The UNLV School of Nursing’s online graduate nursing program maintained its status as one of the best in the nation, surging to 11th place on U.S. News & World Report’s 2020 survey released today.

The publication annually ranks online nursing master’s degree programs in five distinct areas: engagement, faculty credentials and training, expert opinion, services and technology, and student excellence.

UNLV’s Master’s of Science in Nursing program shot up the list 16 spots from No. 27 last year. School of Nursing dean Angela Amar attributes the climb to a collaboration between campus and community partners.

"Our ranking is a reflection of the exceptional enthusiasm and achievements of our faculty, staff, students, clinical partners and alumni,” Amar said. “Our online program offers advanced education in a convenient setting for nurse practitioners who attend to the health needs of the citizens of Nevada, nurse educators who prepare the next generation of nurses, and nurse researchers developing new ways to improve care of patients."

UNLV’s School of Nursing currently offers two master's tracks — family nurse practitioner and nurse educator — that prepare advanced clinicians and educators in nursing to serve the health needs of the community and educate future nursing care providers. A master’s track for nurse practitioners in psychiatric mental health will debut in Fall 2021. All of the school’s graduate level courses, including a Doctor of Nursing Practice degree and a Ph.D. in Nursing, are offered online.

The School of Nursing has steadily worked in recent years to develop new and build on existing programs to meet the Silver State's pressing workforce shortage.

In Fall 2019, the school expanded its competitive undergraduate program. A total of 216 students are now accepted annually over three cohorts — an increase of 50 percent since fall 2017. The rigorous year-round undergraduate curriculum can be completed in just 16 months and speeds the transition of bachelor’s-prepared (BSN) graduates into an in-demand nursing workforce.

Last year, the school was named a Center of Excellence — one of just 10 programs nationwide — by the National League for Nursing, the leading professional organization for nurse educators. UNLV joined a cadre of top national programs, including Duke University, Johns Hopkins, and Vanderbilt as 2019 honorees, and was also the first institution in Nevada to earn the distinction.

In 2021, administrators will expand curriculum offerings to include advanced graduate certificates for nurse practitioners interested in psychiatric mental health and emergency care. The school currently offers an advanced graduate certificate in nursing education.