The University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Nursing has received a renewed designation through 2029 as a National League for Nursing Center of Excellence for creating environments that enhance student learning and professional development.
The School of Nursing received its first designation in this area in 2017; it was last renewed in 2022. It is one of 21 nursing education programs across the country to be recognized in 2025.
“This redesignation reflects the areas where we’ve invested time and resources as part of our strategic priorities,” said Maria R. Shirey, Ph.D., dean of the School of Nursing. “We’ve focused on fostering student engagement, encouraging professional involvement and supporting lifelong learning. At the same time, we’ve invested in faculty development to strengthen teaching and support across programs.”
The application for the redesignation was spearheaded by a task force led by Linda Moneyham, Ph.D., University Professor and senior associate dean for Academic Affairs. It included associate and assistant deans, department chairs, and more than 30 faculty from the various academic programs and missions.
“Our programs are designed to prepare graduates for high-quality, evidence-based practice through innovative approaches and a curriculum that supports active learning and engagement,” Moneyham said. “As nursing education shifts toward competency-based models, we’ve integrated tools such as gamification, redesigned courses and diagnostic reasoning resources to strengthen decision-making.”
The School of Nursing received a second designation as a National League for Nursing Center of Excellence in September 2024. The school has received several other accolades over the past year, including the Bachelor of Science in Nursing program’s achieving a national ranking of 13 among all baccalaureate programs from U.S. News & World Report. This ranking recognizes the BSN program as the top in Alabama and among the top 2 percent of all nursing programs nationwide.
Additionally, the school’s Master of Science in Nursing program ranked 11 and the Doctor of Nursing Practice ranked 10 in the 2025 U.S. News & World Report “Best Graduate Schools” rankings. Four graduate specialties also are ranked in the top 10 across the nation.
The school was formally recognized for its NLN Center of Excellence designation at the 2025 NLN Education Summit in Orlando, Florida, in September.