Primary Health Care Nurse Practitioner, Graduate Diploma (PHC-NP)

Program Overview & Highlights

In the graduate diploma primary health care nurse practitioner (PHCNP), students will be prepared to provide collaborative and autonomous primary health care to individuals, groups or communities, with an emphasize on health promotion as well as illness/injury prevention. Students will develop advanced assessment, diagnostic and clinical reasoning skills in preparation for ordering and interpreting diagnostic tests, communicating diagnoses, prescribing pharmaceuticals, and performing other specific controlled procedures.

The Primary Healthcare Nurse Practitioner Program at the University of Windsor is approved by the College of Nurses of Ontario (www.cno.org). Current graduates from this program are eligible to apply for Extended Class/NP registration as a PHCNP specialty Nurse Practitioner in Ontario. Please download flyer for more details.

Accelerated Timeline.
Complete the post-master’s diploma in just 12 months full-time (or up to 3 years part-time), offering fast entry into NP practice.
Clinical Mastery.
Gain advanced skills in assessment, diagnostic reasoning, prescribing, and interpreting tests to deliver autonomous primary care.
Ontario Consortium Program.
Benefit from a collaborative, province-wide program structured through Ontario’s consortium model of NP education.
Proven Graduate Retention.
Part of a 27-year Ontario consortium with strong graduate retention and widespread NP deployment across the province.
Bridge from Master’s to Practice.
Designed exclusively for nurses already holding a Master's in Nursing (or related), offering a direct path to NP licensure.

Learn More About Our Program

Approved by CNO
Fully approved by the College of Nurses of Ontario — graduates qualify for Extended Class/NP registration.
Accelerated Timeline
Complete the diploma in just 12 months full-time (up to 3 years part-time).

Admission Requirements

Previous 4-Year Undergraduate Degree

Minimum eligibility requirements for the Graduate Diploma Ontario Primary Health Care Nurse Practitioner Program

  • Must have current registration with the College of Nurses of Ontario with no practice restrictions.
  • Current Ontario Certificate of Competence (RN)
  • Completed CNO-approved undergraduate nursing program (BScN) or equivalent nursing degree (e.g. BN, etc.)
  • For the Nurse Practitioner Graduate Diploma program – must also have a completed master’s degree in nursing or health-related field (nursing preferred) with a minimum B (70%) average.
  • Equivalent of two years of clinical nursing (RN) experience in the last five years (> 3,640 hours) completed by the February 1st application deadline
  • Preference will be given to Ontario residents.

Admission Requriements

  • All general regulations of the Faculty of Graduate Studies are applicable.
  • Applicants must have a CNO-approved Bachelor of Science in Nursing or equivalent which includes physical assessment, and courses in research and statistics. Consideration may be given to nurse applicants holding degrees in other cognate disciplines (e.g. BN, etc.).
  • For the Nurse Practitioner Graduate Diploma program – must also have a completed Master’s degree in Nursing with a minimum B (70%) average.
  • Applicants must have current registration with the College of Nurses of Ontario with no practice restrictions.
  • Three Faculty of Nursing confidential reports must be completed by academic/professional referees, with at least one from an academic who has taught the applicant and one from a recent employment supervisor.
  • Applicants must answer essay format questions related to Nurse Practioner (NP) role in Ontario.
  • An “Applicant Profile” must be completed which includes a section addressing goals in seeking graduate education (study plan/research interest).
  • Applications for admission with required documents must be submitted by February 1.
  • An interview may be required.

Language Requirements

Applicants whose native language is not English must submit certification of English proficiency as follows:

  • IELTS – Minimum score: 7.0; or,
  • Canadian English Language Benchmark Assessment for Nurses (CELBAN): Minimum scores: Writing – 7; Speaking – 8; Listening – 10; Reading – 8

Academic Calendars

The University of Windsor Academic Calendar is your source for official information about academic programs and regulations of the University of Windsor.

Career Tracks

  • Community Health Centres
  • Long Term Care
  • Palliative Care
  • Aboriginal Centres
  • Community-based facilities (public health, occupational health, correctional services)
  • Ambulatory Care Centres (i.e., urgent/emergency departments, primary care clinics)
  • Family Health Teams (FHT)

Contact A Recruiter

Do you have questions about this or one of our many other programs? Send us a message and we’ll answer any questions you have!