For the similarly named community college in Oakland, which offers an AS in Nursing, see Merritt College.
Samuel Merritt University (SMU) is a private non-profit health sciences university that has served the community for over 114 years. Founded as a nursing school in 1909, SMU has since expanded into a health sciences university, including three colleges - College of Nursing, College of Health Sciences, and College of Podiatric Medicine and has grown to include programs in occupational and physical therapy, physician assistant, and podiatric medicine. SMU's main campus is located in Oakland, but it also has campus facilities in Sacramento, San Mateo and Fresno. The University is ranked by U.S. News & World Report among the best graduate programs in health sciences and was named Best in the U.S. by Intelligent.com.[1]
History
editSamuel Merritt University (then Samuel Merritt College) was founded in 1909 through the legacy of Dr. Samuel Merritt, and has grown from 146 nursing students to over 2,000 undergraduate and graduate students in a variety of health sciences disciplines.
In 1981, Samuel Merritt became a college and initiated a four-year baccalaureate nursing program in cooperation with Saint Mary's College of California in Moraga. Samuel Merritt College established the entry-level Master of Physical Therapy in 1990 and the Master of Occupational Therapy in 1992. Samuel Merritt also offers a Master of Science in Nursing in three advanced nursing specialties; Case Management (MSN-CM), Family Nurse Practitioner (MSN-FNP), and Nurse Anesthesia (CRNA). In 2005, the department of Physical Therapy graduated its first Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) class.
The University launched a Master Physician Assistant program in 1999, the first entry-way graduate program for physician assistants in California, and in 2002 the California College of Podiatric Medicine, now the College of Podiatric Medicine, merged with SMU.
In 2023, SMU added three new programs: Master of Social Work, Bachelors in Kinesiology, and a Master of Science in Nursing-Clinical Leadership Education.
Academics
editPrograms
editSMU is a university dedicated to health sciences with 20 programs, including three at the undergraduate level in nursing and kinesiology. Podiatric medicine, physical therapy, occupational therapy, and advanced nursing specialities are all offered at the doctoral level while the physician assistant program is offered at the master's level.[2] The university's average graduation rate is 95 percent, student scores on licensure pass rates are 90 percent or above the national average for first-time test takers in six programs[3], and almost all its graduates become gainfully employed by the healthcare industry shortly after graduation.
Accreditation
editThe university is accredited by the WASC Senior College and University Commission (WSCUC)[4] and individual degree programs are accredited by their corresponding accreditation bodies.
| School/Department | Program(s) | Accreditation[5] |
|---|---|---|
| College of Nursing | Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN)
Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing (ABSN) RN to BSN Entry Level Master of Science in Nursing (ELMSN)
Master of Science in Nursing (Post Professional)
Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)
|
Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education
Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN); Registered Nurse to Bachelor of Science in Nursing (RN to BSN); Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing (ABSN) Approved by California Board of Registered Nursing Accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education Last/Next Accreditation 2020/2030 Master of Science in Nursing (MSN)—Case Management Accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education Last/Next accreditation 2020/2030 Master of Science in Nursing (MSN)—Family Nurse Practitioner Program Conforms to the Standards of Education for Nurse Practitioner Program Accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education Last/Next accreditation 2020/2030 Master of Nurse Anesthesia (MSN)/Post-Professional Certificate; Anesthesia Doctorate of Nursing Practice Accredited by the Council on Accreditation of Nurse Anesthesia Educational Programs Last/Next accreditation 2014/2024 Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education Last/Next accreditation 2017/2027 |
| College of Podiatric Medicine | Doctor of Podiatric Medicine (DPM) | Council on Podiatric Medical Education[6]
Doctor of Podiatric Medicine (DPM) Accredited by Council on Podiatric Medical Education Last/Next accreditation 2022/2027 |
| College of Health Sciences | Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology - Sports Medicine
Master of Physician Assistant Program Master of Social Work Doctor of Physical Therapy Program Doctor and Master of Occupational Therapy Program |
Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant
Entry-Level Master of Occupational Therapy (MOT) Accredited by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education Last/Next accreditation 2018/2028 Entry-Level Master of Physician Assistant (MPA) Accredited by the Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant, Inc. Last/Next accreditation 2019/2029 Entry-Level Doctor of Occupational Therapy (OTD) Accredited by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education Last/Next accreditation 2018/2023, 2024 Entry-Level Doctoral of Physical Therapy (DPT) Accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education Last/Next accreditation 2017/2028 |
References
edit- ^ https://www.samuelmerritt.edu/news/samuel-merritt-university-scores-high-among-us-news-world-reports-best-graduate-schools
- ^ https://www.samuelmerritt.edu/college-health-sciences/master-physician-assistant
- ^ https://www.samuelmerritt.edu/discover/about-smu
- ^ https://www.samuelmerritt.edu/academic-affairs/accreditation#:~:text=Samuel%20Merritt%20University%20is%20regionally,and%20University%20Commission%20(WSCUC).
- ^ https://www.samuelmerritt.edu/academic-affairs/accreditation
- ^ https://www.cpme.org/index.cfm