The University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Nursing and Health Studies ranked No. 18 among the nation’s best online graduate nursing programs of 2018 by U.S. News & World Report, earning at least a Top 25 ranking for the sixth year in a row.

UMKC’s ranking, released today, is the highest of any university in Missouri and the surrounding states of Nebraska, Iowa, Arkansas, Kentucky and Oklahoma. In 2017, UMKC also ranked high at No. 21.

“The School of Nursing and Health Studies faculty, staff and students are to be commended for the achievements in our online nursing programs,” said Ann Cary, dean of the school. “In addition, we are supported by the vice provost for online learning, Devon Cancilla, and his team for efforts to bring the best infrastructure possible to our learning experiences for our students. We are committed to unrelenting quality in programming now and in the future.”

The UMKC School of Nursing and Health Studies is a pioneer in distance-learning programs, offering online advanced degree programs since 2002. The programs offer busy professionals a high-quality but convenient way to further their careers and meet the needs of an evolving health-care system.

Online students are expected to participate in online discussions as if they are present in the classroom. Technology offers multiple modes of communication in real time and asynchronous exchanges. Students also experience on-site learning with faculty and classmates through annual clinical institutes and dissertation work sessions.

UMKC offers a variety of online graduate nursing tracks, including BSN to Doctoral, MSN to Doctoral, master’s degrees and post-masters certificate tracks in the following:

• Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner
• Family Nurse Practitioner
• Pediatric Nurse Practitioner
• Acute Care Pediatric Nurse Practitioner
• Women’s Health Nurse Practitioner
• Nurse Educator
• Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner
• Neonatal Nurse Practitioner
• PhD
• Doctor of Nursing Practice

U.S. News began ranking online education in 2012. The categories include faculty credentials and training; student engagement; admissions selectivity; peer reputation; and student services and technology. U.S. News began their data comparisons with more than 500 institutions that had accredited graduate degree programs in nursing. Among the ones that replied, 159 said they offered online graduate nursing programs. The number of online nursing programs is continually growing nationwide.