UPCN was born
The first university-based BS Nursing program was offered.
Dean Julita V. Sotejo, founder and 1st Dean of UP College of Nursing.
The University of the Philippines College of Nursing (UPCN) was conceived through a thesis presented to the Division of Biological Sciences, University of Chicago, by Ms. Julita V. Sotejo, entitled, “A University School of Nursing in the University of the Philippines.” The proposal was approved by the Board of Regents on April 9, 1948, as the University of the Philippines College of Nursing.
The first academic offerings of UPCN in 1948 were the baccalaureate program, Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) for high school graduates, and the Post-Basic Program for nurses who graduated from the three-year Graduate in Nursing (G.N.). In 1955, the Masters program, M.A. (Nursing), was instituted as a thesis course with functional majors in administration, teaching and supervision, and public health. In 1968, the Masters in Nursing (MN) program, a non-thesis course focused on clinical specializations in Medical-Surgical Nursing, Maternal Child Nursing, Psychiatric Nursing and Community Health Nursing, was added to the graduate program. In response to the constantly changing times and the needs of the profession, Nursing Administration and School Health Nursing were subsequently added to the specialty fields. The doctoral program, Ph.D. (Nursing), was instituted on September 27, 1979.
The pioneer class of BSN, who graduated in 1952.
Regular workshops between UP College of Nursing and the PGH Nursing Service Office.
The BOR, in its 872th meeting in 1972, made a landmark decision to merge the U.P. College of Nursing and UP-PGH School of Nursing into one unit. The approval of the merge was enacted during the 859th meeting of the BOR on April 10, 1975. Consequently, the merge was made official with the signing of E.O 545 by then Pres. Ferdinand E. Marcos on July 23, 1979.
In 1977 when the Health Sciences Center was created in Manila, the College of Nursing moved out of its place at the first floor of the UP College of Law in Diliman, Quezon City and joined the rest of the health professions in Manila. Today, the College of Nursing is one of the nine degree-granting units of UP Manila.
Bird’s eye view of the UP Manila campus.
UPCN engages in activities as a WHO Collaborating Center
World Health Organization (WHO)
Collaborating Center
The College of Nursing was designated World Health Organization Collaborating Center (WHOCC) for Nursing Development in Primary Health Care from March 15, 1989 to March 14, 2001. From January 2, 2004 to January 1, 2008, it was designated WHOCC for Leadership in Nursing Development. UPCN is the first and only WHOCC for Nursing in the country and the first in the Western Pacific Region. The College of Nursing is a Center of Excellence for Nursing Education, a designation given by the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) since 1997.
Our Milestones
The UP College of Nursing continues to trailblaze in nursing education and development. Here are some of the milestones and contributions of the College in nursing development in the Philippines and beyond.
Our Past Deans
The UP College of Nursing has been led by some of the notable nursing leaders in the Philippines. Here are our past deans.
Julita V. Sotejo
1948 – 1970
Leonor M. Aragon
1970 – 1978
Teodora A. Ignacio
1978 – 1980
Dolores M. Recio
1980 – 1984
Aurora S. Yapchiongco
1984 – 1990
Leda L. Layo-Danao
1990 – 1993
Thelma F. Corcega
1993 – 1996
Cecilia M. Laurente
1996 – 2002
Luz B. Tungpalan
2002 – 2004
Josefina A. Tuazon
2004 – 2010
Araceli O. Balabagno
2010 – 2013
Lourdes Marie S. Tejero
2013 – 2017