Post-LPN Bachelor of Nursing
NOTE: Admission to this program is paused due to high enrolments and will reopen on Oct. 15, 2025, and close on Dec. 15, 2025, for a start date of Sep. 1, 2026. Please refer to the Future Post-LPN BN program for further information.
The Athabasca University (AU) Post-LPN Bachelor of Nursing (BN) is offered through the Faculty of Health Disciplines. The program is designed to provide exceptional practicing Licensed Practical Nurses (LPNs) the opportunity to continue their education in a baccalaureate nursing program with flexible modes of course delivery.
Graduates are eligible to write the National Council Licensure Examination – Registered Nurse (NCLEX-RN) and to apply for registration with the College of Registered Nurses of Alberta (CRNA).
All Athabasca University (AU) nursing courses are mapped to current CRNA Entry Level Competencies for the Practice of Registered Nurses.
Planning your program
Our online program plans can assist you in selecting the courses needed to fulfill your program requirements.
Athabasca University has also developed program learning outcomes that describe the career options that may be available to you upon graduating.
For additional program information, please email fhdundergradadvising@athabascau.ca.
Admission requirements
- Graduation from an approved practical nursing diploma program.
- Regulated (practicing) LPN with the College of Licensed Practical Nurses of Alberta (CLPNA). Proof of active registration, in good standing and without conditions, must be submitted at time of application and maintained while completing the program.
- Minimum equivalent of 1 year of full-time work experience (1,700 hours) as an LPN in Alberta at the time of application (submit letter(s) from employers on official letterhead with contact information to substantiate).
- Minimum of 75% average in the most recent 30 credits of post-secondary study.
- Proof of Alberta residency (Government of Alberta-issued identification).
Students with non-Canadian/non-United States education
Students presenting non-Canadian/non-United States (US) diplomas must present one of the following for admission and/or possible transfer credit:
- official transcript showing completion of a recognized Canadian Practical Nurse Diploma, or bridging program; or
- a basic assessment* that compare the credential completed to Practical Nurse education in Canada from an international assessment agency, for example, the International Qualifications Assessment Service (IQAS); or
- if seeking additional transfer credits, a specialized or course-by-course evaluation of post-secondary course work from an international assessment agency, for example, the International Qualifications Assessment Service (IQAS).
Official transcripts for any completed Canadian or US courses or programs in nursing, taken to obtain licensure in Canada, must be submitted.
* Students who leave the post-LPN Bachelor of Nursing program for another program at AU will be required to provide a specialized or course-by-course assessment.
For more information, see the Evaluations and Transfer Credit section of the Calendar that explains the foreign transcript evaluation process for international students.
Program requirements
Learners are required to follow the degree regulations in effect at the time they are admitted to the program. Learners are responsible for ensuring that prerequisites and co-requisite course requirements are met through their program, as well as the timelines associated with practice (clinical) courses, as outlined in the current Post-LPN BN Practice Guide. Learners who are inactive (have not registered for a course within 12 months from their last course contract end date) must re-apply and will complete the regulations in effect at the time of re-admission.
Learners must complete multiple courses per year to meet the externally regulated requirements of 7 years for program completion. The 7-year timeline aligns with admission to the program, not the start date of the first course(s).
Specific regulations
Given the unique and professional nature of the Post-LPN Bachelor of Nursing program, some of the general policies governing academic studies at Athabasca University are superseded by the following regulations.
- Nursing courses (NURS)
- Course challenges are not permitted.
- Learners are not permitted multiple withdrawals (two or more) from the same course. Doing so without the Program Director's approval may result in removal from the program. Registration approval may be denied at the discretion of the Program Director. The Program Director's decisions in this regard are final.
- To register in a nursing course with a practice (clinical) component, students must present the following:
- Active College of Licensed Practical Nurses of Alberta (CLPNA) registration/licensure in good standing and without conditions.
- Compliance with all requirements listed in the Post-LPN BN Practice Guide.
- Learners who fail a nursing (NURS) practice (clinical) course will be required to re-register in that practice course before proceeding to another NURS practice course.
- Learners seeking admission to the Post-LPN Bachelor of Nursing program will not receive credit for nursing courses that are more than 5 years old. Credit will not be awarded for non-nursing required, support, and option courses that are more than 10 years old.
- Learners who have been awarded 2 failing grades in one or more nursing courses will be automatically withdrawn from the post-LPN BN program, with no opportunity for re-enrolment.
- Learners will be permitted a maximum of 7 years to complete all degree program requirements from date of enrolment. No exceptions will be granted if it becomes impossible for students to complete all degree requirements by the program end date. They will be removed from the program and their status changed to unclassified.
