Education is located on the nursing website.

Transfer Credit

Transfer credit shall be given for applicants with previous education from an accredited institution who have satisfactorily completed academic coursework with a grade of “C” or better in a class and/or clinical laboratory within the last five (5)
years. This includes the following courses:

• Armed Services nursing courses
• Licensed Psychiatric Technicians courses
• Vocational or Practical nursing courses
• Registered nursing courses
• Certified Nursing Assistant courses
• Other courses the school determines are equivalent to courses required for the Vocational nursing program

CNA Credit

All coursework from other nursing programs will be granted credit based on similarity to the College of the Desert. A written examination and skills assessment may be required for the purpose of establishing the need for remediation. All CNAs are given the option to omit portions of the first four weeks of the first semester of the VN program by applying their 150 hours of transfer credit. Assessment of CNA students may be conducted to establish the necessity for remediation. All remediation will be completed before the first day of the semester.

Transfer Procedures

Students seeking transfer to the College of the Desert vocational nursing program will need to have all coursework evaluated by the
Director of the nursing program or a designee. The following needs to be submitted to the Director/designee before
evaluation:

• Written letter requesting transfer
• Official transcripts from all schools attended
• Copies of the course description and outline/syllabus from completed Vocational nursing courses
• Copy of certificate/licensure as applicable

Evaluation of previous nursing education will be based on a review of these materials. Comparison with the COD curriculum will be made. Everyone will be granted advanced placement according to the degree to which previous education compares with the COD curriculum, based on space available. 

As per 16 CCR 2530, the following clinical facilities have been approved by the Board of Vocational Nursing and Psychiatric Technicians for the use of clinical experience at the College of the Desert

Site Name	Contact Information
Desert Regional Medical Center	1150 N Indian Canyon Dr Palm Springs, CA 92262 760-323-6511
Desert Springs Health & Wellness Center	82262 Valencia Avenue Indio CA 92201 760-347-6000
Eisenhower Medical Center	39000 Bob Hope Dr Rancho Mirage, CA 92270   760-340-3911
Monterey Palms Healthcare Center	44610 Monterey Avenue Palm Desert, CA 92260 760-773-5151
Rancho Mirage Health and Rehabilitation Center	39950 Vista Del Sol Rancho Mirage, CA 92270   760-340-0053
Rehabilitation Hospital of Southern California (formerly Vibra)	70077 Ramon Rd Rancho Mirage, CA 92270 760-895-6600
Desert Mountain Care Center (formerly Indio Nursing Rehabilitation)	47763 Monroe St. Indio, CA. 92201 760-442-4716
John F. Kennedy Memorial Hospital	47111 Monroe St.  Indio, CA. 92201 760-347-6191
Manor Care Health Services	74350 Country Club Dr. Palm Desert, CA 92260 760-341-0261