Program at a glance
Credential
No credential
Work experience
Clinical/fieldwork placement
Study options
Full-time
Open to International
No
Area of study
Length
2.5 years at Camosun College, 1.5 years at the University of Victoria
Information Sessions
Blending patient care with health technology
Start in September
We inspire, educate, and transform nursing students for service to humanity through curiosity, innovation, and excellence.
As part of the Camosun College/University of Victoria BSN Program, you'll build your knowledge, skills, and attitudes. You'll learn from a combination of practical experience and coursework in science and the humanities. As part of your degree, you'll have access to meaningful work term placements so that you can integrate your academic knowledge with real-world nursing practice.
Experiential learning
As a nursing student, you'll apply your learning in simulated lab and nursing practice settings throughout your program. Through experience, reflection, conceptualizing, and application, you'll continually build your knowledge.
Complete your BSN education
You'll spend 2.5 years at Camosun, which includes 5 academic semesters and 2 spring practicum terms. You'll then move to the University of Victoria to finish up your final 2 semesters and consolidated practice experiences, which takes a total of 1.5 years. You may be eligible for entrance scholarships to UVic at this time.
BSN Online Info Sessions Slides
Find out more about upcoming networking and information sessions occurring at Camosun
HHS Student Handbook
Current information for School of Health and Human Services students and BSN program specific handbook.
Becoming a registered nurse
After completing your four-year program, you'll be ready to write the NCLEX licensing examination, and will have met the British Columbia College of Nurses & Midwives (BCCNM) entry-to-practice competences. You will become a registered nurse (RN).
Working as a student
Island Health (formerly Vancouver Island Health Authority or VIHA) allows you to apply to start working as an employed student nurse (ESN) after your second year of study. After year one, some students are able to work as health care assistants.
Registered Nurses of British Columbia
The British Columbia College of Nurses and Midwives (BCCNM) sets the standards of practice for Nurses to provide competent and ethical care.
The professional association, Nurses and Nurse Practitioners of British Columbia, acts on behalf of nursing in order to advance the profession and influence health and social policy.
Working conditions
Pay
BC Registered Nurses on Vancouver Island have a 9-step wage scale. New graduates start at Level 3 Step 1 ($5,352 monthly / $32.94 hourly). For every 1950 hours worked, salary increases by 1 step.
Hours
Most nurses work either 8 or 12 hour shifts, depending on the unit. You should expect to work weekdays, weekends, and a combination of days, evenings and nights.
Demand
Currently, there is a very high demand for registered nurses across Canada, and internationally. Recent statistics suggest that between 90 and 100% of BSN graduates find work in their field fulltime, within the first year after graduation. This is amongst the highest rate for all occupations in Canada. This statistic is true for both men and women in nursing! A Canadian program, BSN will prepare you for graduate studies in universities around the world, and is a stepping stone to many learning opportunities, including specialty education.
Unions
Public facilities, such as hospitals, are unionized with the BC Nurses’ Union. Some employment agencies (some clinics) may not be unionized. Information about the union and the collective agreement can be found online.
Indigenous Limited Priority Admissions
The School of Health & Human Services (HHS) offers Priority Seating for Indigenous students in all Health related programs.
Visit Eyēʔ Sqȃ’lewen - Centre for Indigenous Education & Community Connections (IECC) for information on how to apply.
Any questions about the application process, please contact hhsindigenoussupport@camosun.ca
The Indigenous Limited Priority Admissions process, approved by the Board of Governors, supported by the Education Council, and approved by the BC Human Rights Tribunal, welcomes applications from all qualified Indigenous applicants.
What you'll learn
Current students wanting information about your program, go to student planning in myCamosun.
Program outline
For more details, including courses, please see the program outline in the Academic Calendar.
Blending patient care with health technology
We inspire, educate, and transform nursing students for service to humanity through curiosity, innovation, and excellence.
Location and schedule
For the first 2.5 years of your program, you'll study at Camosun's Interurban campus, situated near some of Victoria’s most beautiful neighbourhoods and urban beaches. Class time and nursing practice hours are scheduled for a maximum of 25 hours per week. Of these hours, nursing practice per semester varies from 4 to 25 hours per week.
You'll be expected to spend at least 3 to 4 hours of preparation, review, and studying per day. Nursing practice locations and hours vary, but most are located within Greater Victoria, and may include evenings and weekends. Limited numbers of learners travel to International Field Schools, the Yukon, and potentially other remote placements.
Streams of learning
Each semester will have a unique focus. There are five streams that run across the four years of the program: Nursing Practice, Relational Practice, Health and Healing (theory and lab), Professional Practice, and Health Sciences.
All fall and winter semesters include theory, lab, and nursing practice time.
Finish your program at UVic
After 2.5 years at Camosun, you'll finish your program at the University of Victoria. See the UVic calendar for program outline and course descriptions.
