MSN Psychiatric/Mental Health Nurse Practitioner
| Program start date | Application deadline |
| 2026-09-01 | - |
| 2026-03-01 | - |
| 2027-09-01 | - |
| 2027-03-01 | - |
Program Overview
UAB School of Nursing
The UAB School of Nursing provides support and assistance to MSN and DNP students in securing appropriate clinical placement sites and qualified preceptors from among more than 5,000 clinical affiliates.
Master's Program
Accelerated Master's
The Accelerated Master's program is designed for students who want to complete their master's degree in a shorter amount of time.
Adult-Gero Acute Care NP
The Adult-Gero Acute Care NP program prepares students to provide care to adults and older adults in acute care settings.
Adult-Gero Primary Care NP
The Adult-Gero Primary Care NP program prepares students to provide primary care to adults and older adults.
Care Transitions
The Care Transitions program focuses on the transition of patients from one care setting to another.
Clinical Research Management
The Clinical Research Management program prepares students to manage clinical research studies.
Family NP
The Family NP program prepares students to provide care to families and individuals across the lifespan.
MSN/MBA Dual Degree
The MSN/MBA Dual Degree program prepares students for leadership roles in healthcare.
Neonatal NP
The Neonatal NP program prepares students to provide care to newborns and infants.
Nurse Educator
The Nurse Educator program prepares students to teach nursing students.
Nurse-Midwifery
The Nurse-Midwifery program prepares students to provide care to women and newborns.
Nursing Administration
The Nursing Administration program prepares students for leadership roles in nursing.
Nursing Informatics
The Nursing Informatics program prepares students to use technology to improve healthcare.
Pediatric Acute Care NP
The Pediatric Acute Care NP program prepares students to provide care to children and adolescents in acute care settings.
Pediatric Primary Care NP
The Pediatric Primary Care NP program prepares students to provide primary care to children and adolescents.
Psychiatric/Mental Health NP
The Psychiatric/Mental Health NP program prepares students to provide care to individuals with mental health conditions.
RN to MSN
The RN to MSN program is designed for registered nurses who want to complete their master's degree.
Women's Health Care NP
The Women's Health Care NP program prepares students to provide care to women.
Doctoral Programs
DNP Program
The DNP program prepares students for advanced practice roles in nursing.
Specialties
- Adult-Gero Acute Care NP
- Adult-Gero Primary Care NP
- Family NP
- Neonatal NP
- Nurse Anesthesia
- Nurse Executive
- Pediatric Acute Care NP
- Pediatric Primary Care NP
- Population Health
- Post-MSN to DNP
- Psychiatric/Mental Health NP
- Women's Health Care NP
PhD Program
The PhD program prepares students for careers in research and academia.
Dual DNP-PhD Pathway
The Dual DNP-PhD Pathway program prepares students for advanced practice roles and careers in research and academia.
Non-Degree Options
Certificates
The UAB School of Nursing offers various certificate programs for students who want to specialize in a particular area.
Subspecialties
The UAB School of Nursing offers various subspecialty programs for students who want to specialize in a particular area.
Office of Student Success
The Office of Student Success provides support and resources to students in the UAB School of Nursing.
Program Information
MSN Admission Requirements
Prospective students must meet the following requirements for admission:
- Hold a BSN degree from a regionally accredited institution and a nationally accredited nursing program.
- Possess an unencumbered and unrestricted nursing license to practice in the state where you plan to conduct your clinical practicum.
- Cumulative undergraduate grade point average of at least 3.0 on a 4.0 scale or on the last 60 semester hours.
- Students with less than a 3.2 GPA are required to complete and submit scores for the Graduate Record Exam (GRE) or GMAT.
State Regulations Governing Distance Programs
Out-of-state applicants to any of our distance-accessible programs should become familiar with their state's regulations governing distance accessible programs.
Application for Admission/Application Deadlines
Application deadlines are as follows:
- Summer 2026: October 9, 2025
- Fall 2026: February 13, 2026
Sample Program of Study
The curriculum consists of 45 credit hours of course work, with 35 credit hours of didactic coursework and 10 credit hours of clinical practice experience.
