Undergraduate Programs
Athabasca University at Mount Royal College Bachelor of Nursing Degree Program (124 to 127 credits)
     

Admissions to this program were suspended effective Mar. 15, 2007.

   
     

Athabasca University's (AU) Bachelor of Nursing program, offered at Mount Royal College (MRC) Calgary, Alberta is a collaborative, integrated program designed for students who are just entering the nursing profession. Students enrolled in the program will take courses from both AU and MRC. All nursing courses will be offered on site at MRC. Students may elect to take all AU nursing courses, except for NURS 326 Health Assessment, by distance learning (individualized study).

This program is a four-year integrated degree program (with an optional diploma exit route for students who enrolled before January 1, 2006). Students may elect to write the Canadian Registered Nurse Examinations and to apply for licensure as a Registered Nurse upon completion of program requirements for either the degree or diploma exit.

Athabasca University has developed program learning outcomes that describe the career options that may be available to you upon graduating.

 

 

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.


  

 
     
  Degree Requirements
     
 

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.

     
• 
A maximum of five calendar years will be permitted to complete course requirements for the diploma exit.
     
• 
Students wishing to complete the remaining degree requirements through Athabasca University, following the diploma exit, will be permitted a maximum of four calendar years thereafter to do so.
     
   
     
     
  Residency Requirement
     
  A minimum of 18 credits in Nursing and health studies courses must be taken through Athabasca University.
     
  Graduation with Distinction or Great Distinction  
  At least 24 credits must be obtained through Athabasca University in order to be considered. 24
     
  Course Requirements
     
 

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:

indicates an Athabasca University course;  
** 
indicates a course that can be taken either through Athabasca University or Mount Royal College (MRC); the absence of an * or ** indicates an MRC course.
     
     
  Required Support Courses (18 or 21 credits)
     
  Any junior (200/2000) level or senior (300+/3000+) level English course (or equivalent) taken from an accredited college or university,

  and

 
BIOL 235 Human Anatomy and Physiology*
or
 
BIOL 1220 and
BIOL 1221
Anatomy and Physiology I & II (6) or (8)
MATH 215 Introduction to Statistics*
or
 
MATH 216 Computer-Oriented Approach to Statistics*
or
(3)
  one of several introductory statistics courses offered at MRC including ANTH 3307 or MATH 3333 (3)
NUTR 330 Introductory Nutrition*
or
 
NUTR 331 Nutrition for Health* (Recommended) (3)
PSYC 323 Developmental Psychology*
or
 
PSYC 3325 Life Span Development (3)

 

   
     
  Required Option/Elective Courses
     
  Arts and Sciences Requirement** (12)
     
     
  Required Nursing Courses
     
  Cluster A Courses (30 credits)  
     
NURS 326 Health Assessment and Health Promotion with Individuals* (3)
NURS 2201 Understanding Health (4)
NURS 2203 Professional Nursing Practice I (3)
NURS 2265 Health Patterns of Populations (3)
NURS 3301 Theoretical Foundations of Professional Nursing (4)
NURS 3303 Professional Nursing Practice II (6)
NURS 3305 Pathophysiology (4)
NURS 3307 Nursing Therapeutics and Pharmacology (3)
     
     
  Cluster B Courses (41 credits)  
     
HLST 320 Teaching and Learning for Health Professionals* (3)
NURS 328 Understanding Research* (3)
NURS 4401 Adult Health (3)
NURS 4403 Professional Practice in Adult Health (4)
NURS 4411 Family Newborn Health (3)
NURS 4413 Professional Practice in Family Newborn Health (4)
NURS 4421 Child Health (3)
NURS 4423 Professional Practice in Child Health (4)
NURS 4431 Mental Health (3)
NURS 4433 Professional Practice in Mental Health (4)
NURS 4441 Seniors Health
or
(3)
NURS 442 Gerontological Nursing * (3)
NURS 4443 Professional Practice in Seniors Health (4)
NURS 4445 Consolidated Clinical Experience (diploma route only)* (8)
     
 

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.

     
     
  Cluster C Courses (23 credits)  
     
NURS 432 Management and Leadership in Nursing Practice* (4)
NURS 434 Community Health Promotion* (4)
NURS 438 Trends and Issues in Nursing and Health Systems* (3)
NURS 4XX Senior Level Nursing Option** (3)
NURS 5583 Independent Professional Practice Specialty Focus (9)
     
  Total Credits to Degree Completion: 124-127  
     
** 
NURS 4XX can be taken through either AU or MRC
and will satisfy 3 credits of the 18 credits in nursing and health studies residency requirement.
 
     
     
  Sequencing of Courses
     
  Variations are possible and will be influenced by factors such as prior credit, availability of clinical placements, and student preferences regarding scheduling.
     
     
  Program Progression and Graduation Requirements
     
 

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



 

top


 • Information effective Feb. 28, 2007 to Aug. 31, 2010.
 • Links: Web Unit, Privacy & Conditions. © Athabasca University.
Archived regulations


next page...
go to Calendar Homepage go to University Homepage