Year 1
The focus of year one is on the roles of the registered nurse, including promoting health and well-being, as a professional; becoming self-aware as a practicing nurse; nursing assessment; basic nursing care; and growth and development in the context of family.
In addition to your nursing courses, you'll be required to take English and anatomy and physiology.
Year 2
In your second year, the focus shifts to nursing care of patients with both acute and chronic illness in a culturally safe and ethical manner, on an interprofessional team.
You'll study pathophysiology, interprofessional communication, philosophy and ethics, in addition to extensive nursing knowledge, including skills such as intravenous therapy.
Year 3
During your last six months at Camosun, your courses and nursing practice placements will involve complex and specialty nursing including maternity, pediatrics, and mental health.
Course work, in both theory and lab, will prepare you for advanced nursing skills such as intravenous insertion, cardiac monitoring, newborn assessment, and how to care for patients and families in unstable and crisis situations.
Tuition and fees
Effective from September 1, 2022, to August 31, 2023
Estimated tuition
Tuition estimates are for the entire program.
Nursing, Baccalaureate of Science
$12,456 (domestic)
Domestic tuition fees vary depending on the individual course fees for the classes you select.
Student fees
In addition to tuition estimates, student fees are calculated based on your enrolment. Refer to: Student Fees.
Financial assistance
You may need to find more than one source of funding to help pay for your education and living costs while attending college. Check out sources of money you don't need to pay back as well as those that need to be repaid.
Curriculum & courses
Admission requirements
This program is in high demand and the number of qualified applicants greatly exceeds the number of seats available, and, as such, not all of those meeting minimum requirements can be admitted.
When you apply you will need to submit proof that you meet the following admission requirements.
Tip: Where a letter grade is specified, you must have proof of that grade or higher.
Next intake: September 2023
Application window: September 15, 2022 to December 15, 2022
Application Fee $121.44**
Final Documents/Transcripts due January 31, 2023
BC/Yukon high school students are eligible to apply in their Grade 12 year. GPA will be initially calculated on interim grades to determine provisional qualification.
Self-reporting of interim grades for current BC/Yukon high school students due Feb 28, 2023
There is priority seating in this program for students of Indigenous ancestry.
**This amount reflects the Camosun College/University of Victoria BSN Program application fees for both Camosun and UVIC and includes transfer credit assessment for the BSN only.
High School and Adult Basic Education Applicants
If you are applying using high school-level and/or Adult Basic Education (ABE) courses, you will need to submit proof that you meet the following admission requirements.
For information about applying or admission requirements, please contact Admissions.
BC/Yukon high school students are eligible to apply in their Grade 12 year. GPA will be initially calculated on interim grades to determine provisional qualification.
Note: GPA for competitive entry ranking will be calculated on the four Grade 12 courses or ABE alternatives listed below
English 11 - one of:
High School Courses
- English 11
- English 11 First Peoples
Non-BC high school
ABE Courses
- ENGL 070
ABE Transfer Guide
Math 11 - one of:
High School Courses
- 73% in Foundations of Math 11
- 73% in Pre-calculus 11
- Non-BC high school
ABE Courses
- 73% in MATH 072 and MATH 073
- 73% in MATH 075
- 73% in MATH 077
- ABE Transfer Guide
Biology 11 - one of:
High School Courses
- 73% in Life Sciences 11/Biology 11
- Non-BC high school
ABE Courses
- ABE Transfer Guide
Chemistry 11 - one of:
High School Courses
- Chemistry 11
- Non-BC high school
ABE Courses
- CHEM 070
- ABE Transfer Guide
Social Studies 11 - one of:
High School Courses
- Approved Social Studies 11
- Non-BC high school
ABE Courses
- ABE Transfer Guide
English 12 - one of:
High School Courses
- 73% in English Studies 12
- 73% in English 12
- 73% in English 12 First Peoples
- Non-BC high school
ABE Courses
- 73% in ENGL 091 and ENGL 093
- 73% in ENGL 092 and ENGL 094
- 73% in ENGL 092 and ENGL 096
- ABE Transfer Guide
Academic 12 - one of:
High School Courses
ABE Courses
- MATH 097
- MATH 107
- MATH 115
- ABE Transfer Guide
Biology 12 - one of:
High School Courses
- 73% in Biology 12
- Non-BC high school
ABE Courses
- 73% in BIOL 090
- ABE Transfer Guide
Chemistry 12 - one of:
High School Courses
- 73% in Chemistry 12
- Non-BC high school
ABE Courses
- 73% in CHEM 090
- 73% in CHEM 110
- ABE Transfer Guide
All of:
- Grade 12
- Grade 12 graduation or equivalent
- English Language Proficiency
- All students must complete the English Language Proficiency requirement
- BCCNM requirements
- Complete the RSA acknowledgment form here. Acknowledge and understand the requirements for registration with the British Columbia College of Nursing & Midwives (BCCNM) as laid out in the BCCNM document Requisite Skills and Abilities (RSAs)
University Transfer Applicants
To meet the admission requirements, you can still use your high school/ABE courses as listed on the previous tab or you can use the following courses to meet the subject requirements.
