The UMKC School of Nursing and Health Studies ranked No. 33 among nation’s best online nursing programs by U.S. News & World Report.
According to Dean Joy Roberts, the ranking is a testament to the continued success of the program.
“UMKC’s Master of Science in Nursing program has educated hundreds of advanced practice nurses and nurse educators since its inception and our graduates have gone on to work throughout Missouri, Kansas and the United States,” Roberts said. “We are proud of our graduates, our current students and the faculty who educate them.”
Up from No. 36 last year, this is the 13th year in a row the program has ranked in the top 50 of the 149 schools on list. For working registered nurses, the school’s many online offerings enable them to continue providing care in their communities, while preparing them for the evolving and dynamic challenges of healthcare.
Students in these programs participate in online discussions just as if they were present in the classroom. Technology offers two-way communication in real time via multiple modes. Students also receive on-site learning through summer institutes, where they attend clinical training or dissertation work sessions as well as deliver presentations to classmates and faculty.
For pediatric nurse practitioner Lori Erickson (BSN ’06, MSN ’09, Ph.D. ’20), her coursework in the Master of Science program laid the foundation for her progression as an advanced provider. Now the director of remote health solutions at Children’s Mercy Kansas City, the connections she made during clinical rotations were far reaching and the opportunities to experience different clinical and leadership scenarios in nursing were invaluable.
“My connections with faculty and staff at UMKC have continued after graduation and are part of the reason that I returned to the School of Nursing for my Ph.D.,” Erickson said. “My Doctorate in Nursing prompted my shift to focus on outcomes in a rigorous way. I would not be where I am without the Roos.”
UMKC offers a variety of online graduate nursing tracks, including Master of Science in Nursing and other options:
Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner (AGNP)
Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP)
Neonatal Nurse Practitioner (NNP)
Nurse Educator (NE)
Pediatric Nurse Practitioner (PNP) Primary Care and Acute-Care (ACPNP)
Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP)
Women’s Health Nurse Practitioner (WHNP)
Ph.D.
Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)