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Faculty of Nursing
UNB Fredericton

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Nurse Practitioner stream

The Master of Nursing – Advanced Nurse Practitioner (MN-ANP) program is ideal for baccalaureate-prepared registered nurses with a solid clinical practice foundation and strong interest in primary health care nursing at an advanced practice level. Building on the registered nurse scope of practice, students will develop knowledge, skills, and abilities linked to advanced assessment, diagnostic reasoning and clinical judgement necessary for autonomous management of care across the lifespan.

Graduates are well-prepared to engage in evidence-informed advanced nursing practice through the clinical, advocacy, education, research, and leadership roles of the primary health care NP. Primary health care NPs practice in a variety of settings including, for example, health centres, family practices, emergency rooms, correctional facilities, nursing homes, universities, and schools.

This program is approved by the Nurses Association of New Brunswick. After completing all degree requirements, graduates are eligible to write the Canadian Nurse Practitioner Examination: Family/All Ages (CNPE: F/AA) in May or October which is a requirement for NP practice registration.

The MN-ANP program is a demanding full-time program requiring 5 consecutive academic terms of study (20 months). The program is delivered using a combination of on-site (in-person) and online synchronous (real-time) learning. Students complete a total of 43 credit hours across 11 courses and complete a total of 700 clinical practicums hours (4 practicums at 100 hours each and 1 final 300-hour full time practicum). Clinical practicums are organized using a preceptorship model and all hours are completed 1:1 with a NP or Physician.

Nurse practitioner students must attend all required in-person components of the program including but not limited to practicums, OSCEs, labs, and exams. Clinical practicums for this program are in diverse geographical regions of the province. All students are expected to travel; travel costs are the responsibility of the student.

Please note: Students are not permitted to contact NPs or physicians on their own to discuss placement opportunities. Your preceptorship placements will be arranged by the Faculty of Nursing.

Program Overview (Full-time only)

Fall Winter Summer
YEAR 1

NURS 6018 - Nursing Leadership, Ethics & Health Policy

NURS 6211 - Advanced Health Assessment: Theory & Clinical Practicum (100 hours) 

NURS 6203 - Advanced Pathophysiology

NURS 6213 - Primary Health Care Management Adult I: Theory & Clinical Practicum (100 hours)

NURS 6202 - Advanced Pharmacotherapeutics

NURS 6016 - Research and Evidence-Informed Nurse Practitioner Practice

NURS 6204 – Nurse Practitioner Roles and Issues

NURS 6215 - Primary Health Care Management Pediatrics Theory & Clinical Practicum (100 hours)

YEAR 2

NURS 6013 - Theoretical Foundations of Nursing

NURS 6217 - Primary Health Care Management Adult II: Theory & Clinical Practicum (100 hours)

 NURS 6219 - Final Clinical Practicum (300 hours)

 

 

Admission Criteria

Applicants must meet admission requirements set out by the School of Graduate Studies and by the Faculty of Nursing. Admission is granted on a competitive basis and enrolment is limited. Please note that students are admitted on a cohort basis every two years.

Admission Requirements

  • Successful completion of a 4-year or advanced-standing bachelor’s degree in nursing from an approved academic institution with a CGPA of a least 3.3 or B+.
  • Undergraduate-level courses in statistics, nursing research, health assessment, pharmacology, and pathophysiology with a grade of B or above in each course.
  • Applicants to the MN Nurse Practitioner program stream must hold current registration, or be eligible for registration, with the Nurses Association of New Brunswick (NANB). International students must have this in place before applying. Internationally educated nurses who are seeking registration in the province are directed to NANB for more information on how to register to practice as a registered nurse in New Brunswick. Proof of NANB registration must be submitted with your application.
  • Three reference letters including one from a professor/instructor who taught you in the classroom during your undergraduate nursing degree (not in a practice-related course or professional development certificate program).
  • A minimum of 3,510 hours (two years full-time) of recent clinical practice as a registered nurse prior to enrolment. Verification of practice hours from your employer must be submitted as part of your application. Please note: Although we consider applicants with diverse clinical backgrounds for admission to the program, foundational nursing knowledge and skills in the areas of health assessment, interpretation of lab values, critical thinking and clinical judgment, ability to work independently and as part of a team are expected. Recent experience in acute care nursing is an asset.
  • A personal statement of your professional interest and suitability for the nurse practitioner role. In this written statement, indicate any ongoing competing demands on your time and how you will handle the extensive time commitment required to complete graduate course work and concurrent clinical practicums.
  • Your resume or CV.

English proficiency requirements

The MN program includes clinical practice and therefore effective communication in English is essential. The minimum TOEFL score is 600 for the paper-based testing or 253 for computer-based testing.

The Graduate Academic Unit has the discretion to require an assessment through the UNB English Language Programme either prior to admission or following admission to the program, if language skills are problematic in the clinical or classroom areas. 

If an assessment is required, the Faculty of Nursing Associate Dean of Research and Graduate Studies will communicate to the student in writing and monitor the assessment process for satisfactory language acquisition for practice. The cost of an assessment is the responsibility of the student. 

Next intake: September 2025
Admission deadline: January 15th, 2025

Next steps

Begin your master's program at UNB