- Learners must complete all degree requirements and maintain an overall GPA of 2.00 to be eligible for graduation.
Program structure
| Post-LPN Bachelor of Nursing (BN) degree credit requirements | 120 |
| Credits awarded for successful completion of practical nurse certificate or diploma program | 30* |
| Total credits required to complete the Post-LPN BN degree | 90 |
| Residency requirement. A minimum of 51 nursing (NURS) credits must be obtained through AU. Transfer credit will not be awarded for BIOL 235, NURS 316, NURS 316 in Cluster A, and NURS 250 in Cluster B—these courses must be completed through AU. | 51 |
| Graduation with Distinction or Great Distinction. A minimum of 24 credits (excluding courses using a pass/fail grading scheme) must be obtained through AU in order to be considered. | 24 |
| Maximum Prior Learning Assessment and Recognition (PLAR) (for non-nursing) credits | 9 |
| The 90 credits required to complete the Post-LPN BN degree shall be distributed as follows: | |
| • required Cluster A credits | 30 |
| • required and option nursing credits | 60 |
| * Additional credit may be awarded for university-level courses completed before admission to the Post-LPN BN program. PLAR may be awarded for non-nursing University-level courses. University-level nursing courses taken prior to enrolment in the Post-LPN BN program will be assessed on a case-by-case basis. Transfer credit will not be granted for nursing practice courses that are more than 5 years old and nursing theory courses that are more than 7 years old and non-nursing required, support and option courses that are more than 10 years old at the time of the request. |
Course requirements
Courses listed in Cluster A are prerequisite to those listed in Cluster B, and courses listed in Cluster B are prerequisite to those listed in Cluster C. Pre/co-requisite course requirements are also present within both Cluster A and B. Students are responsible for ensuring that prerequisites (including the specified Program GPA) and co-requisite course requirements are met throughout the program in accordance with the Prerequisite Declaration Form. Please review the Syllabus for each course for details.
NOTE: Nursing practice courses will only be offered within Alberta. Please see Post-LPN BN Practice Guidefor more information.
Cluster A courses
(30 credits)
| ENGL 255 – Introductory Composition (recommended)* | (3) |
| or | |
| junior/senior level university or equivalent ENGL course | |
| PHIL 335 – Biomedical Ethics | (3) |
| BIOL 235 – Human Anatomy and Physiology | (6) |
| PSYC 290 – General Psychology | (3) |
| MATH 215 – Introduction to Statistics | (3) |
| or | |
| MATH 216 – Computer-Oriented Approach to Statistics | |
| HLST 320 – Teaching and Learning for Health Professionals | (3) |
| INST 203 – Indigenous Studies I | (3) |
| or | |
| INST 205 – Indigenous Studies II | |
| or | |
| INST 301 – Indigenous Education | |
| NURS 316 – Review of Pathophysiology and Pharmacology for BN Practice I | (3) |
| NURS 317 – Review of Pathophysiology and Pharmacology for BN Practice II | (3) |
Cluster B nursing required and elective courses
(51 credits)
| NURS 250 – Exploration of Professional Nursing Practice | (3) |
| NURS 324 – Concepts and Theories in Nursing Practice | (3) |
| NURS 328 – Understanding Research | (3) |
| NURS 350 – Maternal Child and Pediatric Nursing | (3) |
| NURS 400 – Adult Health and Health Alterations | (3) |
| NURS 401 – Professional Practice with Adults Experiencing Health Alterations | (6) |
| NURS 432 – Management and Leadership in Nursing Practice | (4) |
| NURS 434 – Community Health Promotion | (4) |
| NURS 435 – Mental Health Nursing | (6) |
| NURS 436 – Family Health Promotion | (4) |
| NURS 437 – Professional Practice in Family and Community Health Promotion | (6) |
| NURS 438 – Trends and Issues in Nursing and Health Systems | (3) |
| And 3 credits from the following nursing courses electives list: | |
| NURS 326 – Health Assessment | (3) |
| NURS 442 – Gerontological Nursing | (3) |
Cluster C courses
(9 credits)
| NURS 441 – Consolidated Professional Practice | (9) |
Nursing practice placement
Faculty of Health Disciplines students in a nursing practice placement are bound by the Clinical Placement Misconduct Policy. Any actions or behaviours that fall under the scope of the university’s Academic Misconduct Policy, Non-Academic Misconduct Policy, or Academic Integrity Policy will continue to be dealt with under those policies.
Updated September 17, 2025 by Office of the Registrar