Post-Master's Psych-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner Certificate Online

This innovative online nursing program prepares you to take the ANCC Psychiatric-Mental Health NP exam and transition to professional opportunities working with mental healthcare organizations or independently in your own private practice.

Apply by 1/3/25
Start class 1/13/25 Apply Now

Program Overview

Take a closer look at our online PMHNP post-master’s certificate

Expand your professional practice into the mental health sector with the Post-Master's Psych-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner Certificate online from Northern Kentucky University. This accelerated certificate program is an expansive addition to your MSN and will enable you to treat individuals and families with acute or chronic psychiatric needs using comprehensive assessment, psycho-social intervention, and prescription medications, integrating the diagnosis, treatment, and management of mental health disorders for patients of all ages.

Coursework for this program is delivered online with embedded supervised clinical residencies in a variety of settings. The program's mental health nursing courses synthesize neuroscientific principles, neurophysiological theory, and a broad range of therapeutic methods, including how to incorporate variables of lifestyle, culture, religion, socio-economics, and genetics into risk assessments. The curriculum emphasizes advanced psychopharmacology and aligns with NKU's strategic mission to address a regional opioid issue and our overall commitment to be agents of change by promoting population health.

In this online program, you will:

  • Engage with, assess, diagnose, and suggest treatment and management for patients of all ages in a series of supervised clinical residencies
  • Use evidence-based practice to demonstrate advanced levels of clinical judgment, systems thinking, and accountability while implementing change to improve healthcare outcomes
  • Assess risk of psychiatric mental health problems by studying variables such as lifestyle, culture, religion, socio-economics, and genetics
  • Explore the appropriate clinical application of non-pharmacological methodologies and interventions including group, play, and family therapies while analyzing the use of self, the therapist-patient relationship, and phases of the therapeutic relationship
  • Demonstrate effective communication in order to facilitate nursing practice at an advanced level
  • Utilize cultural, genetic, religious, and behavioral laboratory data as well as patient history, neuroscientific principles, and his or her comprehensive assessment to form diagnoses
  • Engage with, assess, diagnose, and suggest treatment and management for patients of all ages in a series of supervised clinical residencies
  • Use evidence-based practice to demonstrate advanced levels of clinical judgment, systems thinking, and accountability while implementing change to improve healthcare outcomes
  • Assess risk of psychiatric mental health problems by studying variables such as lifestyle, culture, religion, socio-economics, and genetics
  • Explore the appropriate clinical application of non-pharmacological methodologies and interventions including group, play, and family therapies while analyzing the use of self, the therapist-patient relationship, and phases of the therapeutic relationship
  • Demonstrate effective communication in order to facilitate nursing practice at an advanced level
  • Utilize cultural, genetic, religious, and behavioral laboratory data as well as patient history, neuroscientific principles, and his or her comprehensive assessment to form diagnoses

As a graduate and certified psychiatric nurse practitioner, you will be able to practice in many public and private healthcare settings, such as:

  • Hospitals, clinics, and mental health facilities
  • County and municipal health departments
  • Military and veteran hospitals
  • Private PMHNP practices or consulting organizations
  • Hospitals, clinics, and mental health facilities
  • County and municipal health departments
  • Military and veteran hospitals
  • Private PMHNP practices or consulting organizations

Also available:

Northern Kentucky University offers a variety of Nursing programs online. View our selection.

Total Tuition $25,828
Program Duration As few as 18 months
Credit Hours 35

Accreditation

CCNE Accredited

The baccalaureate degree in nursing, master’s degree in nursing, postgraduate APRN certificate, and Post-Master's Doctor of Nursing Practice degree programs at Northern Kentucky University are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (http://www.ccneaccreditation.org).

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Need More Information?

Call 800-985-7215

Call 800-985-7215

Tuition

Earn a high-quality degree with a low tuition

The Post-Master's Psych-Mental Health NP Certificate online program offers the same affordable, pay-by-the-course tuition for in-state and out-of-state students. Financial aid may be available to eligible students.

