Diploma in Practical Nurse is a diploma in Nursing programme taught at Northern Lakes College in Slave Lake, Canada. The programme runs for 2 years, delivered in a hybrid format. Tuition for international students is CAD 20,796 per year (CAD 6,932 per year for local students).
At a glance
Degree:Diploma
Field:Nursing
Duration: 2 years
Delivery: Hybrid
Local tuition: CAD 6,932 / year
International tuition: CAD 20,796 / year
Information for the 2027/28 academic year · Last reviewed September 2026 ·
Program details
Overview
Practical Nurse is a diploma program offered by Northern Lakes College through Supported Distance Learning, combining online coursework with in-person laboratory sessions and four clinical practicum placements across the two-year (September to May) program. Students may enrol full-time or part-time and may need to relocate temporarily for lab work and clinical placements, with student residences available in High Prairie, Slave Lake, and Stony Point (Wabasca). The curriculum spans eight progressive nursing courses covering anatomy, physiology, health assessment, nursing foundations, pathophysiology, pharmacology, and psychology for health-care professionals. High school students can begin the program through dual credit. Graduates become eligible for registration as Licensed Practical Nurses with the College of Licensed Practical Nurses of Alberta and can find employment in nursing care facilities, hospitals, physicians' offices, mental health settings, general care facilities, and home care across the province. The program also allows for credit transfer toward bachelor's degree studies at Athabasca University and Thompson Rivers University. It suits individuals seeking a career in direct patient care who are able to complete clinical placements away from home if required.
Requirements
Admission Requirements: Direct entry requires Biology 30 at 60% (or ANPY1000 at 50%, or BIOL0190 at 60%), English 30-1 at 60% (or English 30-2 at 70%, or ENGL0190 at 60% or an assessed English equivalency), and Math 20-1 at 50% (or Math 20-2 at 60%, or MATH0190 at 60%); equivalent courses from other jurisdictions are reviewed case by case. The programme does not publish a standardized language-test score of its own; completion of the provincial English course at the stated grade satisfies the language requirement. Before beginning clinical courses, students must hold a current Health Care Provider Level C CPR certificate and have current immunizations. A Police Information Check, including a Vulnerable Sector Check completed within the previous three months, is required during the first term; an existing criminal record may affect practicum placement, programme completion and employment, and a waiver form is available where applicable. Applicants must also be able to demonstrate the physical and emotional health needed to meet clinical and coursework demands.
Application Details
Start Date:September
Application Deadline:Domestic admission is rolling (apply early, late applications accepted while seats remain), but an accepted domestic applicant must pay a $300 CAD tuition deposit by 1 May to hold the seat for the September intake, as this is one of NLC's named oversubscribed programmes.
