Year 1 - Pre-professional year
At North West College we offer the opportunity to complete the pre-professional year at our Battlefords Campus. Students for the pre-professional year would apply through the University of Saskatcehwan's College of Arts and Science and complete the 30 credit units of courses required for year 1 of the degree program. If, after you complete your pre-professional year, you decide you do not want to pursue nursing, you can remain in the College of Arts and Science and continue to work toward another program of study.
The pre-professional year of study at a post-secondary level provides a solid foundation in university education, preparation for upper-year nursing classes and transferable credits to other health science degrees.
All students interested in pursuing nursing for years 2, 3 and 4 at the College of Nursing North West College site in North Battleford must apply for admission to the College of Nursing during the first year of study. Pre-professional courses must be completed by April 30 if you wish to start year 2 of nursing in September.
High School Prerequisites
To enroll in courses required in the pre-professional year, students must have successfully completed high school with credit in the following courses:
- English A30 and B30
- Biology 30
- Chemistry 30 (recommended) and
- Foundations of Math 30; or Pre-Calculus 30 or Math B30 or Math C30 (recommended)
Required pre-professional year courses:
See detailed course requirements for the 30 credit units of pre-professional year courses that are required for admission to the second year of the Bachelor of Science in Nursing program.
Bachelor of Science in Nursing
Students begin by applying to take a pre-professional first year. Students wishing to pursue the Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree (BSN) from the University of Saskatchewan can take the entire degree at North West College at our Battlefords Campus. The BSN is a four-year non direct-entry program, consisting of a pre-professional year (Year 1) of prerequisite university-level courses, followed by three years of concentrated nursing education and clinical practice opportunities.
Students will develop critical thinking skills and prepare to write the national licensure examination to become a Registered Nurse (RN). Students begin by applying to the College of Arts & Sciences to take a pre-professional first year. This first year is foundational to the nursing program and will include courses in the humanities, natural, social and health sciences. During the pre-professional year students apply to the College of Nursing to be accepted to enter Year 2 of the degree program.
The application deadline is March 31 of each year. Acceptance is based on successful completion of the courses in the pre-professional year and admission is competitive. Upon acceptance to the BSN program students will then be able to complete the rest of the degree at North West College and most clinical components in the Priaire North Health Region.
USASK College of Nursing
The University of Saskatchewan College of Nursing has created strategic partnerships in Saskatchewan to deliver distributed nursing education in a variety of communities across the province. Through the use of distributed learning technology students in Île-à-la-Crosse, La Ronge, Yorkton, Lloydminster and North Battleford are able to learn where they live. The College of Nursing believes the pursuit of post-secondary education should not be disadvantaged by geography and as such, we use innovative technology to deliver our undergraduate Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree program in these locations.
Government of Saskatchewan Student Loan Forgiveness Program
The Government of Saskatchewan Student Loan Forgiveness program has been expanded to include additional Saskatchewan communities. Not only can students now study in North Battleford, but also upon becoming licensed, College of Nursing graduates in North Battleford who practice in North Battleford are eligible to receive up to $20,000 of Saskatchewan student loan debt forgiveness.