Sample Program of Study
Year 1
- Fall: NUR 737Q Interprofessional Leadership Roles and Financial Considerations of Professional Practice, NUR 612Q Advanced Pathophysiology
- Spring: NUR 729Q Evidence-Based Practice for Advanced-Level Nursing, NUR 613Q Pharmacology and Therapeutics
- Summer: NUR 735Q Population Health for Advanced-Level Nursing, NUR 614Q Advanced Health Assessment & Introduction to Diagnostic Reasoning, NPN 618QL Focus on Advanced Practice Specialization (NPN) Year 2
- Fall: NPN 621Q Advance Psychiatric/Mental Health Nursing I, NPN 685QL Practicum I: Psychiatric/Mental Health Nurse Practitioner
- Spring: NPN 622Q Advance Psychiatric/Mental Health Nursing II, NPN 686QL Practicum II: Psychiatric/Mental Health Nurse Practitioner
- Summer: NPN 623Q Advance Psychiatric/Mental Health Nursing III, NPN 692QL Practicum III: Psychiatric/Mental Health Nurse Practitioner
MSN Program Outcomes
Upon completion of the MSN Program, students will be able to:
- Synthesize research, theoretical formulations, and principles of scientific inquiry to provide evidence-based practice.
- Assume leadership in managing and evaluating continuous quality improvement processes.
- Use information systems/technology to evaluate programs of care, outcomes of care, and care systems.
- Advocate and implement health-care policies that improve access, equity, efficiency, and social justice in the delivery of health care.
- Provide ethical, culturally sensitive care in an advanced nursing role independently and collaboratively with professionals from multiple disciplines.
- Monitor the quality of one's own nursing practice based on professional practice standards and relevant statutes and regulations.
- Apply theories and principles of marketing, economics, consultation, management, and leadership to comprehensively perform an advanced nursing role.
Tuition and Fees
The following tuition and fees are valid for the academic year and are subject to change annually.
- MSN Coursework (distance-accessible format per semester hour): $723 (resident and non-resident)
- Fees - UAB School of Nursing: Educational Support and Technology Fee (per course): $235
- Other Related Expenses (Estimated): Books and supplies (estimate per term): $600, Student Hospitalization Insurance Fee (estimate per month): $270, Background Check (annual estimate): $92
Funding Your Education
University Scholarships and Financial Aid
Information on Financial Aid, University Scholarships, and other funding opportunities are available on UAB's Cost & Aid website.
UAB School of Nursing Scholarships
The UAB School of Nursing offers many scholarships, both need and merit-based, to support nursing students across all programs.
Graduate Fellowships and Traineeships
There are a limited number of Graduate Fellowships and Traineeships that are awarded through the UAB School of Nursing.
Information for International Students
Prospective International students must first contact UAB International Admissions to determine eligibility to study in the U.S. and/or submit an application for admission to UAB.
- F1 or J1 Visa Acceptable: Not eligible for this program
- College Degree (BSN Equivalent): Required
- Foreign Transcripts Evaluated: Required
- English Proficiency: Required
- Graduate Record Exam (GRE): Required
- Licensure as a Registered Nurse in the U.S.: Required
Application Requirements
- Prospective students must have a bachelor's degree in nursing equivalent to that offered by a U.S. regionally accredited educational institution.
- For Graduate Clinical Programs, prospective students must also be licensed as a registered nurse in the U.S., in the state in which they will reside while completing the program.
- International applicants must provide a detailed course-by-course evaluation of their academic transcripts and verification of their academic credentials.
- Applicants must have a minimum grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale on prior college/university course work.
- Applicants must complete and submit their scores from the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) as part of the application process.
- Completion of a formal admission interview.
- Meet English language requirements: TOEFL iBT 80 and minimum of 18 in each of the 4 test sections, or IELTS 6.5 and minimum of 6.0 in at least 2 of the 4 test sections.
