The M.S. in Nursing specialty in Psychiatric-Mental Health Nursing prepares students for advanced practice in mental health promotion and treating biopsychosocial responses to mental health problems and psychiatric disorders for individuals, groups and populations in inpatient, primary care and community settings. There are three components to the curriculum: core courses required of all students in the Master of Science curriculum in Nursing, courses required of all students in the PMHNP specialty, and PMHNP clinical practicum courses.
Students prepared in the PMHNP specialty are prepared to assess, diagnose and treat biopsychosocial responses to mental health problems and psychiatric disorders in children, adolescents and adults across the lifespan. Students prepared in the PMHNP specialty are eligible for American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) certification as an Advanced Practice Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner.
Core courses
- Nursing 7483: Quality Improvement and Informatics (3)
- Nursing 7780: Evidence Based Nursing Scholarship (3)
- Nursing Practice 8406: Leadership, Role, and Collaboration for the DNP (3)
- Nursing Practice 8490: Health Promotion, Theory, and Population Health (2)
- Nursing Practice 8500: Nursing Policy for Doctoral Nursing Practice (2)
Other required courses
- Nursing 7340: Neuroscience Principles and Concepts Relevant to Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing (3)
- Nursing 7341: Advanced Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing: Therapies Across the Lifespan (4)
- Nursing 7350: Psychopharmacology Across the Lifespan (3)
- Nursing 7410: Advanced Health Assessment (3)
- Nursing 7415: Clinical Reasoning with Diagnostic Methods for Advanced Nursing Practice (2)
- Nursing 7450: Pathophysiology of Altered Health States (5)
- Nursing 7470: Advanced Pharmacology in Nursing (4)
- Nursing Practice 8895: Advanced Practice Nursing: Final Professional Seminar (1)
Clinical coursework
- Nursing 7348.01: Advanced Practice Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing Clinical Practicum I (5 credit hours; 2 credits didactic, 3 credits clinical which equals 112.5* precepted clinical hours)
- Nursing 7348.02: Advanced Practice Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing Clinical Practicum II (10 credit hours; 3 credits didactic, 7 credits clinical which equals 262.5* precepted clinical hours)
- Nursing 7348.03: Advanced Practice Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing Clinical Practicum II (9 credit hours; 3 credits didactic, 6 credits clinical which equals 225* precepted clinical hours)
* These are the minimum hours required
Self-audit checklist
Use the hyperlinked list to ensure you have taken all of the courses required for your specialty. Your advisor will conduct a final review when you apply to graduate. Students must have completed these courses or have a Nursing Graduate Studies Committee-approved Course Waiver petition on file.
Psychiatric Mental Health NP Self Audit Checklist
Standard curriculum plan