What Bryan College of Health Sciences is like

Academic feel

Bryan College of Health Sciences is an undergraduate medical school focused squarely on health professions education. The curriculum centers on registered nursing, allied health diagnostics, biology, health professions, and health and medical administrative services, with the college awarding degrees up to the doctoral level. The institution has undergone significant academic evolution—transitioning from a three-year nursing diploma program to a four-year Bachelor of Science degree in 2002—and has expanded its offerings to include MSN nurse educator, biomedical sciences, public health, gerontology, health care management, and humanities and social sciences.

What you should consider

Students pursuing careers in nursing and allied health fields will find a focused, mission-aligned environment. The college's direct affiliation with Bryan Health positions students in an integrated healthcare system, and recent partnerships—including a 2020 collaboration with Hastings College to address Nebraska's healthcare worker shortage and a 2025 partnership with Des Moines University for graduate pathways—suggest a deliberate commitment to supporting student progression in health professions.

Strengths

• The college has expanded its academic offerings beyond nursing to include biomedical sciences, public health, gerontology, health care management, and humanities and social sciences.[1]
• Bryan College established partnerships with Hastings College in 2020 and Des Moines University in 2025 to support student pathways and address healthcare worker shortages in the region.[1]

Traditions

• The college was founded in 1929 as the Bryan Memorial School of Nursing and was originally established as an affiliate of Bryan Health to train nurses for the hospital.[1]
• The college became co-educational in 1961 after officially accepting men beginning that year, representing a significant shift from its origins as a women's nursing school.[1]