MN: Generalist and
Master of Nursing: Generalist and
Master of Nursing: Advanced Nursing Practice
Note: Effective September 1, 2010, the project-based route of the Master of Nursing is closed. The regulations on this page are effective September 1, 2010, but affect all new students enrolling in the programs.
The Master of Nursing (MN) program contains two streams: Generalist and Advanced Nursing Practice.
The Generalist stream prepares nurses to assume leadership positions in the health system. The program prepares nurses to discern emerging trends, anticipate future health care directions, and provide leadership in planning, implementing and evaluating nursing practice, drawing on philosophical considerations, research methods and various tools of analysis. Students may elect to complete a teaching focus. Applicants with NP licensure should apply to enrol in the MN: Generalist stream.
The Advanced Nursing Practice (ANP) stream prepares nurses to assume a broader role in the provision of health services to clients of all ages, as community-based nurse practitioners. It provides theoretical and clinical preparation for nurses whose role will focus on advanced nursing practice. Students in the ANP Stream are required to write a comprehensive examination upon completion of their ANP courses. RNs seeking initial NP licensure should apply to enrol in the MN: ANP stream.
By the application deadline, applicants for admission to both streams in the MN program must be graduates of a four year Canadian (or equivalent) baccalaureate degree program in nursing from an accredited/recognized university, with a minimum GPA of 3.0 (B) in their final 30 credits of undergraduate study. Applicants must have obtained recently, a minimum of two years full-time equivalent work experience as a registered nurse.
Students seeking admission to the MN program who possess a four-year Canadian baccalaureate degree or equivalent in a field other than nursing with a minimum GPA of 3.0 (B) in their final 30 credits of undergraduate study must possess a minimum of two years full-time equivalent work experience as a registered nurse, and successfully complete the following AU courses (or their equivalent) before admission to the MN program:
| MATH 215 MATH 216 |
Introduction to Statistics
or Computer-oriented Approach to Statistics |
(3) |
| HLST 320 | Teaching and Learning for Health Professionals | (3) |
| NURS 324 | Concepts and Theories in Nursing Practice | (3) |
| NURS 328 | Understanding Research | (3) |
| NURS 434 | Community Health Promotion | (3) |
Applicants seeking admission to the MN: ANP stream may also be required to complete:
| NURS 326 | Health Assessment | (3) |
Both the MN: Generalist and MN: Advanced Nursing Practice programs are composed of 11, three-credit courses, for a total of 33 credits.
Students enrolled in the MN: Generalist stream may choose from a course-based or thesis-based route.
- Course-based route: Students complete five core courses, four curriculum courses and two elective courses. Students may elect to complete a teaching focus.
- Thesis-based route: Students complete one core course, two curriculum courses, one elective course, and four thesis-related courses.
Students enrolled in the MN: Advanced Nursing Practice stream must complete a course-based route consisting of three core courses and eight advanced nursing practice curriculum courses. Students who wish to undertake a thesis will be required to take four additional thesis-related courses.
