National American University was founded in 1941 in South Dakota as National School of Business. The school offered accounting and secretarial programs through WWII and the Korean War, then expanded to better accommodate returning veterans. Today, NAU has campuses in Colorado, New Mexico, Missouri, Minnesota, Kansas and South Dakota. In the mid 90s, the school began to offer online programs. Besides business, NAU now offers programs in information technology, nursing, general education, and more. The School of Nursing bases its teaching model on books by Patricia Benner and Madeleine Leininger. The school offers LPN, ASN, generic BSN, and Online RN to BSN degrees.

Key Features

• The educational philosophy of the School of Nursing is heavily based on Patricia Benne’s From Novice to Expert and Madeleine Leininger’s A Worldwide Nursing Theory, emphasizing life-long learning, caring and clinical judgment.
• The School of Nursing ASN program has no waiting list.
• Most of the school’s nursing students have jobs before graduating.
• The School of Nursing offers courses in traditional, accelerated and distance learning formats.

Accreditation

National American University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission. The National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission (NLNAC) has granted full initial accreditation for the NAU Zona Rosa, Missouri ASN program for spring 2009 through spring 2014. The Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) has accepted NAU’s application for initial accreditation for its baccalaureate degree programs.