Vanderbilt University was established in 1873 by Cornelius Vanderbilt who gave $1 million to create this educational institution. Nowadays, this is an internationally recognized research university in Nashville, Tennessee, with strong partnerships among its 10 schools, neighboring institutions and the community.

Vanderbilt provides undergraduate programs in various fields, including: liberal arts and sciences, music, engineering, education and human development. In addition, the university offers a full range of graduate and professional degrees. The combining of beneficial research, liberal arts, nationally recognized schools of business and divinity and a medical center creates a favorable atmosphere within which students tailor their education to meet their goals and researchers collaborate to solve complex questions affecting health, society and culture.

Vanderbilt is a kind of a gateway for greatness, drawing the best and brightest students from across the nation and all over the world. Vanderbilt alumni can be found in a diversity of fields, including Congress, judicial bench, pulpit, heading corporations, conducting innovative medical research.

The university consists of the following schools and colleges: College of Arts and Science, Blair School of Music, Divinity School, School of Engineering, Graduate School, Law School, School of Medicine, School of Nursing and Owen Graduate School of Management. These colleges and schools offers a wide range of bachelors, masters, and doctoral degrees. The School of Nursing provides the Master of Science in Nursing in Health Systems Management e-Learning degree program.

Off-campus facilities of the university include the Vanderbilt Dyer Observatory, also a National Historic Landmark, and Vanderbilt Health at One Hundred Oaks.

Financial Aid
In order to enroll talented and motivated students, Vanderbilt offers a full range of merit-based scholarships, need-based financial assistance, and financing/payment options to families of all income levels.

The Office of Student Financial Aid and Undergraduate Scholarships is responsible for providing need-based financial assistance to students whose economic circumstances are such that they could not otherwise afford to attend and providing limited merit-based assistance to select undergraduate students who demonstrate exceptional accomplishment and intellectual promise.

Vanderbilt offers lifelong learning through Osher Lifelong Learning Institute. Here adults are provided with educational programs, stimulating tours and trips, and a variety of social events. The program reflects the high academic standards espoused by the university on all levels. By offering non-credit courses, students benefit from the stimulus of lectures and discussions in an informal and relaxed environment.

Distributed Course Delivery and Flexible Formats
For individuals who do not want to relocate or give up their present employment, Vanderbilt offers many MSN programs of study using distributed course delivery methods, flexible formats and distance learning.

Many of the programs at the School of Nursing do not require all course content to be delivered in a face-to-face traditional daily/weekly classroom environment. Instead, the content is delivered in a modified learning (block) format via the following: (1) courses offered in concentrated blocks of time on campus (approximately 5 days with most programs scheduling courses around a weekend on average of four times per semester), (2) online conferencing, and (3) digital video and distributed course delivery methods that allow for continued faculty contact between sessions. In addition, clinical placement can be arranged in the student's home area provided a suitable agency and preceptor are available.