Carleton University nursing (BScN with RN Prescribing): Ottawa guide for students
Carleton University opened a School of Nursing in Ottawa, and its entry-to-practice degree is new. This page gathers what Carleton and the College of Nurses of Ontario publish, so you can compare it with other Ontario options.
What the school offers (nursing)
Carleton lists one nursing degree: the Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BScN) with RN Prescribing. It is a compressed, full-time, three-year honours degree delivered across fall, winter and summer terms (nine semesters), on the Ottawa campus. Carleton says the first cohort started in September 2025.
- Developed in close partnership with Queensway Carleton Hospital, according to Carleton's admissions page.
- Optional concentrations: Neuroscience and Mental Health, or Data Science.
- A Clinical Skills and Simulation Centre in Kanata Tech Park, which Carleton says opened in January 2026, using simulation manikins and virtual reality.
- Carleton states that ten seats are reserved for Indigenous students.
Becoming licensed after graduating
Carleton states that the program is “preliminarily approved by the College of Nurses of Ontario” and that graduates are eligible to apply for registration as a Registered Nurse in Ontario and to take the NCLEX-RN. Program approval status can change, so confirm it on Carleton's page and with the College of Nurses of Ontario (CNO). The CNO lists broader requirements besides education, including a registration exam, a jurisprudence exam, language proficiency and proof of authorization to practise.
How to apply
Carleton's admissions page says Canadian applicants apply through OUAC (the Ontario Universities' Application Centre) and must also complete a supplementary application and meet clinical participation requirements. Check the program page for the current requirements and deadlines.
How Fiabita's Study Lab can help students here
This is a three-year, year-round degree, so the pace is fast. If you are in it, Study Lab can turn your own lecture notes into quiz questions and flashcards, which helps when semesters follow each other without a long break. Pharmacology and prescribing-related content is an obvious place to start, using your course material as the source. Study Lab is independent from Carleton, and AI-generated content can contain errors, so check it against your course material.
Sources
- Carleton: Nursing (BScN) with RN Prescribing
- Carleton Faculty of Science: new School of Nursing
- College of Nurses of Ontario: registration requirements
- OUAC
Last checked October 2026. Programs, requirements and dates change: always confirm on the official pages above.