Bachelor of Nursing (NESA)

This program is available for International Students.

All applicants applying to the four-year BN degree program must apply directly to the University of Lethbridge. Please refer to the U of L admissions information.

All newly-admitted students will register in and attend courses at Lethbridge College for the first two years of the program. Students will register in and attend courses at the University of Lethbridge for the final two years of the program.

Admission Routes

Admission to the Bachelor of Nursing program may be gained by one of the following admission routes:

1. Alberta or other Canadian high school credentials.
2. Transfer from recognized colleges or universities.
3. Special Case Admission.
4. Credentials from other countries.

The Faculty of Health Sciences at the University of Lethbridge will consider qualified, non-competitive applicants with previous experience related to nursing on a case-by-case basis.

Applicants with previous experience related to nursing, who are seeking Special Case Admission, will be required to submit documents as per admission requirements at the University of Lethbridge, as well as:

1. A letter of intent, describing the nature of previous experience as it relates to nursing and the reason for pursuing nursing;
2. A letter of reference from an employer;
3. A resume detailing relevant work, volunteer, and life experience.

Note: All applicants may be invited to an interview.

Transfer Students

A student may transfer up to 20 semester course equivalents (60.0 credit hours). Students may receive transfer credit for both nursing and non-nursing courses. Nursing and human anatomy/physiology courses must have been completed at an accredited post-secondary institution not more than three (3) years prior to admission. Non-nursing courses are subject to the time limits of the relevant faculty courses for which transfer credit is being sought and must be discussed at the time of acceptance into the Faculty of Health Sciences at the University of Lethbridge.

International Students

Applicants whose first language is other than English must provide acceptable evidence of English Language Proficiency according to the U of L admissions information.

Academic Requirements

High school and transfer student applicants must have satisfactory completion of the following Alberta high school courses or equivalents:

• English Language Arts 30-1 (minimum grade of 60%)
• Biology 30
• Chemistry 30
• Mathematics 30-1, Mathematics 30-2, or Pure Mathematics 30
• A fifth course (not including Special Projects) at the Grade 12 level

Note: Admission is competitive, and the Faculty of Health Sciences at the University of Lethbridge reserves the right of selection of all students for admission and readmission to the faculty on the basis of academic qualifications. Competitive marks will be based on the average of grades in the five (5) courses listed above.  Transfer students may have a minimum 3.0 credit hour university-level course mark in the same discipline used in place of the high school mark, if it is more advantageous. The fifth course may be substituted for any minimum 3.0 credit hour university-level course.

Academic Disqualification

A student is required to withdraw from the Bachelor of Nursing program if any of the following occurs:

• the cumulative GPA falls below the required levels for two or more consecutive terms at the end of the Winter (January) term;
• the student fails any internship or nursing practice course; or
• the student fails to meet the Standards of Professional Conduct (see below).

A student dismissed for academic reasons may apply for readmission by the appropriate deadline after a lapse of one full year. Readmission is not guaranteed. Students dismissed for a second time will not be re-admitted to the program. Students are advised to contact an academic advisor as early as possible to discuss the possibility of readmission.

Standards of Professional Conduct

The standards of professional conduct for students in the Bachelor of Nursing program are published in the NESA Student Handbook. Students are subject to the general rules and regulations of the agencies with which they are affiliated during practice experiences. Students may be required to withdraw for violations of professional conduct. Faculty members who are supervising practice-based experiences may require a student to leave a practice setting at any time if, in the opinion of the faculty member, the student’s practice threatens patient/client safety or is disruptive to patient/client care. The Dean, or designate, will review the case in a timely fashion to determine whether, and under what conditions, the student may return to the practice setting.