College of Nursing & Health Sciences
About Us
On behalf of the Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi College of Nursing and Health Sciences, I welcome you to one of the premier nursing and health science schools in Texas and the nation! While here, you will learn from subject matter experts who are shaping the future of healthcare and demonstrating how the latest knowledge and techniques are used and applied.Committed to your success, the faculty and staff will provide you with an education that balances in-depth study with a breadth of real-world experiences to ensure your academic and professional success. Our curriculum is rigorous and challenging but you will find a community of dedicated scholars who will support you and help you reach your academic and professional goals. At no other time in your life will you be surrounded by so many people who are committed to your success. You will soon discover what an exciting community you have joined.
Our graduate and undergraduate Nursing programs are nationally accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education and statewide by the Texas Board of Nursing. We recently refined our Health Sciences program to offer a Bachelor of Science in Health Care Administration, which prepares you for varied roles in the health professions. The Clinical Laboratory Sciences program is the latest addition to the college’s academic offerings and is headquartered in our state-of-the-art Tidal Hall.
Our programs enhance student knowledge and critical thinking skills, raise questions of value and meaning, and develop those habits of the heart and mind intrinsic to lifelong and independent learning. In addition, you will have access to our modern facilities and our state-of-the-art simulation lab. Upon graduation, your degree will have increased value and recognition by potential employers because of our high standards and accreditation process.
I look forward to welcoming you in person to our beautiful campus.
Hassan Aziz, PhD, FACSs, MLS(ASCP)cm
Dean of College of Nursing and Health Sciences
The imperatives of the College of Nursing and Health Sciences assist the College in implementing the university and college missions:
Imperative 1: Enhance Educational Excellence
Imperative 2: Improve Student ExperienceImperative 3: Foster Outreach and Engagement
Imperative 4: Expand Scholarship and Innovation Capacity
Imperative 5: Promote an Ideal Work Environment and Resource Stewardship
- State of the art nursing simulation laboratories on campus.
- Both face-to-face and online instruction methodologies.
- Current enrollment in College exceeds 2,000 students.
- Established the first accredited online Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) track in 2003.
- eLine Military Program (established in 2010) was awarded the 2013 Innovations in Professional Nursing Education Award by the American Association of Colleges of Nursing.
- 4th largest Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) program in the State of Texas.
- MSN theory available in Nurse Educator, Nursing Administration, and Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP).
- Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) program ranked in the top 10 for Best Online Education Programs by U.S. News & World Report since 2014.
- A Post-Masters Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) program for Nurse Practitioners.
Faculty Handbook
College of Nursing and Health Sciences Faculty Handbook
College Committees
CONHS Standing and Ad-Hoc Committees
University Committees
https://www.tamucc.edu/governance/committees-councils/university-committees/index.php
Inormation coming soon
Adjunct Faculty – College of Nursing and Health Sciences
Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi (TAMUCC) College of Nursing and Health Sciences invites applications for adjunct faculty to teach courses on a class-by-class basis. TAMUCC hires adjunct faculty to teach in the classroom, clinical setting, and online/remote for our undergraduate and graduate programs.
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS: Doctorate/Master’s degree in nursing or related field and at least one year of professional work experience.
TO APPLY: Qualified candidates should send cover letter, curriculum vita, and contact information of three professional references via email to CONHS.DeansOffice@tamucc.edu. The subject line should state “Adjunct Faculty – College of Nursing and Health Sciences”.
Texas A&M University - Corpus Christi is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action/Veterans/ Disability Employer.
For full time opportunities see link: Assistant/Associate Professor, Nursing
Support Services
For assistance with the following, please make an appointment with Sheryl McMillan, Senior Research Development Officer at sheryl.mcmillan@tamucc.edu. The support you can anticipate is as follows:
- Developing resources, interdisciplinary collaborations, and community partnerships
- Working closely with Faculty/Investigator to coordinate a timeline that facilitates the development, preparation and submission of an application to a funding agency
- Assisting in the identification of funding sources based on faculty research interest
- Assisting with grant proposal preparation
- Assisting with development and maintenance of biosketches
- Editing grant proposal documents
- Supporting budget preparation
- Facilitating grant-writing consultation
- Linking with Research & Innovation
- Developing abstract submissions
- Supporting the preparation of poster and podium presentations (using templates)
- Editing manuscript
Principal Investigator Early Request (PIER)
o streamline the research development process, the CONHS is implementing the Principal Investigator Early Request (PIER) process. PIER was designed to enhance support for faculty who wish to develop a proposal for external funding to support their research and/or community engagement.
