Denver College of Nursing, located at 1401 19th Street, Denver, Colorado, is owned and operated by Education Affiliates, Inc. Education Affiliates, Inc. is located at 5026-D Campbell Boulevard, Baltimore, Maryland 21236, phone: 410-633-2929 and fax: 410-633-1844 and is a privately held corporation providing career education through a variety of certificate, diploma, and degree programs. Dan Finuf is the President/Chief Executive Officer, and Stephen Budosh is the Chief Financial Officer of Education Affiliates, Inc.
Professional Education Corporation, doing business as the Denver School of Nursing (DSN), was incorporated in Colorado on July 1, 2003. On October 23, 2003, the institution was granted a license to operate by the Colorado Commission on Higher Education, Division of Private Occupational Schools (DPOS).
In May 2004, the Colorado State Board of Nursing granted Phase I, II, and III approval for a Practical Nursing program, an Associate Degree program, and an Upper Division Baccalaureate program. Based on the Colorado State Board of Nursing approvals, these programs were also approved by the Colorado Commission on Higher Education, Division of Private Occupational Schools. In November 2004, the Colorado Commission on Higher Education, under the Colorado Degree Authorization Act, granted the College authority to award Associate and Bachelor degrees.
Classes began in Practical Nursing in July 2004, in the Upper Division Baccalaureate program in September 2004, and in the Associate Degree program in July 2005. The first students graduated from the Practical Nursing program in July 2005, from the Associate Degree program in March 2006, and from the Upper Division Baccalaureate program in June 2006. The Practical Nursing program was discontinued in 2006.
In July 2007, Education Affiliates, Inc. took ownership of Professional Education Corporation. Since July 2007, significant changes have been made which have greatly improved the learning environment for students and faculty, and the workplace environment for administrative staff. Changes include the addition of a Learning Resource Center (LRC) with a full-time librarian, an upgraded computer laboratory, added classrooms, anatomy and physiology laboratory, new faculty offices, resource room, a remodeled skills laboratory, and pediatric simulation laboratory. In mid-2010, Denver School of Nursing added an annex located at 1875 Lawrence Street (approximately two blocks from the main campus).
In January 2015, the College was approved to offer courses online and DCN launched the online RN-BSN program in October 2015. In July 2017, the College officially changed its name to Denver College of Nursing (DCN). In January 2018, the College began offering the Master of Science in Nursing program.
In August 2021, DCN was granted approval by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB) to begin on-ground operations in Texas. In April 2022, the Texas Board of Nursing granted a Certificate of Program Approval for the Baccalaureate Degree in Nursing at the Houston branch campus. The first nursing student cohort for the Bachelor of Science in Nursing completion program started in January 2023 and graduated in September 2024.
Denver College of Nursing is controlled by its governing board. A list of the Board of Trustees members and Denver College of Nursing administration, faculty, and staff are included in the catalog.