Northern Baccalaureate Nursing Program

Admission Requirements
Supplemental Application Information
Admission Requirements: Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN)
Selection Process

Please note that the planned admission and degree requirements outlined below are unofficial and subject to change. The proposed Northern Baccalaureate Nursing Program (NBNP) offering is subject to UNBC Senate, UNBC Board of Governors and the Ministry of Advanced Education, Skills and Training approval.

Ready to start your career in nursing?

Offered in Fort. St. John, UNBC’s Northern Baccalaureate Nursing Program (NBNP) provides students with the skills and knowledge to enter the registered nursing field. The NBNP introduces students to the unique aspects of delivering health care in small urban and rural communities located throughout BC’s Peace region and beyond.

The program is designed for individuals with previous experience and achievement in university-level, post-secondary education who are interested in careers as Registered Nurses (RNs). Upon completion, students earn a BScN and are eligible to write the NCLEX-RN, which qualifies them to work as RNs in any health care sector where RNs have legislated scope of practice.

Individuals with at least 60 credits of university-level, post-secondary education are encouraged to apply. The curriculum includes a minimum of 1,240 hours of clinical practice experience and 229 hours of laboratory and simulation practice.

Small cohorts of sixteen students are admitted each September.

The NBNP degree is completed over five semesters (20 months fulltime).

Deadline to apply for the September 2020 semester is February 20, 2020.

Eligible applicants to the NBNP require either:

A non-nursing baccalaureate degree which includes 24 credit hours of specific, non-nursing prerequisite coursework directly relevant to healthcare practice or;
A minimum of 60 non-nursing university transferrable credits towards a baccalaureate degree. These credits include or are in addition to 24 credit hours of specific, non-nursing prerequisite coursework directly relevant to healthcare practice.

NBNP courses are offered through face-to-face teaching in the classroom as well as online content delivered via the Blackboard Learn platform. Some courses without laboratory or clinical components may be delivered entirely online. In practicum course components, students work with a variety of patient populations in hospital, clinic and community settings. Graduates are well prepared to work in rural and northern communities.

Employment opportunities for nurses in northeast BC are expected to trend upwards for the next decade. Be part of a team that brings innovative and integrated healthcare to communities in this growing and vibrant region.

If a rewarding career in primary health care is in your future, join UNBC in Fort St. John next September! Please contact us at nbnpadvising@unbc.ca with your questions.

Admission Requirements

Admission to the NBNP is a competitive, criteria weighted process consisting of the following two parts:

Compiled minimum admissions qualification score based on admission GPA, and supplemental application materials
An online assessment (CASPer)

Priority admission is given to students who meet the admission criteria and apply by the deadline of February 20, 2020. Applications received after the deadline may be reviewed based on available space in the program.

Applicants must meet the following admission requirements:

Meet UNBC admission requirements
Have a minimum ‘B’ average on the most recent 60 UNBC or university transferable credit hours; completed at the undergraduate level
Meet the 24 credit hours of required prerequisite course work; and
Have 24 credit hours completed at UNBC or are transferable to UNBC at the 200 level or above

Required Pre-Admission course work

Students must have a minimum grade of ‘B-‘ in the following courses (consult the BC Transfer Guide to determine UNBC recommended course equivalencies):

University Level Human Anatomy and Physiology (6 credits) HHSC 111-4 and HHSC 112-4, or HHSC 105-3 and HHSC 305-3, HHSC 306-3, HHSC 325-1 and HHSC 326-1 or equivalents are recommended. Human anatomy and physiology courses must include a lab component and be completed within 5 years prior to the semester of admission.
University Level Microbiology (3 Credits) HHSC 110-3 is recommended. Microbiology courses relevant to Human health must be completed within 5 years prior to the semester of admission.
University Level Statistics (3 credits) STAT 240-3 is recommended. Statistics must be completed within 5 years prior to the semester of admission.
University Level Social Sciences with Peoples and Cultures content (3 Credits) ANTH 213-3 is recommended. Social Science courses dealing with people, languages and cultures must be completed within 10 years prior to the semester of admission.
University Level English (3 Credits) one of ENGL 100-3, ENGL 102-3, ENGL 103-3, ENGL 120-3 are recommended or a higher-level transferable English composition course. English composition courses must be completed within 10 years prior to the semester of admission.
University Level Indigenous Studies (3 credits) FNST 302-3 First Nations Health and Healing is recommended. Indigenous Studies courses must be completed within 10 years prior to the semester of admission.
University level Psychology with human development, behaviour and/or cognition content (3 credits) PSYC 101 is recommended. Psychology course work must be completed within 10 years prior to the semester of admission.

