Doctor of Nursing Practice ranks 66 nationally; Master’s program remains in top 50
The University of Rhode Island College of Nursing graduate programs are again ranked among the top of nursing colleges in the country, making an impressive year-over-year rise, according to the latest U.S. News & World Report rankings.
The College’s Doctor of Nursing Practice program is tied at number 66 of 354 nursing schools across the country with a DNP program, up from number 86 last year, according to the rankings released April 9. The College’s master’s program also continued its impressive performance in recent years. For the third year in a row, the program ranks among the top 50 in the nation, slotting in at number 48 among 603 nursing schools surveyed.
“We are committed to providing an excellent education to all our students, including our graduate students who benefit from our top-notch facilities and some of the best educators in their field,” said Dean Danny Willis. “Education is transformative, and students are not just a number to us. We get to know them and facilitate their professional and personal success. It is very rewarding to see the College’s efforts recognized on a national level.”
U.S. News & World Report, among the leading authorities in college and university rankings, surveyed 648 nursing schools with master’s or doctoral programs accredited by either the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing or the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education. The publication determined each school’s overall rank using 15 distinct ranking factors, including faculty credentials, student-to-faculty ratio, faculty research prowess and nursing practice experience, assessment scores from peer institutions, and more.
The URI College of Nursing met and exceeded the standards as it continues to increase its offerings at the undergraduate and graduate level. About one-third of the URI College of Nursing’s faculty members are recognized Fellows in national nursing organizations, including the American Academy of Nursing, for their distinguished academic achievements. Dozens of URI students were inducted in the Sigma Theta Tau honor society for nursing last year, and a handful were inducted into the Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi. The number of faculty publications, funded external grants and committed gifts to the College have all increased over the last five years as the College continues to have major impacts on health and health care.
The advancements the College has made are obvious not only in the graduate programs, but in its undergraduate offerings as well. The College’s B.S. in Nursing program tied at number 67 out of 656 programs in the country for the second year in a row, in rankings released Sept. 17. The College has made an impressive rise in the rankings, climbing from number 96 just two years ago, the first year the publication ranked undergraduate programs, to 67 last year. Visit the URI College of Nursing Academics website for more information on all educational offerings.