When you have a prospective research topic or project, log on to the PIER page, complete the simple Qualtrics survey that includes your contact information, a few sentences about your prospective research project, and the type of support that you may need (funding source, editing, interdisciplinary partner, budget preparation, etc.). Your PIER will then be routed to the CONHS Dean, Associate Dean, and Senior Research Development Officer who will arrange to meet with you to discuss your project and provide you with ongoing support and resources necessary to achieve your research goals.
The PIER link: https://tamucc.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_6Vx8qQMvN5eLBjf
Finding Collaborators and Funding with Pivot-RP
Pivot-RP, the most trusted and comprehensive source of global funding information, is a new resource for TAMUCC faculty, staff, and students. Users can track funding opportunities, discover collaborators, get tailored funding recommendations and alerts, and gain insights from previously awarded grants. Access is available for TAMUCC faculty, staff, and students using you Islander email.
Training session:
https://proquestmeetings.webex.com/recordingservice/sites/proquestmeetings/recording/a8065339dcd1429eaaba13d9b463fe02/playback
PATH
Monthly Gathering of Faculty PATH (Program for Advancing The Health of South Texas)
Purpose: Advancing the health of residents of South Texas through scholarship that focuses on understanding individual, family, community, and population needs. The program provides a mechanism for coordinating faculty effort and enhancing support services.
Program Goals:
- Advance nursing research within the CONHS through coordinated faculty effort.
- Develop an effective research support team.
- Establish an ongoing source of scholarship opportunities to support doctoral student scholarly experiences.
Expected Outcome:
The design of efficient and effective interventions that improve the health of individuals, families, communities, and patient populations.
Membership: All faculty members engaged in the design and implementation of scholarly activities as part of their assigned responsibilities.
In 1972, a delegation of community nursing leaders led by Elizabeth Willis, Chairperson of Registered Nurses Education at Del Mar College, met with the first Dean of the College of Science and Technology at the University of Corpus Christi (UCC), Dr. Ralph Gilchrist. Their goal was to study successful upper-level nursing programs in the United States. Concurrently the Texas College and University System Coordinating Board (TCUSCB), which is now known as the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB), was conducting research by the Study Committee of Nursing Education. The report identified the need for increased numbers of nurses in Texas at all educational levels, especially those prepared for teaching and leadership. The results also indicated the need for an upper-level nursing program in South Texas. Graduates of the five associate degree nursing programs in the region who wanted to further their education found that the nearest baccalaureate nursing programs were 160 to 220 miles away. The majority of those who moved away from the area to go to nursing programs never returned. This migration left an even greater deficit in the numbers of available graduates. An application for an Upper-Level Nursing Program at University of Corpus Christi (UCC) was made to the TCUSCB. In July 1974, UCC was one of three universities in the state approved to implement the multiple entry/exit model curriculum designed by the Study Committee on Nursing Education of the Coordinating Board (SCNECB). UCC became Corpus Christi State University (CCSU) in 1977, joined the Texas A&I System in 1973, then joined the Texas A&M System in 1989 and was renamed Texas A&M University Corpus Christi in 1993.
Undergraduate Program. Undergraduate programs include the Baccalaureate Nursing program (BSN) and the Bachelor of Science in Health Sciences program (BSHS). The BSN program includes four track options: Traditional (Face-to-Face), an Accelerated track for students already holding a baccalaureate degree in a field outside of nursing, and two online options (eLine and eLine Military). Following successful completion of all course work students are eligible to take the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX) for Registered Nurses (RNs). The RN-BSN track provides baccalaureate education for the RN holding an Associate Degree in Nursing (and) or a Diploma in Nursing.
The Baccalaureate Program for Registered Nurses (for RN to BSN students) at the UCC began on a limited scale in the Fall of 1974, becoming fully operational in the fall of 1975. Dr. Ruth M. Bakke was the first director of the Baccalaureate Nursing Program. The program was accredited by the Texas Board of Nursing (BON). Initial accreditation by the National League for Nursing (NLN) was attained December 1979, retroactive for eight months. The Baccalaureate Nursing Program was the first RN-BSN program in Texas to be accredited by NLN. Continuing accreditation was granted by the NLN Board of Review in March 1985. In 1990, the generic BSN option was implemented as a four-semester, upper-division nursing major. In 2019, with the assistance of a HRSA grant, the accelerated BSN track was revised to focus on interprofessional community-based primary care.
