School of Nursing and Health Studies online graduate programs recognized by U.S. News & World Report

The University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Nursing and Health Studies has been ranked in the Top 20 of the nation’s best online graduate nursing programs by U.S. News & World Report.

UMKC’s No. 18 ranking, released Wednesday, is the highest of any public university in Missouri or Kansas. It’s the third year in a row the school has ranked in the Top 20.

“We have established that the UMKC online graduate nursing program is consistently among the best in the country, and keep innovating to stay at that level,” said Devon Cancilla, vice provost for Online and Distance Learning at UMKC. “We maintain the same high standards for teaching and learning in cyberspace that are required in the physical classroom.”

The UMKC School of Nursing and Health Studies has been offering online graduate programs since 2002.

“UMKC was a pioneer in distance learning in nursing because we saw the need to offer busy professionals a high-quality but convenient way to access advanced degree programs to further their careers and meet the needs of an evolving health care system,” said Ann Cary, dean of the UMKC School of Nursing and Health Studies.

The UMKC School of Nursing’s online graduate programs are designed to offer classroom-quality instruction with the reach and convenience of web-based learning. Online students are expected to participate in online discussions as if they are present in the classroom. Technology allows two-way communication in real time via multiple modes, including webcams, microphones and simply typing their comments. Students also experience on-site learning through summer institutes where they are required to attend clinical training or dissertation work sessions, and deliver presentations to classmates and faculty.

UMKC offers a variety of online graduate nursing tracks, including:

• Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner
• Neonatal Nurse Practitioner
• Women’s Health Nurse Practitioner
• Pediatric Nurse Practitioner
• Nurse Educator
• PhD
• Doctor of Nursing Practice for Family Nurse Practitioner
• Doctor of Nursing Practice for Geriatric Nurse Practitioner

U.S. News began ranking online education in 2012. The rankings are based on peer reputation; student engagement; faculty credentials and training; student services and technology; and admissions selectivity. U.S. News began their data comparisons with more than 400 institutions that had accredited graduate degree programs in nursing. Among the ones that replied, 133 said they offered online graduate nursing programs. The number of online nursing programs is continually growing nationwide.

To read more about the rankings, go to usnews.com/online.

| Stacy Downs, Division of Strategic Marketing and Communications