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Nurse Practitioner Diploma (NP)
A graduate diploma pathway to Nurse Practitioner practice.
Nurse Practitioner Diploma (NP)
A graduate diploma pathway to Nurse Practitioner practice.
Nurse Practitioner Diploma (NP)
A graduate diploma pathway to Nurse Practitioner practice.
About Our Program
Nurse Practitioners are essential to building a responsive, sustainable healthcare system. Often serving as the first point of contact, they assess, diagnose, treat, and manage care across the lifespan.
The Nurse Practitioner Diploma (NP) program, developed for individuals with a master's degree in Nursing or a related field, utilizes a combination of on-site and distance learning and offers full- and part-time options in collaboration with a consortium of Ontario universities.
Upon graduation, you'll be eligible to write the Canadian Nurse Practitioner Examination (CPNE) to become a licensed Nurse Practitioner. Following successful certification, you'll be prepared to provide advanced nursing care in a variety of practice settings, including primary care, acute care, and palliative care.
- Program Name: Nurse Practitioner Diploma (NP)
- Faculty: Health Sciences
- Contact: gradnurs@uwo.ca
- Application Deadline: February 1
Why Students Choose Western Nursing
Become a Licensed Nurse Practitioner
Build the credentials you need to advance into an expanded clinical role. This program prepares you to write the Canadian Nurse Practitioner Examination (CNPE) and pursue registration, enabling you to practice in a variety of healthcare settings beyond primary care.
Flexible Learning for Working Professionals
Balance your studies with professional commitments through a combination of on-site and distance learning. With full- and part-time options and a collaborative model across Ontario universities, the program offers both flexibility and breadth of experience.
Advance Your Scope of Practice
Designed for experienced nurses, this diploma equips you with advanced, evidence-based clinical skills to provide comprehensive primary health care across the lifespan. You’ll graduate ready to take on greater responsibility and impact patient outcomes.
Admissions & Applications
The deadline to apply for the NP diploma program is February 1. Applications open in mid-October. All application documents (i.e., transcripts, letters of reference, and supplemental materials) must be received by the deadline. Review of complete application files begins after February 1 and continues until spaces in each program are filled. Late applications will only be reviewed if space remains in the program. Incomplete applications cannot be reviewed, and it is the applicant’s responsibility to ensure that the application file is complete.
- Completion of a bachelor’s degree in nursing (e.g., BScN, BSN, BN). Internationally educated nurses may be asked to submit a World Evaluation Services (WES) report to confirm degree equivalence to those accredited by the Canadian Association of Schools of Nursing (CASN)
- Completion of a master's degree in Nursing or a field related to health care
- GPA of 78% (B+) or higher. Admission averages are based on the last two years of full-time study or the last 10 part-time credits
- Undergraduate preparation in research and statistics
- All students must have RN registration in good standing with the College of Nurses of Ontario, and be entitled to practice with no restrictions
- Completion of the equivalent of two years of full-time RN practice experience (3,640 hours) in the past five years (some of those hours must be completed in Canada)
- Requires completion of Verification of Employment Hours form
Students enrolled in this diploma program are normally not eligible for research and/or scholarship funding support through Western University. International students are not eligible to apply to the NP diploma program due to the Ontario practice requirements.
- Two clinical references
- Referees are contacted after their names are submitted in the online application
- Clinical references should be able to evaluate your clinical skills, professionalism, critical thinking, communication skills, and, if possible, your writing skills and research potential.
- Clinical references should be provided by individuals working with the applicant in a supervisory capacity.
- Transcripts of any postsecondary coursework (including bachelor’s degree(s) and any advanced degrees obtained)
- Curriculum vitae (CV)
- Personal essay (see instructions below)
- Essay scores are an important component of the application and are based on the applicant's ability to address the questions listed below in a comprehensive and personal manner. Whenever possible, examples of personal experience should be included within the responses.
