| Program | Estimated Tuition | Estimated Duration | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| MSN | $45K in-state | 2.5 years | 55 |
| BSN to DNP | $59K | 3 years | 72 |
| Post-Master’s Certificate | $19K–$22K | 4 semesters | 23-27 |
For South Carolina residents it’s one of the most affordable psychiatric NP educations available — roughly $45K for the full MSN — built around a rural mental health mission, with a post-master’s certificate that can be completed with zero campus travel.
Quick Facts
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Program Types | MSN (55 credits), BSN-to-PMHNP/DNP (72 credits), Post-Master’s Certificate (23–27 credits) |
| Format | Fully online except hybrid courses; hybrid courses require no more than two campus trips per semester (certificate students can attend virtually instead) |
| Clinical Hours | 780 (MSN and certificate); 1,080 (BSN-to-DNP) |
| Clinical Placement | Students locate their own preceptors; preceptor leads shared via Blackboard |
| Population | Psychiatric care across the lifespan in acute and non-acute settings, with a rural focus |
| Enrollment Eligibility | Must be licensed and/or practicing in a Nurse Licensure Compact state; excludes CA, IL, MI, NY, MN, OR, WA, NV, HI, AK, USVI, and American Samoa |
| Certification | Graduates eligible for AANP and/or ANCC exams |
| Tuition | $823.20/credit SC resident; $1,646.40/credit non-resident (2026–27) |
| Start Term | Fall only; rolling admissions |
| Accreditation | Nursing accreditation not clearly stated in available material |
MSN PMHNP
The estimated tuition for the MSN PMHNP at Francis Marion University is approximately $45,300 for South Carolina residents or $90,600 for non-residents (55 credits at $823.20/$1,646.40 per credit).
Full-time students generally finish in about 2.5 years.
The program admits each fall, runs fully online except for hybrid courses requiring at most two campus trips per semester, and offers an optional add-on: three extra graduate courses earn a post-master’s certificate in nursing education alongside the PMHNP.
MSN Curriculum
The curriculum front-loads APRN foundations and psychiatric science — including dedicated neuroscience and evidence-based psychopharmacology courses — then moves into a three-course psychiatric management sequence spanning assessment, differential diagnosis, and treatment across the lifespan. Notably, the plan of study includes doctoral-level coursework (DNP 800, 802, 803), which positions graduates for later DNP completion. A 240-hour advanced practicum and synthesis course caps the program.
- Advanced Pathophysiology, Advanced Pharmacology, Advanced Physical Assessment
- Neuroscience of Psychiatric Disorders
- Evidence-based Psychopharmacology of the Advanced Practice Nurse
- Advanced Assessment, Differential Diagnosis, and Management of Psychiatric Disorders Across the Lifespan I–III
- Advanced Practicum & Synthesis of PMH Patients Across the Lifespan
- Doctoral Knowledge Development; Doctoral Health Policy, Finance and Leadership
MSN Clinical Requirements
Students complete 780 precepted clinical hours in acute and non-acute settings — higher than the 500–600 hours many MSN PMHNP programs require. Placement is student-driven: you find your own preceptors and schedule your own hours, with preceptor leads posted to the graduate nursing Blackboard site.
- 780 total clinical hours: three 180-hour rotations plus a 240-hour final practicum
- Acute and non-acute psychiatric settings across the lifespan
- Preceptors may be APRNs, physicians, or PAs with at least one year of specialty experience
- Students locate their own preceptors — no school-arranged placements
- Clinical courses are hybrid, with up to two campus visits per semester
MSN Admissions
Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis, with a deadline one week before classes start.
- BSN degree required
- $41 application fee (FMU’s fee schedule also lists a $95 nursing application fee)
- Official transcripts from all institutions attended
- Three letters of recommendation, including one from a current or former supervisor
- Personal statement (300–500 words on career goals)
- Resume or CV
- RN license and/or practice in an NLC compact state
- Post-acceptance: background check, drug screen, immunizations, TB test, CPR certification, malpractice insurance, active unencumbered license
BSN to PMHNP/DNP
The estimated tuition for the BSN to PMHNP/DNP at Francis Marion University is approximately $59,300 for South Carolina residents or $118,500 for non-residents (72 credits at $823.20/$1,646.40 per credit). Full-time students generally finish in about 3 years.
The track takes nurses from BSN to doctorate in one continuous sequence — earning the doctorate for roughly $14K more than the MSN alone at in-state rates — and there is no opt-out for taking national certification boards before graduation.
BSN-DNP Curriculum
The track uses the same psychiatric core as the MSN — neuroscience, psychopharmacology, and the three-course lifespan management sequence — woven together with DNP coursework in research, health policy, technology, and grant writing. Year 3 shifts to three doctoral residencies and a two-part capstone project.
