Program Overview

Program Overview

The Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP) Certificate of Advanced Graduate Studies program is designed for master's-prepared nurse practitioners with certification in another specialty or master's-prepared nurses who wish to become psychiatric mental health nurse practitioners. The program is offered by the Lienhard School of Nursing in the College of Health Professions.

Program Details

• Location: Online (1–2 campus visits per semester)
• Duration: 28–37 Credits, 1.5–2 Years, Part-Time
• Modality: Online
• Start Date: Fall
• F1 Visa: No
• STEM Designated Program: No

Curriculum

The curriculum includes courses such as:

• NURS 629 Psychopharmacology in Advanced Practice Psychiatric Nursing
• NURS 648 Diagnostic Reasoning for Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioners
• NURS 781 Advanced Theory and Practice I for Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioners

Careers

Graduates of the program work as specialized healthcare professionals in various settings, including hospitals, clinics, outpatient treatment centers, and long-term care facilities. They care for the psychiatric-mental health care needs of patients, families, and communities.

Featured Faculty

• Gabrielle Ranger-Murdock, Assistant Professor
• Heather Dennis, Associate Professor
• Laura Kelly, Associate Professor

Admission and Financial Aid

Admission Requirements

• A personal statement
• A resume or outline describing employment history and significant community, professional, or college extracurricular activities
• 2 letters of recommendation from academic or professional references
• All Official Transcripts from accredited colleges or universities attended
• Must be a graduate of an accredited baccalaureate program in nursing
• Be licensed as a registered nurse in New York State
• Demonstrate scholastic aptitude as evidenced by previous academic work, motivation, leadership potential, and maturity
• Have an undergraduate cumulative QPA of 3.0
• Evidence of successful completion of an undergraduate statistics course
• Submit an essay, professional resume, and recommendations as described in the application
• Have one year of clinical experience in psychiatric nursing
• Submit official transcripts from each academic institution previously attended
• A personal interview may be required
• No standardized admissions test (GRE or Miller Analogy) is required

Admission Personal Statement

The personal statement should be a 500–600-word essay that includes:

1. Identification of the intended specialty
2. Description of how current nursing experience has prepared the applicant for this advanced practice role
3. Sharing of future goals as a nurse practitioner

Tuition

• Per credit: $1,585
• Total cost of program: $44,380–$58,645
• *Tuition based on current year and subject to change.

Application Deadline

• March 1

Financial Aid and Scholarships

Pace University offers internal scholarships and awards to help students meet their college expenses. Some assistance is specifically for College of Health Professions undergraduate and graduate students.

SARA Statement

As an approved SARA institution, Pace University only needs home state authorization to offer distance education to students residing in any other SARA member state. The PMHNP master's degree program is fully accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE), making MS graduates eligible to sit for national certification (ANCC) and meeting requirements for APRN professional licensure in the state of New York. However, Pace University cannot guarantee that the program meets all the requirements for professional licensure in another state.