Program Description
Length of Program
Available seats in the MNPP program are designated as either full-time or part-time. Applicants must specify their intended study status as either full-time or part-time on their application. Students wishing to change their part-time or full-time status following admission must apply to the Graduate Office for consideration of transfer to an alternate program format.
Due to the sequential nature of the clinical courses, all students must complete the final 12 months as a full-time student.
- Full-time studies are completed in 20 months. All students admitted to full-time studies attend continuously through the spring/summer terms between their first and second years.
- Part-time studies are normally completed in 32 months. Students admitted to part-time studies will attend part-time for the first 20 months of the program, and then must attend continuously as full-time students during the final 12 months of the program.
Graduate Programs Philosophy and Values Statement
Graduate Programs in the Faculty of Nursing are designed to cultivate critical engagement, intellectual curiosity and global citizenship. Students are welcomed into a research-intensive environment that honours learning and scholarship. Students are invited to think critically and reflectively about their place in the world and to engage with personal and professional opportunities to promote health equity and quality of life for the public good.
Learning is understood as a journey situated within vibrant, engaged, scholarly communities that value and support dialogue, intellectual curiosity and comfort with the uncertain nature of knowledge. The Faculty of Nursing aims to create a collaborative learning milieu that promotes engagement within nursing and across broader communities.
Students work in a context that encourages them to delve into complex problems, drawing on diverse schools of thought and academic traditions, and honouring Indigenous ways of knowing and doing to push the boundaries of nursing through the creation and dissemination of knowledge and insight.
MNPP Program Outcomes
Graduates of the Master of Nurse Practitioner Practice (MNPP) will be able to:
- Articulate and use advanced practice nursing knowledge to demonstrate entry-level competency in the Nurse Practitioner (NP) role.
- Use a systematic approach to synthesize patient, professional, and research data to identify, understand and address problems of interest to the NP profession.
- Actively collaborate in, appraise and integrate evidence-based practice research with a goal of advancing practice, health, and system improvement.
- Support the ethical collection and analysis of relevant operational, research and patient-specific data, and maintain commitments to best practices of data management, incorporating modern health technologies.
- Integrate understanding of professional advocacy and apply advocacy concepts such as health equity/inequity, access, community and belonging (ACB, previously referred to as equity, diversity, and inclusivity or EDI) and the social determinants of health to optimize population wellbeing.
- Demonstrate leadership intra- and inter-professionally, within academic and clinical environments, and to engage in reconciliation with Indigenous peoples, communities, and knowledges.
- Analyze their own learning needs, and those of individuals, groups, communities and organizations, applying appropriate pedagogies and strategies to deliver pertinent health information appropriate to those needs.
- Draw on diverse schools of thought and academic traditions to explore complex problems and practice issues.
Course-based or Thesis-based Routes
Students in the MNPP program can select a course-based or thesis-based route. All MNPP students complete a project, either a thesis or a capstone (course-based students), unless they completed one of these in a previous MN degree.
Students in the course-based MNPP program complete a minimum of 52 course credits, plus a 3 credit capping exercise ().
The capping exercise is developed through coursework across the program of studies with guidance from a faculty advisor. This exercise is an inquiry that demonstrates a synthesis of the individual’s learning experiences and explores a topic that is linked to the student’s coursework and nursing experience.
Full-time course-based students should complete a minimum of three courses (9 credits) per term to maintain their full-time status.
All part-time course-based graduate students must register for a minimum of 3 units of coursework or in each September to August period to maintain their student status.
Students in the thesis-based MNPP program are required to complete 64 credits plus a thesis (52 course credits and a minimum of 12 thesis credits).
The thesis project demonstrates the student’s ability to develop and implement a research proposal using an accepted research method and to present the findings in an appropriate scholarly manner. Students work closely with their supervisor to complete the research.
MNPP Coursework
All MNPP Students are required to take the following courses:
Core courses engage students in topics and questions that are shaping the evolution of nursing and health systems, and explore approaches to understanding how knowledge is formed and communicated.
Core courses include:
- NURS 595 Foundations of Scholarship and Critical Thought (3 credits)
- NURS 596 Research Foundations (3 credits)
- NURS 597 Understanding Complex Systems (3 credits)
- NURS 519 Foundations of Nurse Practitioner Practice (3 credits)
- NURS 523 Advanced Pathophysiology Across the Lifespan (3 credits)
- NURS 524 Advanced Pharmacotherapeutics Across the Lifespan (3 credits)
- NURS 551 Transition to Nurse Practitioner Practice (3 credits)
Community of Inquiry courses build skills that actively engage students in the process of inquiry by focusing on current issues relevant to the learner and, more broadly, to nursing and health care. The courses also foster a culture of community within the Master's cohort.
