Program Overview
Get to know our Nurse Practitioner to PMHNP Certificate online program
Take your nurse practitioner experience to the next level and qualify for leading roles in the mental health field with this Nurse Practitioner to Psych-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner Certificate online at Northern Kentucky University. You will build on your abilities to use comprehensive assessment, psycho-social intervention, and prescription medications in the treatment of individuals with psychiatric needs.
Coursework for this affordable, 100% online PMHNP program 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. You will learn to assess risk and determine effective treatment by synthesizing neuroscientific principles, neurophysiological theory, and a broad range of therapeutic methods with patients' lifestyle, culture, religion, socio-economics, and genetics.
Our CCNE-accredited NP to Psych-Mental Health NP Certificate online program can be completed in as few as 12 months. Once you finish, you will be eligible to take the ANCC Psychiatric – Mental Health NP certification examination.
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
The baccalaureate degree in nursing/master's degree in nursing, postgraduate APRN certificate, and Doctor of Nursing Practice programs at Northern Kentucky University are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education, 655 K Street NW, Suite 750, Washington DC, 20001, 202-887-6791.
Have questions or need more information about our online programs?
Also available:
Northern Kentucky University offers a variety of Master of Science in Nursing degrees, an RN to BSN, a Post-Master's DNP, and several nursing certificates online. Check out our other online nursing programs.
Tuition
Benefit from our budget-friendly, pay-by-the-course tuition
The affordable NP to Psych-Mental Health NP Certificate online program tuition is the same for in-state and out-of-state students and is paid by the course. All fees are included in the total cost.
Tuition breakdown:
| Program | Per Credit Hour | Required Fees | Total With Fees |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nurse Practitioner to Psych-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner Certificate | $550 | $1,334 | $11,784 |
Tuition and fees are subject to change at any time.
Some fees are course-based and subject to change based on date student enters such course.
NKU is ranked #6 among “The Best Online Colleges in Kentucky” by TheBestSchools.org (2020)
Calendar
Know when to apply, when classes start, when tuition is due
The NP to Psych-Mental Health NP Certificate online program features 7-week courses that start six times a year. View the calendar to find the best class start for you and be sure to submit your application, documents, and tuition—as well as register for class—by the associated deadlines.
Now Enrolling:
| Session | Program Start Date | Application Deadline | Document Deadline | Registration Deadline | Tuition Deadline | Last Class Day |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Summer 1 | 05/08/2023 | 04/26/2023 | 05/01/2023 | 05/04/2023 | 05/08/2023 | 06/23/2023 |
| Summer 2 | 06/26/2023 | 06/14/2023 | 06/19/2023 | 06/22/2023 | 06/26/2023 | 08/11/2023 |
| Fall 1 | 08/21/2023 | 08/09/2023 | 08/14/2023 | 08/18/2023 | 08/21/2023 | 10/06/2023 |
| Fall 2 | 10/18/2023 | 10/05/2023 | 10/10/2023 | 10/13/2023 | 10/18/2023 | 12/08/2023 |
| Spring 1 | 01/08/2024 | 01/02/2024 | 01/04/2024 | 01/05/2024 | 01/08/2024 | 02/23/202$ |
| Spring 2 | 03/11/2024 | 02/29/2024 | 03/04/2024 | 03/08/2024 | 03/11/2024 | 04/26/2024 |
Admissions
See how to apply to the online Nurse Practitioner to PMHNP program
The NP to Psych-Mental Health NP Certificate online program admission process is designed to be streamlined for your convenience. Please review the Program Map to determine eligibility of this program in your state. Requirements for admission include:
View full admission requirements
NP to Psych-Mental Health NP Certificate Online Admission Requirements
- Completed application for graduate admission
- $40 application fee paid
- Official transcripts of all undergraduate and graduate academic work
- Valid NP nursing license and National NP certification
- Master of Science in Nursing degree from an ACEN, CCNE, or CNEA-accredited 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
- 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.
Official documents may be mailed or emailed to:
NKU Office of Graduate Education302 Lucas Administrative Center
Highland Heights, KY 41099
Have a question? Call us at 800-985-7215.
Courses
Preview what you’ll study in our PMHNP online courses
For the NP to Psych-Mental Health NP Certificate online program, students must complete 9 courses comprising 19 credit hours. These include five core courses and four supervised Psych-Mental Health NP clinical residencies with a total of 500 clinical hours. All courses are seven weeks in length.
Students must take the following courses:
MSN 671: Psychopathopharmacology I
Duration: 7 weeks | Credit Hours: 3
Advanced psychopathopharmacological concepts, theories and issues related to neurobiology, genetic and neurocircuitry.
MSN 672: Psychopathopharmacology II
Duration: 7 weeks | Credit Hours: 3
Advanced psychopathopharmacological concepts, theories and issues related to psychiatric and mental health disorders and treatments.
MSN 673: Psych-Mental Health Assessment and Diagnosis
Duration: 7 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.
MSN 674: Psychotherapy for Psych-Mental Health NP
Duration: 7 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.
MSN 675: Management of Psych-Mental Health Disorders
Duration: 7 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.
MSN 664L: Psych-Mental Health NP Clinical I
Duration: 7 weeks | Credit Hours: 1
The first in a series of courses comprised of a supervised PMHNP clinical residency in a variety of settings. Students will engage patients across the lifespan integrating and synthesizing psychopharmacology, assessment, diagnosis, treatment and management of the psychiatric mental health patient.
MSN 665L: Psych-Mental Health NP Clinical II
Duration: 7 weeks | Credit Hours: 1
The second in a series of courses comprised of a supervised PMHNP clinical residency in a variety of settings. Students will engage patients across the lifespan integrating and synthesizing psychopharmacology, assessment, diagnosis, treatment and management of the psychiatric mental health patient.
MSN 667L: Psych-Mental Health NP Clinical III
Duration: 7 weeks | Credit Hours: 1
The third in a series of courses comprised of a supervised PMHNP clinical residency in a variety of settings. Students will engage patients across the lifespan integrating and synthesizing psychopharmacology, assessment, diagnosis, treatment and management of the psychiatric mental health patient.
MSN 668L: Psych-Mental Health NP Clinical IV
Duration: 7 weeks | Credit Hours: 1
The fourth in a series of courses comprised of a supervised PMHNP clinical residency in a variety of settings. Students will engage patients across the lifespan integrating and synthesizing psychopharmacology, assessment, diagnosis, treatment and management of the psychiatric mental health patient.
Still Undecided?
See our Psych-Mental Health NP FAQ page for more information.
