Dean's Welcome

Welcome to the MUSC College of Nursing!

I would like to extend a warm welcome to you from the Medical University of South Carolina College of Nursing faculty, staff, students, and our esteemed alumni. As you may know, the need for qualified health care professionals is soaring, and while nursing schools across the country strive to keep up with the increased demand for nurses, the focus at the MUSC College of Nursing is on a particular type of student.

A student who wishes to excel in the nursing profession, who has the will and passion to discover new approaches and models of care, practice and research, and who will lead in optimizing strategies that promote the health and well-being of the lives of the patients, families, and communities that they care for. Our graduates are well prepared to change what’s possible, not only in the lives of their patients and families, but also in actively shaping the health care of tomorrow.

As the only comprehensive academic health sciences system and premier biomedical research institution in South Carolina, MUSC offers all its students a unique perspective in learning by bringing teams of nurses, physicians, researchers, and other health care experts to provide an interprofessional approach to care. An interprofessional collaborative approach allows our MUSC College of Nursing students a unique opportunity to study, learn, and participate on the front lines of health care practice and discovery.

The MUSC College of Nursing has a long and distinguished history of 140 years in preparing the most exceptional professional nurses who care, cure, and create new knowledge in improving the health of individuals, families, and communities. Our outstanding faculty educate approximately 600 students each year who earn either an RN to BSN, Accelerated BSN, DNP, or Ph.D. degree; with nearly half of our students receiving their education and training online. We are a nationally recognized leader in palliative care education and training. For example, all our undergraduate and graduate practice students graduate with End-of-Life Education Consortium (ELNEC) training, thus preparing them to meet and address the growing needs in caring for those with serious illness. We were the first in the nation to offer a post-masters to DNP in Lifespan Palliative Care. Our more than 7,500 alumni are a source of pride as well as a testament to our distinguished and rich history.

We are proud of our current accelerated BSN graduates NCLEX-RN first-time pass rates – our 2022 annualized 99% pass rates are among the highest in the state of SC. US News & World Report, 2023, ranks our RN-BSN online program #4th in the nation.

Our 2022 graduates of our Doctorate of Nursing Practice (DNP) Nurse Practitioner programs ANCC Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) and Psych Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP) had 100% first time certification pass rates. The MUSC College of Nursing also supports a strong nursing and behavioral health research program, which is integral to our MUSC enterprise-wide research mission, with approximately $298 million in research funding in 2022.

The College of Nursing ranked 31st in National Institutes of Health (NIH) funding among colleges of nursing across the country. We have a diverse research portfolio with over 31 active grants totaling over $6 million in research funding last year. While diverse, our research portfolio focuses on several programs of distinction including behavioral/mental health; chronic health conditions, health disparities, and quality of life; implementation science; self and symptom management; palliative care and end-of-file; community engagement; and technology and telehealth. We invite colleagues and potential pre and post doc students to reach out, contact, and/or partner with us if you see a fit in one of our priority science areas.

Due to the many opportunities for nurses, coupled with the urgent need for highly qualified and well-prepared nurse practitioners, academic leaders, researchers, and policymakers, today is an exciting but challenging time for our profession. However, I am confident that our graduates are well equipped to meet the demand and to assume leadership roles in advancing nursing practice, education, and research that will positively affect the health, well-being, and quality of life of individuals, families, communities, and society.

We are excited about the many opportunities that the MUSC College of Nursing has to offer future students or if you join us as a member of our esteemed faculty or staff. We proudly look forward to you joining, growing, and learning with us in our commitment to our transformative programs of excellence and changing what is possible!

I invite you to browse our site to learn more about the college – our programs and our research. Feel free to contact us with questions or comments. Your support is invaluable. Thank you for your interest in MUSC and the College of Nursing!

Sincerely,
Linda Weglicki, Ph.D., MSN, RN
Dean and professor
MUSC College of Nursing