Admission Requirements

After official transcripts have been accepted, the following admission requirements apply:

an overall average of C- (60 percent) and no grade below a D (50 percent) in the following secondary school courses:

• English 30
• two science courses at the 30 level

Applicants lacking the above secondary school course requirements may substitute comparable college or university-level courses.

Students admitted to the program must annually provide proof of current licensure with the College of Licensed Practical Nurses of Alberta and certification in cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) or Basic Cardiac Life Support (BCLS)

Agencies participating in practicum courses may request that students provide proof of up-to-date immunizations status and a criminal record check at the students' expense.

Second Undergraduate Degree

Students who hold a recognized first degree in a discipline outside of nursing who wish to obtain an AU Bachelor of Nursing degree must apply under the Second Undergraduate degree regulations. These students may transfer applicable coursework from the previously completed degree to satisfy up to 50 per cent of the total credits required to complete the post LPN BN program. Preparatory (100 level) credits cannot be used to fulfill the requirements of a second undergraduate degree. Those students who hold an international credential in the same discipline who wish to obtain a Canadian credential may be permitted, in consultation with the Program Director and reviewed by the Office of the Registrar.

*English Writing Skills Requirement
(effective Sept. 1/04)

Students who choose ENGL 255 are strongly encouraged to take it early in their program. The Alberta Universities Writing Competence Test may be used to demonstrate mastery of English writing skills. Upon successful completion of the test, the University will exempt students from completing the English requirement. This course must then be replaced with another course in the humanities.

Computer Requirements

Access to a computer with basic word processing and Internet access is required. Refer online.

PCs are the primary equipment supported by Athabasca University's Help Desk. Only limited assistance for other hardware and software platforms is offered. Students are responsible for their own communication costs such as long distance telephone charges and subscriptions to an Internet provider, or any other communications service.

Specific Regulations

Given the unique and professional nature of the
post-RN BN program, some of the general policies governing academic studies at Athabasca University are superseded by the regulations below.

In order to register in a nursing course with a practicum component, students must present proof of the following:

Agencies participating in practicum courses may
request that students provide proof of up-to-date
immunization status and a criminal record check at
the student's expense.

The pass mark for all nursing courses is C- (60 percent).

To be awarded a BN degree, a minimum grade-point average of 2.0 is required in all Athabasca University courses used toward the degree.