Program Tracks Overview
| Program | Est. Duration (FT) | Est. Tuition | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| BSN-DNP | 3 years | $46,494 | 72 |
| Certificate | 1-1.5 years | $14,852 | 23 |
Instruction is offered in a flexible hybrid format that supports working RNs, with practicum placements coordinated across approved sites.
BSN-to-DNP – PMHNP
The estimated cost for the DNP program is approximately $46,494 in-state or $115,704 out-of-state for 72 credits (tuition only; fees extra) and would take about 3 years to complete on a full-time basis.
BSN-DNP Curriculum
Level I Core Courses
NURS 665 — Theoretical and Ethical Foundations Related to Nursing (3 cr.)
Analyzes nursing and related theories with a strong focus on ethical frameworks and moral decision-making in practice, including patients’ rights, professional obligations, and social justice.
NURS 688 — Organization of Nursing and Health Care Delivery Systems (3 cr.)
Surveys structures, processes, and key concepts of U.S. health care delivery and nursing organizations through lecture and discussion.
NURS 758 — Nursing Research and Biostatistics II (3 cr.)
Applies complex biostatistical methods to practice problems using existing datasets; evaluates research quality as evidence for nursing practice.
Level II Core Essentials Courses
NURS 643 — Community-Oriented Primary Care (3 cr.)
Covers theory and application of community-oriented primary care with emphasis on health promotion and disease prevention.
NURS 715 — Nursing Informatics Inquiry (3 cr.)
Introduces health informatics concepts, system life cycle, data standards, EHRs, and the use of informatics to support safety, outcomes, decisions, and legal/ethical issues.
NURS 808 — Translating Nursing and Health Care Research into Evidence-Based Policy (3 cr.)
Prepares students to assess policy dimensions of nursing issues and translate research into actionable health policy.
NURS 870 — Nursing and Health Care Administration I (3 cr.)
Explores leadership and management scholarship in health systems, including forces shaping organization and performance.
NURS 883 — Evidence-Based Practice in Nursing and Healthcare (4 cr.)
Identifies practice/system problems, appraises evidence (studies and reviews), and develops a proposal to improve care with quality improvement strategies.
Advanced Practice Competency Courses
NURS 921 — Clinical Practicum I (1–10 cr.)
Supervised practicum hours toward DNP requirements; develops advanced clinical decision-making and leadership with preceptors; seminar plus clinical practice.
NURS 922 — Clinical Practicum II (1–10 cr.)
Continues advanced clinical practice with emphasis on change leadership and systems of care; applies advanced assessment and decision-making; seminar plus clinical practice.
BSN-DNP Project
NURS 980 — Practice Inquiry I (4 cr.)
Synthesizes literature, analyzes context, defines standards of care, appraises evidence, and builds a project proposal with outcome measures.
NURS 981 — Practice Inquiry II (4 cr.)
Implements the approved project, conducts process analysis, collects and analyzes data, and disseminates findings in a scholarly format.
More curriculum details are available here.
BSN-DNP Clinicals
- Minimum of 1,000 precepted/mentored hours across the program; master’s-to-DNP entrants may transfer up to 600 hours from prior graduate preparation after transcript review
- Clinical hours are distributed among graduate courses and the PMHNP practicum sequence, ensuring lifespan exposure and systems improvement experience
BSN-DNP Prerequisites & Admissions
- BSN from an accredited program; active U.S. RN license; ≥1 year RN experience
- Statistics course within the last 5 years (or take in first term if provisionally admitted)
- College transcripts, goals statement (two prompts), 2 recommendations, résumé
- Background check, immunizations, and current CPR card required upon acceptance
- Applications accepted for fall and spring; fall files received after Feb 1 reviewed on a rolling, space-available basis
See the official tuition page for more details.
Post-Master’s PMHNP Graduate Certificate
The estimated cost for the PMHNP Graduate Certificate is approximately $14,852 in-state or $36,961 out-of-state for 23 credits (tuition only; fees extra) and would typically take 1–1.5 years full-time depending on prior coursework.
Certificate Curriculum
Required (23 credits):
- NURS 632 Pathogenesis of Mental Disorders (3)
- NURS 633 Individual Psychotherapy (3)
- NURS 634 Group/Family/Couple Psychotherapy (1)
- NURS 743 Clinical Psychopharmacology (3)
- NURS 782 PMHNP Practicum I (4)
- NURS 783 PMHNP Seminar I (2)
- NURS 784 PMHNP Practicum II (5)
- NURS 785 PMHNP Seminar II (2)
- If not already an NP (or if prior grades/objectives do not align), additional 9 credits may be required: NURS 714 (2), NURS 724 (1), NURS 761 (3), NURS 769 (3)
More curriculum details are available here.
Certificate Clinicals
- Practicum I (4 credits) and Practicum II (5 credits) provide supervised psychiatric practice across varied settings, emphasizing assessment, psychotherapy, and medication management
- Scheduling supports part-time study; clinical compliance includes license, immunizations, background check, and current BLS/CPR
Certificate Prerequisites & Admissions
- Master’s degree in nursing; active U.S. RN license
- Competitive, university-level application with transcripts, goals statement, résumé, recommendations
- Additional APN-core coursework may be assigned after gap analysis for non-NP entrants
Tuition
Graduate cost per credit (College of Public Health, 2025–2026):
- $645.75 in-state
- $1,607.00 out-of-state
- plus a Mandatory Student Fee of $163.50 per credit (program-specific course or distance fees may apply).
See the official tuition page for more details.
Notes on estimates: DNP cost assumes 72 credits; certificate cost assumes 23 credits; figures reflect tuition only using listed per-credit rates and exclude per-credit MSF and other program/course fees.
Accreditation
GMU’s BSN, MSN, and DNP degrees and post-graduate APRN certificates are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE), and prelicensure programs are approved by the Virginia Board of Nursing.
Explore More PMHNP Programs in Virginia
- Georgetown University - Georgetown
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- University of Virginia - Charlottesville