Core Courses
The following courses apply to the course-based route of the MN: Generalist stream:
| NURS 608 | Philosophical Foundations of Nursing | (3) |
| NURS 609 | Advanced Trends and Issues in Nursing | (3) |
| MHST/NURS 603 | Facilitating Inquiry | (3) |
| MHST/NURS 607 | Developing Successful Project and Program Proposals | (3) |
| MHST/NURS 611 | Dissemination Strategies (taken in final semester) | (3) |
The following core course applies to the thesis-based route:
| NURS 608 | Philosophical Foundations of Nursing | (3) |
Curriculum Courses
Students enrolled in the course-based route of the MN: Generalist stream must complete four of the following CNHS graduate courses. Students enrolled in the thesis-based route must complete two of these courses:
| MHST/NURS 601 | Philosophical Foundations of Health Systems | (3) |
| MHST/NURS 602 | Transforming Health Care through Informatics | (3) |
| MHST/NURS 604 | Leadership Roles in Health Care | (3) |
| MHST/NURS 605 | Demystifying Policy Analysis and Development | (3) |
| MHST/NURS 606 | Health Systems and Services Evaluation | (3) |
| MHST/NURS 610 | Contemporary Issues in Research | (3) |
| MHST/NURS 620 | Culture and Health: Critical Perspectives | (3) |
| MHST/NURS 621 | Coaching and Leading: The Human Side of Organizational Change | (3) |
| MHST/NURS 622 | Understanding Organizations: Theory, Analysis and Application | (3) |
| MHST/NURS 623 | Clinical Teaching and Learning | (3) |
| MHST/NURS 624 | Teaching in Health Disciplines | (3) |
| MHST/NURS 695 | Independent Study | (3) |
| MHST/NURS 696 | Independent Study | (3) |
| MHST/NURS 697 | Independent Study | (3) |
| NURS 519 | Advanced Pathophysiology for Clinical Decision Making | (3) |
| NURS 521 | Pharmacotherapeutics for Nurse Practitioners | (3) |
Elective and Thesis Courses
Elective Courses: In addition to the core and curriculum courses, two electives are required in the course-based route. These electives may be completed prior to or concurrently with MHST/NURS 611. These elective courses may include: CNHS graduate courses, as listed in the above table of curriculum courses; other Athabasca University graduate level courses; or pre-approved graduate courses from other universities (refer to Letter of Permission to Complete a Course at Another University).
Thesis Courses: Students enrolled in the thesis-based route must complete one elective course, two research methods courses (MHST/NURS 711 and either 712 or 713) and two courses during which the thesis will be completed (MHST/NURS 719 (3 credits) and MHST/NURS 720 (12 credits).
| MHST/NURS 719 | Thesis I | (3) |
| MHST/NURS 720 | Thesis II | (12) |
| MHST/NURS 711 | Advanced Methods for Health Research and |
(3) |
| MHST/NURS 712 | Advanced Qualitative Methods for Health Research or |
(3) |
| MHST/NURS 713 | Advanced Quantitative Methods for Health Research | (3) |
Students in the course-based route may elect to complete a teaching focus. The teaching focus includes: five core courses as described above, three teaching focus courses (MHST/NURS 623, MHST/NURS 624, and one graduate level teaching/educational theory course from another Centre within Athabasca University or another university), two of the curriculum courses listed above, and one elective course as described above.
| Course-based Teaching Focus |
|---|
| 5 core courses |
| 3 teaching courses |
| 2 curricular courses |
| 1 elective course |
| Total: 11 |
MN Courses: Advanced Nursing Practice Stream
NURS 519, NURS 521, and NURS 530 are offered in three sessions each year (Fall, Winter, and Spring). NURS 520 is only offered in the Spring Session. NURS 522 through 528 are always offered in the Fall and Winter Sessions. Select courses may be offered in the Spring Session.
Core Courses
The following core courses apply to the MN: Advanced Nursing Practice stream:
| NURS 608 | Philosophical Foundations of Nursing | (3) |
| MHST/NURS 603 | Facilitating Inquiry | (3) |
| MHST/NURS 611 | Dissemination Strategies (Final course) | (3) |
Curriculum Courses
The following eight curriculum courses must be completed in the MN: Advanced Nursing Practice stream. Students are required to attend a one week on-site component in NURS 520 at their own expense.
| NURS 519 | Advanced Pathophysiology for Clinical Decision Making | (3) |
| NURS 520 | Foundations of Advanced Nursing Practice | (3) |
| NURS 521 | Pharmacotherapeutics for Nurse Prescribers | (3) |
| NURS 522 | Advanced Nursing Practice: Women | (3) |
| NURS 524 | Advanced Nursing Practice: Children | (3) |
| NURS 526 | Advanced Nursing Practice: Adults | (3) |
| NURS 528 | Advanced Nursing Practice: Older Adults | (3) |
| NURS 530 | Comprehensive Advanced Nursing Practice | (3) |
Elective and Thesis Courses
There are no elective or thesis courses included in the MN: Advanced Nursing Practice stream. Students who wish to undertake a thesis as part of the MN: Advanced Nursing Practice stream will be required to take four additional thesis-related courses, as described for the MN: Generalist stream.
Information effective Sept. 1, 2010 to Aug. 31, 2011.
Updated April 15, 2013
