Nursing programs rise in US News & World Report rankings

TUCSON, Arizona — Two University of Arizona College of Nursing graduate programs significantly improved their rankings in the U.S. News & World Report’s 2024 Best Graduate Schools list, released April 9.

The Doctor of Nursing Practice program made a major leap in the Best Nursing Schools: Doctor of Nursing Practice rankings. The program ranked No. 10 among public universities and No. 19 overall, improving from No. 31 in 2023.

“We are thrilled to see the accomplishments of our growing DNP program recognized in the rankings. Our seven clinical specialties of the DNP program are helping to provide the country with more inpatient and outpatient advanced practice registered nurses, health care leaders, and nursing scholars and educators,” said Lindsay Bouchard, DNP, associate clinical professor and interim vice chair and DNP program director.

The Master of Science – Entry to the Profession of Nursing program jumped 11 spots in the Best Nursing School: Master’s rankings to check in at No. 30 overall and No. 19 among public universities.

“We take tremendous pride in the quality of education we provide to our graduate students, and these rankings are a clear indicator that the University of Arizona College of Nursing is one of the top destinations for nursing education in the country,” said Brian Ahn, PhD, dean of the UArizona College of Nursing. “We expect this upward trajectory to continue as we expand our education portfolio to prepare the next generation of compassionate and highly skilled nurses to positively impact health care outcomes and enhance the well-being of individuals, families and communities.”

The Doctor of Nursing Practice program allows students to obtain doctorates in as little as 2.5 years of full-time study. The hybrid program utilizes online didactic coursework, on-campus intensives and practicums, and clinical placements.

“The hybrid format of our program suits the needs and promotes the professional goals of a wide variety of students, supported by our team of expert clinician faculty who deploy innovative and supportive teaching strategies. Our graduates go on to become high-performing clinicians, effective leaders, and members of nursing faculty teams,” Bouchard said. “We look forward to seeing what is on the horizon as we continue to transform the DNP program by deploying additional teaching innovations and utilizing student feedback to expand our program’s strengths and potential.”

The Master of Science – Entry to the Profession of Nursing is a 15-month program offered in both Gilbert and Tucson, Arizona. Students are trained to demonstrate professional responsibility and accountability for nursing practice, apply clinically appropriate information technology to promote patient safety and health care quality, and provide, coordinate and manage health and illness care for patients.

“Master’s-level education empowers nurses to become dynamic leaders, guiding health care teams toward enhanced patient and population health outcomes,” said Connie Miller, DNP, clinical professor and chair of the Nursing and Health Education Division at the College of Nursing. “Embracing the complexities of modern health care, our Master’s Entry to the Profession Program equips nurses with the knowledge, skills and compassion needed to drive positive change in the ever-evolving landscape of health care. Graduates are not only prepared to excel in their clinical roles, but also poised to inspire and educate future generations of nurses as esteemed faculty members, bridging the gap between practice and academia with their invaluable expertise.”

U.S. News & World Report ranks colleges and universities based on 16 measures of academic quality. The measures considered for national universities include graduation and retention rates, assessment by peers and counselors, faculty resources (such as class size, benefits and salaries), student selectivity, financial resources for students, alumni giving, and graduation rate performance, which is the difference between actual and predicted graduation rates.