MRU's academic calendar and your clinical courses
From Fall 2026, MRU runs 16-week semesters (Spring, Summer and Fall), each split into two 8-week modules with their own add/drop and W deadlines. The dates below come from the September 2026 Academic Calendar Addendum. The calendar page on mru.edu still shows the old layout, so go by the addendum.
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What changed in Fall 2026
MRU's Academic Calendar Addendum for Fall 2026 to Fall 2028, uploaded in September 2026, replaces the old term structure. Every semester is now 16 weeks with two 8-week modules inside it, and each module carries its own add/drop and W dates. The 5-week blocks and the Fast-Track Sessions I and II are gone.
The website has not caught up. When we checked in September 2026, the academic calendar page on mru.edu still listed 5-week blocks, 8-week blocks and Fast-Track W deadlines for 2026 to 2028, and some of its 2028 dates disagree with the addendum. MRU's Office of the Registrar tells students to check the University Addenda for catalog updates, so treat the addendum as the current document.
Terms up to and including Summer 2026 ran on the old structure: a regular semester, three 5-week blocks and two 8-week blocks. If you are comparing your plan with an older syllabus, that is why the dates look different.
Semester and module dates, Fall 2026 to Fall 2027
| Term | 16-week semester | Add/drop ends | Last day for W (semester) | Module 1 | Module 2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fall 2026 | Aug 31 – Dec 20, 2026 | Tue Sep 8 | Fri Nov 6 | Aug 31 – Oct 25 (W by Oct 2) | Oct 26 – Dec 20 (W by Nov 27) |
| Spring 2027 | Jan 4 – Apr 25, 2027 | Mon Jan 11 | Fri Mar 12 | Jan 4 – Feb 28 (W by Feb 5) | Mar 1 – Apr 25 (W by Apr 2) |
| Summer 2027 | May 3 – Aug 22, 2027 | Mon May 10 | Fri Jul 9 | May 3 – Jun 27 (W by Jun 4) | Jun 28 – Aug 22 (W by Jul 30) |
| Fall 2027 | Aug 30 – Dec 19, 2027 | Mon Sep 6 | Fri Nov 5 | Aug 30 – Oct 24 (W by Oct 1) | Oct 25 – Dec 19 (W by Nov 26) |
The addendum also gives 2028 start dates: January 3, May 1 and August 28. The website lists final evaluation periods for 2027 (April 10 to 18 for Spring, December 4 to 12 for Fall), but because that page still uses the old layout, confirm them in your course materials.
Add/drop, W and WF in a clinical course
Add/drop is the first instructional week, and it has to be done online through the portal. The catalog puts the deadline at 6 p.m. on the Sunday of week one, while the addendum's tables show slightly different days, such as Tuesday September 8 for Fall 2026. Dropping in week one removes the charges; after add/drop, tuition for the semester is fully earned.
A W is available only before a course's 50% point. Withdraw after that and the grade is WF, which counts in your GPA and as a failure. For graduate nursing students, two Ws in the same course count as one failure, and three Ws in one course or across concentration courses mean dismissal.
Which W date applies depends on whether your clinical course runs for the whole semester or inside Module 1 or 2. MRU does not publish that per course, so read it from your schedule in the portal. The failing a clinical course page covers the repeat and dismissal rules.
Working backwards from the first day of term
Nothing MRU has published sets a date for naming your preceptor or says how long approval takes. Two dates are fixed by the catalog: self-registration opens 20 days before each semester, and proof of liability insurance is due at least 15 days before the externship starts. The table applies both rules to upcoming start dates; the counting is ours.
| Semester (first day) | Registration opens | Insurance proof in by, if hours start on day one |
|---|---|---|
| Spring 2027 (Jan 4) | Dec 15, 2026 | Dec 20, 2026 |
| Summer 2027 (May 3) | Apr 13, 2027 | Apr 18, 2027 |
| Fall 2027 (Aug 30) | Aug 10, 2027 | Aug 15, 2027 |
| Spring 2028 (Jan 3) | Dec 14, 2027 | Dec 19, 2027 |
| Summer 2028 (May 1) | Apr 11, 2028 | Apr 16, 2028 |
| Fall 2028 (Aug 28) | Aug 8, 2028 | Aug 13, 2028 |
Because MRU must approve the preceptor before hours begin, our own rule of thumb is to have a preceptor identified during the semester before the clinical course, well ahead of registration. If you are already inside that window, need a preceptor fast is the page for you.
Where each program's clinicals fall
Semester numbers count from your own start term, so map them onto the table above yourself. MRU's degree plans place the graduate clinical courses like this:
- MSN-FNP, full-time:
MSN5700in semester III;MSN6050andMSN6150together in semester IV;MSN6400in semester V. See the MSN5700 course page. - MSN-FNP, part-time: one clinical course in each of semesters V, VI, VII and VIII.
- PMHNP certificate:
MSN5056CandMSN6057Cin semester III,MSN6065Cin semester IV. - AGACNP certificate: the three on-campus skills days in semester I,
MSN5040CandMSN5041Cin semester II,MSN5042Cin semester III. - MSN in Healthcare Systems Leadership:
MSN5855, the 180-hour practicum, in semester III full-time or semester V part-time.
For example, a full-time FNP student whose semester III is Spring 2027 would register from December 15, 2026 and need insurance proof by December 20 if clinic days start on January 4.
Other clocks that run alongside the calendar
Some MRU deadlines are counted from events, not printed on the calendar. An Incomplete can stretch past the course's end, but anything beyond 14 days needs the Office of Academic Affairs, and 15 weeks is the absolute limit before the work becomes an F; see incomplete grades.
Leave of absence is not an option at MRU. Fourteen consecutive calendar days of unexcused absence from all courses triggers automatic withdrawal (12 days for students using VA benefits), and a student counts as enrolled if at least one class is scheduled that semester. The no leave of absence page explains what that means when a preceptor falls through.
Changes to your background record or health must be reported in writing to the Office of Academic Affairs within 24 hours, whatever the date.
Questions MRU students ask
When is the last day to withdraw from a Fall 2026 clinical course?
Under the addendum, the last day for a W in the 16-week Fall 2026 semester is Friday, November 6. For a Module 1 course it is October 2, and for Module 2 it is November 27. Check in the portal which of the three your clinical course follows. A withdrawal after the 50% point is recorded as WF.
Why does MRU's website still show 5-week blocks?
The academic calendar page on mru.edu had not been updated to the new structure when we checked in September 2026. It still shows 5-week blocks, 8-week blocks and Fast-Track deadlines. The Registrar points students to the University Addenda for catalog changes, and the September 2026 calendar addendum is the newer of the two sources.
Can clinical hours fall on weekends or holidays at MRU?
Yes. MRU's catalog says externship shifts may be days, evenings, overnights, weekends or holidays, and that the agency, not the University, sets the dates and times. Your preceptor's clinic schedule therefore shapes when your hours happen, provided every hour is done with an approved preceptor by the course's last day.
Can I start clinical hours before the semester begins?
The catalog requires every practicum hour to be with a University-approved preceptor and finished by the course's last day, but it says nothing about an earliest start. Do not assume early hours count. Ask your course faculty in writing before logging anything outside the course dates.
How many credits can I take in a semester with clinicals?
The catalog caps the load at 15 credits a semester, and at 9 credits a term for students in 5- to 8-week courses. The second cap was written for the old block calendar, so ask your advisor how it applies now that 8-week modules sit inside every semester.
Related pages
Last checked 2026-09-24
We check these pages against MRU's own catalog, addenda and program pages. The nursing student handbook on the MRU student portal and MRU's Office of Academic Affairs have the final word.
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