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In addition to the Faculty of Graduate Studies requirements, the Faculty of Nursing requires that an applicant must:

Master of Nursing
a) Be a Registered Nurse holding a baccalaureate degree, normally in nursing;
b) Be eligible for active nursing registration in Alberta (registrants in the program must provide proof of active CARNA registration or equivalent each year);
c) Hold CPR Certification at the Basic Rescuer or Basic Cardiac Life Support or “C” level;
d) Have successfully completed one undergraduate half course in research methodology equivalent to University of Calgary Nursing 309 or 539;
e) Have successfully completed one undergraduate half course in statistics;
f) Normally have a minimum of two years' (full-time or equivalent) clinical experience in the proposed area of study. Applicants to the MN/NP and PMNP programs must provide documentation from their employer confirming they have met the three years' experience;
g) Submit two references, one from someone capable of assessing the applicant's academic and research ability, normally an academic, and one from someone who can attest to the applicant's nursing practice and expertise;
h) For applicants required to provide proof of proficiency in English submit a minimum TOEFL score of 600 (written test) or 100 (internet-based test); IELTS score of 7.0; MELAB score of 83; PTE score of 70; or Level 3 on the EAP program ;
i) Have an interview(s) with a faculty member, if requested by the Faculty.

A minimum of three years' (full-time or equivalent) Registered Nurse practice experience in the proposed area of study is required for applicants to the MN/NP or the PMNP. These applicants must also provide commitment from the Health Region for practicum placement availability for the final practicum of the NP program (Nursing 650).

Any graduate student requesting transfer to the integrated MN/NP program must consult with his/her current supervisor prior to application.

Applicants to the MN/NP can be admitted on a part-time basis up to the commencement of the first NP practicum (Nursing 641) at which time a transfer to full-time studies must occur.

Doctor of Philosophy
a) Normally be a Registered Nurse;
b) Normally hold CPR Certification at the Basic Rescuer or Basic Cardiac Life Support or “C” level;
c) Submit a study plan outlining the areas of proposed concentration, goals in undertaking doctoral work, initial intentions regarding course work, and a statement of the preliminary plans for thesis research;
d) Provide examples of the applicant's written scholarly work such as publications, research reports, course assignments, etc;
e) Provide a curriculum vitae;
f) Provide a letter of commitment from the identified supervisor indicating willingness to provide supervision throughout the program of studies and supporting the applicant's study plan;
g) For applicants required to provide proof of proficiency in English submit a TOEFL score of 600 (written test) or 100 (internet-based test); IELTS score of 7.0; MELAB score of 83; PTE score of 70; or Level 3 on the EAP program;
h) Have successfully completed one graduate-level half course in quantitative methods, one graduate-level half course in qualitative methods, plus one graduate-level half course in statistics. Exceptions may be considered, but the onus will be on the applicant to provide sufficient evidence to warrant exception. Deficiencies must be successfully eliminated prior to or in the first year of the Doctoral Program;
i) Submit three references, one of which must be from the applicant's supervisor of his/her master's program.

Academic Accommodation Policy for Students with Disabilities
It is important for students with documented disabilities, who have met the admission criteria, to note that the Academic Accommodation Policy does not require the University to lower or substantially modify standards in order to accommodate students with disabilities. Adaptive technology and/or academic accommodations are available to facilitate learning, but they do not relieve students of their responsibilities to develop the essential skills and abilities expected of all other students.

There are three application deadlines for submission of complete applications:

• December 1 (early bird for the following September)
• February 1 (for the following September)
• September 15 (for the following January)

There are three application deadlines for the PMNP diploma program:

• December 1 and February 1 for admission in September if the prerequisite courses are completed
• If the prerequisite courses are not completed, applications must be submitted by September 15 for admission to the Winter, Spring, or Summer Terms as appropriate.

Applicants are highly encouraged to begin their application process early.

In addition to the Faculty of Graduate Studies' requirements, the Faculty of Nursing requires the following:

Master of Nursing (course-based)
a) Successful completion of the following core courses: Nursing 605, 611, 621, 683, 691, 693, 695

b) One graduate-level half course in statistics (Statistics 603)

c) Two graduate-level half course electives related to the student's focus of study

Master of Nursing/Nurse Practitioner
d) Successful completion of the following core courses: Nursing 605, 611, 621,661, 663, 665, 683, 691

e) One graduate-level half course in statistics (Statistics 603)

f) Successful completion of the following core NP courses: Nursing 641, 644, 646, 650, 667

Post Master's Nurse Practitioner Diploma
g) Successful completion of prerequisite courses: Nursing 661, 663, 665

h) Successful completion of the following core NP courses: Nursing 641, 644, 646, 650, 667

For the Nurse Practitioner practicum component of the integrated MN/NP and for the PMNP, there are additional requirements:
Mandatory participation of NP students in all activities related to practicum courses. NP students' practicum experiences may be scheduled at various hours, including evenings, nights and weekends. Practicum experiences may also extend outside the normal academic term. Normally, a student will not be permitted to withdraw from a NP practicum course in order to avoid a failing grade in that course.

Master of Nursing (thesis-based)
a) At minimum successful completion of the following core courses: Nursing 605, 611, 621, 675, 683

b) One graduate-level half course in statistics (Statistics 603)

Evaluation of nursing practicum will be weighted at 40% of the final grade across all of the practica in the MN course-based and MN thesis-based programs, with a weight of 60% for the seminar component.

Doctor of Philosophy
a) For students prepared at the Master's level in nursing a minimum of six half courses is required: Nursing 705, 769, two courses in advanced research methods at the 700 level, and two doctoral thesis seminars (Nursing 711 and 733)

b) Students in the doctoral program normally are required to take advanced research methods courses at the 700 level in both qualitative and quantitative research approaches, one of which must be Nursing 721 or 783

c) After completion of the student's course work and approval of the thesis research proposal, a candidacy examination with a written and an oral component is required.
Baccalaureate and non-nursing Master's prepared applicants must complete additional coursework beyond the six core half courses listed in (a). Applicants are individually assessed. The number and types of additional courses required will vary according to the applicant's academic, research and practice background as well as the proposed research plan.

a) In addition to normal regulations for assignment of supervisors in the MN program, a supervisory committee must be struck for all MN thesis students no later than three months after the appointment of supervisor.

b) Normally the Faculty of Nursing supervisor for an MN/NP or PMNP student is a member of the Nurse Practitioner Committee.

c) Doctoral students require a Faculty of Nursing member to commit to their supervision as a condition of admission.

Master of Nursing (course-based)
A final comprehensive examination consists of a take-home written exam, designed according to the student's specialization, and an oral component.  The written component must be completed within one week and constitutes the basis for a final oral examination two weeks later.

For the Nurse Practitioner component of the integrated MN/NP, all courses, with the exception of Nursing 650, must be completed prior to the MN comprehensive examination.

The final exam in the MN/NP and the PMNP includes an experiential practice component and an oral examination.

Master of Nursing (thesis-based)
The final oral thesis examination is open.

Doctor of Philosophy
The doctoral candidacy examination has a written and an oral component. The written component focuses on three areas:

a) the theory that defines existing knowledge in the student's chosen area of nursing research;

b) the literature that defines existing knowledge in the student's chosen area of nursing research;

c) the proposed research method and data analysis/management strategy chosen for the thesis. The student has three weeks to complete the written component. The candidacy committee has approximately two weeks to review the written submission before the oral examination.

The student is expected to defend and extend his/her knowledge in these three areas. Questions about the student's proposed research may be asked.
The final doctoral oral thesis examination is open.