Roseman University of Health Sciences began with the idea from
founder Dr. Harry Rosenberg that pharmacy education should and
could be better, more effective, and capable of producing highly
competent graduates, who would be sought after by employers
regardless of the job market. His belief in this idea was so strong
that he moved from California to Nevada in 1999, and with $15,000
rented a 900-square-foot office in Henderson to begin what was
originally called the Nevada College of Pharmacy (NCP). It would
soon become one of the most innovative, creative, and
cost-effective pharmacy schools in the nation.
It was a bold move. There hadn’t been a new college of pharmacy
started in over 50 years that was not part of an existing
institution. There were a lot of obstacles for such a
project—financing, obtaining IRS non-profit status, incorporating,
finding adequate facilities, gaining accreditation, obtaining
licensure from the Nevada Commission on Postsecondary Education,
and much more. To assist in this endeavor, Dr. Rosenberg enlisted
the support of the Nevada pharmacy community, contacting leaders in
pharmacy organizations such as chain pharmacy managers, hospital
pharmacy directors, pharmacists leading home health companies, and
the Nevada State Board of Pharmacy. These individuals became the
nucleus of the eventual Nevada College of Pharmacy Board of
Trustees, and many are still valued members of the Board today.
With the help, support, and advice of these caring leaders in the
pharmacy community, the Nevada College of Pharmacy began to take
shape.
They developed a curriculum (which is still in use today) that
emphasizes a student-centered, active learning environment where
students participate in experiential education from the very
beginning of the program. Rather than semesters or quarters, the
curriculum is organized into blocks. The single course schedule
helps students focus on each individual topic, and also emphasizes
active participation in the learning process by incorporating of a
variety of hands-on activities in addition to the traditional
lecture format. These early hands-on practical experiences enhance
and support the didactic curriculum by allowing students to see,
feel, and understand what is presented in the classroom in a
real-life setting. After restructuring the curriculum into the
block format, Dr. Rosenberg realized that a Doctor of Pharmacy
(PharmD) degree could be completed in three years, rather than the
traditional four, making the Nevada College of Pharmacy one of the
most affordable private colleges of pharmacy in the
nation.
The inaugural class of 38 students entered the Nevada College of
Pharmacy in January 2001, and by 2002 the class size had more than
doubled because of the NCP’s reputation for quality education. Just
one year after it began, the NCP rented a new facility more than 30
times larger than the original space to accommodate the rapid
growth, and less than three years after it opened, the NCP moved
again to the 100,000 square foot campus on Sunset Way in Henderson,
where it is today.
But the growth did not stop there. In 2004, the Board of Trustees approved changing the name of the institution to the University of Southern Nevada to reflect the intent to expand degree offerings beyond the PharmD program. That year a Master of Business Administration (MBA) program was developed, and the first dual degree PharmD/MBA program started in fall 2005. The dual degree program prepares Doctor of Pharmacy graduates for future jobs in pharmacy administration, and provides an advantage over other job seekers when they graduate. Today the MBA program also offers a standalone Master in Business Administration degree and a dual AEODO/MBA degree.
In 2006 the College of Pharmacy extended its PharmD program to a new campus in South Jordan, Utah.
A College of Nursing opened at the Nevada campus in 2006 and the
Utah campus in 2010 with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN)
program. In 2010 the Nevada campus also began offering an
Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing program for
professionals who want to change careers.
The University became fully accredited by the Northwest Commission
on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU) in September 2008.
The College of Dental Medicine (CODM) began in 2007 with a post-doctoral combined Advanced Education in Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopedics/Master of Business Administration (AEODO/MBA) Residency Program at the Henderson campus. In February 2009, the AEODO/MBA enrolled nine residents in its first class. A four-year Doctor of Dental Medicine (DMD) degree enrolled the inaugural Class of 2015 in August 2011.
Today, Roseman University has Colleges of Pharmacy, Nursing and Dental Medicine, an MBA program, and over 1,000 students in two states. As a result, the University’s Board of Trustees voted in January 2011 to change the name of the institution from University of Southern Nevada to Roseman University of Health Sciences. As Roseman continues to grow, it remains true to the vision and ideals of Dr. Rosenberg, providing the highest quality education with innovative and effective instruction, and graduating competent professionals in healthcare and business fields.