The Rankin School of Nursing offers a four-year on-campus BSc in Nursing program for students with a minimum of a high school diploma.  Admission is every September; eight semesters are spread over four calendar years with no summer semesters; May graduation.  Eligible students in the regular four-year program may opt for the BScN program with Honours.   

The semesters of the Bachelor of Science in Nursing curriculum for students in the regular and Accelerated Option streams involve the following core courses:   

Semester 1 (required non-nursing courses for students in the regular program): 

  • English 101 (3 credits)  

  • Chemistry 151 (3 credits)   

  • Biology 151 (Fundamentals of Human Anatomy and Physiology I - 3 credits and lab)

  • Psychology 155 (3 credits)  

  • Statistics 201 (3 credits)   

Semester 2 (required non-nursing courses for students in the regular program):  

  • Philosophy 135 or Religious Studies 117 (Ethics) (3 credits)   

  • Human Nutrition 135 (3 credits)  

  • Biology 152 (Fundamentals of Human Anatomy and Physiology II - 3 credits and lab)

  • Biology 115 (Microbiology) (3 credits)  

  • Humanities or Social Science elective of the student’s choice (3 credits)   

Semester 3  

  • N206 Foundations of the Discipline and Profession of Nursing (3 credits)   

  • N207, with lab. Intro to Human Functioning, Homeostasis, and Nursing Therapeutics (6 credits)  

  • N208 Foundations of Health and Health Systems (3 credits)    

  • N209, with lab.  Intro to Health Assessment and Clinical Nursing Practice (3 credits)   

Semester 4  

  • N231 Fundamentals of Research (3 credits)  

  • N232, with lab.  Alterations in Health and Nursing Therapeutics (3 credits)   

  • N233 Care of Families in Transition:  Childbearing and Childrearing Years (6 credits)   

  • N234, Practicum.  Introduction to Nursing Practice (3 credits)   

Semester 5

  • N306 Advanced Nursing Leadership, Management, and Evidence-informed practice (3 credits)  

  • N307, with lab.  Alterations in Health and Nursing Therapeutics II (3 credits)   

  • N308 Acute care nursing:  Perinatal, children’s, psychiatric, medical-surgical (6 credits)  

  • N309 Practicum.  Integrating Nursing Roles and Practices (3 credits)   

Semester 6 

  • Elective (nursing or non-nursing) (3 credits)  

  • N332, with lab.  Advanced Therapeutics for Care of Persons w Multi-system Challenges (3 credits)  

  • N333 Care of Persons Experiencing … Physical Illness… across the Lifespan II (6 credits)  

  • N334 Practicum. Integrating Nursing Roles and Practices (3 credits)  

Semester 7 

  • Elective (nursing or non-nursing) (3 credits)  

  • N406 Preparing for Professional Role Transition (3 credits)  

  • N408 Advanced Population and Public Health (3 credits)  

  • N409 Practicum.  Integrating Nursing Roles and Practices (6 credits)   

Semester 8  
  • N440 Preceptored clinical practicum (15 credits)  

Admissions information

Seats in all BScN programs are limited in number. Admission is competitive and possession of minimum requirements does not guarantee admission. Please note that some program seats have been reserved for Indigenous and Nova Scotia Black applicants who meet admission requirements.    

Students interested in applying to the BScN programs at StFX should contact StFX Admissions:   

Students admitted to any BScN program must provide evidence of immunizations to a range of infectious diseases such as measles, hepatitis B, and covid; and submit to criminal records and vulnerable sector check and child abuse screen prior to beginning nursing studies.    

Honours program

A BSc in Nursing with Honours is available for eligible students in the four-year regular program.  Students admitted to the Honours program register for the following courses in lieu of other third- and fourth-year electives and complete a research-based thesis with faculty guidance:    

  • N395 Honours Thesis Seminar I (3 credits)  

  • N498 Honours Thesis II (3 credits)   

RN Licensure

Nursing graduates apply to the Nova Scotia College of Nurses (NSCN) to write the licensure exam (NCLEX) to become Registered Nurses (RNs) following graduation with the BScN degree.  Students have extensive opportunity to prepare for NCLEX style testing throughout the program with a software package, HESI by Elsevier Publishing, which features realistic nursing case studies to practice problem-solving with.    

More information about NCLEX and RN licensure can be found on the NSCN website: https://www.nscn.ca/  

After graduation

Graduate nurses are prepared as generalists to practice entry-level nursing in a wide range of settings and work with individual patients across the lifespan, and with families, communities, and populations.  Specialist nursing education is available following graduation through certification programs and graduate study. 

Faculty & Staff

Contact

Rankin School of Nursing
(902) 867-2240
(902) 867-5555
@email

243 Marguerite Hall
2340 Notre Dame Avenue
Antigonish NS B2G 2W5
Canada