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

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

Fulfill the growing need for psychiatric and mental health care by starting your online Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner, MS (PMHNP). Graduates will be eligible to sit for the ANCC Board certification exam for Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner Across the Lifespan.

  Credit Hours: Up to 50 Credits |     Program Length: 30 Months  |    Tuition Cost
 

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WHY GET A MASTER’S IN NURSING: PSYCHIATRIC-MENTAL HEALTH NURSE PRACTITIONER?

The Master’sof Science in Nursing: Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP) degree program will prepare the experienced registered nurse (RN) with the knowledge, skills and competencies to assess, diagnose and manage mental health care patients across the lifespan. Foundational core coursework integral to the advanced practice nursing role is completed prior to transitioning into specialty content. Successful completion of this program will prepare graduates for meeting the mental health care needs of patients across the lifespan in numerous treatment settings.

WHY CHOOSE UNH’S GRADUATE NURSING PROGRAM?

This online Master’s program offers both full- and part-time options combines the convenience of online learning with high and low-fidelity simulation experiences, competency-based education, and guidance of expert faculty. Foundational and specialty courses are taught by faculty with expertise in the content areas with current and relevant clinical and scholarly experience. Upon completion of the foundational coursework, students will transition into the Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP) specialty course portion of the program. Within the PMHNP specialty courses, students take aligned didactic coursework prior to transitioning into an immersive clinical practicum experience. Students complete a  minimum of 750 clinical hours and participate in three intensives (one virtual and two on-campus) scheduled throughout the program. Students can begin during the fall or spring term. Upon successful program completion, graduates will be eligible to sit for the ANCC board certification exam for Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner Across the Lifespan (PMHNP-BC)

POTENTIAL CAREERS

  • College health
  • Community mental health
  • Consultation liaison
  • Correctional facilities
  • Extended care facilities
  • Inpatient mental health care
  • Integrated behavioral health
  • Private practice
  • Substance use disorder treatment
  • Telehealth services

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Licensing Requirements

Applicants who intend to pursue licensure after completing UNH's online Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner, MSN should become familiar with their state's licensure requirements. Students should contact their State Board of Nursing to confirm whether this program meets online program requirements for licensure in their state. LEARN MORE

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Curriculum & Requirements

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.

Upon successful program completion, graduates will be eligible to sit for the ANCC board certification exam for Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner Across the Lifespan (PMHNP-BC).

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*

NURS 818Foundations of Evidence Based Practice3
NURS 816Health Promotion Theory and Population Health3
NURS 915Leadership, Role & Collaboration3
NURS 820Advanced Physiology and Pathophysiology Across the Lifespan3
NURS 812Advanced Pharmacology and Therapeutics3
NURS 814Advanced Health Assessment Across the Lifespan3
NURS 911Diagnosis & Management - Diagnostic Reasoning3
NURS 977Neurobiology of Mental Disorders Across the Lifespan2
NURS 983Foundations of Psychiatric-Mental Health Practice and Assessment3
NURS 978Psychopharmacology of Mental Health Disorders Across the Lifespan I2
NURS 991Diagnosis & Management of Mental Health Disorders Across the Lifespan I3
NURS 979Psychopharmacology of Mental Health Disorders Across the Lifespan II2
NURS 992Diagnosis & Management of Mental Health Disorders Across the Lifespan II3
NURS 986Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner Practicum I2
NURS 990Mental Health & Special Populations3
NURS 987Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner Practicum II3
NURS 988Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner Practicum III3
NURS 989Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner Practicum IV3
Total Credits50
*

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.

Explore Program Details

Tuition & Fees:

The University of New Hampshire’s online graduate tuition and fees information is available on the UNH Business Services Website. Program costs and technology fees are subject to change.

Course Fees: Specific courses may have additional course fees. Visit the course schedule for more information. 

ADDITIONAL TUITION & FEES INFORMATION

Financial Aid:

Federal Unsubsidized Direct Loans are a form of federal financial aid available to Graduate Students.

To apply, you must complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).

ADDITIONAL FINANCIAL AID INFORMATION

Online Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner, MSN courses are taught by faculty with excellent practical and pedagogical experience.

Meet our Faculty

The purpose of this handbook is to bring together important information and to tell you about other sources of information that are either essential or helpful. It is intended to complement, not replace, the rules and regulations as set forth in the University of New Hampshire Graduate Catalog

GRADUATE NURSING HANDBOOK

College of Health & Human Services

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We offer the education you need for a leadership role to transform today's healthcare delivery.

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UNH Nursing Department is nationally accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education.
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Faculty & Student Spotlights

  • Breanne Vasquez
    PMHNP Certificate, '22G
    Broad Shoulders -  Mother of four and wife of a career infantry service member, Breanne Vasquez has managed the family household singlehandedly during her husband’s multiple deployments while holding down a full-time job and pursuing her own academic studies. This challenging combination underscores her strength, independence, and an understated modesty about the grit and perseverance…
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  • Tai Slyne
    From the Heart
    "If you are full within, you have plenty to give others by helping, listening, guiding. I live my calling and it is my joy to serve." Born to Nigerian parents living in England, most of Tai Slyne’s immediate family work in the medical field. Although her original goal was to become a physician, the family purse could not afford multiple siblings to attend medical school simultaneously…
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  • TASHA HUMPHREYS
    The Education Cycle
    "As the first person in my immediate family to earn a college degree, I broke a long-standing generational cycle since none of us had an education beyond high school. I always say, if you want to hear the universe laugh, tell everyone about your plans." Tasha Humphreys grew up in the southern states as her family followed changing employment opportunities, many of them gravitating from…
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  • Michael Robustelli Profile
    A Journey of Discovery
    Michael Robustelli knows from experience that the path of discovery is not a straight line. During a lucrative career as a commodities trader in NYC, Michael felt something was missing. “My dad tells me that at age seven I wanted to become a doctor,” he remarks with a smile. “I needed to get back to that childhood instinct.” Acknowledging his ground-swelling desire to achieve a goal…
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  • Isaac Ndungu Profile
    An Open Heart
    Openness is a way of life for Isaac Ndungu, 2020 graduate of the UNH Online post master’s Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner program. Originally from Kenya, he emigrated to the United States in 1983 to study industrial engineering and later attended the University of Massachusetts for computer science and civil engineering. After twenty years in the computer industry, a life-changing…
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