THE MASTER OF SCIENCE DEGREE IN NURSING
NURSING
NURSING

20.2.1 THE MASTER OF SCIENCE DEGREE IN NURSING

Mission Statement

The mission of the University of Windsor Master of Science degree program in Nursing is to prepare graduates for advanced nursing practice. Graduates will address societal health needs relating to health promotion and illness prevention, or human responses and adaptations to alterations in health. Through the integration of theory, research, and practice students will advance their scientific base for practice. In addition the program supports development of leadership and advocacy skills for contributions to health care, education and research. Through faculty guidance and self-directed learning activities, students from diverse backgrounds will develop advanced professional knowledge through critical thinking, decision making, and scholarly inquiry in a multicultural society. This program is especially designed to meet the needs of employed baccalaureate prepared nurses.

Admission Requirements

1) All general regulations of the Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research admission requirements are applicable.

2) Applicants must have a Bachelor of Science in Nursing or equivalent which includes physical assessment, and courses in research and statistics. Consideration may be given to nurse applicants holding degrees in other cognate disciplines.

3) Applicants must have maintained an overall B average in their undergraduate nursing program.

4) Applicants must be eligible for a current certificate of competence as registered nurses in Ontario.

5) Three Faculty of Nursing confidential reports must be completed by academic/professional referees, with at least one from an academic who has taught the applicant and one from a recent employment supervisor.

6) An “Applicant Profile” must be completed which includes a section addressing goals in seeking graduate education (narrative statement).

7) Applicants whose native language is not English must submit certification of English proficiency (official TOEFL score or equivalent MELAB).

8) Applications for admission must be completed by January 15.

9) An interview may be required.

Program Requirements

1) Candidates for the Master of Science degree in Nursing will pursue studies in one of two areas of concentration:
(a) Human responses and adaptations to alterations in health of individuals, families and groups to acute and chronic illness.
(b) Health promotion and illness prevention in selected populations.

2) The requirements may be satisfied by pursuing a program of studies consisting of six compulsory courses and a thesis, or six compulsory courses, two elective courses and a major project/paper. Those who wish to include a thesis in their program must request approval from the Graduate Committee of the Faculty of Nursing.

Additional information concerning the procedure for theses and major papers may be obtained from the coordinator of graduate studies (see 1.6.3).

3) Compulsory courses:

63-581. Theoretical Foundations of Nursing
63-582. Advanced Statistics
63-583. Research Methods in Nursing
63-599. Clinical Judgment in Nursing

and either 63-584 and 63-586, or 63-588 and 63-590, depending on the selected area of focus.

4) Clinical Judgement in Nursing Practice will involve one term of full-time study in a setting selected in consultation with the student. Students will select individuals, families, groups, populations and/or communities in various health care facilities, and/or community settings, to develop their knowledge and skill for advanced nursing practice.

5) Major project/paper students will select two graduate electives in nursing or related disciplines. Courses will be selected according to the student's research interests.

6) All candidates' programs are subject to approval by the graduate coordinator.

7) The minimum grade required in all graduate courses is B-. Any student who does not successfully complete a course may repeat it once at the discretion of the Dean of the Faculty of Nursing and the Dean of Graduate Studies and Research. The student may not repeat more than one course.

8) The maximum time limit is five years.

9) Students of the Faculty of Nursing are required to demonstrate behaviours consistent with the "Professional Standards for Registered Nurses and Registered Practical Nurses, Standards for the Therapeutic Nurse-Client Relationship and the Ethical Framework for Nurses in Ontario" of the College of Nurses of Ontario, and "Explanation of Professional Misconduct" of the College of Nurses of Ontario," and the academic policies of the University of Windsor.

Failure of any Nursing student to conform to the principles of these documents may result in dismissal from any of the Faculty of Nursing's programs.

The Master's thesis committee is chosen in the manner described in 1.6.2 of this Graduate Calendar. The final examination will be conducted by the Master's committee.

Students choosing a major project/paper must have a detailed proposal approved by at least two nursing faculty members, one of whom will serve as the primary advisor. The approved proposal application form must be submitted to the Dean of the Faculty of Nursing in order to register for the major project/paper. The major project/paper committee will conduct the final oral examination.

Each student must obtain approval of his or her program in writing, from the graduate coordinator, within three weeks of registration. Subsequent changes require written approval from the graduate coordinator.