Message from the Dean
Over the past century, the University of Maryland School of Nursing (UMSON) has emerged as one of the most respected and highly acclaimed schools of nursing in the U.S. and in the world. UMSON employs and partners with the leaders of today to prepare the leaders of the future. Our location on a professional campus with schools of medicine, pharmacy, law, social work, and dentistry allows our students and faculty to engage in a variety of interprofessional collaborations.
We are the largest nursing school in the state of Maryland and one of the largest in the U.S., enrolling more than 1,700 students in our baccalaureate, master’s, and doctoral programs. We educate a significant share of Maryland’s nursing workforce. Our belief in life-long learning is evidenced by our dynamic and forward-thinking professional development programs that are attended by more than 3,000 participants each year.
Thirty-seven percent of our students belong to minority ethnic groups and 12 percent are males. This rich diversity enables our students to learn and participate in an environment where cultural and racial differences are acknowledged and embraced. Our graduates are prepared with the cultural competency that is critical to effective nursing.
Recent educational innovations at the School include establishing Maryland’s first Clinical Nurse Leader (CNL) master of science (MS) degree option, the state’s first Nurse Anesthesia MS specialty, and the state’s first Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) program. These initiatives put us in the vanguard of nursing education and practice, and respond to the evolving needs of the nation’s health care system.
In the spirit of discovery, and in support of the science of nursing, many of our faculty members and students are conducting original scientific research. The School’s two centers of excellence—Work and Health Research and Disorders of Neuroregulatory Function—as well as its developing centers of excellence in Health Care System Outcomes, Aging, and Palliative Care are engaged in groundbreaking research. Research grants for FY 2010 exceeded $5.8 million.
I’m glad you have taken the time to visit our website. I encourage you to come back often for updates on courses and programs, special events, and news about the School. And you are most welcome to visit our facilities in Baltimore and Shady Grove to explore the many educational opportunities we have to offer. Appointments can be made by contacting our Office of Student and Academic Services at 410-706-0501.
Janet D. Allan, PhD, RN, FAAN
Dean and Professor
