Welcome to AU: Post-Master’s Diploma – Nurse Practitioner

Congratulations and welcome to Athabasca University’s Post-Master’s Diploma – Nurse Practitioner (PMD-NP).

You are joining a rigorous, nationally aligned graduate program designed to prepare you for entry-level nurse practitioner practice across Canada. While the program is delivered online, you will be well supported through academic, administrative, and clinical resources throughout your studies.

This program requires a significant commitment of time, effort, and engagement. Our program team is committed to supporting you as you progress and develop the competencies required for nurse practitioner practice.

As a graduate student, you are part of both the Faculty of Graduate Studies and the Faculty of Health Disciplines. We recognize that there are several steps required to get started, and the information below is provided to guide you through the process.

Before you begin: Please read carefully

The information below outlines the steps required to get started in the program and explains how key systems and requirements fit together. Completing these steps will help ensure a smooth start and prevent delays in your progression.

Getting started: Your first steps

• Accept your offer of admission and complete payment by the deadline
• Log in to myAU and activate your account
• Watch for instructions to activate your AU email account (sent prior to your course start date)
• Activate your AU email and Office 365 account once received
• Monitor your AU email for registration updates, including GCAP 500
• Plan and register for your first course in accordance with registration deadlines
• Review key program documents once available in Brightspace

Step 1: Getting started with myAU

The myAU portal is your central access point for all Athabasca University systems. You will use myAU to access your courses, check grades, update your contact information, and access student services.

To access myAU:

• Go to athabascau.ca and select myAU
• Enter your username (which is your student ID) and enter your password.
• Your initial password is your date of birth in YYYYMMDD format (for example, if your birthday is July 23, 1986, your password will be 19860723)
• You will be prompted to reset your password
• Returning AU students should use their existing password

Your AU student ID is assigned at the time of program admission and is required for all system access and official communication. Please keep this number confidential and include it when contacting the university.

Step 2: Required orientation and Allyship Certificate:

After you accept your offer of admission and complete payment, you will be enrolled in NURS 000–Orientation and Introduction to Scholarly Writing.

This course provides an overview of the program and introduces key academic, clinical, and professional expectations, as well as graduate-level scholarly writing.

Registration is completed centrally by the program office. If you accept your offer before the payment deadline, registration occurs after the deadline. You will receive an email once registration is complete.

Once you are registered:

• The course will appear in Brightspace, AU’s online learning platform where you will access all course materials, assignments, and communications
• Course access occurs at the start of the term
• Course links are accessed through myAU
• You may log in directly to Brightspace once the term begins

You are responsible for ensuring that your AU Microsoft Office 365 account is activated and that you are using your “@learn.athabascau.ca” email address to log in.

NURS 000 is mandatory and non-credit. You must complete it within four (4) weeks.

Important: Failure to complete NURS 000 will result in a failing grade (U), and you will not be permitted to proceed in the NP program.

PowerED’s Indigenous Health and Wellness Advocacy and Allyship Certificate is mandatory for all new Nurse Practitioner (NP) students. It is available to you at the discounted rate of $100. This course takes approximately 10 hours. To access this course:

• Click on the link: PowerED’s Indigenous Health and Wellness Advocacy and Allyship Certificate
• Select the ‘Buy Now’ button
• Enter the Discount Code: npally
  

Once your certificate is awarded, you must email it to fhdgradadvising@athabascau.ca so that we can verify completion. We strongly encourage completing it during your orientation work, as it is required prior to registering for NURS614.

Step 3: Activate and use your AU email

Your AU email account is created closer to your course start date, not at the time of admission. After registration in NURS 000, you will receive your AU email account approximately 2–3 weeks before your course start date.

You can expect to receive your AU email by:

• August 15 (September course start)
• December 15 (January course start)
• April 15 (May course start)

All program communication is sent to your AU email account. You are responsible for activating and monitoring this account and using it as your primary email for all AU correspondence. Staff will only provide account-specific information when your student ID number is included.

