Our History

Historical Highlights

Chronology of Leaders

The following historical timeline represents a compilation of the histories of the nursing departments at Augusta College and Augusta State University and the College (School) of Nursing at the Medical College of Georgia and Georgia Health Sciences University. This combined history represents a complete overview of the progression of nursing education at Augusta University.

1943: Department of Nursing Education within the College of Education at the University of Georgia established.

1944: Regents authorized the establishment of a department of nursing at UGA.

1945: First two graduates receive BSNE degrees.

1956: Department of Nursing transfers from the UGA to MCG and becomes a School of Nursing.
E. Louise Grant becomes the first dean.

1957: A contractual agreement is made with Augusta College for instruction in the basic sciences for the Barrett School of Nursing, University Hospital. A similar arrangement is made with Paine College for the students of the Lamar School of Nursing, University Hospital.

1958: First undergraduate nursing students graduate from the Medical
College of Georgia.

1963: The MCG BSN program is granted initial accreditation by the National League for Nursing.

1963: Augusta College offers four year degrees.

1967: Board of Regents approves Associate degree program in nursing. This coincides with the discontinuation of the Barrett School of Nursing and the Lamar School of Nursing supported by University Hospital.

1968: Professor Louise D. Bryant appointed Director of Nursing Education at Augusta College.

1968: MSN program begins at MCG. (Granted initial accreditation by the NLN in 1973.)

1969: First students are admitted to the Augusta College Associates degree program.

1971: The Augusta College associates program has 25 students in its first graduating class. The Augusta College nursing program granted full accreditation by the National League of Nursing.

1974: School of Nursing at Athens (SONAT) opens.

1974: Beta Omicron chapter of Sigma Theta Tau chartered at MCG.

1986: The MCG PhD program in Nursing approved by the Board of Regents.

1987: Center for Nursing Research established at MCG School of Nursing.

1994: Board of Regents approved the state's only Nursing Anesthesia Program at MCG.

1995: The MCG School of Nursing's first distance program, RN-BSN at Gordon College, is approved.

1996: Augusta College becomes Augusta State University. The University System of Georgia switches from a quarter to a semester system which prompts changes in program philosophy, learning and educational outcomes for the nursing program.

1997: RN to MSN/MN Program approved for implementation at MCG in Fall, 1998.

1998: The ASU nursing program adopts more rigorous standards for program admission.

1998: MCG establishes the first Endowed Chair of Nursing, the Kellett Chair of Nursing.

2000: The MCG RN to BSN Program is offered online.

2000: ASU established an exchange program with Takarazuka Hospital School of Nursing and Kobe College School of Nursing Japan.

2001: ASU offers the first LPN Transition Course in conjunction with St. Joseph's Hospital (now Trinity Hospital).

2003: The Nursing Faculty Practice Plan implemented at MCG.

2003: Dr. Katherine Nugent appointed interim dean, MCG School of Nursing.

2005: Doctor of Nursing Practice program approved, becoming only the tenth
DNP in the nation.

2005: Augusta State University offers the LPN to RN Fast Track Program.

2006: Clinical Nurse Leader Program is approved (one of the first in the region).

2006: The MCG SON moves into the Health Sciences Building, a multi-million dollar,
state of the art facility.

2008: The Georgia Board of Nursing grants approval for a Bachelors of Science in Nursing Program for Augusta State University.

2009: MCG adds the RN-MSN (CNL) and BSN-MSN (CNL) programs.

2010: MCG receives approval to offer the DNP-Acute Care Nurse Practitioner (CNS) Program.

2011: Becomes a College of Nursing coinciding with university name change.

2011: First Augusta State University BSN students receive degrees.

2012: Efforts begin to consolidate the ASU Nursing Department and GHSU College of Nursing.

2013: The nursing programs are consolidated, becoming the Augusta University College of Nursing.

2013: The newly-designed BSN program launched.

2013: The DNP-ACNP Program is renamed the DNP-Adult Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner Program.

2013: Augusta University receives approval to add the DNP-Family Nurse Practitioner and DNP-Pediatric Nurse Practitioner programs, replacing the FNP and PNP master's programs.

2016: Newly created Executive DNP program is added.

2016: The DNP-NAP degree program replaces the CRNA master's program.

2016: Psychiatric Mental Health (PMH) DNP degree program is added.

2018: The newly created accelerated BSN program is launched.