The University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) College of Nursing was established in March 1953 to help meet the growing demand for skilled nurses and to provide Arkansans with the best possible educational preparation in this profession. As of fall 2024, the college had an enrollment of nearly 450 nursing students.
The College of Nursing is committed to excellence in undergraduate and graduate nursing education, research and service. Its degree offerings include:
- Traditional and accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) programs.
- A registered nurse-to-Master of Nursing Science (MNSc) program.
- Advanced nursing practice degree (APRN) programs at the master’s and doctoral levels.
- An RN-to-master’s track that prepares registered nurses for leadership roles in nursing administration.
- Nurse practitioner specialty programs in acute care pediatrics, primary care pediatrics and psychiatric mental health.
- Arkansas’ first Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) in Nurse Anesthesia program.
UAMS has conferred more than 8,000 academic degrees to College of Nursing students over the past seven decades, and those graduates have been well-prepared to enter the nursing profession. Our students exceed the national average in their certification pass rates, including a 96.7% rate on the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX) during the 2023-24 academic year.
The College of Nursing has received numerous accolades for the quality of its programs. U.S. News & World Report’s 2024 list of the nation’s top undergraduate nursing schools placed UAMS in 74th out of 686 programs; it was the only institution in Arkansas to rank among the top 100. The publication also ranked UAMS’ DNP program as the 45th-best in the nation and its MNSc program as the 38th-best.
Additionally, College of Nursing faculty members continue to conduct research that is improving the quality of education and health care in Arkansas. The college had 17 externally funded grants in 2024, with research that focused on important issues such as sexual violence prevention and maternal and infant health.