- Advanced Pathophysiology, Advanced Pharmacology, Advanced Physical Assessment
- Neuroscience of Psychiatric Disorders
- Evidence-based Psychopharmacology of the Advanced Practice Nurse
- Advanced Assessment, Differential Diagnosis, and Management of Psychiatric Disorders Across the Lifespan I–III
- BSN-PMHNP/DNP Residency I–III
- Capstone I–II; Scholarly Writing and Grant Development
BSN-DNP Clinical Requirements
The track requires 1,080 clinical hours: the same three 180-hour psychiatric rotations as the MSN, plus 540 residency hours (240 + 180 + 120) in Year 3. The same student-found preceptor model applies.
- 1,080 total clinical hours
- 540 psychiatric specialty hours in Year 2; 540 doctoral residency hours in Year 3
- Hybrid clinical courses with up to two campus visits per semester
- Students arrange their own preceptors
BSN-DNP Admissions
Admission is each fall; requirements are posted on the DNP Applications and Forms page.
- BSN degree and RN license
- Licensed and/or practicing in an NLC compact state
- Post-acceptance: background check, drug screen, immunizations, TB test, CPR certification, malpractice insurance
- Detailed application requirements: not clearly stated in available material
FMU also offers a fully online, 30-credit MSN-to-DNP completion track (one year full-time, 360+ clinical hours, roughly $24,700 in-state) for nurses who finish the MSN PMHNP and later want the doctorate.
Post-Master’s Certificate PMHNP
The estimated tuition for the Post-Master’s Certificate PMHNP at Francis Marion University is approximately $18,900–$22,200 for South Carolina residents or $37,900–$44,500 for non-residents (23–27 credits at $823.20/$1,646.40 per credit).
Full-time students generally finish in about 4 semesters. The certificate can be completed with zero campus travel: unlike MSN and DNP students, certificate students may fulfill hybrid course requirements entirely online through virtual, synchronous sessions.
Certificate Curriculum
Credits range from 23 to 27 depending on an individualized gap analysis performed after admission, which reviews all LACE elements and prior practice experience against the student’s transcripts. Advanced practice core courses must appear separately on transcripts from an APRN program. Advanced PMHNP clinical courses are taken in sequence, drawing on the same psychiatric management coursework as the MSN track.
Certificate Clinical Requirements
Despite the shorter credit load, the certificate requires the full 780 precepted clinical hours — the same as the MSN — in acute and non-acute settings. The certificate also accepts a wider preceptor pool: licensed clinical social workers and clinical psychologists qualify, alongside APRNs, physicians, and PAs.
- 780 total clinical hours — not reduced by prior NP experience
- Broader preceptor eligibility than the MSN track (includes LCSWs and clinical psychologists)
- Students locate their own preceptors
- All requirements completable without campus travel
Certificate Admissions
- MSN degree required
- Fall admission
- Individualized gap analysis after acceptance
- Licensed and/or practicing in an NLC compact state
- Post-acceptance: background check, drug screen, immunizations, TB test, CPR certification, malpractice insurance
Tuition
Total tuition runs approximately $45,300 (MSN), $59,300 (BSN-to-DNP), and $18,900–$22,200 (certificate) for South Carolina residents, based on the 2026–27 graduate nursing rate of $823.20 per credit; non-residents pay exactly double at $1,646.40 per credit. Because PMHNP semesters run 6–9 credits, students are billed at part-time per-credit rates rather than the flat full-time semester rate (which requires 10+ credits).
Fees add modestly per semester: a $215 nursing program testing fee, $20 registration, and part-time activity, technology, and facility fees; one-time charges include a $95 nursing application fee and $126 enrollment fee.
FMU lists scholarship opportunities for nursing students. All figures are subject to annual Board of Trustees approval.
Why Choose This PMHNP Program?
Francis Marion’s strongest card is value: at roughly $45K total for the MSN and under $60K for a full BSN-to-DNP at in-state rates, it undercuts most private online PMHNP programs by half or more — while requiring more clinical hours (780–1,080) than most of them. The rural mental health focus is genuine rather than decorative, the entire program family runs online with at most two campus trips per semester, and certificate students can skip travel entirely via synchronous virtual sessions. Graduates leave eligible for either the AANP or ANCC exam, and the MSN’s embedded doctoral coursework feeds a one-year online MSN-to-DNP completion path.
The trade-offs: non-residents pay double, which erases much of the price advantage. Students find their own preceptors, which demands legwork and local professional connections — a meaningful contrast with schools that arrange placements. Enrollment is limited to nurses licensed and practicing in Nurse Licensure Compact states, ruling out California, New York, Washington, and nine other jurisdictions. Fall is the only start term.
Choose FMU if you’re a South Carolina or compact-state nurse — especially in the rural Southeast — who wants heavy clinical hours at a public-university price and is comfortable securing your own clinical sites.
Accreditation
Nursing program accreditation is not clearly stated in the available material. (The accreditation statement on FMU’s site concerns its Physician Assistant program, which is separate from nursing.) The university states PMHNP graduates are eligible to sit for the AANP and/or ANCC certification exams. Verify current nursing accreditation status directly with the university or the CCNE/ACEN directories before enrolling.
Review More South Carolina PMNHP Programs
- Anderson University - Anderson
- Medical University of South Carolina - Charleston
- University of South Carolina - Columbia