Grad Program FAQ

Please visit our faculty page on this website. There you will see the names and research interests of our Faculty who can supervise MSc and PhD students — it is best to e-mail or call those who match your research interests and send them a brief overview of your clinical and research interests. The earlier you invite them to meet with you and discuss your application, the better.

If you are having difficulty selecting a potential supervisor, contact our Assistant Dean of the Graduate program Dr. Nancy Carter and she will suggest possible faculty for you to contact. For the course-based MSc option, you do not need to find a supervisor as the Nursing Program Coordinator will assign a faculty advisor once you have been accepted into the program.

A PBL or theory course instructor would be appropriate for your academic reference, while a clinical tutor or preceptor would be appropriate for your clinical reference. The reference you do obtain should reflect the goals within the relevant program or field to which you apply.

The clinical reference should be written by someone in authority who knows your practice well, such as your unit manager, or supervisor. If you have been out of school for some time, it may be more difficult to obtain a reference letter. You might like to consider taking a course now and use that professor to supply a reference. In some cases, applicants have submitted references from researchers for whom they have worked, who can assess the quality of writing and knowledge; however, they should not be at the level of a peer.

Clinical and academic Referees must be entered in the online application portal. They will be contacted electronically. 

Yes.

By September 1^st

 

Quick answer:

Students in both the course-based and thesis-based programs receive a Master’s of Science (MSc). Both programs include courses in nursing theory, research methods, advanced practice and electives of the student’s choice. For nurses interested in doing research, the Master’s thesis-based program includes working with a supervisor to carry out independent research. Students in the course based program are required to take more courses and complete a final scholarly paper, but do not do research.

More comprehensive answer:

A Master’s program in nursing is a bridge between basic and doctoral education. While offering a foundation for academic doctoral work, nurses who attain a Master’s degree in this program also develop advanced, discipline-specific skills that serve to support careers in evidence-informed clinical practice specialties, education, administration and multi-sectoral health care delivery systems.

• Thesis-based MSc: Those who complete the thesis-based MScMS option will be able to function as novice, associate or co-investigators in their selected area of interest, where they will apply knowledge of appropriate clinical research methods, including the identification of clinical measures and the determination of clinical and program effectiveness. With their increased knowledge of the theoretical basis of nursing practice, they will be able to play a leading role in the evaluation of evolving health care systems.

• These outcomes are supported through advancing scientific theory to their professional practice. With knowledge of research methods and application of research to practice, along with their specialized knowledge and expertise, they will be prepared for leadership positions in nursing education, practice, administration and policy.

Thesis-Based MSc–degree students are required to achieve the following objectives:

• Demonstrate the ability to apply advanced scientific theory to their professional practice
• Demonstrate knowledge of appropriate clinical research methods, including the development of clinical measures and the determination of clinical and program efficacy
• Complete four required half-courses and at least one additional approved half-course
• Complete and defend a thesis arising from a health care issue

Course-based MSc: Graduates who complete the course-based option share similarities in knowledge expectations, however their terminal requirements differ. The Course-Based MSc graduate is expected to apply advanced knowledge and critical discourse, synthesize theoretical and conceptual paradigms, and defend cogent recommendations in their production of a scholarly paper on a selected health care topic or issue.

Course-Based MSc degree–students are required to achieve the following objectives:

• Demonstrate the ability to apply advanced scientific theory to their professional practice
• Demonstrate knowledge of appropriate clinical research methods, including the development of clinical measures and the determination of clinical and program efficacy
• Complete four required and three additional approved half courses usually centred around a theme

Program Requirements	MSc Course-based	MSc Thesis-based	MSc/PHCNP	PhD
	8 half-courses	6 half-courses	Required course-based MSc PHCNP courses plus one elective and 6 NP courses	​Four half- courses
	Courses include: NUR 701 Theoretical basis of nursing practice NUR 706 Achieving Quality Patient Care Through Applied Research and Evaluation NUR 707 Foundations of Nursing Leadership NUR 711 Advanced practicum in nursing 4 Electives	Courses include: NUR 701 Theoretical basis of nursing practice NUR 707 Foundations of Nursing Leadership NUR 709 Statistical methods in nursing research NUR 715 Quantitative Research Methods NUR745 Qualitative Research Methods  1 Elective	Courses include: NUR 712 Evidence Based Health Care NUR 706 Achieving Quality Patient Care Through Applied Research and Evaluation NUR 707 Foundations of Nursing Leadership NUR 766 Roles and Responsibilities 1 elective NUR 761 Pathophysiology NUR 762 Advanced Health Assessment and Diagnosis 1 NUR 763 Advanced health Assessment and Diagnosis II NUR 764 Therapeutics in Primary Health Care I NUR 765 Therapeutics in Primary Health Care II NUR 767	Courses include: NUR 700 Philosophical basis of nursing (If there is no theoretical course available in the Master’s program, students must also take NUR701. If there is no research methods or statistics courses available in the Master’s program, students must also take a research methods half-course and a HRM statistics course.) NUR 707 Foundations of Nursing Leadership 2 Electives
	Field placement Advanced practicum	Field placement	Integrative Practicum in Primary Health Care	Comprehensive Examination and defense
	Indigenous Health Module Milestone SGS 101 and 201	Thesis and oral defense Indigenous Health Module Milestone SGS 101 and 201​	Indigenous Health Module Milestone. SGS 101 and 201​	Thesis and oral defense. SGS 101 and 201 Indigenous Health Module Milestone. Graduate Seminar​​