UA System Expanding Nursing Programs As Nurse Shortage Looms

TUSCALOOSA, AL — The University of Alabama System announced Wednesday it is expanding nursing education across its three campuses in an effort to strengthen the state's healthcare workforce.

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The initiative comes as the Alabama Board of Nursing estimates that about 39,000 nurses plan to retire by 2027, creating significant demand for new healthcare professionals.

The University of Alabama System said the University of Alabama, the University of Alabama at Birmingham, the University of Alabama in Huntsville and the UAB Health System are working together to expand enrollment, accelerate degree pathways, increase clinical training opportunities and advance nursing research.

"One of the greatest advantages of the University of Alabama System is the ability to bring together distinct strengths in pursuit of a common goal," UA System Chancellor Sid J. Trant said. "By leveraging the expertise and resources of our universities and health system, we can address challenges that matter to Alabamians, expand opportunity and help shape the future of healthcare across our state."

At the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa, officials plan to double enrollment in the Capstone College of Nursing and graduate more than 550 nurses annually through its on-campus programs.

By 2030, total enrollment at UA's nursing school is expected to reach 3,436 students, positioning the college among the nation's largest nursing programs.

The UA System says the expansion includes new faculty positions, additional simulation and clinical training space, expanded partnerships with healthcare providers across Alabama, renovations to more than 31,000 square feet of existing facilities and construction of an additional 50,100 square feet for classrooms, research, simulation labs and student support.

The Capstone College of Nursing also received a $1.5 million gift from the Bedford Falls Foundation-Donor Advised Fund that will fund approximately 60 annual scholarships for Alabama nursing students.

Meanwhile, the UAB School of Nursing, which enrolls more than 3,000 nursing and pre-nursing students each year, continues to produce more than 1,000 nursing graduates annually.

Since 2016, more than one in four nursing graduates in Alabama have earned degrees from UAB, according to the university.

To help address workforce shortages, UAB recently launched a year-round Bachelor of Science in Nursing program, welcoming its first summer cohort of 72 students.

The school also completed a scholarship campaign that created 80 scholarships valued at more than $3.7 million.

At UAH, the College of Nursing is introducing a redesigned Bachelor of Science in Nursing curriculum this fall that more closely integrates classroom instruction with clinical experience.

The university will also continue offering its accelerated three-semester nursing program for students who already hold bachelor's degrees.

UAH is also expanding its Neighborhood Nursing initiative, which provides preventive care, health screenings and health education in rural North Alabama communities.

Since launching in 2025, the program has served more than 500 residents in five communities while providing nursing students with supervised clinical experience.

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