UofSC ranks No. 1 in Nursing
College of Nursing No. 1 overall for online master’s programs
Posted on: January 26, 2021; Updated on: January 26, 2021
By Tenell Felder, tenell@mailbox.sc.edu
The University of South Carolina’s College of Nursing ranks No. 1 among all U.S. universities for its online graduate nursing program, according to U.S. News and World Report’s annual online rankings.
The rankings also place the university No. 1 for its online nursing graduate program for veterans.
Online graduate programs are common in nursing because many students are already practicing in the field. UofSC’s success in this area demonstrates not only its academic excellence, but also its commitment to providing flexible degree pathways.
Both online programs increased in ranking from last year’s No. 2 placements (#1 among public universities), demonstrating the university’s success in providing exceptional leadership in health science education.
“We will continue to expand and enhance our offerings of affordable, high quality online degree programs to grow educational opportunities for more South Carolinians.”
- President Caslen
The rankings are a great achievement, especially given the category’s competitiveness.
“Most nursing graduate programs in the U.S. are online, making this competition (and success) even more important,” says Dean Jeannette Andrews. “We have a strong history of excellence, and the metrics used for this ranking showcase our faculty and student achievements - it includes our faculty credentials and training, IT and distributed learning support, and evidence-based teaching methods.”
UofSC’s College of Nursing has placed in the top 10 rankings for the past seven years, last ranking No. 1 in 2016. The college also is in the top 1 percent in the country for NCLEX pass rates.
“As our national reputation continues to flourish – we attract diverse, stellar faculty, staff and students who choose to work and/or learn here,” Andrews says. “It is well known among the Gamecock Nursing Nation that the bar is high and we challenge each other to be our own individual and collective best in all we do.”
Andrews attributes the College of Nursing’s stellar reputation as appealing to veterans who are interested in pursuing their graduate nursing degree online.
“Our veterans want to attend a top-rated school with expert faculty who are engaged and committed to their success, and many choose us to pursue their graduate nursing education,” Andrews says.
In addition, U.S. News ranked specialty areas. Among those, the College of Nursing ranked No. 14 for Best Online Master's Nurse Practitioner - Family and Best Online Master's Nurse Practitioner - Nursing Administration/Leadership.
Other UofSC rankings include:
UofSC’s College of Engineering was ranked as one of the nation’s top online graduate engineering programs, while UofSC Aiken was also ranked as one of the top business online bachelor’s degree programs in the nation.
College of Education remained No. 23 for Best Online Education Program while gaining a specialty ranking in online education for Best Online Graduate Education Programs - Curriculum and Instruction.
“These rankings demonstrate the great work of our faculty across the university system,” said UofSC President Bob Caslen. “We will continue to expand and enhance our offerings of affordable, high quality online degree programs to grow educational opportunities for more South Carolinians.”