Dean's Message
Welcome to Montana State University Mark and Robyn Jones College of Nursing!
The Mark and Robyn Jones College of Nursing is dedicated to meeting Montana’s needs for nurses, nurse leaders, nurse educators and nurse practitioners to serve its urban, rural, frontier and tribal communities. Since 1937, the college has ensured that Bobcat Nurses receive cutting edge knowledge and clinical experiences rooted in Montana’s rural traditions.
The Mark and Robyn Jones College of Nursing is committed to equitable access to nursing education and graduates with a passion for addressing social and geographic determinants of health. The college offers baccalaureate and accelerated baccalaureate education on each of the five nursing campuses located in Bozeman, Billings, Great Falls, Kalispell, and Missoula. The BSN and ABSN programs prepare graduates to be “rural specialist generalists” – new nurses well prepared at the BSN-level for the complex specialty of rural practice.
The Mark and Robyn Jones College of Nursing offers graduate education using web-based technologies allowing students to remain in their hometowns. The college offers a master’s degree preparing graduates as clinical nurse leaders, ready to make a difference in acute, primary, or public health settings. The college prepares nurse practitioners at the doctor of nursing practice (DNP) level as either family nurse practitioners (FNP) or psych-mental health nurse practitioners (PMHNP) with expertise in evidence-based primary care as well as health policy, systems thinking, and leadership. The college also offers certificates in nursing education and as a psych-mental health nurse practitioner, both available via distance delivery, to support nurses to fulfill their career goals.
The Mark and Robyn Jones College of Nursing is an active partner in MSU’s new interdisciplinary PhD program in Indigenous and Rural Health. Faculty in the college mentor students from across the state in this distance-accessible, research-focused doctoral program.
The Mark and Robyn Jones College of Nursing is proud to host the Caring for Our Own Program (CO-OP) as its signature program. CO-OP is a highly successful supplemental student support program for Native American and Alaska Native students pursuing their nursing degree at Montana State University. CO-OP’s goals are to increase the enrollment of American Indian nursing students in the college and build a strong pool of American Indian and Alaska Native nurses who are prepared for practice, management, and leadership to serve Indian Country.
Faculty in the Mark and Robyn Jones College of Nursing are dedicated teachers, passionate researchers, expert clinicians and committed professionals. Explore our website to learn more about their accomplishments and awards, passions, and projects.
Nursing is a remarkable profession and Montana State University Mark and Robyn Jones College of Nursing is an outstanding place to study, work and serve the citizens of Montana. Thank you for visiting,
If you would like to reach out to me, you can reach me directly at: sarah.shannon1@montana.edu or schedule an appointment with my assistant, Pam Schulz at: pam.schulz@montana.edu or 406-994-3784.
Sarah E. Shannon, PhD, RN, FAAN