- Asking good questions, uncovering assumptions, and identifying trends
- Gathering and analyzing relevant literature
- Framing the inquiry focus and selecting appropriate methods for analysis
- Developing the proposal for the capstone/thesis project
- Implementing the inquiry/research process through the thesis or capstone project
- Developing communication skills to share findings with diverse audiences
The following series of courses introduces students to researchers and programs of research underway in the Faculty of Nursing and prepares students to develop their own capstone and thesis projects.
- NURS 589 Community of Inquiry I (1 credit)
- NURS 590 Community of Inquiry II (1 credit)
- NURS 591 Community of Inquiry III (1 credit)
The MNPP program includes four seminar courses that support the development of the NP professional role. These seminars support the MNPP-specific courses and focus on the NP professional role identity, practice issues, and transition to independent and collaborative NP practice roles, including strategies for entrepreneurship and small business management.
- NURS 526 Nurse Practitioner Practice Seminar I (1 credit)
- NURS 527 Nurse Practitioner Practice Seminar II (1 credit)
- NURS 528 Nurse Practitioner Practice Seminar III (1 credit)
- NURS 529 Nurse Practitioner Practice Seminar IV (1 credit)
The MNPP program features six clinical courses (24 credits) and a total of 800 clinical hours. Clinical coursework is organized by specialization as follows:
All Ages/All Settings (AAAS):
- NURS 547 Advanced Health Assessment and Diagnostic Reasoning I (3 credits)
- NURS 548 Advanced Health Assessment and Diagnostic Reasoning II (3 credits)
- NURS 549 Clinical Management of Acute Disease Across the Lifespan (3 credits)
- NURS 550 Clinical Management of Chronic Disease Across the Lifespan (3 credits)
- NURS 552 Clinical Practicum I (3 credits - 200 hrs)
- NURS 553 Clinical Practicum II (3 credits - 200 hrs)
- NURS 554 Clinical Practicum III (3 credits - 200 hrs)
- NURS 555 Clinical Consolidation (3 credits - 200 hrs)
Neonatal (NNP):
- NURS 537 Advanced Health Assessment and Clinical Diagnostic Reasoning - Neonate (3 credits)
- NURS 538 Advanced Clinical Care I - Neonate (3 credits)
- NURS 539 Advanced Clinical Care II - Neonate (3 credits)
- NURS 540 Advanced Clinical Care III - Neonate (3 credits)
- NURS 552 Clinical Practicum I (3 credits - 200 hrs)
- NURS 553 Clinical Practicum II (3 credits - 200 hrs)
- NURS 554 Clinical Practicum III (3 credits - 200 hrs)
- NURS 555 Clinical Consolidation (3 credits - 200 hrs)
Clinical Requirements Prior to Engaging in Clinical Placement Courses
The Faculty of Nursing is committed to meeting standards of practice in nursing by ensuring that students attain and maintain required licensure and certifications and meet recommended immunization standards.
Students are responsible for the health and safety requirements for all clinical practice courses in their graduate program. Proof of licensure as a Registered Nurse in a Canadian jurisdiction must be provided upon admission and annually. All other requirements must be met prior to starting the clinical courses. If there is an associated fee, students are responsible for the costs incurred.
MNPP applicants and students must hold licensure as a Registered Nurse with the Canadian provincial or territorial nursing regulatory jurisdiction(s) for the duration of the program, and specifically must hold licensure in jurisdiction(s) where clinical placements will occur. Students must notify the Faculty of Nursing Graduate Studies Office of any changes to their registration status throughout their program of study, including any new investigations conducted by a regulator regarding their conduct. Proof of RN registration from all jurisdictions must be submitted to the Faculty of Nursing Graduate Office upon admission and on an annual basis.
An RN student in a nurse practitioner program may use the term "student" with the protected 'NP' title. As students in the NP program must be registered with their jurisdictional licensing body for their practica, they must identify themselves as an RN when providing health services, even in the student role. Although CRNA suggests the title "RN, Student NP", students practicing in other provinces may wish to consult with their licensing body to confirm the recommended title.
