With the permission of the Program Committee in each case, a maximum of two courses that have not already been credited toward a completed university credential may be accepted for credit in the master’s program. All courses considered for credit must carry a grade of ‘B-’ or higher and must have been completed no longer than seven years prior to the student’s admission to the program.
b.Residence Requirements and Time Limits
Residence is defined as courses completed at the University of Lethbridge. A minimum of nine courses (27.0 credit hours, which includes the Final Project or Thesis courses) is required. For part-time students, the minimum time limit for degree completion shall be 48 months continuous registration in the program. Maximum time for completion will be three years for full-time study or six years for part-time study. If needed, a graduate student may apply for an extension up to one academic year. All required courses, including the Research Project or Written Thesis, must be successfully completed and submitted within the maximum time limit. Failure to complete within this period may result in the candidate being required to withdraw from the program. Under extenuating circumstances, the Program Committee may allow a longer extension. A student who does not register in the program in any term will be considered to have withdrawn, unless a leave of absence has been approved. Residence requirements must still be met.
A student may maintain resident status while conducting research off-campus (e.g. on field trips, using facilities, or consulting libraries elsewhere). A student completing a thesis culminating activity may have to complete a research or advanced statistics course at another institution. The Program Committee must approve proposals for these courses.
See Academic Regulations, Leave of Absence.
Students must receive a minimum grade of 'B-' (2.70) in all courses which are graded and count toward the degree. A student who receives more than two grades below a ‘B-’ may be asked to withdraw from the program. All courses completed in the M.N. program, or transferred into the program, are included in the calculation of the GPA for graduation purposes. Transfer credit is not included in the GPA on the official academic transcript. A student must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.00 in order to graduate from the M.N. program.
A student whose performance in the program is judged unsatisfactory by the relevant Graduate Program Committee or by the School of Graduate Studies may be placed on probation; continued unsatisfactory performance may result in the student being required to withdraw from the program.
e.Standards of Professional Conduct
The Faculty of Health Sciences at the University of Lethbridge is committed to maintaining freedoms of thought, belief, opinion and expression for students. The M.N. program also has an obligation to foster academic freedom within the context of relevant professional standards of conduct and ensure that students practice within the scope of professional nursing standards and adhere to all relevant ethical and research guidelines. The standards outlined below give direction to behaviours that must be visible to all instructors within the program and related courses, and to agency personnel during practice courses. These standards are in addition to the standards of academic and non-academic conduct for the University of Lethbridge, (see Academic Regulations). Appropriate demonstration of these professional standards will be judged by program faculty and practice agency personnel.
1.The student acts in a manner that respects the dignity and rights of all persons without prejudice as to race, religious beliefs, colour, gender, sexual orientation, physical characteristics, ability, age, ancestry, or place of origin.
2.The student treats clients, peers, practice agency personnel, and faculty with dignity and respect and is considerate of their circumstances.
3.The student acts in a responsible manner, which includes being punctual, dependable, trustworthy, consistent, and reliable.
4.Recognizing that active engagement in courses and attendance at practicum placements is a professional responsibility, students apprise appropriate personnel at the University and/or the practice agency in advance of unavoidable absences.
5.The student responds to feedback by listening to, evaluating, and responding to suggestions.
6.The student maintains positive, interpersonal relationships with peers, faculty, practice agency personnel, and clients by contributing, co-operating, participating, and working with others in a flexible and adaptable way.
7.The student demonstrates maturity and sound judgment in accordance with the standards of professional conduct.
8.The student respects the confidentiality of information about clients, peers, practice agency personnel, and faculty received in confidence in the course of professional duties.
9.The student acts in a manner that maintains the honour and dignity of the profession and the University of Lethbridge.
10.The student adheres to the Standards of Practice of their jurisdictional professional regulatory body (e.g. College and Association of Registered Nurses of Alberta [CARNA], College of Registered Psychiatric Nurses of Alberta [CRPNA]) and the Canadian Nursing Association Code of Ethics.
A student is required to withdraw from the M.N. program if the student fails to meet the Standards of Professional Conduct (see Standards of Professional Conduct) and/or for academic grounds (see Academic Standards).
g.Academic Offences and Discipline
A graduate student is expected to exemplify high standards of academic and ethical behaviour and is subject to the University's student discipline and ethical behaviour policies.
Students should consult the full description of the University policies on Program Appeals, Appeal of Grade, Student Discipline Policy - Academic Offences, and Student Discipline Policy - Non-Academic Offences (see Academic Regulations, Student Policies).
View Fee Schedules online at www.ulethbridge.ca/financial-services/fee-schedules.
For fee payment deadlines, see Fees, Important Dates and Fee Deadlines.
Students continue with the participation status under which they started, i.e. full-time or part-time studies. However, under extraordinary circumstances, students may seek approval to change their participation status. Students seeking approval to change participation from full-time to part-time studies or vice versa must obtain approval from their supervisor, if applicable, the Chair of the relevant Program Committee, and the Dean of the School of Graduate Studies. Such approval must be obtained no later than at the end of the first 12 months of study. Students may not change their status after 12 months of study.
The Master of Nursing degree does not require immunizations or police checks (criminal record checks) for program admission. Many agencies and organizations providing nursing practicum placements require CPR – Health Care Provider (HCP) Certification, proof of immunizations, Police Information Check (including Vulnerable Sector Search), and/or additional requirements. Failure to meet these requirements may prevent students from participating in Nursing 5130, which could affect their program completion.