Tuition Breakdown:

Total Tuition $25,828
Per Credit Hour $578
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#6 among Kentucky's Online Colleges

Ranked #6 among "The Best Online Colleges in Kentucky" by TheBestSchools.org (2022)

Calendar

View the upcoming dates and deadlines

The Post-Master's Psych-Mental Health NP Certificate online program is flexible and efficient for busy schedules, with accelerated courses that start multiple times a year. View the calendar to find the best start date for you, and be sure to submit your application, registration, documents and tuition by the corresponding deadlines.

SessionProgram Start DateApplication DeadlineDocument DeadlineRegistration DeadlinePayment Due
Fall 18/19/248/7/248/12/248/16/248/19/24
Fall 210/16/2410/3/2410/8/2410/11/2410/16/24
Spring 11/13/251/3/251/7/251/10/251/13/25
Spring 23/17/253/5/253/10/253/14/253/17/25
Summer 15/12/254/30/255/5/255/9/255/12/25
Summer 26/30/256/18/256/23/256/27/256/30/25

Now enrolling:

Apply Date 1/3/25
Class Starts 1/13/25
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Admissions

Review this admission checklist for our online post-master’s PMHNP nursing program

The admission process is the first step toward earning your Post-Master's Psych-Mental Health NP Certificate online. Before you apply, please review the Program Map to determine eligibility of this program in your state.

Admission Requirements:

  • 3.0 GPA or higher on accredited MSN degree
  • RN license current and unencumbered
  • 1,000 clinical hours of practice as a Registered Nurse

Post-Master's Psych-Mental Health NP Online Admission Requirements

  • Completed application for graduate admission
  • $40 application fee paid
  • Official transcripts of all undergraduate and graduate academic work
  • Verification of your current, unencumbered RN license with expiration date in the state in which you are licensed and practice
  • A criminal background check (state and federal) is required for admission to the program. Applicants are required to use PreCheck StudentCheck to purchase the background check. Instructions on how to purchase and initiate the background check can be found here.
  • Master of Science in Nursing degree from an ACEN, CCNE, or CNEA-accredited nursing program
  • Minimum 3.0 GPA in MSN graduate coursework
  • 1,000 clinical hours of practice as a Registered Nurse; fill out the verification form here

Official documents may be mailed or emailed to:

NKU Office of Graduate Education
302 Lucas Administrative Center
Highland Heights, KY 41099

[email protected]

During our application review, you may receive a request for syllabi for the courses listed below and/or program curriculum information, to ensure the courses you have taken in your master’s program are equivalent to the corresponding NKU course.

  • MSN 610 – Diagnostic Reasoning & Advanced Physical Assessment*
  • MSN 611 – Clinical Pharmacology & Intervention*
  • BIO 669 – Advanced Human Physiology*
  • MSN 612 – Role Development in Advanced Practice Nursing

*must be over the lifespan

Upon this review, if our faculty determine you do not have equivalent coursework, you may need to take those courses at NKU if admitted. Click here to search the syllabi for each of the courses above as taught at NKU.

Have a question? Call us at 800-985-7215.

Courses

Explore the online PMHNP Post-Master’s Certificate courses

For the Post-Master's Psych-Mental Health NP Certificate online program, students must complete a total of 35 credit hours. These include nine core courses (27 credit hours), five supervised Psych-Mental Health NP clinical residencies with a total of 750 clinical hours, and 3 credit hours for a capstone project.

