2023 - Best Nursing Schools in Utah

Western Governors University is located in Salt Lake City, Utah.  WGU is a non-traditional university and their education is based on competencies, which means that their approach allows the students to learn things they do not already know, taking into consideration past education and work experience.

Western Governors University allows nursing students to complete their degrees online at any time or place that works for them. Students have loved this institution because they don’t have to choose between their education and work.

At Western Governors University, although the coursework is online, students will never be alone in their educational journey. Each student is paired with a mentor who has worked in the healthcare industry and will provide continual support, encouragement and help them achieve their goals. This online nonprofit organization is very affordable and also provides multiple scholarship opportunities to nurses who have shown exceptional activism or innovation in nursing that improves patient outcomes. 

Undergraduate Programs: The University offers an RN to BSN online program that is designed for working RNs who want an affordable and accessible bachelor’s degree to expand their career. However, for students who don’t hold a nursing license, the University has a Nursing (Prelicensure) BS degree that is offered in areas where the University has partnerships with healthcare employers. These partnerships allow students to practice in clinical sites and provide them with clinical coaches to successfully complete their degrees and build competence. 

Graduate Programs: The Nursing Education (BSN to MSN) degree prepares students to teach the next generation of nurses. Graduates of this degree are eligible to work as Nurse Educators, Nursing Faculty, Program Director, Academic Clinical Nurse Educator, and more. For students who don’t currently have a bachelor’s degree, the Nursing Education (RN to MSN) course includes a BSN program component in the degree itself. 

Similarly, there are also Nursing Informatics (BSN to MSN) and Nursing Informatics (RN to MSN) degrees that empower data-driven nurses. The Nursing Leadership and Management (BSN to MSN) and (RN to MSN) courses exist for students who are ready for greater responsibility like the director of nursing, chief nursing officer, and more. 

For nurses looking to advance their career in the clinical sector, the Family Nurse Practitioner (BSN to MSN) course prepares them to become board-certified FNPs.

Apart from these degrees, the University also offers two Post-Master’s Certificate in Nursing Education and Nursing Leadership and Management.

Southern Utah University offers a learning-centered education that meets the requirements of both the students and employers. The courses combine classroom and experiential learning, emphasizing caring, critical thinking, patient safety, ethical decision-making, communication, civic responsibility, and professional excellence. 

The University offers small class sizes, career-focused learning, and hands-on experience that enable the students to become competent nurses in every form. Students learn to provide quality professional nursing care based on a synthesis of theoretical and empirical knowledge from nursing, physical and social sciences, arts and humanities, and life experiences. Students are offered hands-on experiences with state-of-the-art healthcare equipment, one-on-one instructional experiences, and varied hands-on clinical practicum opportunities that provide them with the necessary skills to practice as quality care providers. 

Undergraduate Programs: The Pre-Licensure Nursing program is designed to empower students to get their nursing licenses and work as nurse generalists in all kinds of healthcare facilities.

For health professionals such as LPNs and Paramedics, the HP to BSN program allows them to obtain their BSN degree and get their RN license.

Similarly, there is an online RN to BSN course designed for working RNs who don’t have their BSN degree. This course allows them to balance their work and education without having to compromise on either.

One of the leading nursing colleges in the state, Utah Valley University, prepares nurses for a successful nursing career via a team-oriented learning process and highly skilled faculty. Students learn the required knowledge and clinical judgment skills in order to provide expert nursing care in a dynamic healthcare environment. 

Nursing students at Utah Valley University get the chance to engage in hands-on learning in simulation labs and in clinical rotations. They participate in research, internships and also get international healthcare experiences. The University offers physical, online, or hybrid classes for different courses. The courses here are competitive and have high academic standards while also being balanced with a compassionate and team-oriented emphasis on preparing professional, skilled, and caring nurses.

Undergraduate Programs: Utah Valley University offers an Associate in Science in Nursing with a BSN completion program. Graduates of the ASN program can take their NCLEX-RN examination and practice as skilled RNs. They are also eligible to seamlessly transition to the BSN degree should they wish to. 

In addition, there is also an RN to BSN degree that allows ASN graduates to learn and apply leadership skills, genomics, global health perspectives, and research practice. The RN to BSN program classes are available online, hybrid, or face-to-face. 

Graduate Programs: The MSN program at Utah Valley University is an online course that can be taken full-time or part-time. Students are prepared for advanced roles as nurse educators in both clinical and academic settings.

Utah Tech University is located in St. George, Utah.  Utah Tech University offers an ADN program and an RN to BSN program.  Students enrolled in the ADN program may continue into the RN to BSN program without reapplying if they pass their courses and the NCLEX-RN.  The RN to BSN program can be completed in as little as 12 months, if attending full-time, but can also be completed on a part-time basis, which is ideal for the working nurse.

University of Utah College of Nursing is the only college of nursing with a PhD program in Utah, and it is committed to serving the people of Utah and beyond. The college aims for excellence in education, research, and clinical care. Students learn in a diverse, inclusive, and independent environment that helps to bring out the compassionate human beings and leaders in them.

Students learn to practice their skills in clinical rotations in a variety of settings across the region. They are also exposed to interprofessional education experiences along with community-engaged learning. Nursing students learn to integrate theory and research into evidence-based practice as the University is associated with a research-intensive medical academic center that covers a six-state region. 

Undergraduate Programs: For students who are currently high school seniors or are first-year college students with less than 30 credit hours, the University of Utah College of Nursing offers a Nursing Early Assurance Program. This track in the Baccalaureate Nursing Program allows direct entry to candidates that are planning on majoring in nursing at the University of Utah.

Similarly, for students who don’t currently hold a nursing license, the 16-month BSN program allows them to earn their BSN degree and a nursing license.

In addition to that, if you currently hold an Associate Degree in Nursing but want to earn a Bachelor’s degree, the College of Nursing offers an affordable online RN to BSN program that you can choose to complete in two, three, or four semesters.

There is also an Express Pathway which is a bridge program allowing second-semester nursing students in Salt Lake Community College to seamlessly transfer to the University of Utah and enroll in the online RN to BSN course upon completion of their SLCC program.

Graduate Programs: The University of Utah College of Nursing offers three online specialty tracks that allow students to specialize in distinct areas of healthcare. The specialties are Nursing Education, Nursing Informatics, and Gerontology.

The College of Nursing offers the only DNP and PhD in nursing courses in the entire state. The BS to DNP program offers specialties in Adult/Gerontology Acute Care, Neonatal, Nurse-Midwifery, Primary Care (Adult/Gerontology, Family, and Pediatrics), Psychiatric Mental Health, Women’s Health, Women’s Health and Nurse-Midwifery dual track. 

Similarly, the Masters to DNP program offers Direct Care for (Advanced Practice Registered Nurses) and Organizational Leadership (for non-APRNs, Nurse Administrators, and APRNs)