The B.S. in Nursing program makes impressive rise in ranks, slotting in at 67
The University of Rhode Island College of Nursing undergraduate program is now ranked among the top 10 percent of nursing colleges in the country, according to the latest U.S. News & World Report rankings.
The College’s B.S. in Nursing program is tied at number 67 in the country with several other schools, according to the rankings release Sept. 12. The College made an impressive rise in the rankings from last year’s spot at number 96, the first year the publication ranked undergraduate nursing programs.
“The URI College of Nursing is delighted to be recognized in the top 10 percent of baccalaureate nursing programs nationally,” Dean Barbara Wolfe said. “It is rewarding to play an important role providing baccalaureate-prepared nurses to meet the healthcare needs of Rhode Island and beyond. Nurses are a vital resource to individuals, families and communities, as underscored by the recent pandemic. It is exciting to see such a robust interest in nursing as a career.”
U.S. News & World Report, among the leading authorities in college and university rankings, surveyed deans and senior faculty members at each of the 681 college that qualified for the list. They were asked to rate the academic quality of their peer institutions on a 5-point scale. The publication then averaged the scores and ranked the colleges in descending order based on their peers’ assessments. To be eligible for the survey, a college must be accredited at the bachelor’s level by either the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education or the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing, and have awarded at least 40 bachelor’s degrees in the previous year.
The URI College of Nursing met and exceeded the standards as it continues to increase its offerings at the undergrad 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 this 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 have major impacts on health and health care.
The advancements the College has made are obvious not only in the undergrad programs, but in its graduate offerings as well. The master’s degree program, already among the best in the country, rose again in the national rankings earlier this year, moving into the top 50 in the country. The College’s Doctor of Nursing Practice program is also recognized among the nation’s best, ranking in the top 80. For more information on the URI College of Nursing and all its graduate and undergrad offerings, visit uri.edu/nursing.