Winter 2027: Apply Now!
Please apply once you have completed and/or registered in all of the required courses for admission to the program.
Applicants that require any of the 18 university transfer credits for admission into this program are encouraged to Apply now for the Academic Foundations for Potential Psychiatric Nursing Applicants program. For course planning help, please contact LPN Access Department.
Advance your nursing career and become a Registered Psychiatric Nurse (RPN) with Douglas College’s Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) Access to the Bachelor of Science in Psychiatric Nursing (BSPN) program. You'll gain specialized psychiatric nursing skills and knowledge to meet the growing demand for mental health and substance use care in British Columbia.
This pathway is open to current LPNs who hold a valid British Columbia College of Nurses and Midwives license and have a Practical Nursing Diploma or a Practical Nursing Certificate. You will graduate fully prepared to write the Registered Psychiatric Nurses of Canada Examination to be certified as a RPN.
Work while you learn
Designed for working LPNs, this part-time, 1.5-year program offers the flexibility to study online while continuing to work in your home community. Throughout the program, you'll participate in online courses, with a one-week in-person on-campus residency in semester four, and a final preceptorship in semester five that can be completed in your local B.C community.
Paid education
If you are an LPN who is a member of the BC Nurses' Union (BCNU), you may be eligible to receive a lifetime maximum of $20,000 to put toward the cost of tuition and books for this program. Eligibility requirements apply; visit the BCNU website for more details.
Applicants must meet the admissions requirements listed below:
I. Academic Admission Requirements
1. Successful completion of the following 18 required university transfer (UT) credits (note 2), with a minimum grade of C+ in each course
2. Practical Nursing (PN) Diploma OR
Practical Nurse Certificate with Health Authority upgrade AND each of the following additional 9 University Transferable (UT) credits with a minimum grade of C+ in each of the courses (note 4):
3. Current Practical Nurse license with British Columbia College of Nurses and Midwives (BCCNM).
4. Official transcripts from all previous post-secondary institutions attended must be submitted directly to Douglas College. Failure to do so may result in the application being denied, and/or the student being withdrawn from the program.
5. An attestation letter from the institution that granted the Practical Nursing Diploma or Practical Nurse Certificate with Health Authority upgrade. The letter must indicate if any transfer credit was granted by the institution and used towards the diploma or certificate, along with a listing of those courses. The letter must also state which (if any) courses on the transcript were NOT used to fulfill the requirements of the diploma or certificate (note 5)
Notes:
II. Prerequisites for Clinical Practice Education
1. Immunizations - A current record of immunizations must be provided. Applicants must obtain all immunizations mandated by the Health Authorities or Public Health orders to be permitted access to clinical sites. This is a prerequisite for nursing practice courses in the BSPNUR_L program. All costs related to required immunizations and/or testing are the responsibility of the applicant.
Calculate your tuition and see the approximate cost of taking your program at Douglas College with the tuition and fee estimator. See costs broken down into categories including tuition fees, textbooks, student activity fees, U-Pass and more.
For more information, refer to the tuition fee charts.
Graduation Requirements
Curriculum Framework
| PNUR Required Courses (no course substitutions) | Credit | |
| PNUR 3700 | Professional Psychiatric Nursing Concepts | 3.00 |
| PNUR 4576 | Trauma Informed Practices | 3.00 |
| PNUR 4585 | Psychiatric Nursing in Addictions and Mental Health | 3.00 |
| PNUR 3402 | Psychiatric Nursing Concepts | 3.00 |
| PNUR 3171 | Family Health Promotion of Psychiatric Nursing Practice | 3.00 |
| PHIL 3125 | Ethics for Psychiatric Nursing | 3.00 |
| PNUR 4575 | Psychiatric Nursing Research | 3.00 |
| PNUR 4573 | Psychiatric Nursing of Children and Adolescents | 3.00 |
| PNUR 3321 | Therapeutic Relations III | 1.50 |
| PNUR 3421 | Therapeutic Relations IV | 1.50 |
| PNUR 3330 | Clinical Procedures III | 1.50 |
|
Therapeutic Relations V |
1.50 | |
|
Psychiatric Nursing Community Concepts |
3.00 | |
|
Psychiatric Nursing Leadership and Management |
3.00 | |
|
Psychiatric Nursing Clinical Practice V: Preceptorship Experience |
9.00 | |
|
TOTAL |
45.00 |
|
Program Guidelines for previous years are viewable by selecting the version desired. If you took this program and do not see a listing for the starting semester / year of the program, consider the previous version as the applicable version.
AFPNUR is a limited-enrolment program that may offer priority registration for the admission courses required for the LPN Access to the Bachelor of Science in Psychiatric Nursing (BSPN) program. Admission to AFPNUR does not guarantee registration in AFPNUR courses or admission to the LPN Access to the BSPN program.
Most students can transfer equivalent courses if they meet our requirements. Transfer credit is not automatic. After receiving a student number, submit an official transcript and follow the steps to transfer your credits.
Note: At least one admission requirement course must be completed at Douglas College to fulfill degree requirements.
Yes, the program requires 120.5 credits, including block transfer credits from your Practical Nursing diploma or certificate, admission requirement courses and additional Douglas College coursework.
Diploma LPNs receive a 57.5-credit block transfer.
Certificate LPNs receive a 48.5-credit block transfer.
Note: Courses used to complete your Practical Nursing education cannot be reused for the BSPN degree.
AFPNUR courses are not offered every semester, and seats are limited. To secure your spot, register as soon as your registration period opens. AFPNUR students receive early registration, but admission does not guarantee a seat in courses.