The program was re-accredited in the Fall of 1992 by NLN with full accreditation to 2002. With the separation of the nursing accreditation bodies from their organizations (both NLN & American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN)), the nursing education programs of Texas A&M-Corpus Christi (TAMU-CC) applied for and was granted preliminary approval in 1998 from the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE). An on-site evaluation was scheduled in 2000. The baccalaureate programs were accredited in 2000 for 10 years and the master’s programs were accredited for five years, with re-accreditation occurring in 2005 and 2015. The next scheduled visit for re-accreditation is 2025.
Distance Education. TAMU-CC CONHS offered nursing programs in Laredo (graduate), Victoria (RN-BSN), Commerce (prelicensure), Weslaco (graduate) and College Station (prelicensure). These programs pioneered distance education technology in South Texas, utilizing Trans-Texas Videoconference Network (TTVN). Outreach sites supported students living and working in these distant communities. The use of audio-conferencing technology, fixed-image transmission, and slow scan videoconferencing soon eliminated the need for faculty to drive to these distant sites. By 2002 web-based computer delivery of classes was standard. The interactive high-definition distance education technology provided access to graduate nursing education for nurses who lived and worked in rural areas. The graduate program currently offers all tracks exclusively through web-based learning management systems.
In 2001, the CONHS received a grant from the Learning Anytime Anywhere Partnership (LAAP) and from the Fund for the Improvement of Post-Secondary Education (FIPSE) for the development of an online nursing education track. Through collaboration between ADN and BSN educational partnerships, the eLine© delivery method was established and became operational in 2003. This modular competency-based nursing education method became the first online generic BSN in the nation.
In 2010 the CONHS received a grant from the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) of the United States. The White House and the Department of Defense has repeatedly recognized the program for its unique mission to fill two critical needs in our nation: a nursing shortage and civilian employment for military veterans. The eLine© Military (ELM) track, a competency-based online program with face-to-face clinical experience, facilitates access to obtain a BSN degree and Registered Nurse (RN) licensure. The program developed an individualized Prior Learning Assessment (PLA), awarding the maximum amount of college credit based upon prior learning from medical training and experience obtained during military service.
The eLine© Military nursing track at TAMU-CC was the recipient of the 2013 AACN Innovations in Professional Nursing Education Award.
Health Science Program. The Health Science program began as a minor in 1992 under the founding Program Coordinator, Dr. Claudia Johnston. The first group of students to complete the minor graduated with their M.P.A in May 1995. The program was approved by the THECB with the first cohort of students admitted in Fall, 1994. The first graduates completed the program in December 1996. Dr. Whitney Bishoff served as the first program coordinator and Dr. William Koprowski joined the faculty as program coordinator in Fall, 1995. In 2019 a Self-Study was conducted, in preparation for seeking certification through Association of University Programs in Health Administration (AUPHA) in 2020.
Graduate Nursing Program. Graduate nursing education was established in 1984. The program offered registered nurses the opportunity to expand their scope of practice in one of three specialty areas: advanced clinical practice, nursing administration, or nursing education. Students earn their Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) upon completion of core and specialty course work in tracks now known as Family Nurse Practitioner, Leadership in Nursing Systems, and Nurse Educator. In 1996, nurses without a BSN degree were admitted to the MSN program through the RN-MSN entry option. The MSN program initially was accredited by the NLN in the academic year 1988-89. The program has maintained accreditation and is currently accredited by CCNE, with program review again in October 2025.
In 2012, the graduate program expanded to include a cooperative Doctor of Philosophy in Nursing Science (PhD) program through a partnership with the Denton campus of the Texas Woman’s University (TWU). Students enrolled in this program earn their degree from TWU and members of the TAMU-CC faculty provide support through their roles on advisory and research committees. The first student graduated from this partnership in 2013.
The Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) is the newest graduate nursing degree in the CONHS. In 2014, the THECB authorized the CONHS to offer an online post-master’s DNP program. The first cohort was admitted to the Nurse Practitioner specialty focus in 2016. The Leadership specialty track admitted its first cohort in 2019.