History
Union University, founded in 1823, is a private, four-year liberal arts institution affiliated with the Tennessee Baptist Convention. Rooted in Baptist tradition and evangelical conviction, Union is known for its heritage of academic excellence and commitment to providing a distinctively Christian education. The University fosters a grace-filled community where undergraduate and graduate education are offered within a Christ-centered context.
Niche.com (2026) ranked Union as #1 Best Small Colleges in Tennessee and #1 Best Christian Colleges in Tennessee, and #3 Best Colleges in Tennessee. Refer to About Union for additional demographics and accolades. Union University nursing program is currently ranked by Niche (2026) as the #3 Best Colleges for Nursing in Tennessee and was ranked as the 2025 #2 Best Nursing School in Tennessee. The MSN program is ranked #2 in Tennessee in 2025. #1 Best Nursing School in TN by Nursing School Hub.
Union University's main campus includes 360 acres and is located in historic Jackson, Tennessee - area population around 100,000, located 80 miles east of Memphis and 120 miles west of Nashville. Regional campuses (non-residential) are in Memphis area (Germantown, established in 1997) and Nashville area (Hendersonville, established in 2012). Union University has more than 2718 undergraduate and graduate students from 46 states and 8 countries.
Union University's nursing legacy began in the early 1960s with the launch of an associate degree program, developed in response to community needs and healthcare leadership support. In 1977, due to increasing demand from registered nurses (RNs) and their employers, Union developed the RN to BSN program, receiving initial approval from the Tennessee Board of Nursing in 1979 for the Jackson campus. The first RN-BSN class graduated in May 1980. In 1986, an RN-BSN program was developed at Baptist Memorial Hospital in downtown Memphis, which later transitioned to the Germantown campus in August 1997.
In response to changing community needs, the Union University SON admitted the inaugural class to the traditional baccalaureate degree in nursing (BSN) in 1992. Shortly thereafter, in 1995, the ASN program closed. To support the mobility of licensed practical nurses, the School of Nursing began offering the LPN Bridge program. It was absorbed into the accelerated BSN program in 2004.
The graduate program was initiated in 2000 with a program leading to a Master of Science in Nursing degree. The first cohort of 26 students was admitted in August 2000. Fifteen were admitted on the Jackson campus and 11 were admitted on the Germantown campus. The MSN program of study was designed to build upon the generalist preparation of the first professional baccalaureate degree. In 2005, the program was restructured to offer five tracks: Nursing Education, Nursing Administration, Nurse Anesthesia, Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP), Pediatric Nurse Practitioner, and Adult Nurse Practitioner. The Pediatric and Adult Nurse Practitioner tracks were discontinued in 2019. Currently, the FNP, Nursing Administration, and Nursing Education tracks are available on all campuses, with the latter two being offered fully online since 2009. The MSN specialty tracks currently offered are Nursing Administration, Nursing Education, and Nurse Practitioner (Family & Psychiatric Mental Health tracks).
In January 2004, the Bachelor of Science Accelerated track began delivering a 12-month accelerated curriculum for second degree students, followed by a 12-month BSN degree completion track in 2006. During fall 2011, the accelerated tracks were extended to a 15-month format. With the establishment of the Hendersonville campus in 2012, the Bachelor of Science Accelerated track was offered and currently admits two cohorts per year. The BSN program includes the traditional, accelerated, and RN-BSN tracks. The Germantown and Hendersonville campuses offer the accelerated BSN, Jackson campus offers both traditional and accelerated, and the RN-BSN is available online. The Hendersonville campus has agreements with local community colleges and Welch College (4-year) to offer a traditional BSN program in the future contingent on enrollment numbers.
In January 2006, the MSN-nurse anesthesia track was implemented after an abundance of support from the community. The post-master's Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) program was approved in 2008 and launched in 2009, also guided by the AACN Essentials. The Nurse Anesthesia track was introduced in 2011 and transitioned to the DNP level in 2013. That same year, Union launched BSN-to-DNP pathways for nurse practitioners and executive leadership tracks. RN-MSN and RN-DNP tracks were introduced in 2013 but began a phased discontinuation in 2024 due to decreased enrollment and curricular overlap with the RN-BSN program. The Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP) track was added in 2016. Currently, the BSN to DNP programs available include Nurse Anesthesia, Executive Leadership and Nurse Practitioner (Family and Psych) and are only offered as full-time options.
The Post-Masters Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) was approved in 2008 and began in fall 2009 with 18 students. The Post-master's DNP is designed with options as a full-time, part- time or accelerated track that begins each fall. Post-Graduate Certificates are awarded in the areas of Nursing Education, Nursing Administration, and Nurse Practitioner. Additionally, Nursing Education and Administration Endorsements are offered online, admitting twice each year.
In 2019 the School of Nursing expanded and was renamed the College of Nursing and Health Sciences (CONHS). The Health Science title refers to the Master of Athletic Training and future Genetic Counseling programs.
The baccalaureate degree program in nursing, master's degree program in nursing, Doctor of Nursing Practice program, and post-graduate APRN certificate program at Union University are fully accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) and Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC). The Nurse Anesthesia track holds full accreditation status from the Council on Accreditation of Nurse Anesthesia Educational Programs (COA) (through 2032), SACSOC (reaffirmation visit 2027), and CCNE. The baccalaureate and master's degree program, including the APRN tracks, MSN/MBA dual degree, and post-master certificate, are approved by the Tennessee Board of Nursing (TNBON) through 2030. TNBON approves doctoral programs that include APRN; they provide a 'certificate of fitness' to the APRN but do not accredit the educational program.