Graduate students are required to read and/or complete and upload required health and safety forms to Alfresco before the commencement of their first clinical course:
Please visit the College of Health Sciences website for more information: Prerequisite Documents.
- Basic Cardiac Life Support Certification (BCLS) for all students, regardless of specialty
- Advanced Cardiac Life Support Certification (ACLS) for All Ages All Settings specialization
- Neonatal Resuscitation Program (NRP) for Neonatal specialization
- Completion of all required health and safety forms and clinical placement forms
- Immunization Requirements: See .
- Criminal Record and Vulnerable Sector Check (Security Clearance Check)
- Professional Ethics/Code of Student Behaviour
The 91³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏÍø, Faculty of Nursing’s Accommodation in Clinical Course Procedure is congruent with the 91³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏÍø policy: Discrimination, Harassment and Duty to Accommodate Policy.
Learn more about the Permanent Disability and required documentation under Accessibility Resources for current students. This information is directed towards both theoretical and clinical courses.
PURPOSE
The purpose of Accommodation in Graduate Nursing Courses is to provide guidance to students, Nursing faculty and Accessibility Advisors regarding timely notification of accommodation needs in academic learning and clinical practice. The Faculty of Nursing is committed to equitable opportunities for all graduate students, with the goal of promoting success in learning and preventing disruption in learning experiences. The Graduate Office wishes to support persons with all levels of ability or other required accommodations for learning.
Each student is responsible for ensuring their fitness to practice in order to participate in graduate clinical courses. According to the Canadian Nurses Association Code of Ethics, fitness to practice is defined as "all the qualities and capabilities of an individual relevant to his/her capacity to practice as a nurse, including but not limited to, freedom from any cognitive, physical, psychological or emotional condition and dependence on alcohol or drugs that impairs his or her ability to practice nursing" (CNA, 2017). Students within the Nurse Practitioner program are asked to complete physically, cognitively and emotionally challenging clinical learning activities. The Graduate program will work with students to ensure each individual’s success.
PROCEDURE
Student Responsibilities
- Students may or may not choose to disclose a need for accommodation. The Faculty of Nursing will work with students who have disclosed a need for accommodation in order to facilitate their completion of the program, providing whatever reasonable accommodations may be available.
- Students with a documented level of ability needing accommodation are responsible for reviewing the 91³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏÍø Duty to Accommodate Policy so they are aware of the process within the university.
- Students are required to review and attest to their fitness to practice annually, during the licensure process (CRNA, 2022). NP students should be able to:
- Establish effective and therapeutic relationships with clients while being sensitive to their health preferences and needs. This includes therapeutic use of touch.
- Use various forms of technology to complete both academic and clinical requirements.
- Communicate and document clearly and comprehensively.
- Work collaboratively within an interprofessional healthcare team.
- Collaborate in the care of individuals, which may require the ability to stand, lift, bend and safely transfer clients from one position to another in some clinical practice contexts.
- Demonstrate manual dexterity, precision and hand-eye coordination for some psychomotor skills.
- Students who require accommodations must be registered at the Academic Success Centre in order to receive accommodations at the 91³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏÍø. To facilitate placement organization, students must register for accommodations a minimum of 4 months prior to the commencement of Graduate Clinical Placements and email arrec@ualberta.ca for any assistance. The advance notice enables the placement team to address any accommodation requirements in a time frame that aligns with the four-month placement request cycle.
- Students are responsible for meeting deadline dates. Failure to provide appropriate notice of the need for accommodation to the NP Clinical Placement Lead and Accessibility Advisor may result in postponement of a clinical placement until reasonable accommodations can be determined and/or until the course is offered in the future. Collaboration between student and placement team will enable successful outcomes in clinical experiences.
- Students are responsible for providing information regarding the clinical placement (location, type of work, physical requirements) to their Accessibility Advisor once that information is known to the student.
- The student, in consultation with the Accessibility Advisor and Faculty of Nursing, will determine the reasonable accommodations that a student may require for graduate clinical courses and may be required to submit a proposal for accommodation to the Director of NP Programs and the NP Clinical Placement Lead.
- Once approved, the student is responsible for sharing the details of the accommodation agreement with the graduate course instructor.
For any students who experience negative accommodation processes, section 7.c of the U of A Student Conduct Policy specifically provides for student complaints to be addressed through the governing body involved in the regulation of the practice of its discipline.