Submitted photos

Dr. Angie Mickle, left, joins a nursing student during a clinical experience at a local hospital.

A Cedarville University nursing student interacts with a young patient.

CEDARVILLE — Cedarville University’s graduate nursing program received high honors from a U.S. News and World Report ranking that was released this week.

In the ranking, Cedarville’s master of science in nursing (M.S.N.) program is the fourth-highest-ranked program in Ohio, following only The Ohio State University, the University of Cincinnati, and Ohio University. The U.S. News ranking also lists Cedarville as the highest-ranked private university graduate nursing program in Ohio.

Cedarville’s School of Nursing has a long-standing reputation for producing highly skilled and well-prepared nurses. The institution introduced the bachelor of science in nursing degree in 1982 and later expanded to offer the M.S.N. program 26 years later. Cedarville began offering a doctor of nursing practice in fall 2023.

In the past five years, graduates of Cedarville’s undergraduate and graduate nursing programs have a 99.2 percent career placement rate — and in two of the years, it was 100 percent.

The Master of Science in Nursing program at Cedarville continues to thrive, responding to evolving health care needs.

“We see what’s needed and adjust our programs to meet community and population health care needs,” said Dr. Angie Mickle, dean of the school of nursing at Cedarville University. “I truly believe that we will continue to be successful because everything we do is for the glory of God.”

Health care professionals affirm that Cedarville’s nursing graduates are highly sought after by hospitals and health care networks in Ohio and throughout the country. The school’s emphasis on hands-on learning ensures that nursing students are well prepared for the health care field at both the B.S.N. and M.S.N. levels, while recently offering the highest level of nursing education, the terminal degree, doctor of nursing practice (D.N.P.).

The initiation of Cedarville’s M.S.N. program coincided with changes in the health care industry, necessitating more advanced practice nurses. Nationally, nurse practitioners are assuming primary roles in health care due to a growing physician shortage. Cedarville’s M.S.N. program was designed to meet industry demands while upholding rigorous academics and a biblical worldview.

Cedarville offers five areas of focus for the M.S.N., including adult-gerontology acute care nurse practitioner, family nurse practitioner, pediatric nurse practitioner, nurse educator and nursing leadership. Additionally, the university provides a unique M.S.N. + MBA option.

The U.S. News and World Report ranking assesses the program at a micro-level, considering various factors such as program quality, retention rates, undergraduate academic reputation, class size and alumni giving rates. The ranking methodology offers a comprehensive evaluation of both program-specific and institutional criteria.