Canadian Immigration Updates
Review details about the recently announced changes to study and work permits that apply to master’s and doctoral degree students. Read more
Overview
The M.S.N. program prepares graduates to be leaders. Program completion opens new horizons for nurses in education, advanced practice, policy implementation, health care management, and nursing knowledge development. Applicants must be registered nurses with a bachelor's degree, normally in nursing, who meet the admission requirements of the UBC Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies. Program graduates develop skills in leadership in professional nursing practice. The program offers opportunities to move directly into doctoral studies.
What makes the program unique?
The School of Nursing has been a leader in knowledge development and scholarship in nursing for almost 100 years. Our master's program alumni are making an impact at local, national, and international levels.
Although we have one of the largest graduate nursing programs in Canada (over 150 MSN students), we offer graduate students an experience as part of a community of scholars characterized by diversity, mutual respect, and integration. Students are making significant contributions to knowledge development through their research projects.
Our MSN program has long been reviewed and assessed by the British Columbia College of Nurses and Midwives and many licensing boards across North America and accredited by the Canadian Association of Schools of Nursing.
Program Structure
Students complete a total of 30 credits, comprising core, focus, and elective courses and a 3-credit research project (NURS 595) or a 9-credit thesis (NURS 599).
Quick Facts
Program Enquiries
Contact the program
Admission Information & Requirements
1) Check Eligibility
Minimum Academic Requirements
The Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies establishes the minimum admission requirements common to all applicants, usually a minimum overall average in the B+ range (76% at UBC). The graduate program that you are applying to may have additional requirements. Please review the specific requirements for applicants with credentials from institutions in:
Each program may set higher academic minimum requirements. Please review the program website carefully to understand the program requirements. Meeting the minimum requirements does not guarantee admission as it is a competitive process.
English Language Test
Applicants from a university outside Canada in which English is not the primary language of instruction must provide results of an English language proficiency examination as part of their application. Tests must have been taken within the last 24 months at the time of submission of your application.
Minimum requirements for the two most common English language proficiency tests to apply to this program are listed below:
TOEFL: Test of English as a Foreign Language - internet-based
Overall score requirement: 100
Reading
22
Writing
21
Speaking
21
Listening
22
IELTS: International English Language Testing System
Overall score requirement: 7.0
Reading
6.5
Writing
7.0
Speaking
7.0
Listening
7.5
Other Test Scores
Some programs require additional test scores such as the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) or the Graduate Management Test (GMAT). The requirements for this program are:
The GRE is required by some applicants. Please check the program website.
2) Meet Deadlines
3) Prepare Application
Transcripts
All applicants have to submit transcripts from all past post-secondary study. Document submission requirements depend on whether your institution of study is within Canada or outside of Canada.
Letters of Reference
A minimum of three references are required for application to graduate programs at UBC. References should be requested from individuals who are prepared to provide a report on your academic ability and qualifications.
Statement of Interest
Many programs require a statement of interest, sometimes called a "statement of intent", "description of research interests" or something similar.
Supervision
Students in research-based programs usually require a faculty member to function as their thesis supervisor. Please follow the instructions provided by each program whether applicants should contact faculty members.
Instructions regarding thesis supervisor contact for Master of Science in Nursing (MSN)
Citizenship Verification
Permanent Residents of Canada must provide a clear photocopy of both sides of the Permanent Resident card.
4) Apply Online
All applicants must complete an online application form and pay the application fee to be considered for admission to UBC.
Tuition & Financial Support
Tuition
| Fees | Canadian Citizen / Permanent Resident / Refugee / Diplomat | International |
|---|---|---|
| Application Fee | $116.25 | $168.25 |
| Tuition * | ||
| Installments per year | 3 | 3 |
| Tuition per installment | $1,838.57 | $3,230.06 |
| Tuition per year (plus annual increase, usually 2%-5%) | $5,515.71 | $9,690.18 |
| Int. Tuition Award (ITA) per year (if eligible) | $3,200.00 (-) | |
| Other Fees and Costs | ||
| Student Fees (yearly) | $1,116.60 (approx.) | |
| Costs of living | Estimate your costs of living with our interactive tool in order to start developing a financial plan for your graduate studies. | |
All fees for the year are subject to adjustment and UBC reserves the right to change any fees without notice at any time, including tuition and student fees. Tuition fees are reviewed annually by the UBC Board of Governors. In recent years, tuition increases have been 2% for continuing domestic students and between 2% and 5% for continuing international students. New students may see higher increases in tuition. Admitted students who defer their admission are subject to the potentially higher tuition fees for incoming students effective at the later program start date. In case of a discrepancy between this webpage and the UBC Calendar, the UBC Calendar entry will be held to be correct.
