UMC: History of the School of Nursing

Dedication of the Christine L. Oglevee
Building, home to the School of Nursing

The School of Nursing assumes the responsibility for providing the people of Mississippi with registered nurses of high professional competence and for raising the professional and educational standards of the nurses already practicing in Mississippi.

The School of Nursing is housed in the Christine L. Oglevee Building which adjoins the main University of Mississippi Medical Center complex. Miss Oglevee was the first dean of the school.

As a professional school functioning within the general framework and policies of the University of Mississippi Medical Center in Jackson,the School of Nursing reflects the purpose of the University of Mississippi in its educational services for the State of Mississippi.

SON Timeline

1948	The Mississippi State Legislature authorized the establishment of the Department of Nursing on the Oxford Campus. This was Mississippi's first baccalaureate program in nursing.
1956	The Department of Nursing moved to the Medical Center campus in 1956.
1958	Achieved the school status.
1970	The state’s first graduate program in nursing was established at UMC.
1997	A Doctor of Philosophy in Nursing program offered jointly in conjunction with the University of Southern Mississippi School of Nursing is offered.
2013	The baccalaureate and graduate programs are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) until the year 2013.

Baccalaureate Degree Programs

The School of Nursing offers three program options that lead to the Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree: an upper division, traditional BSN program option and the Advanced Standing (RN-BSN) online program option for registered nurses, and the new Accelerated Second Degree (BSN) program option for students with previous Bachelor's degrees in other fields. The Traditional BSN program is available on two campuses - Jackson and Oxford. The Advanced Standing is available on two campuses as well - Jackson and Desoto. >> more informatio n

Master’s Degree Programs

The Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) Degree Program has four tracks; Nurse Practitioner, Nurse Educator, Health Systems Executive, and Nurse Researcher.

The Nurse Practitioner Track has four specialty offerings: Family Nurse Practitioner, Adult Acute Care Nurse Practitioner, and Psychiatric/Mental Health Nurse Practitioner. >> more information

Dual Option

A dual option, RN-BSN-MSN program, provides registered nurses from associate degree and diploma programs a unique opportunity to obtain the BSN degree and to complete an advanced practice program of study (MSN). >> more information

Doctoral Program

The Institution of Higher Learning authorized a Doctor of Philosophy in Nursing Program to be offered in collaboration with the School of Nursing at the University of Southern Mississippi in 1997. The first students were accepted in the fall of 1998. The doctoral students select either the biological/physiological track or the human experiences in health care track for an area of concentration. >> more information

Accreditation Status

The University of Mississippi Medical Center is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (1866 Southern Lane, Decatur, Georgia 30033-4097; telephone number 404-679-4501) to award degrees at the baccalaureate, master's and doctorate level. The School of Nursing's educational programs are accredited by the Commission Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) until the year 2013.