For information about applying or admission requirements, please contact Admissions.
English - one of:
Camosun Courses
- B in ENGL 103 and ENGL 104
- B in ENGL 142
- B in ENGL 151
- B in ENGL 161
- B in ENGL 164
- B in ENGL 170 and ENGL 273
- B in ENGL 175
Alternatives
- BC Transfer Guide
Math - one of:
Camosun Courses
- B in MATH 100
- B in MATH 101
- B in MATH 107
- B in MATH 108
- B in MATH 109
- B in STAT 116
- B in STAT 216
- B in STAT 218
Alternatives
- BC Transfer Guide
Biology - one of:
Camosun Courses
- B in BIOL 103
- B in BIOL 126
Alternatives
- BC Transfer Guide
Chemistry - one of:
Camosun Courses
- B in CHEM 100 and CHEM 110
- B in CHEM 100 and CHEM 120
- B in CHEM 100 and CHEM 121
Alternatives
- BC Transfer Guide
University Transfer - four of:
- Additional transferable UT course based on the BC Transfer Guide
All of:
English Language Proficiency
- All students must complete the English Language Proficiency requirement
BCCNM requirements
Complete the RSA acknowledgment form here. Acknowledge and understand the requirements for registration with the British Columbia College of Nursing & Midwives (BCCNM) as laid out in the BCCNM document Requisite Skills and Abilities (RSAs)
Notes:
- After the January 31 document/transcript deadline, no in-progress course work can be used towards admission requirements (exceptions for current BC/Yukon high school students).
- The program will maintain a short waitlist for entry into the same year, pending withdrawals or deferrals. In extenuating circumstances, an invited applicant may apply for a one year deferral. The waitlist will not be retained for future years. Those applicants meeting the academic requirements, but not gaining a seat in the year of application will need to reapply and resubmit academic information already provided.
- Students who are not in good standing at Camosun or UVic, or in a health care program at another institution are ineligible to apply.
For more details, including courses, please see the program outline in the Academic Calendar.
Missing admission requirements?
Take an assessment or upgrade with us.
Contact us
If you have admissions questions contact the Admissions office
If you have questions about what you can expect to learn in your Nursing class contact hhsinfo@camosun.ca
Faculty/staff profile
Kirstin McLaughlin
Chair of Nursing Program
Faculty/staff profile
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Faculty/staff profile
Stephanie Won, RN, Hon BScN, ID, MN
Year Two Program Leader and Nurse Educator
Faculty/staff profile
Sue Abuleal
Nurse Educator
Faculty/staff profile
Ruthie Anderson, BScN, RN, MScCH (IP)
Nurse Educator
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Hazel Booth
Nurse Educator
Faculty/staff profile
Lynda Champoux
Nurse Educator
Faculty/staff profile
Maria Fyfe
Nurse Educator
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Leah Godwin
Nurse Educator
Faculty/staff profile
Robin Humble, PhD(c) MPH BSN
Practice Placement Coordinator and Nurse Educator
Faculty/staff profile
Shannon Keyser, MSc, RN, CCNE, CCSNE
Nurse Educator
Faculty/staff profile
Janet Klok, BN, MN, CACE
Nurse Educator
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Paula Littlejohn
Nurse Educator
Faculty/staff profile
Cheryl Marr
Instructor
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Ann McIntosh
Nurse Educator and Curriculum Coordinator
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Shea Page
Nurse Educator
Faculty/staff profile
Alayna Payne, RN, MN, PhD(c)
Nurse Educator
Faculty/staff profile
Betty Poag
Nurse Educator
Faculty/staff profile
Laura Sacilotto, RN, BTN, Med
Nurse Educator
Faculty/staff profile
Aziz (Ajijoon) Shaik, RN-BSN, MSc
Nurse Educator
Faculty/staff profile
Sean Sturgill, RN, BSN
Nurse Educator
Faculty/staff profile
Cici Tavares, RN, MSN
Nurse Educator
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Andrea Turner, BScN, RN, ID, MACP Candidate
Nurse Educator
Faculty/staff profile
Mary Willbond, RN, BSN, MSN
Nurse Educator
Faculty/staff profile
Stephanie Won, RN, Hon BScN, ID, MN
Year Two Program Leader and Nurse Educator
Faculty/staff profile
Aileen Wood-Meszaros, PMED, BSN, RN
Nurse Educator
Faculty/staff profile
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Learn more
For more details, including courses, please see the program outline in the Academic Calendar.
Contact information
School of Health and Human Services
Campus location
Alex and Jo Campbell Centre of Health and Wellness (CHW) 207
Location link
Admissions Questions: