U.S. News & World Report Ranks Clarkson College Online Graduate Nursing Program in Top 100

U.S. News & World Report ranked Clarkson College 77th out of 154 eligible institutions in the nation in the category of 2018 Best Online Graduate Nursing Programs, making it only one of two top ranked programs of its kind in Nebraska.

This is the seventh time that Clarkson College received a high ranking in the Best Online Graduate Nursing Program category. “It is an honor to be recognized in this category,” said Dr. Layna Himmelberg, Graduate Nursing Program Director. “It not only speaks highly of the program and the College, but also our hard-working faculty who continue to advance the program and ensure its success.”

To determine the rankings, U.S. News & World Report compiled a list of nursing schools offering online master’s degree programs and collected data from the schools accredited by either the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN) or the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE). The rankings recognize the best online graduate nursing programs based on five factors:

  • Student Engagement (30 percent)
  • Faculty Credentials and Training (20 percent)
  • Peer Reputation (20 percent)
  • Admissions Selectivity (15 percent)
  • Student Services and Technology (15 percent)

A program’s score for each factor is calculated using the data each program reported to U.S. News in a statistical survey and peer reputation survey. Between August 2017 and October 2017 during which data was collected, 159 schools, or 30 percent of schools surveyed, said they would be offering online nursing master’s degree programs. Of these 159 schools, five are unranked because they reported having fewer than 10 students enrolled or because the programs were less than one year old.

The Clarkson College Graduate Nursing program is accredited by the ACEN. Students enrolled in the program choose from specialties in nursing education, nursing health care administration, family nurse practitioner and adult-gerontology primary care nurse practitioner. Post-MSN certificate programs are also available online. The program curriculum prepares registered nurses to work as nurse educators, leaders, consultants, advocates and advanced practitioners.

Driven by the Clarkson College Mission and Values, the program continues to make strides in nursing education. “Clarkson College faculty and administration work together to ensure that our students receive the best education,” said Dr. Himmelberg. “We strongly believe in our Mission to prepare students to professionally provide high-quality health care and our Values, which continue to motivate us to improve the program.”

The University of Nebraska Medical Center is the only other school in Nebraska to receive a 2018 U.S. News Best Online Graduate Nursing Programs ranking. To view the complete list of this year’s rankings, visit the U.S. News & World Report website.