UAMS College of Nursing’s Undergraduate Programs Ranked 74th in Nation by U.S. News & World Report
| The University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) College of Nursing ranks among the nation’s 100 best undergraduate nursing programs, according to a list released today by U.S. News & World Report.
UAMS climbed 12 spots in the annual ranking, tying for 74th out of 686 programs evaluated by the publication. It was the only Arkansas institution in the top 100.
U.S. News & World Report conducted its evaluations through surveys from top academic and nursing school officials, who rated BSN programs they were familiar with on a scale from 1 to 5. Schools on the list were required to have a bachelor’s-level accreditation from the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education or the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing, and they needed to have recently awarded at least 50 BSN degrees.
The UAMS College of Nursing’s undergraduate offerings include a traditional Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) program and an Accelerated BSN program for students who hold bachelor’s degrees in other fields. The A-BSN program, established in 2022 as a 15-month track that helps students quickly transition to the nursing workforce, recently celebrated its second graduating class.
In the 2023-24 school year, UAMS graduated 74 students from its BSN program and 18 from its A-BSN track. A total of 5,750 students have earned undergraduate degrees since the programs’ inception.
Patricia Cowan, Ph.D., RN, dean of the College of Nursing, said UAMS is doing its part to address a chronic nursing shortage that was exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic.
“This recognition from U.S. News & World Report reflects the hard work of our nursing faculty members, who are preparing the next generation of nurses to make a difference in their communities,” she said.
The College of Nursing, established in 1953, also offers a Master of Nursing Science degree, a Doctor of Nursing Practice degree and a Doctor of Philosophy in Nursing.
UAMS is the state’s only health sciences university, with colleges of Medicine, Nursing, Pharmacy, Health Professions and Public Health; a graduate school; a hospital; a main campus in Little Rock; a Northwest Arkansas regional campus in Fayetteville; a statewide network of regional campuses; and eight institutes: the Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute, Jackson T. Stephens Spine & Neurosciences Institute, Harvey & Bernice Jones Eye Institute, Psychiatric Research Institute, Donald W. Reynolds Institute on Aging, Translational Research Institute, Institute for Digital Health & Innovation and the Institute for Community Health Innovation. UAMS includes UAMS Health, a statewide health system that encompasses all of UAMS’ clinical enterprise. UAMS is the only adult Level 1 trauma center in the state. UAMS has 3,275 students, 890 medical residents and fellows, and five dental residents. It is the state’s largest public employer with more than 12,000 employees, including 1,200 physicians who provide care to patients at UAMS, its regional campuses, Arkansas Children’s, the VA Medical Center and Baptist Health. Visit www.uams.edu or uamshealth.com. Find us on Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), YouTube or Instagram.###