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 34-credit-hour 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
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
Earn a high–quality degree with a low tuition
Our affordable Post-Master's Psych-Mental Health NP Certificate online program offers the same pay-as-you-go tuition to in-state and out-of-state students. All fees are included in the total cost.
Tuition breakdown:
| Program | Per Credit Hour | Required Fees | Total With Fees |
|---|---|---|---|
| Post-Master's Psych-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner Certificate | $550 | $1,574 | $20,274 |
Tuition and fees are subject to change at any time.
Some fees are course-based and subject to change based on date student enters such course.
NKU is ranked #6 among “The Best Online Colleges in Kentucky” by TheBestSchools.org (2020)
Calendar
View the upcoming dates and deadlines
The Post-Master's Psych-Mental Health NP Certificate program is delivered in a flexible online format featuring 7-week courses and six start dates a year. View the calendar to find the best class start for you and note the associated deadlines.
Now Enrolling:
| Session | Program Start Date | Application Deadline | Document Deadline | Registration Deadline | Tuition Deadline | Last Class Day |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Summer 1 | 05/08/2023 | 04/26/2023 | 05/01/2023 | 05/04/2023 | 05/08/2023 | 06/23/2023 |
| Summer 2 | 06/26/2023 | 06/14/2023 | 06/19/2023 | 06/22/2023 | 06/26/2023 | 08/11/2023 |
| Fall 1 | 08/21/2023 | 08/09/2023 | 08/14/2023 | 08/18/2023 | 08/21/2023 | 10/06/2023 |
| Fall 2 | 10/18/2023 | 10/05/2023 | 10/10/2023 | 10/13/2023 | 10/18/2023 | 12/08/2023 |
| Spring 1 | 01/08/2024 | 01/02/2024 | 01/04/2024 | 01/05/2024 | 01/08/2024 | 02/23/202$ |
| Spring 2 | 03/11/2024 | 02/29/2024 | 03/04/2024 | 03/08/2024 | 03/11/2024 | 04/26/2024 |
Admissions
Review this admission checklist for our online Post–Master’s PMHNP nursing program
The Post-Master's Psych-Mental Health NP Certificate online program features a streamlined admission process so you can get started right away. Please review the Program Map to determine eligibility of this program in your state. Requirements for admission include:
View full admission requirements
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 Education302 Lucas Administrative Center
Highland Heights, KY 41099
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, students must complete 14 courses, comprising 34 credit hours. These include nine core courses (27 credit hours), four supervised Psych-Mental Health NP clinical residencies with a total of 500 clinical hours, and 3 credit hours for a capstone project.
Students must take the following courses:
MSN 610: Diagnostic Reasoning and Advanced Physical Assessment
Duration: 7 weeks | Credit Hours: 3
Development of advanced skills in assessment of physical, cognitive, nutritional and functional domains: integration of appropriate test data and diagnostic reasoning.
MSN 611: Advanced Clinical Pharmacology and Intervention for APRN's
Duration: 7 weeks | Credit Hours: 3
Review of pharmacological physiology of selected therapeutic agents; pharmacological management of clients, including drug selection, client/family education, and monitoring and evaluating pharmacological interventions.
MSN 612: Role Development in Advanced Practice Nursing
Duration: 7 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.
BIO 669: Human Pathophysiology
Duration: 7 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.
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.
Students must take the following course, totaling 3 credit hours, as part of the online Post-Master's Psych-Mental Health NP Certificate practicum.
MSN 676: Psych-Mental Health NP Capstone
Duration: 7 weeks | Credit Hours: 3
Essential topics in role, ethics, and law specific for the Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner. Selected practice issues including professional role responsibilities, informed consent, ethics in psychiatry, risk assessment and legal considerations in the advanced role in psychiatry. Completion of a capstone scholarly project for PMHNP. Prerequisites: MSN 602 or DNP 800, DNP 816, MSN 601, MSN 612, and MSN 674. Co-requisite: MSN 668L.
Still Undecided?
See our Psych-Mental Health NP FAQ page for more information.
