The University of New Hampshire has announced the establishment of the School of Nursing within the College of Health and Human Services. Approved in June 2025 by the USNH Board of Trustees, the new school convenes all UNH nursing programs, faculty, and students from the Durham campus and the College of Professional Studies Online campus into one academic home.
With New Hampshire facing a significant shortage of nurses and increasing demand for highly trained healthcare professionals, the UNH School of Nursing will play a vital role in addressing those challenges by expanding access to nursing education, strengthening clinical partnerships, and preparing practice-ready graduates who are equipped to serve communities across the Granite State — particularly in rural and underserved areas.
The establishment of a nursing school comes at a critical time for New Hampshire, as the state faces a significant shortage of nurses and increasing demand for highly trained healthcare professionals. The UNH School of Nursing will play a vital role in addressing those challenges by expanding access to nursing education, strengthening clinical partnerships, and preparing practice-ready graduates who are equipped to serve communities across the state — particularly in rural and underserved areas.
“This is a transformative step for nursing at UNH — and for the health of New Hampshire,” says Kirsten Corazzini, dean of the College of Health and Human Services. “By bringing all of our nursing programs together under one school, we are not only enhancing the academic experience for our students, but also building a more robust, coordinated response to the state’s growing health care workforce needs.”
With approximately 800 students enrolled in 10 academic programs, including multiple specialized tracks, the new School of Nursing brings together undergraduate and graduate pathways into a unified, collaborative structure. Programs will be delivered both at the Durham campus and online, providing students with broad access to hands-on clinical experience, interprofessional learning and community-based health initiatives.
“This unification allows us to align our strengths and deepen our commitment to public service,” says Rhonda Board, interim director of the School of Nursing. “We’re preparing students to lead in innovation, patient care, and policy development — all of which are essential to improving health outcomes across New Hampshire.”
Students in the School of Nursing will have the opportunity to engage in real-world, high-impact initiatives, from hands-on clinical experiences to research and policy work that address community-identified needs. The school is also positioned to attract additional external funding and partnerships to advance workforce development, interprofessional collaboration, and applied research.
UNH will continue to offer its full portfolio of accredited nursing programs — from bachelor’s to doctoral — while advancing innovation and expanding capacity to respond to the changing demands of health care across the region.
To learn more about the UNH School of Nursing, visit chhs.unh.edu/nursing.
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Written By:
Tania deLuzuriaga | UNH Marketing | tania.deluzuriaga@unh.edu
