The University of Texas Medical Branch’s School of Nursing online program was ranked No. 4 for veterans and No. 12 for its online graduate nursing program, according to U.S. News & World Report 2024 Best Online Programs rankings.
“Our UTMB School of Nursing has a strong commitment to student success and preparing nurses to provide competent and compassionate care,” said Dr. Deborah J. Jones, Dean of the School of Nursing and UTMB Chief Integration Officer. “Many colleges in the country provide graduate nursing education, but our rankings continue to demonstrate that we provide the high-quality training that patients in our community not only need but deserve.”
U.S. News & World report assesses over 1,800 online degree programs to determine their rankings. The rankings rated education programs on a scale, including program reputation, faculty credentials, retention rates and graduate debt loads – to earn a qualifying Best Online Programs ranking.
“This is an exceptional accomplishment by our School of Nursing and speaks to the high quality of education and the significant expertise of our faculty who are educating the workforce of the future, not only for Texas but truly for our nation and world,” said Dr. Jochen Reiser, president of UTMB and CEO of the UTMB Health System. “I am proud of the great work being done in the School to ensure that all of our students—whether they attend online or in person—are receiving a top-notch health care education.”
This year’s ranking isn’t the first for the UTMB School of Nursing. Consistently, the school’s online nursing program has been ranked among the best in the nation by the publication for several consecutive years.
“We focus on creating and sustaining an environment that allows our community to thrive in pursuit of their professional goals,” said Jones. “This ranking reminds us that the hard work of our faculty who educate the next generation of nurses and scientists, is recognized far beyond our school. I have immense gratitude to our supportive and dedicated faculty and am proud of our passionate and driven students who become leaders in their field.”
The School of Nursing opened its doors in 1890 as the John Sealy Hospital Training School for Nurses and was the first nursing school west of the Mississippi. Today, UTMB School of Nursing graduates nearly 550 students each year and has more than 15,500 alumni worldwide.
“This achievement by UTMB's outstanding School of Nursing demonstrates the excellent training that our nursing faculty and our nursing leadership provides,” said Dr. Charles P. Mouton, Executive Vice President, Provost and Dean, John Sealy School of Medicine at UTMB. “UTMB's School of Nursing matriculates individuals that embody this quote: ‘Nurses are a unique kind. They have this insatiable need to care for others, which is their greatest strength.’”