Program Tracks Overview
| Program | Est. Tuition | Est. Duration | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| MSN | $53,616 | ~28 mos | 48 |
| Certificate | $30,159 | ~18–24 mos | 27 |
HPU’s defining advantage is that it operates Hawaii’s only in-state MSN-PMHNP and only post-master’s PMHNP certificate, both delivered 100% online with no campus visits. The state’s one alternative, the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa, offers only a full-time hybrid DNP cohort — making HPU the option built for nurses who need to keep working.
Quick Facts
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Program Types | MSN; Post-Master’s Certificate |
| Format | 100% online; no campus visits stated |
| Clinical Hours | 630 in both tracks (three 210-hour practicums) |
| Clinical Placement | Dedicated placement team helps secure approved local sites |
| Population | Lifespan (adult/geriatric, complex chronic, child/adolescent/family) |
| Distinctive Coursework | Recovery-model psychiatric sequence; forensic and social-determinant content |
| Concentrations | None stated |
| Transfer Credit | Up to 12 eligible credits accepted in either track |
| RN License Requirements | Active, unencumbered U.S. RN license |
| Tuition | $1,117/credit; est. $53,616 (MSN), $30,159 (certificate) |
| Accreditation | CCNE (nursing); WSCUC (institutional); NC-SARA participant |
Master of Science in Nursing – PMHNP
The estimated tuition for the MSN-PMHNP at Hawai‘i Pacific University is approximately $53,616 (48 credits at $1,117/credit). The program can generally be completed in about 28 months on a full-time basis.
MSN Curriculum
The 48-credit plan splits into an 18-credit APRN core and a 30-credit psychiatric specialty sequence. Two design choices stand out. First, the specialty sequence is organized by population rather than by skill: adults and older adults first, then complex chronic illness, then children, adolescents, and families — each with its own 210-hour practicum, so didactic content and clinical work stay synchronized. Second, HPU accepts up to 12 transfer credits from another accredited institution, which can eliminate most of the core for nurses who already completed graduate coursework.
Foundation Courses (18 credits):
- NUR 6000 – Introduction to Advanced Practice Roles (3)
- NUR 6010 – Advanced Pathophysiology (3)
- NUR 6020 – Advanced Nursing Research (3)
- NUR 6025 – Advanced Pharmacology (3)
- NUR 6030 – Advanced Assessment and Diagnostic Reasoning (3)
- NUR 8050 – Development and Implementation of Health Care Policy (3)
PMHNP Specialty Sequence (30 credits):
- NUR 6026 – Psychopharmacology Across the Lifespan (3) — ties neuroanatomy and psychopathology to prescribing, and covers genetic/cultural factors and complementary agents
- NUR 6970/6971 – Advanced Psychiatric/Mental Health Nursing I + Practicum (3 + 5) — adult and geriatric care in a recovery model
- NUR 6972/6973 – Advanced Psychiatric/Mental Health Nursing II + Practicum (3 + 5) — complex chronic conditions, with forensic, social, and economic determinants
- NUR 6974/6975 – Advanced Psychiatric/Mental Health Nursing III + Practicum (3 + 5) — child, adolescent, and family care as the capstone clinical
- NUR 7000 – Project Proposal Paper (3)
⚠️ The catalog description for NUR 8050 refers to preparing “DNP students,” though the course sits in the MSN core — it appears to be a shared graduate course; the requirement itself is clearly 3 credits within the 48.
More curriculum details are available here.
MSN Clinical Requirements
- 630 total clinical hours: NUR 6971 (210) + NUR 6973 (210) + NUR 6975 (210)
- Dedicated placement team helps secure approved psychiatric-focused sites in students’ local communities
- Settings include community mental health centers, behavioral health clinics, inpatient psychiatric units, telepsychiatry platforms, and integrated care models
630 hours is well above the 500-hour minimum most PMHNP programs use, and every hour is psychiatric-specific rather than split with primary care rotations. The placement model is support, not a guarantee — HPU helps identify and approve sites, but students should confirm during admissions how much of the preceptor search falls to them, especially on neighbor islands where psychiatric sites are scarce.
MSN Admissions
Admissions are standard for the field, with no work-experience gate, GRE, or interview stated.
- BSN from an accredited institution
- Minimum 3.0 GPA preferred
- Active, unencumbered U.S. RN license
- Application and $55 fee; $200 deposit applied to account upon enrollment
- Official transcripts from all institutions attended
- Two letters of recommendation
- Current CV or resume
- Statement of purpose
Post-Master’s Certificate – PMHNP
The estimated tuition for the Post-Master’s PMHNP Certificate at Hawai‘i Pacific University is approximately $30,159 (27 credits at $1,117/credit). The program can generally be completed in about 18–24 months.
