Nursing: Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (M.S.)

The Master’s in Nursing degree specialty track option in Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP) will prepare the experienced Registered Nurse (RN) with the knowledge, skills, and competencies to assess, diagnose, and manage mental healthcare patients across the lifespan. Foundational core coursework to prepare the advanced practice nurse is completed prior to transitioning into specialty content.

Courses are competency based, founded on evidence-based approaches to care management and learning strategies with commitment to student success and continuous quality improvement embedded within the process. Synchronous, asynchronous, low and high-fidelity simulation, on campus intensives, and clinical immersion will reinforce didactic content and afford the student the opportunity to transition to an active member of a collaborative mental health care team.

Admission Requirements

1. Unencumbered, active RN license in the United States.
2. Baccalaureate degree in Nursing and/or another field.
3. One full year of Registered Nurse  experience minimum (Psychiatric experience not required).
4. 3 professional letters of reference–academic and/or professional. 
5. Personal statement.  Prepare a brief but careful statement regarding:

   1. This is a graduate program that requires a high cognitive load, explain in detail how you are going to prepare yourself for that and manage throughout the program?

   2. Discuss the Master’s PMHNP program, what experiences have contributed to your interest and how do you visualize yourself in this role after graduation?

   3. Where do you visualize yourself in 3 years, 5 years, and 7 years?

6. Resume

Non-BSN Admission Requirements: RNs whose baccalaureate degree is in a discipline other than nursing may apply to the Master of Science degree in nursing (M.S.) program PMHNP track option and will be considered for the track that is commensurate with their clinical experience based on faculty discretion.

Degree Requirements

Clinical Hours: 750*

*

Clinical hours are completed through the following required courses: NURS 986, NURS 987, NURS 988, NURS 989.

The Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner builds upon the skills of the baccalaureate prepared generalist nurse. 

At the completion of the Master's nursing program, the graduate student is prepared to:

• Serve in a healthcare leadership and change agent role as part of a diverse, complex, and patient-centered health care system.
• Act as a practice scholar to design, direct and evaluate system changes to promote safe, timely, effective, efficient, equitable and patient-centered care.
• Use data analytic methods, information systems and technology to evaluate, integrate and apply knowledge that will improve programs of care, outcomes of care and care systems.
• Use translational science and analytic methods to develop, identify, implement, and evaluate best practices to improve health care and health care systems.
• Design and implement health promotion and clinical prevention strategies across the health/illness continuum to optimize health and disease management.
• Systematically use improvement methods to monitor and evaluate care processes and outcomes and applies data for continuous improvement and safety
• Advocate for social justice through policy, professional and political engagement.
• Applies leadership principles that support inter-professional practice.

In addition to the Master's Outcomes above, the Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner graduate will:

• Utilize advanced practice knowledge, skills, and competencies to assess, diagnose, and coordinate and manage mental health care patients across the lifespan
• Recommend and prescribe evidence-based developmentally appropriate treatment modalities to manage psychiatric conditions in patients across the lifespan defined by shared decision-making and patient concordance within state and federal scope of practice regulations
• Engage in professional, bias-free, quality, safe, collaborative, and ethical, evidence-based practice across all mental healthcare practice settings

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Deadlines

Applications must be completed by the following deadlines in order to be reviewed for admission:

• Fall: June 15
• Spring: November 1
• Summer: N/A
• Special: N/A

Application fee: $65

Campus: Online

New England Regional: No

Accelerated Masters Eligible: No

New Hampshire Residents

Students claiming in-state residency must also submit a Proof of Residence Form. This form is not required to complete your application, but you will need to submit it after you are offered admission or you will not be able to register for classes.

Transcripts

If you attended UNH or Granite State College (GSC) after September 1, 1991, and have indicated so on your online application, we will retrieve your transcript internally; this includes UNH-Durham, UNH-Manchester, UNH Non-Degree work and GSC. 

If you did not attend UNH, or attended prior to September 1, 1991, then you must upload a copy (PDF) of your transcript in the application form. International transcripts must be translated into English.

If admitted, you must then request an official transcript be sent directly to our office from the Registrar's Office of each college/university attended. We accept transcripts both electronically and in hard copy:

• Electronic Transcripts: Please have your institution send the transcript directly to grad.school@unh.edu. Please note that we can only accept copies sent directly from the institution.
• Paper Transcripts: Please send hard copies of transcripts to: UNH Graduate School, Thompson Hall- 105 Main Street, Durham, NH 03824. You may request transcripts be sent to us directly from the institution or you may send them yourself as long as they remain sealed in the original university envelope.

Transcripts from all previous post-secondary institutions must be submitted and applicants must disclose any previous academic or disciplinary sanctions that resulted in their temporary or permanent separation from a previous post-secondary institution. If it is found that previous academic or disciplinary separations were not disclosed, applicants may face denial and admitted students may face dismissal from their academic program.

Letters of recommendation: 3 required

Recommendation letters submitted by relatives or friends, as well as letters older than one year, will not be accepted.

Resume

A current resume is required with your submitted application.

Personal Statement

Prepare a brief but careful statement regarding:

1.    This is a graduate program that requires a high cognitive load, explain in detail how you are going to prepare yourself for that and manage throughout the program?
2.    Discuss the Master’s PMHNP program, what experiences have contributed to your interest and how do you visualize yourself in this role after graduation?
3.    Where do you visualize yourself in 3 years, 5 years, and 7 years?

Additional Department Requirements

The following items are also required when applying to the this program:

1. Proof of unencumbered, active RN license in the United States
2. Baccalaureate degree in nursing and/or another field*
3. One full year of RN experience minimum
4. One full year of med surg/neuro/intensive care/emergency room experience minimum (psychiatric experience not required)

*Non-BSN Admission Requirements: RNs whose baccalaureate degree is in a discipline other than nursing may apply to the Master of Science degree (M.S.) in nursing program PMHNP option and will be considered for the track that is commensurate with their clinical experience based on faculty discretion.

Applicants who completed prior nursing education internationally must request and submit verification from CGFNS. CGFNS is the only evaluating body accepted by American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) for board certification eligibility upon successful program completion. The evaluation determines whether or not prior coursework renders the applicant eligible for eventual ANCC certification and reviews perquisite requirements for the PM-PMHNP program and subsequent certification.

International Applicants

Prospective international students are required to submit TOEFL, IELTS, or equivalent examination scores. English Language Exams may be waived if English is your first language. If you wish to request a waiver, then please visit our Test Scores webpage for more information.

Important Notes

All applicants are encouraged to contact programs directly to discuss program-specific application questions.