A Decade as Top Program for the UMKC School of Nursing and Health Studies

U.S. News & World Report ranks online graduate programs
nurse at a hospital

The University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Nursing and Health Studies is ranked in the Top 50 of the nation’s best online graduate nursing programs for 2022 by U.S. News & World Report. It is the 10th year in a row the program has earned the top ranking.

The UMKC School of Health Studies is proud of its online Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) program as one of the best in the nation, said Joy Roberts, interim dean.

"Even while facing wave after wave of the COVID pandemic, our MSN nurse programs continued to educate and graduate top quality nurse practitioners and nurse educators,” said Roberts. “The desperate need for high-quality online nursing education continues to be highlighted by the pandemic.”

Since 2002, nurses have invested in their future through the distance learning graduate programs offered by the UMKC School of Nursing and Health Studies. The school was an early pioneer in online graduate programs, preparing busy professionals for the evolving and dynamic challenges in present and future health care environments. Through high-quality, convenient programs, the school enables nurses to become leaders and active partners in improving health outcomes.

According to Roberts, the online classroom environment for their students was critical in their recent graduates having an immediate impact on the health care system.

“Because our MSN programs are online, our May and December ‘21 MSN graduates were able to continue working as registered nurses, supporting the members of their communities and states, while still advancing their education,” said Roberts. “Upon graduation these new nurse practitioners and nurse educators were able to move their new, advanced skills right into the workforce without skipping a beat.”

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. 

UMKC offers a variety of online graduate nursing tracks, including Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) 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 (AC PNP)
  • Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP)
  • Women’s Health Nurse Practitioner (WHNP)
  • Ph.D.
  • Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)

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