The University of Mary Washington will add a Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) degree, with enrollment beginning in 2026-27.

The new program gained approval from the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia (SCHEV) at its October 2025 meeting and the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) in November. It builds from Mary Washington’s established RN-to-BSN completion program, offering healthcare professionals a next step in their education and careers. This new graduate program will prepare nurses for leadership roles in clinical practice, education and healthcare systems.

“This program aims to address vacancies in primary care and healthcare higher education in our region and across the Commonwealth, equipping nurses with advanced competencies and expertise for leadership, specialized practice and improved patient outcomes,” said UMW Director of Nursing Janet Atarthi-Dugan. Read more about the UMW MSN degree program.

The University of Mary Washington is a premier, selective public liberal arts and sciences university in Virginia, highly respected for its commitment to academic excellence, strong undergraduate liberal arts and sciences program, and dedication to life-long learning. The university, with a total enrollment of about 4,000, features colleges of business, education and arts and sciences, and three campuses, including a residential campus in Fredericksburg, Virginia, a second one in nearby Stafford and a third in Dahlgren, Virginia, which serves as a center of development of educational and research partnerships between the Navy, higher education institutions and the region’s employers.