Students must take the following courses:
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
This course aims to cultivate APRNs' skills and knowledge for comprehensive patient evaluation through in-depth study, hands-on practice, and case-based learning. Students learn to conduct patient-centered, safe, and high-quality holistic health assessments while interpreting diagnostic data in patients across the lifespan.
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
In this course students learn the APRN pharmacological management of patients across the lifespan. Students learn the management of pharmacotherapeutics across all major drug classes. Outcomes include appropriate selection, administration, education, and interventions for pharmacological therapy. Emphasis is given to the psychosocial, cultural, ethical, and legal aspects of pharmacological management. Pre-req: MSN 610
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
This course explores the history and role of Advanced Practice Nurses. This includes an overview of the role of the Advance Practice Nurse as a Provider, Consultant, Educator, Researcher, Collaborator, Leader and Administrator. Selected legal, practice, and ethical issues are explored. Nursing theory is incorporated into the course.
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
A systems-based approach designed to study the physiology and pathophysiology relating to human health. Integrative regulatory mechanisms responsible for homeostasis and cellular adaptation will serve as the foundation for clinical assessment, decision-making, and management in clinical practice.
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
Advanced psychopathopharmacological concepts, theories and issues related to neurobiology, genetic and neurocircuitry.
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
Advanced psychopathopharmacological concepts, theories and issues related to psychiatric and mental health disorders and treatments.
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
The process of history taking, neuroscientific principles, current edition of DSM and data from the comprehensive assessment will be applied in reaching a final diagnosis of psychiatric disorders and possible differential diagnosis. Cultural, genetic, religious, and behavioral and laboratory data will be utilized in the formulation of differential diagnoses.
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
This course includes non-pharmacological methodologies and interventions including individual therapies; group therapies; reminiscence therapy; play therapy; family therapies; and complementary and alternative approaches will be studied. Exploration of appropriate clinical application of each therapeutic approach. The use of self, the therapist-patient relationship, phases of the therapeutic relationship, teaching-coaching functions.
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
Integrate comprehensive assessment, neurophysiological theory, diagnosis and its application in the process of psychopharmacological and non-pharmacological treatment of individuals with psychiatric mental health problems. The variables of lifestyle, culture, religion, socio-economic and genetics will be incorporated along with risk assessments.
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 1
First of five supervised PMHNP clinical courses with patients across the lifespan. Students observe clinical preceptor's practice and begin to evaluate current/previous care plans, conduct patient assessments, integrate assessment data, formulate psychiatric diagnoses, and use evidence-based practice to develop care plans including psychopharmacological treatment under a clinical preceptor's supervision. Pre-reqs: MSN 671, MSN 672, MSN 673, MSN 674
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 1
Second of five supervised PMHNP clinical courses with patients across the lifespan. Students participate in evaluating current/previous care plans, conduct patient assessments, integrate assessment data, formulate psychiatric diagnoses, and use evidence-based practice to develop care plans including psychopharmacological treatment under a clinical preceptor's supervision.
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 1
Third of five supervised PMHNP clinical courses with patients across the lifespan. Students evaluate current/previous care plans, conduct patient assessments, integrate assessment data, formulate psychiatric diagnoses, and use evidence-based practice to develop care plans including psychopharmacological treatment. Students demonstrate more independent practice with preceptor supervision by conclusion of course.
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 1
Fourth of five supervised PMHNP clinical courses with patients across the lifespan. Students evaluate current/previous care plans, conduct patient assessments, integrate assessment data, formulate psychiatric diagnoses, and use evidence-based practice to develop care plans including psychopharmacological treatment. Students demonstrate independent practice with minimal preceptor supervision by conclusion of course.
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 1
In this final clinical course, students conduct comprehensive care across the lifespan through patient assessments, diagnoses, care plans, and evaluations of the psychiatric patient, including psychopharmacological treatments. Emphasis is on evidence-based approaches for optimal patient care, allowing students to demonstrate proficiency with minimal preceptor supervision by course completion. Pre-req: MSN 668L
Students must take the following course, totaling 3 credit hours, as part of the online Post-Master's Psych-Mental Health NP Certificate practicum.
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
Essentials of role development for the Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner. Selected practice issues that integrate a synthesis of the scope, standards, ethical, legal, policy and socioeconomic considerations will be explored. The course will culminate in the completion of clinical project that addresses both practice scholarship and dissemination.

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