Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (Post-MSN Certificate)
You should pursue a Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (Post-MSN Certificate) if:
- You’re an advanced practice nurse interested in specializing your skillset.
- You want to fulfill a vital role in patient care as a mental health care provider.
- You’re passionate about improving health care access and providing care to underserved populations.
The PMHNP (Post-MSN Certificate) provides advanced training to nurses who have earned an MSN degree from a nationally-accredited nursing program and hold a current national certification as an Acute Care Nurse Practitioner, Adult Nurse Practitioner, Family Nurse Practitioner, Geriatric Nurse Practitioner, or Women’s Health Nurse Practitioner.
Students who complete the program are eligible to sit for the National PMHNP certification examination.
Program at a Glance
Total Credit Hours: 20
Tuition: $9,600 ($480 per credit)
College: LHC Group · Myers School of Nursing
What to expect at UL Lafayette
Once enrolled in the program, you’ll complete 20 credit hours over four semesters along with a minimum of 510 direct patient care hours.
Didactic courses are 100% online, and clinical courses include an online didactic component plus direct patient care clinical experiences in which you’ll work with an approved advanced practice preceptor guided by graduate faculty.
Curriculum
Semester 1
- NURS 508: Diagnostic Considerations & Psychopharmacology for Psychiatric Disorders (3 Credits)
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NURS: 590: Psychotherapy for the Advanced Practice Psychiatric Nurse (3 Credits)
60 observational hours
Semester 2
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NURS 591: Advanced Practice Nursing: Psychiatric Mental Health I (5 Credits)
180 clinical hours
Semester 3
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NURS 592: Advanced Practice Nursing: Psychiatric Mental Health II (5 Credits)
210 clinical hours
Semester 4
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NURS 597: Advanced Practice Nursing: Psychiatric Mental Health III (4 Credits)
120 clinical hours
Life in the Program
- Enroll Fall or Spring. Begin earning the PMHNP Post-MSN Certificate as a cohort in August or January.
- Learn from the best. The PMHNP (Post-MSN Certificate) comprises courses offered as part of the MSN program, which is ranked No. 10 in the country. The program is approved by the Louisiana State Board of Nursing and accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education.
- Take advantage of flat-rate tuition & scholarship opportunities. Tuition is set at a flat-rate — $480-per-credit! Scholarship opportunities are also available for this program.
Admission requirements
To be considered for admission to the PMHNP (Post-MSN Certificate) Program, applicants must complete the following:
- Submit an online application along with $25 application fee.
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Request official transcripts from all colleges and universities attended.
- MSN degree must be from a graduate nursing program nationally accredited through CCNE.
- Overall graduate GPA must be at least 3.0 (on a 4.0 scale)
- Prerequisite coursework must demonstrate the adequacy of the content across the lifespan including Advanced Health Assessment, Advanced Pharmacotherapeutics, and Advanced Pathophysiology
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Two letters of recommendation:
- One recommendation must be from someone who can attest to the clinical competencies of the applicant at an Advanced Practice level.
- One recommendation must be from a former faculty member in a nursing program, a current or former nursing supervisor, or a nursing leader who can speak to the applicant’s potential for success in the graduate certificate program.
- Resume or curriculum vitae
- Statement of Purpose
- Evidence of current unencumbered Louisiana or Multistate Registered Nurse license
- Evidence of current unencumbered Louisiana Advanced Practice Registered Nurse license
- Evidence of current national certification as an Acute Care Nurse Practitioner, Adult Nurse Practitioner, Family Nurse Practitioner, Geriatric Nurse Practitioner, or Women’s Health Nurse practitioner
We’re Here to Help
Online Student Support Team
337-482-5555
online@louisiana.edu
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