| Course | NURS 502 Nursing Theory and Advanced Practice (NURS502) |
|---|---|
| Credit hours | 3 |
| Program | MSN |
| Length | 8 Module/Weeks, online |
| Weeks with written work | 8 of 8 |
| Samples on this site | 8 week sample papers |
| Sources | Liberty's 2026-2027 catalog and the published NURS 502 course guide |
| Updated | October 2026 |
What NURS 502 covers
Liberty pairs a standard nursing theory text with a Christian worldview text in NURS 502, so the course moves between how theories are built and judged and how a nurse's own beliefs about persons, health and care shape practice. Weeks 1 and 4 bring written responses to questions on the readings, and Week 2 brings a personal philosophy paper that stays in the student's graduate portfolio.
The Theory-Based Exemplar Paper, or TEP, is graded in four steps: a six to eight page theory analysis in Week 3, a first draft and a peer review of a classmate's draft in Weeks 5 and 6, and an eight to ten page final paper in Week 7. Three discussion forums and a short assignment on the theoretical framework of a research article complete the course.
Emphasis is placed on the critique, evaluation, and utilization of nursing and other relevant theories that apply to advanced nursing practice and a comprehensive approach to care. Professional role development, interdisciplinary relationships, and issues relevant to advanced practice are studied.
NURS 502 week by week, with the sample for each
| Week | Written work in the course guide | Points | Sample |
|---|---|---|---|
| Week 1 | Written Responses to Questions 1 on the opening readings, in APA format with a title page | 50 | Read the Week 1 sample |
| Week 2 | Personal Philosophy Paper: a 4 to 7 page narrative on worldview and philosophy of nursing with three framework components and a practice encounter | 150 | Read the Week 2 sample |
| Week 3 | TEP Theory Analysis: 6 to 8 pages summarizing and critiquing the chosen nursing theory, with at least 2 scholarly sources | 150 | Read the Week 3 sample |
| Week 4 | Written Responses to Questions 2 (Quiz 1 also due) | 50 | Read the Week 4 sample |
| Week 5 | Discussion Board Forum 1 on the Christian worldview readings; the TEP first draft is also due | 125 | Read the Week 5 sample |
| Week 6 | TEP Peer Review of a classmate's draft; the Theoretical Framework Assignment is also due | 125 | Read the Week 6 sample |
| Week 7 | TEP Final Paper: 8 to 10 pages with at least 4 scholarly sources; Discussion Board Forum 2 is also due | 200 | Read the Week 7 sample |
| Week 8 | Discussion Board Forum 3 (Quiz 2 also due) | 50 | Read the Week 8 sample |
Where NURS 502 papers lose points
Students lose points when the theory analysis summarizes the theory without critiquing it against named criteria, when the exemplar describes a patient but never shows how the theory's concepts change what the nurse does, and when the final paper repeats the draft without the revisions the peer review asked for. The personal philosophy paper loses points when it lists values without the three framework components the guide requires or without a real encounter that shows them in practice.
Using a NURS 502 sample well
Read the Week 3 analysis and the Week 7 final paper together, since one judges the theory and the other uses it, and notice how the peer review in Week 6 sets out the revisions a draft usually needs. Choose your own theory from the list your course provides; the samples show the depth and form each step expects.
NURS 502 questions, answered
What is the Theory-Based Exemplar Paper in NURS 502?
It is a paper that applies one nursing theory to an actual practice situation. Liberty's guide grades it in four parts: a theory analysis, a first draft, a peer review and an 8 to 10 page final paper with at least 4 scholarly sources.
Which nursing theory should I choose for NURS 502?
The course provides a list of approved theories and theorists. Choose one whose concepts fit a practice situation you know well, so the exemplar can show the theory guiding real decisions.
How long is the NURS 502 personal philosophy paper?
The guide asks for 4 to 7 pages in APA format, describing your worldview and philosophy of nursing with at least three main components of a personal framework and an example encounter that shows them in practice.
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