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Associate of Arts Degree (Health Studies)


Location(s): ​Dawson Creek, and ​Fort St. John

NLC’s Associate of Arts Degree (Health Studies) prepares students for entry into health-related degree programs, with an emphasis on the University of Northern British Columbia’s Northern Baccalaureate Nursing Program. The two-year Associate Degree (Health Studies) provides broad coverage across the Arts and Sciences while introducing students to nursing as a career and meeting UNBC’s core prerequisite requirements in the social sciences, English, Indigenous studies, human anatomy and physiology, microbiology, psychology, and statistics.

Students who complete NLC’s Associate of Arts Degree (Health Studies) with UNBC’s grade requirements have an optimal transfer pathway into the Northern Baccalaureate Nursing Program and will be included among NLC students who have first claim to a designated number of seats each year. The partnership between NLC and UNBC enables prospective Registered Nurses to complete their post-secondary education in the north, for employment in the north.


Career Prospects

Students who proceed to complete UNBC’s Northern Baccalaureate Nursing Program will become eligible to apply for licensure as Registered Nurses. Working collaboratively on interprofessional health-care teams, Registered Nurses are typically employed in acute care, residential care, mental health, public health, and community settings.


Details

Intakes

LocationStartingType
Dawson Creek*FallFull-TimePart-Time
WinterFull-TimePart-Time
SpringFull-TimePart-Time
Fort St John**FallFull-TimePart-Time
WinterFull-TimePart-Time
SpringFull-TimePart-Time

* All Dawson Creek students must travel to Fort St John for the lab components of BIOL 111 and BIOL 112.

** All Fort St John student must travel to Dawson Creek for the lab component of BIOL 105.


Length

62 credits (1102.5 hours), minimum.
This is a two year program taken over four semesters with minimum of 15 credits per semester.  Part-time studies will take longer.


Estimated Program Fees

Program fee type: Academic
Costs indicated are estimates for a full-time course load.
Book, instruments, supplies, uniforms/clothing and third-party fees are additional.

Domestic Fees

 TuitionStudent FeesInstruction-related
Fees (includes GST)
Total
Year 1$ 4,018.33$ 156.43$ 105.75$ 4,280.51
Year 2 (estimated)$ 3,601.88$ 154.56$ 0.00$ 3,756.44

International Fees

 TuitionStudent FeesInstruction-related
Fees (includes GST)
International
Medical Insurance
Total
Year 1$ 12,738.00$ 153.36$ 103.68$ 828.00$ 13,823.04
Year 2 (estimated)$ 11,890.00$ 151.53$ 103.68$ 828.00$ 12,973.21

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Admission Requirements

High School Graduation Requirement

  • High school graduation (grade 12) or equivalent

English Requirement

For domestic applicants who received their secondary education in English, one of the following:

  • English 12 with a grade of B or higher, or equivalent
  • English Studies 12 with a grade of B or higher, or equivalent
  • English Literature 12 with a grade of B or higher, or equivalent
  • English First Peoples 12 with a grade of B or higher, or equivalent
  • ENGL 050 with a grade of B or higher, or equivalent
  • ENGL 099 with a grade of B or higher, or equivalent
  • Any university-level English course with a grade of C or higher
  • NLC Writing Assessment with placement at the college level (100)

For all other applicants, one of the following:

  • IELTS result with an overall score of 7.0 or higher with minimum band scores: Speaking: 7.0; Listening: 7.5; Reading: 6.5; Writing: 7.0
  • Canadian English Language Benchmark Assessment for Nurses (CELBAN) with minimum scores of: Speaking: 08; Listening: 10; Reading: 08; Writing: 07

Math Requirement

One of the following:

  • Foundations of Mathematics 11 with a C+ grade or higher, or equivalent
  • Principles of Mathematics 11 with a C+ grade or higher, or equivalent
  • Pre-calculus 11 with a C+ grade or higher, or equivalent
  • MATH 040 with a C+ grade or higher, or equivalent 

Biology Requirement

One of the following:

  • Biology 12 with a B grade or higher, or equivalent
  • Anatomy and Physiology 12 with a B grade or higher, or equivalent
  • BIOL 050 with a B grade or higher, or equivalent
  • BIOL 101 with a B grade or higher, or equivalent within five years of program start date

Chemistry Requirement

One of the following:

  • Chemistry 11 with a B grade or higher
  • CHEM 040 with a B grade or higher within five years of program start date

Chemistry 12 or CHEM 050 is strongly recommended.


Post-Admission Requirements

Within six weeks of the program start date, students must submit:

  • A clearance letter from the Criminal Records Review Program (CRRP), for a Schedule “B” Criminal Record Check (CRC), WORKS WITH Children and Vulnerable Adults. For information and regulations, see Criminal Records Checks
  • Required immunizations (will be specified upon admission)

Important Notes

  1. The program is eligible for Canada Student Loans. Visit StudentAidBCto apply for financial assistance online. Note that dual credit students are not eligible for Student Aid.
  2. Students are required to have a computer (laptop or other mobile device) with minimum computer requirements, a medical uniform or nursing scrubs, and WCB-approved safety/nursing shoes,
  3. Course transfer agreements allow students to receive course-by-course transfer to other colleges, universities, and institutes in BC, as indicated in the BC Transfer Guide.
  4. Transfer agreements allow graduates to receive:
  5. This program has a affiliation/partnership with the University of Northern British Columbia and Northern Health.

Program Requirements

Residency Requirement25% of all coursework must be completed at Northern Lights College. 
Minimum Grade Requirements2.00 program Grade Point Average (GPA); D grade (50%) minimum in all courses*
Additional RequirementsProgram must be completed within four years of admission

Semester One

All of:

And one of:

Semester Two

All of:

And one of:

And one of:

Semester Three

All of:

Semester Four

All of:

And one of:


Notes

* UNBC requires a minimum grade of B- in each of the UNBC core prerequisites.

The minimum admission qualifications for UNBC’s Northern Baccalaureate Nursing Program are higher that this program’s graduation requirements; UNBC requires a minimum 3.00 cumulative grade point average on all 60 transferable credits.  The UNBC School of Nursing reserves the right to select applicants for admission or readmission to the Northern Baccalaureate Program on a competitive basis. Preference will be given to Canadian citizens and permanent residents of Canada.

NLC offers many electives transferable to UNBC at the 200-Level. Subject areas include Archeology, Criminology, Education, English, History, Psychology, Sociology, and Research Methods in the Social Sciences. Please see the program Chairs, UNAS Timetables, and the BC Transfer Guide.


Credential

Associate of Arts Degree (Health Studies)