You will also receive instructions for setting up Microsoft Office 365. If you do not receive these instructions, consult the Welcome to Office 365 for students and the Office 365 Support Services pages.

Program expectations and responsibilities

Graduate Calendar: Review the Post-Master's Diploma – Nurse Practitioner section of the Graduate Calendar. If there are discrepancies between sources, the Graduate Calendar is the official governing document.

Graduate course regulations: Refer to these for information on registration, withdrawals, re-registration, transfer credit, extensions, grading, and appeals.

Student resources in Brightspace: Once available, access the Nurse Practitioner Student Resource area and review the following documents:

• Nurse Practitioner Student Handbook
• Nurse Practitioner Clinical Practicum Guide
• Nurse Practitioner Preceptor Guide
• Orientation materials and student support materials

These documents are updated regularly and should be accessed online to ensure you are using the most current version.

Course load, registration, and program planning

Recommended course load: We recommend registering for one 3-credit course per term if you are working full-time or have other significant commitments. At the graduate level, full-time status is defined as 9 credits per academic year.

Initial course options and estimated workload

You are responsible for reviewing prerequisites, co-requisites, course syllabi, and the Athabasca University Calendar prior to registration. You are encouraged to contact an Faculty of Health Disciplines Graduate Advisor if you require assistance with program planning.

To maintain program status, you must successfully complete 6 credits per academic year (September 1 to August 31). You may be withdrawn from the program if you do not meet this requirement.

Course registration and payment

You are responsible for monitoring deadlines through the Academic Schedule. Registration windows close several months prior to the term start date:

You must complete registration and payment by the University deadline. Late registrations or changes are not permitted. You are responsible for retaining your receipt for your records. For receipt inquiries, contact Financial Services.

When registering, you may be prompted to join a Learning Resources or Course Materials waitlist. Select “Yes” to ensure access to required electronic textbooks. Failure to do so may delay access to course materials. Access to course materials is provided within the course on the first day of the term.

If you experience technical issues during registration, take a screenshot and contact a Graduate Administrative Assistant before the deadline.

Financial aid:

Planning to apply for Government Student Financial Assistance? Your first stop should be Financial Aid. Faculty of Health Discipline students are required to pay out of pocket for their registration and be reimbursed when loan funds become available

Clinical practicums

The Post-Master's Diploma – Nurse Practitioner program includes a total of 800 clinical hours, completed across multiple practicum courses.

Clinical practicums typically begin after successful completion of the initial program courses.

You must submit a Preceptor Request Form at least six months prior to the start of a practicum.

Please note:

• Clinical placements may be limited in some jurisdictions.
• Athabasca University cannot guarantee placement in a specific location or term.

You are strongly encouraged to begin identifying potential preceptors and clinical sites early. Additional details are available in the Nurse Practitioner Clinical Practicum Guide.

Academic and professional expectations

You must follow APA format (most recent edition) for all written assignments. You are responsible for accurate citation and formatting.

Academic integrity is expected at all times. Plagiarism, including improper citation or use of another person’s work, may result in penalties ranging from assignment failure to removal from the program. Refer to the Student Code of Conduct and Right to Appeal Regulations for full details.

Who to contact

Faculty of Health Discipline Graduate Advisors: Contact for help with program planning, course selection, progression questions, prior learning assessment recognition (PLAR), transfer credits, or general guidance. Faculty of Health Discipline Graduate Advisors. For questions about a course you are currently enrolled in, contact the course instructor.

Faculty of Health Discipline Graduate Administrative Assistants: Contact for program-related inquiries, information on policies and procedures, and required forms. They handle questions related to course registration, withdrawals, extensions, and grades and grade processes.

Technology requirements and support

Ensure your computer meets the minimum requirements for computer hardware and software as outlined on the Faculty of Health Discipline website and keep anti-virus software up to date.

If you need technical support, contact:

• Support Services
• Technical Services Call Centre