Published on March 16, 2016 by Katie Stripling  
Nursing USnews

Samford University’s graduate programs in nursing and pharmacy are ranked among the best in the nation according to rankings released today by U.S. News & World Report.

Coming in at number 85 on the Best Graduate Nursing Programs list, Samford’s Ida V. Moffett School of Nursing is ranked among the top 16 percent of all accredited master’s programs in the country. Samford moved up five spots from number 90 last year. Nursing school rankings are based on quality indicators related to student selectivity, faculty resources, faculty achievements, research activity, and peer assessments of quality and specialties. The nurse anesthesia concentration was ranked #51 in the nation for the specialty and is the highest-ranked program in Alabama.

McWhorter School of Pharmacy’s Doctor of Pharmacy program moved up nine spots in this year’s Best Pharmacy Schools, ranking number 53 in the country. Pharmacy school rankings are based on the results of peer assessment surveys sent to deans and administrators in accredited schools of pharmacy.

“Samford’s recognition by U.S. News & World Report attests to the value of a Samford education and the success of our graduates and faculty,” said Samford provost J. Michael Hardin. “We are proud of the work taking place within the schools of nursing and pharmacy, and applaud the faculty, administration and students for earning such a strong reputation among their peers.” 

 “The latest rankings are a significant testament to the strength of our programs in the College of Health Sciences,” said Nena F. Sanders, vice provost of the College of Health Sciences. “To be recognized as a national leader in nursing and pharmacy education is a strong affirmation of the tremendous work of our faculty and administration in these schools.”  

According to Sanders, Samford’s health sciences programs are designed to meet the needs of not only students and graduates, but also the respective professions and the overall health-care community. Both the nursing and pharmacy schools have recently experienced growth in their graduate programs.

More than 430 students are enrolled in graduate nursing programs at Samford, with 340 of them pursuing a master’s degree. The nursing school offers master’s concentrations in family nurse practitioner, nurse educator and nurse anesthesia. The school also has an RN-to-M.S.N. option in addition to programs at the baccalaureate and doctoral levels. The school will introduce the RN-to-D.N.P. and B.S.N.-to-D.N.P. options in 2017.

McWhorter School of Pharmacy continues to differentiate itself from its peers by offering numerous dual-degree options, including a Pharm.D. /M.B.A. and a Pharm.D./M.P.H., and a variety of opportunities for students to personalize their degree to meet their career goals. This year, nearly 20 percent of pharmacy school students will travel internationally, and numerous students are engaged in research. 

 
Samford is a leading Christian university offering undergraduate programs grounded in the liberal arts with an array of nationally recognized graduate and professional schools. Founded in 1841, Samford is the 87th-oldest institution of higher learning in the United States. Samford enrolls 6,101 students from 45 states, Puerto Rico and 16 countries in its 10 academic schools: arts, arts and sciences, business, divinity, education, health professions, law, nursing, pharmacy and public health. Samford fields 17 athletic teams that compete in the tradition-rich Southern Conference and ranks 6th nationally for its Graduation Success Rate among all NCAA Division I schools.