English Language Requirements

Applicants whose first language is not English, regardless of citizenship or country of origin, must submit evidence of English language proficiency prior to admission. For the NBNP, either an IELTS (International English Language Testing System) Academic, or a CELBAN (Canadian English Language Benchmark Assessment for Nurses) with current, valid results and minimum scores as set by the British Columbia College of Nursing Professionals (BCCNP) for the year of admission is required.

Supplemental Application Information

As part of the proposed application process, applicants must also submit the following:

A Rural Remote Suitability Index questionnaire
A resumé detailing education, work and volunteer experience and any credentials, accomplishments or experiences relevant to nursing
A personal statement outlining the reason(s) the Northern Baccalaureate Nursing Program is the applicant’s program of choice and demonstrating why the applicant is a suitable candidate for the program
Two references submitted on the BScN Confidential Reference form. Preference is for one academic and one work-related reference

Admission Requirements: Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN)

Licensed Practical Nurses (LPNs) who are applying for admission to the NBNP must:

Meet all Northern Baccalaureate Nursing Program admission requirements
Be graduates of a Practical Nursing program recognized by the British Columbia College of Nursing Professionals (BCCNP) since 1994
Have current practicing registration or be eligible for practicing registration with the BCCNP

LPN applicants are assessed on an individual basis and may be eligible for up to a maximum of 15 unspecified transfer credit hours towards the 60 university transferable credit hours. The block of transfer credit hours cannot be applied toward the 24 credit hours of required prerequisite course work.

Applicants who have completed a BC Practical Nursing Certificate prior to 1994, have completed a certificate or diploma from a program outside of British Columbia, or have graduated from an institution not listed in the BC Transfer Guide may not be eligible for transfer credit.

Further criteria may be required in order to receive transfer credit.

Selection Process

Since the number of qualified applicants is expected to exceed the number of placements available, fulfillment of the minimum requirements does not guarantee admission. The process is competitive and the School of Nursing reserves the right to select and admit all students into the NBNP. Consideration is given to all applicants who complete the application process; however, preference is given to Canadian citizens and permanent residents.

The School of Nursing selects and admits those students who demonstrate academic potential, strong motivation to study nursing and the qualities, judgment and clinical aptitude necessary to be a caring and professional nurse.

The admission decisions are based on:

Academic standing, including prerequisite courses
Rural Remote and Suitability Index score
CASPer Score
Supplemental application score

CASPer Requirement

All applicants to the Northern Baccalaureate Nursing Program (NBNP) are required to complete an online computer-based assessment (CASPer) test, in addition to meeting academic requirements.

CASPer is an online, video-scenario based, situational judgement test which assesses for non-academic attributes and personal/professional characteristics that are important for success as students and graduates of the NBNP.

Completion of the CASPer test and submission of results are mandatory prior to the NBNP application deadline.

The CASPer test can only be written once within an admission cycle, and test results are only valid for one admission cycle.

Applicants who have completed a minimum of 15 university transfer credit hours at Northern Lights College, apply by the application deadline and meet or exceed the minimum requirements for admission to the program are given priority for up to fifty percent (50%) of the seats for the NBNP. The 15 university transfer credit hours must have been completed at Northern Lights College within 10 years prior to the semester of admission.

Self-identified Indigenous applicants who apply by the application deadline and meet or exceed the minimum requirements for admission to the program are given priority for up to twenty five percent (25%) of the seats for the Northern Baccalaureate Nursing Program (NBNP).

If the allocated seats listed above are not filled by qualified applicants, the remaining seats are offered to other qualified applicants.