Capstone College Of Nursing, The University of Alabama

What Capstone College Of Nursing, The University of Alabama does

Capstone College of Nursing (CCN) is the nursing college of The University of Alabama, a public flagship university founded in 1831 and governed by the UA System Board of Trustees. Headquartered in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, CCN serves approximately 1,704 students across undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral nursing programs, with a strategic plan announced in February 2026 to more than double enrollment to 3,436 students by 2030. The college offers a comprehensive program portfolio spanning BSN (traditional and RN-to-BSN/MSN mobility tracks), the accelerated MEPN for career changers, MSN concentrations including Family Nurse Practitioner, Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner, and Nurse Executive, a Doctor of Nursing Practice, an EdD for Nurse Educators (joint with the UA College of Education), and a Joint Nursing Science PhD with the University of Alabama at Huntsville.

The college's core technology infrastructure centers on a Clinical Simulation Center recognized as a national innovator in nursing education, featuring high-definition human patient simulators, networked computers, multimedia classrooms, and integrated telehealth technology for remote clinical experiences. Distance-accessible learning platforms support online delivery of RN-to-BSN, MSN, DNP, and certificate programs to students across 10 southeastern states. Clinical training is delivered through strategic partnerships with DCH Health System (including a planned pedestrian bridge to DCH Regional Medical Center) and UAB Health System, while research is supported by $13.9 million in active extramural funding from NIH, U.S. Department of Labor, USDA, CDC, and HRSA.

CCN's revenue model operates through three streams: (1) tuition and fees for BSN, MSN, DNP, PhD, and certificate programs, with rates set by UA's Bursar's Office differentiated by residency status; (2) continuing education and professional development including DNP Intensives and certificate programs; and (3) federal and foundation grants supporting research, workforce expansion, and rural health initiatives. The college maintains NCLEX pass rates of 100% (2024 graduates) and 99.6% (2025 graduates), awarded 516 degrees in academic year 2023-2024, and holds the National League for Nursing Center of Excellence designation (2018-2022). Customer segments include traditional undergraduates, working RNs seeking advancement, graduate nurses pursuing advanced practice and leadership roles, and military veterans using GI Bill benefits.

Name

Capstone College Of Nursing, The University of Alabama

Legal name

The University of Alabama

Website

https://nursing.ua.edu

Company type

Private

Founded year

1831

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Capstone College of Nursing is a public nursing college within The University of Alabama serving approximately 1,704 students across BSN, MSN, DNP, and PhD programs, with a 2026-announced plan to double enrollment by 2030 and address Alabama's nursing shortage through expanded clinical training and research.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Nursing Higher Education

NAICS

Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (61131)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Schools of Nursing (EDAHAGAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Online Healthcare & Nursing Universities (Allied Health, RN-to-BSN, etc.) (EDAHALAF), Healthcare & Clinical Professional Certifications (EDAAANAI)

Keywords

• Nursing education programs
• Undergraduate nursing degrees
• Graduate nursing programs
• Clinical simulation training
• Continuing nursing education

Headquarters

HQ city

Tuscaloosa

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Infrastructure, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Tuition and Fees: Revenue from undergraduate and graduate nursing program tuition and fees charged to students for enrollment in BSN, MSN, DNP, PhD, and certificate programs.
2. Continuing Education and Professional Development: Revenue from DNP Intensives, certificate programs, and professional development offerings for practicing nurses.
3. Grants and Research Funding: Federal and foundation funding for nursing education expansion, research initiatives, and workforce development programs including NIH, USDA, HRSA, and Department of Labor grants.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

The Capstone College of Nursing provides comprehensive nursing education programs spanning undergraduate through doctoral levels, including the Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN), RN to BSN/MSN online mobility programs, Master of Science in Nursing with Nurse Practitioner and Nurse Executive concentrations, Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP), Doctorate of Education for Nurse Educators, and a Joint Nursing Science PhD with UAHuntsville. The college also operates a Clinical Simulation Center using human patient simulators and telehealth technology, and delivers continuing education through DNP Intensives and certificate programs.

Product overview

Capstone College of Nursing offers a comprehensive portfolio of nursing education programs spanning undergraduate to doctoral levels. The core offerings include the Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) for traditional students, RN to BSN/MSN online mobility programs for working nurses, and the accelerated MEPN graduate entry program for career changers. Graduate programs include Nurse Practitioner tracks (Family, Psychiatric Mental Health, and Dual), Nurse Executive MSN, Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP), Doctorate of Education for Nurse Educators, and a Joint Nursing Science PhD with UAHuntsville. Post-graduate certificate programs provide advanced specialization. A Clinical Simulation Center supports hands-on training using high-fidelity simulators and telehealth technology. The college maintains clinical partnerships with healthcare facilities for experiential learning.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) Traditional four-year undergraduate nursing program with lower division core curriculum and five semesters of upper division nursing courses including theory and clinical lab components, leading to a Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree for prospective students entering from high school or as transfer students.
• RN to BSN / RN to BSN/MSN Online mobility program for registered nurses to pursue a bachelor's degree in a convenient online format. The RN to BSN/MSN option allows students to complete both a BSN and an MSN in just two years of study, designed for working RNs with associate degrees seeking career advancement.
• Masters Entry into the Profession of Nursing (MEPN) Accelerated graduate-level program for students with a bachelor's degree in another field to become entry-level professional nurses and earn a Master of Science in Nursing degree; structured as a 5-semester on-campus program.
• Nurse Practitioner (NP) Programs Graduate programs including Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP), Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP), and Dual FNP-PMHNP specialization tracks offered in distance-accessible format, preparing nurses for advanced practice roles.
• Nurse Executive (NE) MSN Program Master of Science in Nursing with Nurse Executive concentration incorporating AACN Essentials and AONE Nurse Executive Competencies, focusing on healthcare leadership, quality improvement, and budgeting for nurses seeking leadership roles.
• Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Practice doctorate preparing graduates to function at the highest level of nursing practice with emphasis on improving quality and access to underserved populations, available via post-master's and post-baccalaureate pathways.
• Doctorate of Education (EdD) for Nurse Educators Joint program with UA College of Education preparing nurse educators to teach in community or four-year colleges and universities, offered in a distance learning format completed in three years.
• Joint Nursing Science PhD Program Joint program with University of Alabama at Huntsville preparing nurse scholars to advance nursing science through interprofessional research, available in post-master's and post-baccalaureate pathways, and offered as the first online Nursing Science PhD program in Alabama.

