The baccalaureate and master’s degree programs in Western Kentucky University’s School of Nursing have been re-accredited for 10 years, the maximum term possible, by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE).

The CCNE, an autonomous arm of the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN), is the only accrediting body devoted exclusively to the evaluation of baccalaureate and graduate degree programs in nursing.

At its Oct. 13 meeting, the CCNE Board of Commissioners determined that the nursing programs at the newly established WKU School of Nursing (formerly Department of Nursing) met all accreditation standards and had zero compliance concerns.

“We are very proud of our students, our program and our faculty,” said Dr. Mary Bennett, director of the WKU School of Nursing. “The School’s standard of excellence is reflected by our large pool of excellent student applicants, our outstanding clinical agency support, and our nursing board pass rate, which is consistently higher than the national average. The 10-year reaccreditation demonstrates that our national accrediting body recognizes the continued excellence of the nursing programs at WKU School of Nursing.”

WKU’s nursing programs have experienced growth in recent years. In the fall of 2006, the baccalaureate program was No. 3 on WKU’s list of top 25 undergraduate majors with 560 students, up from 294 in 2001. The master’s program was 10th among WKU’s top 15 graduate programs in fall 2006 with 72 students, up from 42 in 2001.