Ramapo's Graduate Nursing School Ranks Among Best In Nation: Report

MAHWAH, NJ — Ramapo College's graduate nursing program ranks among the best in the country, according to a just-released report.

New Jersey's No. 2-ranked public college — according to a U.S. News & World Report list released last year — offers a Master of Science in Nursing program that has been ranked among the top 150 in the nation, the media company said.

The nursing school, Patch reported, was one of 17 New Jersey graduate schools to rank nationally. Schools are ranked according to performance across a set of indicators, including faculty resources and research activity.

"We are thrilled to be recognized for all of our work,” Ramapo's graduate nursing programs director Kathleen Burke said. "(The national ranking) is supported by the strong student support and assistance routinely given by faculty."

The program offers four track options: Family nurse practitioner, adult gerontology nurse practitioner, nursing administration, and nursing education. Nurses who complete the program have the opportunity to obtain certification in their respective specialties and become leaders where they work, the college said in a release.

Online and hybrid program formats provide flexibility for nurses who work and want to further their education, like New York University medical center nurse Patricia Conte, who is studying to become a family nurse practitioner.

"(Ramapo's) MSN program provides me with the best education and supportive resources to advance my career," Conte said. "The (program) has helped me grow with confidence in the assessment, clinical diagnosis, and education of patients.”

Conte also said the staff has helped fuel her success in the program, and that the hybrid format has contributed to her achieving a good "work-school-life balance."

Registered nurse Christie Rice, who is graduating from the nurse education track in May, agreed:

“The professors are extremely supportive and understanding of graduate students," Rice said. "The hybrid nature of the program makes it attainable to fit the scheduled in-person classes with a variety of nursing jobs.