Letter of Intent – MSN/PhD Application

As part of your application to the School of Nursing Graduate Program (MSN or PhD Nursing) at UBC Okanagan, you will write a short letter of intent that addresses the area of interest you intend to pursue during your studies. Key points to cover in a letter of intent are:

• Briefly describe your interest in applying to UBC Okanagan to pursue a master’s or doctoral degree in nursing. How will this degree enable you to accomplish your professional and/or academic career goals?
• Identify your area(s) of interest based on the graduate program you are applying to:
  • If you are applying to the course-based MSN: explain the areas that you want to focus on though your coursework and capstone project. Include details, using scholarly sources, on the relevance of your focus to current priorities in nursing, healthcare and/or public health.
  • If you are applying to the thesis-based MSN or PhD Nursing program: explain an area of interest you intend to pursue in your thesis research. Include details, using scholarly sources, on the relevance of your proposed research to current priorities in nursing, healthcare and/or public health. Provide a brief description of your proposed research question and methodological approach. Identify the School of Nursing faculty member who has agreed to supervise your proposed research project and describe how their program of research and scholarship fit with your proposed scholarly work.
• Explain how your background and acquired skills have prepared you to succeed in the program and in your areas of focus (course-based MSN) or research specialization (thesis-based MSN or PhD).

Length/format:

• 2-3 pages (maximum 750 words)
• Double spaced
• Use of a standardized format such as APA

Criteria Used for Evaluation of Writing Sample:

• Quality
• Currency
• Clarity, organization, logical progression of ideas
• Citation of scholarly sources