NDSU’s College of Pharmacy, Nursing and Allied Sciences has changed its name to the College of Health Professions to recognize the full scope of its academic mission. The North Dakota State Board of Higher Education approved the change at its meeting March 26.
Areas within the college also have updated names to better reflect their offerings. The areas will be the School of Pharmacy, the School of Nursing, the Department of Allied Sciences and the Department of Public Health.
“The NDSU College of Health Professions is an exctellent example of North Dakota State University’s commitment to serving our citizens,” NDSU President Dean L. Bresciani said. “The College’s new name recognizes the increasing status of its programs as it meets the health profession needs of our state and region.”
College of Health Professions Dean Charles D. Peterson said the name changes resulted from strategic planning that included discussions with health professionals and advisory boards, as well as feedback from accrediting agencies.
“That process created a vision for the future for our College that recognizes the growth and diversity of our programs, and the new naming structure better reflects who we are today,” he said.
Peterson also noted that health-care employers seek graduates who are adept at team-based care that involves multiple professions, and accrediting bodies are urging program leaders to emphasize interprofessional collaboration.
“This is something we’ve been doing for a long time,” he said. “The clarification of disciplines will further solidify our reputation for delivering high-quality education, valuable research and scholarship, and preparing students to have an immediate impact in their careers.”
The NDSU College of Health Professions has been advancing health care for the benefit of society for more than 100 years. Its mission is to educate students and advance research and professional service in the pharmacy, nursing, allied sciences and public health fields. The most recent name change came in 2006 when allied sciences was moved to the college. Public health was added to the college in 2012. The College of Health Professions now has the largest enrollment of students in health-related disciplines of any college in state.
As a student-focused, land-grant, research university, we serve our citizens.