Quantifiable outcome

• 100% NCLEX pass rate (2024); 99.6% pass rate (2025 graduates)
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• UAB Health SystemcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 12 February 2026Partnership in support of UA's plan to double nursing enrollment, with UAB Health System providing increased clinical placement opportunities for UA nursing students. UAB Chief Nursing Executive Terri Poe noted the proven model of mutually beneficial outcomes for students, patients, and communities.
• The University of Alabama SystemcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 12 February 2026Close partnership with the UA System in developing the expansion plan to double nursing enrollment and graduate more than 550 nurses annually. The UA System Board of Trustees approved plans for physical expansion of the College.
• DCH Health SystemcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 July 2025Partnership to establish the Supportive Care Clinic at the Lewis and Faye Manderson Cancer Center, addressing critical needs for patients in West Alabama while providing clinical experiences for over 350 UA nursing students. The model integrates diverse healthcare professionals including medical oncologists, nurses, social workers, chaplains, pharmacists, navigators and nutritionists.
• Hill Crest FoundationmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 24 February 2025Hill Crest Foundation pledged $250,000 ($50,000 annually for five years) to create the Hill Crest Foundation Visiting Professor in Nursing position, enabling the College to attract nationally recognized scholars like Dr. Leigh Holley to develop the MEPN program.
• University of Alabama at Huntsville (UAH)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint Nursing Science Ph.D. program providing students with faculty and educational resources housed on both UA and UAH campuses. The first online Nursing Science Ph.D. program in Alabama, offering pathways for BSN to PhD and MSN to PhD.
• DCH Regional Medical CentercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPlanned pedestrian bridge over University Boulevard connecting the College with DCH Regional Medical Center where many students earn valuable clinical experiences. Key clinical training site for nursing students.
• Alabama Nursing Hall of Fame (Alabama Nurses Foundation)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAnnual event hosted by CCN, presented by Alabama Nurses Foundation, recognizing distinguished nurses and healthcare leaders. Established by CCN's Board of Visitors in March 2001.

Scale indicators12 records

Recent moves10 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• University of Kentucky College of Nursing: SEC-adjacent public university nursing school; prior employer of CCN's former Dean Suzanne Prevost. Operates a comparable research-and-clinical model targeting Kentucky/regional nursing workforce gaps.
• University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) School of Nursing: UAB is Alabama's other flagship public university nursing school and a direct competitor for in-state BSN applicants, faculty talent, and clinical placements. CCN and UAB are already formal partners expanding clinical capacity together, underscoring how structurally similar their offerings are.
• University of Mississippi Medical Center School of Nursing: Mississippi's flagship nursing school and the prior institution of CCN's current Dean Julie Sanford. Operates the same public-university nursing-education model targeting a neighboring state with similar workforce shortages.
• Vanderbilt University School of Nursing: Top-ranked SEC private nursing school and a benchmark competitor for graduate and DNP enrollment, particularly for out-of-state students CCN targets online. Comparable depth of NP and doctoral programs.
• University of Florida College of Nursing: SEC peer and a top-ranked public nursing school with a similar research-intensive profile. Competes for top faculty, federal grant funding, and online graduate enrollment in overlapping southeastern states.
• Emory University Nell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing: Highly ranked southeastern nursing school with similar BSN-through-PhD portfolio and strong clinical placement model. Competes with CCN for graduate applicants across the southeastern U.S.
• University of South Carolina College of Nursing: SEC peer public university nursing school with comparable BSN, MSN, DNP, and PhD offerings. Competes with CCN for southeastern online graduate students and shares applicant demographics.

Broad incumbents

• George Washington University School of Nursing: Large, nationally focused nursing school with extensive online MSN and DNP enrollment. Competes with CCN in the multi-state online graduate market and represents the broader national incumbents CCN benchmarks against.
• Johns Hopkins University School of Nursing: National top-ranked nursing school and broader incumbent that anchors the category for online master's and DNP enrollment. CCN's online programs compete for the same veteran and graduate applicant pool nationally.

Regional players

• Samford University Ida Moffett School of Nursing: Alabama's leading private nursing school, located in Birmingham. Competes directly with CCN for Alabama BSN and graduate applicants and is the principal in-state private alternative to CCN's public offering.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/uaccn
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCjGuUuzZ9TprQafY7ClK-Lg
• Facebookfacebook.com/280704772007359
• Instagraminstagram.com/bamanursing/?hl=en
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/capstone-college-of-nursing

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles15 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Capstone College Of Nursing, The University of Alabama