- Essays must be typed and should not exceed five pages in length (double-spaced, Times New Roman 12 font with 2.54 cm margins – APA format). If the essay is longer than five pages, only the first five pages will be read.
- Applicants should answer the following five questions in their essay and number their answers to correspond to the questions asked:
- 1. Using an example from your current clinical practice setting or organization, describe the role and scope of practice of the Nurse Practitioner in Ontario. How have you seen the role enacted and what effect has it had on your own nursing practice?
- 2. Describe a leadership opportunity you’ve been involved in within your healthcare organization or community.
- 3. What is your motivation for wanting to enact the Nurse Practitioner role and how does this align with your previous personal and professional experience? Include in your answer where you envision yourself working as a nurse practitioner.
- 4. What current healthcare issue(s) do you see in your community or practice setting and how might an NP begin to address these issues?
- 5. Describe specific strategies you will use to manage the time demands of the program, including course preparation, in-class time, and clinical placement hours.
- Verification of Employment Hours (PDF)
- Supplemental Application Form (PDF)
The Graduate Program Admissions Committee reviews all applications meeting the minimum academic average of 78% (B+) and minimum 3,640 RN employment hour requirement, and determines whether to offer admission based on a number of factors, including:
- Past academic achievement
- Quality of referee assessments
- Clarity and fit of the applicant’s written goals with the program goals
- Evidence of engagement in professional activities
- Evidence of leadership
- Quality of oral and/or written communication
- Amount and type of Nursing practice experience
Preference for admission into the program are given to applicants who have completed a graduate degree in nursing or other health related fields upon completion of their undergraduate nursing degree. For master’s degrees completed outside of Nursing, please contact the program to determine eligibility for the diploma option. Offers of admission are made as applications are considered, with the first offers being made in April. Successful applicants may accept their offers of admission online.
NOTE: Acceptance of an offer of admission by the applicant is with the understanding that seminars for applicable courses will be attended on the Western University campus and clinical placements will be in the Western University area.
Program Structure
The NP Diploma program is ideal for master's-prepared registered nurses with a strong interest in the clinical aspects of nursing delivery at an advanced level. It provides students with the opportunity to expand their nursing scope of practice through advanced evidence-based practice and training and prepares them for certification and practice as a Nurse Practitioner. The NP Diploma program is approved by the College of Nurses of Ontario. Current graduates from this program are eligible to apply for Extended Class registration as a Nurse Practitioner in Ontario.
To facilitate leadership in the:
- Development of in-depth understanding of a selected aspect of nursing science
- Analysis and integration of theory and research from nursing and related disciplines as a basis for enhancing understanding of significant issues
- Valuing of differing approaches to knowledge development in the nursing discipline
- Engagement in research inquiry that is significant to the nursing discipline
- Upholding of principles of ethical inquiry in advancing knowledge in the discipline of nursing
- Evolution of health care and health policy through the use of research findings and the development of collaborative partnerships
To facilitate the students' ability to:
- Provide competent care to individuals, families, and communities
- Analyze and integrate theories, models, concepts, and frameworks of advanced nursing practice
- Incorporate principles of evidence-based practice
- Contribute to knowledge development for the NP role
- Practice in the NP role in an ethical and legal manner
The normal time of completion is 12 months of full-time or two years of part-time study.
Courses marked with an * are offered online, with synchronous online classes. Clinical placements, marked with "**" must be completed within the Western University region. Please view the Clinical Placement map for details.
For more detailed information about graduate courses offerings in the Arthur Labatt Family School of Nursing, visit the Course Offerings page.
Full-Time Study (12 Months)
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Part-Time Study (2 Years)
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Supporting Your Success at Western
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Learning Development & Success helps students succeed in graduate school. We cover areas such as time management, goal setting, research organization, habit creation, reading and note-taking strategies, motivation and positive mindsets, and so much more!
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Use the Graduate Student Affordability Calculator to estimate how much money you will need to pay for your tuition, fees, housing, food, and other necessities.
Financial Supports
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