Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education determines college’s baccalaureate and graduate programs meet all standards for accreditation

The University of Rhode Island College of Nursing has again been granted accreditation by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education for its undergraduate and graduate programs through 2036, the maximum 10-year duration of an accreditation period.

The college’s baccalaureate, master’s, Doctor of Nursing Practice, and post-graduate APRN certificate programs all met the CCNE Standards for Accreditation of baccalaureate and graduate nursing programs in the following categories: mission and governance; institutional commitment and resources; curriculum and teaching-learning practices; and assessment and achievement of program outcomes.

After an extensive review of the college’s programs, including a self-study by the college, interviews with faculty, staff, students and alumni, and site visits over multiple days by CCNE officials, the CCNE Board of Accreditation determined that “there are no compliance concerns with respect to the key elements.”

“I am very pleased that we have demonstrated the quality, rigor, continuous improvement, and integrity of our academic programs as we educate generalist and advanced practice nurses and executive leaders to serve the public,” said Dean Danny Willis.

The college’s undergraduate nursing program has been accredited since 1963 and its master’s nursing degree program has been accredited since 1980. The reaccreditation is the latest recognition of the college’s continuing impacts on health and healthcare locally, nationally and even internationally. 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. Faculty members and students routinely engage in impactful research projects that affects the health of the population across the lifespan.

Students in the program continue to excel in academics, clinical practice, and research, resulting in 75 being inducted into the Sigma Theta Tau honor society for nursing this year, and several more into the Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi. More than 92% of URI students pass the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX) on their first attempt.

The results are a baccalaureate program ranked among the top 75 in the country, a master’s program ranked among the top 55, and a Doctor of Nursing Practice program ranked among the top 100. Visit the URI College of Nursing Academics website for more information on all its graduate and undergrad offerings.

CCNE is officially recognized by the U.S. Secretary of Education as a national accreditation agency. As an autonomous agency, it contributes to the improvement of the public’s health by ensuring the quality of baccalaureate and graduate education programs.