Enrolment Requirements

Students seeking enroment in the Athabasca University at Mount Royal College Bachelor of Nursing (BN) degree program will apply directly to Mount Royal College. Applications for fall admissions will be accepted after December 1 of the previous year. Closing date for applications is March 15.

Credit requirements for the Bachelor of Nursing (BN) degree may range from 124 to 127 credits depending upon the combination of courses selected. Students selecting this route will be awarded a Bachelor of Nursing Degree by Athabasca University .

Students completing the degree completion route are permitted a maximum of seven years to complete all degree requirements. Students may elect to take these courses by distance learning (individualized study). Transfer credit will not normally be awarded for nursing courses that are more than seven years old at the time of the request.

Diploma Exit Option (unavailable for students enrolling after January 1, 2006)

An optional diploma exit is available at the end of the third year of the program; however, this option is only available to students who were admitted before January 1, 2006. Credit requirements for the diploma exit range from 105 to 108 credits depending upon the combination of current courses selected. Students selecting this route will be awarded a diploma in nursing by Mount Royal College.

Course requirements are divided into three categories: required support courses, required electives courses, and required nursing courses.

Required nursing courses are further subdivided into three clusters. Courses listed in Cluster A are prerequisite to those listed in Cluster B, and courses listed in Cluster B are prerequisite to those listed in Cluster C. Prerequisite and co-requisite course requirements are also present within Cluster A, B and C. Students are responsible for ensuring that prerequisite and co-requisite course requirements are met throughout the program.

It is recommended that the required support courses be taken early in the program; option/elective courses can be taken at any time during the four years of the program. At least two of the Arts and Sciences options must be at a 300/3000 or 400/4000 level and each of the Arts and Sciences option courses must be selected from different categories of option courses (i.e., not more than one from any one category) including the behavioral sciences, communications, fine arts/physical education, humanities, mathematical sciences, natural sciences, and social sciences.

Students who selected the optional diploma exit must complete all the required support courses, required open/elective courses and required Cluster A and B nursing courses to be awarded a diploma in nursing.

Note:

Diploma Exit: 105-110*

Note: The order in which the above theory and clinical practice courses are taken will vary depending upon availability of clinical placements. Students selecting the diploma exit must take NURS 4441 or NURS 442 and NURS 4445 as the last two courses in their program.

*Diploma Exit Option

On November 30, 2005 the regulations for registered nurses under the Health Professions Act (HPA) (1999) became effective. With the passage of HPA, the College and Association of Registered Nurses of Alberta (CARNA) position that a baccalaureate degree in nursing be the minimum educational requirement for entry to registered nursing (RN) practice in Alberta as of January 1, 2010 also became effective.

Students enrolled after January 1, 2006

Students enrolling in the BN: Athabasca University program at Mount Royal College January 1, 2006 or later will no longer be able to select the diploma exit option.

Students enrolled before January 1, 2006

Students enrolled in the BN: Athabasca University program at Mount Royal College before January 1, 2006 may choose to exit with a diploma in nursing at the end of the third year of the program. Credit requirements for the diploma exit range from 105 to 108 credits depending upon the combination of current courses selected. Students selecting this route will be awarded a diploma in nursing by Mount Royal College .

Students selecting this route must have completed all program requirements by December 31, 2008 to permit sufficient time for them to write the Canadian Registered Nurse Examination (CRNE) up to three times, should they need to do so to attain a passing grade.

Students wishing to complete the remaining degree requirements through AU, following the diploma exit, will be permitted a maximum of four calendar years thereafter to do so.

Further information regarding the diploma exit option can be found at the BN AU at MRC Web site.

To complete their BN degree requirements, students must complete all of the courses listed below in Cluster C.

To be considered a student in good standing, you must achieve a minimum grade of C- (60 percent) in all Athabasca University nursing courses and a grade of C in all Mount Royal College nursing courses. To be eligible to graduate, students must achieve a minimum grade-point average of 2.0 in Athabasca University and Mount Royal College courses.

Site Map
Index
About Athabasca
   University
Courses
Programs
Admissions and
   Academic Regulations
Fees, Financial
   Assistance
Examinations and Grades
Student Services
Student Code of
   Conduct and Right
   to Appeal Regulations
Collaborative
   Partnerships
Academic Awards
Faculty
Glossary

myAU
Registration Services
Important Dates
Contact AU