Note: Some courses have reserved seats for LPN students in specific semesters. Some courses have pre-requisite requirements. Plan accordingly, as not all courses are available for each term.
Once you are an AFPNUR student, please contact cafcoord@douglascollege.ca for more information.
Recommended course schedule:
You will take AFPNUR courses to increase your scope and breadth of knowledge to practice in the psychiatric nursing profession. This is a recommended schedule for the AFPNUR courses that are required before applying to the LPN Access to the BSPN program. Certain courses will have reserved seats for LPN students in the semesters as outlined below:
Winter Semester
BIOL 1104 (3) Introduction to Human Anatomy & Physiology *Reserved seats
PSYC 1100 (3) An Introduction to Psychology I | Summer Semester
PSYC 1200 (3) An Introduction to Psychology II
ENGL 1130 (3) Academic Writing
| Fall Semester
BIOL 2401 (3) Introductory Microbiology for Health Sciences *Reserved seats
MATH 1160 (3) Introduction to Statistics OR PSYC 2300 (3) Data Analysis in Psychology OR BUSN 2429 (3) Business Statistics |
Notes: The Biology Department has reserved seats in BIOL 1104 for the Winter semesters only. There are reserved seats for BIOL 2401 (only offered in an online, asynchronous format) in the Fall semesters. As online BIOL 1104 and BIOL 2401 can only be taken at Douglas College, it is recommended that students take these courses in the semesters as outlined above.
PSYC 2300 can only be taken after PSYC 1100 and PSYC 1200 are completed as they are prerequisites for this course. It is recommended that PSYC 1100 is taken in the Winter semester and PSYC 1200 is taken in the Summer semester so PSYC 2300 can be taken in the Fall semester.
As part of AFPNUR, LPN students will be required to take either MATH 1160, PSYC 2300, or BUSN 2429 (or an equivalent course). Math upgrading may be required to meet the math prerequisites for registration into one of these courses.
You can apply to the LPN Access to the BSPN program once you’ve completed all admission requirement courses with a minimum grade of C+ in each, or if you’re in the final semester of your last courses. A current and active BCCNM LPN license is required for admission. Admission is offered on a first-qualified, first-admitted basis.
Most LPN Access to the BSPN courses are online, except for a one-week on-campus residency in semester four and the final practicum in semester five completed in your B.C. community.
AFPNUR admission courses are not always available online at Douglas College. You can take them on campus, at a local post-secondary institution or through an online university. Check the B.C. Transfer Guide for transferability.
Yes, please go through the application process as usual.
There is one intake a year for the LPN Access to the BSPN program: Winter (January).
Once you're admitted, the program consists of five consecutive part-time semesters, each with 9 credits of BSPN coursework. Approximate timeline is 1.5 years after admission requirement courses are completed.
Yes, the LPN Access to the BSPN program is designed for working professionals. It’s part-time, primarily online and accessible to LPNs across B.C., allowing you to stay in the workforce while studying.
Yes, the BCNU LPN to RN/RPN Laddering Fund offers one-time funding of up to $20,000 for LPNs upgrading to an RPN or RN designation. Visit the LPN to RN/RPN Laddering Fund for eligibility details and application instructions.
The program includes online classroom and clinical practice courses focused on:
Communication theory and techniques
Psychiatric nursing theory and practice
Clinical procedures and skills
Specialized psychiatric nursing practice
Hands-on practice in clinical procedures and therapeutic relationship skills.
A 360-hour final preceptorship in the student’s B.C. community
For 9 credits per 14-week semester, you can expect to spend approximately 18–24 hours per week on coursework.
Students are expected to have sufficient computer skills and access to reliable technology to manage online learning.
Students in the LPN Access to the Bachelor of Science in Psychiatric Nursing (BSPN) program can only register in the same required associated studies course or BSPN course a maximum of twice (this includes “W” withdrawals that appear on a student’s transcript). Students in the LPN Access to the BSPN program are required to obtain a passing grade of C+ or higher in all BSPN and associated studies courses to progress in the program.
Tuition deposit
When offered a seat in this part-time program, a non-refundable, non-transferable tuition deposit is required.
Important Academic Admission Requirement Course Planning Considerations
1. Some academic admission requirement courses have prerequisites. Please check each course in the course catalogue prior to registration.
2. Courses used towards a student's previous diploma or degree may not be duplicated or used towards the BSPN degree.
3. If a student does not have high school credit for Foundations of Math 11 (or equivalent) with a minimum grade of C, Math upgrading may be required to meet the prerequisite for PSYC 2300 or MATH 1160 (or equivalent). If wanting to take BUSN 2429, BC Principles of Math 12 or Pre-calculus 12 with a minimum grade of C is required, or FINC 1231.
4. BIOL 1104 can only be taken at Douglas College. In the Winter semesters, there are reserved seats in BIOL 1104 for LPN students. Refer to the Associated Studies Template for recommendations on how to take the academic admission requirement courses for the LPN Access to the BSPN program.
See our FAQs section for more information.
The LPN Access to the Bachelor of Science in Psychiatric Nursing (BSPN) program is your pathway to a psychiatric nursing degree, opening doors to a wide range of rewarding health-care career opportunities. With this degree, you can work in diverse settings, including:
Whether you’re passionate about working with children, adolescents or older adults in mental health settings, this program equips you with the skills and knowledge to make a meaningful difference.
Beyond direct patient care, a BSPN degree also prepares you for health-care leadership positions and further education, including graduate studies. This program is designed to expand your career options and help you grow as a professional in the evolving field of psychiatric nursing.