Financial Support
Applicants to UBC have access to a variety of funding options, including merit-based (i.e. based on your academic performance) and need-based (i.e. based on your financial situation) opportunities.
Scholarships & awards (merit-based funding)
All applicants are encouraged to review the awards listing to identify potential opportunities to fund their graduate education. The database lists merit-based scholarships and awards and allows for filtering by various criteria, such as domestic vs. international or degree level.
Graduate Research Assistantships (GRA)
Many professors are able to provide Research Assistantships (GRA) from their research grants to support full-time graduate students studying under their supervision. The duties constitute part of the student's graduate degree requirements. A Graduate Research Assistantship is considered a form of fellowship for a period of graduate study and is therefore not covered by a collective agreement. Stipends vary widely, and are dependent on the field of study and the type of research grant from which the assistantship is being funded.
Graduate Teaching Assistantships (GTA)
Graduate programs may have Teaching Assistantships available for registered full-time graduate students. Full teaching assistantships involve 12 hours work per week in preparation, lecturing, or laboratory instruction although many graduate programs offer partial TA appointments at less than 12 hours per week. Teaching assistantship rates are set by collective bargaining between the University and the Teaching Assistants' Union.
Graduate Academic Assistantships (GAA)
Academic Assistantships are employment opportunities to perform work that is relevant to the university or to an individual faculty member, but not to support the student’s graduate research and thesis. Wages are considered regular earnings and when paid monthly, include vacation pay.
Financial aid (need-based funding)
Canadian and US applicants may qualify for governmental loans to finance their studies. Please review eligibility and types of loans.
All students may be able to access private sector or bank loans.
Foreign government scholarships
Many foreign governments provide support to their citizens in pursuing education abroad. International applicants should check the various governmental resources in their home country, such as the Department of Education, for available scholarships.
Working while studying
The possibility to pursue work to supplement income may depend on the demands the program has on students. It should be carefully weighed if work leads to prolonged program durations or whether work placements can be meaningfully embedded into a program.
International students enrolled as full-time students with a valid study permit can work on campus for unlimited hours and work off-campus for no more than 20 hours a week.
A good starting point to explore student jobs is the UBC Work Learn program or a Co-Op placement.
Tax credits and RRSP withdrawals
Students with taxable income in Canada may be able to claim federal or provincial tax credits.
Canadian residents with RRSP accounts may be able to use the Lifelong Learning Plan (LLP) which allows students to withdraw amounts from their registered retirement savings plan (RRSPs) to finance full-time training or education for themselves or their partner.
Please review Filing taxes in Canada on the student services website for more information.
Cost Estimator
Applicants have access to the cost estimator to develop a financial plan that takes into account various income sources and expenses.
Career Options
Enrolment, Duration & Other Stats
These statistics show data for the Master of Science in Nursing (MSN). Data are separated for each degree program combination. You may view data for other degree options in the respective program profile.
ENROLMENT DATA
| 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Applications | 67 | 50 | 68 | 55 | 53 |
| Offers | 63 | 32 | 47 | 43 | 40 |
| New Registrations | 37 | 22 | 35 | 34 | 36 |
| Total Enrolment | 85 | 87 | 108 | 102 | 102 |
Completion Rates & Times
Disclaimer
Research Supervisors
Supervision
Students in research-based programs usually require a faculty member to function as their thesis supervisor. Please follow the instructions provided by each program whether applicants should contact faculty members.
Instructions regarding thesis supervisor contact for Master of Science in Nursing (MSN)
This list shows faculty members with full supervisory privileges who are affiliated with this program. It is not a comprehensive list of all potential supervisors as faculty from other programs or faculty members without full supervisory privileges can request approvals to supervise graduate students in this program.
-
Abdulai, Fatawu (Clinical nursing, primary (preventive care); Health informatics; human-computer interaction; Health technology design; Informatics/Digital health; Sexual health equity)
-
Auxier, Jenny (Adaptation, benefits, and usefulness of Perinatal Digital Health Services, Integration of Patient Engagement into Digital Health Services)
-
Baumbusch, Jennifer (long-term residential care, family caregiving, Intellectual Disability, nursing care of older adults )
-
Boschma, Geertje (History of nursing and health care, with special emphasis on mental health and mental health nursing)
-
Brown, Helen Jean (Maternal-infant and women)
-
Browne, Annette (Health inequalities, indigenous peoples, women's health, cultural safety, primary health care interventions to improve health outcomes, marginalized populations, health policy)
-
Bungay, Vicky (sexuality, sex work, harm reduction, drug use, intersectionality, ethnography, communication technologies, community based research, Health inequities affecting men and women working in the commercial sex industry and people who are street-involved, leadership, public health nursing, mental health, sexual health, HIV, and harm reduction programming)
-
Clark, Drew (Health sciences; healthcare ethics; Health Equity; healthcare decision making; transgender health)
-
Currie, Leanne (Nursing; Health Care Technologies; Health information systems; Biomedical and Health Informatics)
-
Dahinten, Susan (Social determinants and processes of child development, identification, intervention and the prevention of developmental problems)
-
Dev, Rubee (Pediatrics and reproductive medicine, n.e.c.; Nursing; women's health; maternal & child health; sexual & reproductive health; chronic disease prevention & management; health system & services)
-
Garrett, Bernard Mark (Nursing; Health Care Technologies; Ethics and Health; Deception in Healthcare; Media Influence on Behavior; Virtual Reality (VR); Augmented reality; Evidence-based practice; Alternative Medicine; CAM; Healthcare Regulation)
-
Haase, Kristen (Nursing, n.e.c.; oncology; Older Adults; Geriatric oncology; Health systems research; Mixed Methods Research; Qualitative research; Self-management; E-health)
-
Havaei, Farinaz (Nursing; factors that influence nurses’ ability to provide effective patient care; health human resource optimization)
-
Hirani, Saima (Psychosocial, sociocultural and behavioral determinants of health; Mental health nursing; Social sciences; mental health; Mental health promotion; psychosocial interventions; Vulnerable Groups; social support; resilience)
-
Howard, Fuchsia (health service needs of vulnerable, high-risk survivors of acute life-threatening illness, specifically, cancer survivors and survivors of critical illnesses; hereditary cancer prevention and risk management and psychosocial and ethnocultural factors that shape health and illness experiences)
-
Hung, Lillian (Geriatric nursing; Medical and biomedical engineering; Impact of technology and environment on the care experiences of persons with dementia; dementia education; quality improvement; Participatory action research)
-
Jenkins, Emily (optimizing mental health and substance use outcomes; collaborative mental health promotion strategies; health services and policy development and redesign; knowledge translation approaches; healthy public policy development)
-
Lauck, Sandra (Geriatrics and gerontology; Nursing; Care; health service delivery to support the implementation of innovative approaches to cardiac disease; minimally invasive treatment of valvular heart disease)
-
Ojukwu, Emmanuela (Health sciences; Social sciences; Humanities and the arts; Racial and gender health disparities and inequities; African, Carribbean and Black Immigrant Health; Women, Maternal-Infant, Youth Health; Psycho-social and Socio-ecologic determinants of health; Mental health, HIV/AIDS and other STIs; intersectionality)
-
Oliffe, John (Care; Sociology and related studies; Men's Health Promotion; Male Depression and Suicide; Psychosocial Prostate Cancer Care; Smoking Cessation)
-
Phinney, Alison (Capacities of older people for successfully coping with the functional consequences of aging and disease)
-
Ramsay, Scott (impact of neurological disorders on children and youth, their families, and the health care system; health inequities; health and wellbeing of children and youth)
-
Ranger, Manon (Neurodevelopment; Clinical nursing, secondary (acute care); neurodevelopment; Early-adversity; Biomarkers of early stress exposure; Brain development; pain; Prematurity)
-
Russolillo, Angela (Health services research; health services use among individuals with psychiatric and substance use disorders)
Pages
Further Information
Specialization
The program focuses on improving health care delivery, advancing and applying nursing knowledge, and evolving health policy.
Program Website
Faculty Overview
Academic Unit
Program Identifier
Classification
Program Enquiries
Contact the program
Departments/Programs may update graduate degree program details through the Faculty & Staff portal. To update contact details for application inquiries, please use this form.
Curious about UBC for grad school?
Our community of scholars is one of the world’s finest, committed to discovering and sharing knowledge, and to tackling the challenges that face our world.