University Archives and Records Center
University of Pennsylvania

History of the School of Nursing

The evolution of the School of Nursing began in 1935, when, at the request of the Pennsylvania State Nurses' Association, the Department of Nursing Education was established in the School of Education of the University of Pennsylvania. The curriculum leading to the Bachelor of Science in Education was offered for registered nurses. Two years later, the degree of Master of Science in Education with a major in nursing education was established.

The basic collegiate School of Nursing was established in 1944 within the Division of Medical Affairs. In 1950, the Department of Nursing Education of the School of Education and the basic collegiate School of Nursing were merged to form an independent school in the Division of Medical Affairs. The School of Nursing of the University of Pennsylvania offered two undergraduate programs: the five-year combined liberal arts program, and the nursing program leading to the degree of Bachelor of Science in Nursing Education. The graduate program at this time remained in the School of Education. In 1961, the trustees authorized the establishment of the Graduate Division of the School of Nursing, and the first students were admitted to the Master of Science in Nursing programs. The first students were admitted to the Doctor of Philosophy Program in 1978. In 1980 the Center for Nursing Research was established and the Doctor of Philosophy Program began in September 1984.

School of Nursing records at the University Archives

School of Nursing Web site

Penn's Center for the Study of the History of Nursing