Certificate Curriculum
The 27-credit certificate is the MSN specialty sequence with the core stripped out — nothing is watered down. Certificate students take the identical psychopharmacology course, the same three population-based didactic courses, and the same three 5-credit practicums as MSN students, and the same 12-credit transfer allowance applies. That makes this an unusually clean retraining path for FNPs and other APRNs: what you complete depends on a gap analysis of your existing MSN, not a fixed one-size sequence.
- NUR 6026 – Psychopharmacology Across the Lifespan (3)
- NUR 6970 – Advanced Psychiatric/Mental Health Nursing I (3)
- NUR 6971 – Practicum I (5)
- NUR 6972 – Advanced Psychiatric/Mental Health Nursing II (3)
- NUR 6973 – Practicum II (5)
- NUR 6974 – Advanced Psychiatric/Mental Health Nursing III (3)
- NUR 6975 – Practicum III (5)
Certificate Clinical Requirements
- 630 total clinical hours across the same three practicums (210 each)
- Placements coordinated in students’ local communities
- Settings include outpatient psychiatric clinics, community mental health centers, substance use recovery centers, private psychiatric practices, and correctional facilities
Requiring the full 630 hours — identical to the MSN — is a meaningful signal. Many certificate programs trim clinical hours toward 500 for experienced APRNs; HPU does not, so budget your work schedule for the same clinical load an MSN student carries, spread over 18–24 months.
Certificate Admissions
The certificate carries real prerequisite gates the MSN does not: specific graduate core courses must already be on your transcript, and they age out.
- MSN from an accredited university; 3.0 undergraduate GPA preferred
- Active, unencumbered U.S. RN license
- Completed graduate statistics/research course
- Completed graduate core equivalents: APRN roles, pathophysiology, research, pharmacology, physical assessment, and health policy
- Core courses must have been completed within 5 years if you are not currently practicing as an APRN
- Gap analysis of your existing MSN identifies any coursework you must add
- Application ($55), transcripts (semester-specific syllabi if requested), two recommendations, CV, statement of purpose, $200 deposit
- Annual application deadline: May 1 (the May 1, 2026 cycle has passed; the next cycle’s deadline should be confirmed with HPU)
Tuition
Total estimated tuition is $53,616 for the MSN and $30,159 for the certificate, both derived from HPU’s flat graduate nursing rate of $1,117 per credit (48 and 27 credits respectively).
- $55 application fee
- $200 enrollment deposit, applied to the student account
- No per-semester program, technology, or clinical fees are listed on the source page — confirm with HPU whether any apply
The transfer policy is the real cost lever: up to 12 eligible credits at $1,117 each is as much as $13,404 off either track. For Hawaii residents comparing in-state options, note that UH Mānoa’s resident rate is $820/credit — but that buys a 75-credit DNP, so HPU’s total outlay is still far lower.
See the official tuition page for more details.
Why Choose This PMHNP Program?
Best suited for nurses who need to earn PMHNP credentials while working full-time, want Hawaii-based accreditation and placement relationships, and don’t want to commit to a doctoral program.
HPU’s position in Hawaii is structural: it runs the state’s only MSN-PMHNP and its only post-master’s PMHNP certificate. UH Mānoa requires a three-year, full-time hybrid DNP cohort with campus obligations on O‘ahu; HPU requires neither campus visits nor full-time enrollment. For a working RN on Maui or the Big Island — or on the mainland — that difference decides the choice before curriculum is even compared. The 630 psychiatric-specific clinical hours also exceed the typical 500-hour standard, which strengthens both board preparation and first-job credibility.
The trade-offs are honest ones. At $1,117/credit, HPU is the more expensive per-credit option in the state for Hawaii residents, and clinical placement is assistance rather than a guarantee. There is no stated DNP progression, so nurses who ultimately want the doctorate would need a separate MSN-to-DNP program later — if a terminal degree is the goal from day one, UH Mānoa gets you there in one program. Choose HPU when flexibility, speed to practice, and the certificate pathway matter more than the credential ceiling.
Accreditation
The baccalaureate, master’s, post-graduate APRN certificate, and Doctor of Nursing Practice programs at Hawai‘i Pacific University are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) — the accreditation that matters for PMHNP certification and state licensure explicitly covers both tracks profiled here. Institutionally, HPU is accredited by the WASC Senior College and University Commission (WSCUC) and participates in NC-SARA, which supports enrollment of online students outside Hawaii.
More PMHNP Programs
University of Hawaii is the only other “in state” program for Hawaii. You can compare them on our Hawaii PMHNP Programs page or explore additional online options.