University of Florida PMHNP Program

College of Nursing Gainesville, FL

The University of Florida College of Nursing operates the first nurse practitioner program in the state and offers a comprehensive BSN to DNP PMHNP track requiring 1,260 clinical hours across eight semesters:

    • BSN to DNP PMHNP – Doctor of Nursing Practice (76 credit hours)

The program ranked as the #1 job of 2024 by U.S. News & World Report for nurse practitioners, reflecting high demand for mental health services.

Program Track Overview

UF’s program combines flexible online learning with mandatory periodic campus visits and clinical placements exclusively within Florida. Students benefit from a practice-focused doctorate that translates research into practical solutions, with the culminating DNP project often leading to publication and conference presentations. The program requires no GRE and offers both full-time and part-time study options, with clinical sites arranged across rural, community, and urban settings throughout Florida.

BSN to DNP PMHNP Program

The estimated cost for the BSN to DNP PMHNP program is approximately $40,332 for Florida residents ($100,919 for non-residents) and takes 4 years to complete on a full-time basis.

Curriculum

Core classes include:

  • NGR 6101 Theory and Research for Advance Nursing Practice
    Critical examination of theory and research from nursing and related fields. Emphasis on relationships among theory, research, and practice.
  • NGR 6140 Physiology and Pathophysiology for Advanced Nursing Practice
    Required core course. Human physiology, including normal changes throughout the life span, pathophysiology, and their implications for nursing.
  • NGR 6638 Health Promotion
  • NGR 6840 Applied Statistical Analysis I
    Advanced procedures for data analysis and statistical inference in nursing research.
  • NGR 6172 Pharmacotherapeutics for Advanced Nursing Practice
  • NGR 6850 Research Methods and Evidence Based Practice
    Knowledge and skills to critique theory and research from nursing and related fields as a basis for evidence-based practice.
  • NGR 6002C Advanced Health Assessment & Diagnostic Reasoning
  • NGR 7700 Health Systems Leadership
    Knowledge and skills needed to manage change, empower others, and influence political processes.
  • NGR 6870 Nursing Informatics & Information Management
  • NGR 6560C Advanced Psychiatric Assessment and Diagnostics
  • NGR 7891 Health Policy & Finance in Advanced Nursing Practice
    Health policy development, analysis, and implementation.
  • NGR 6836 Leading Quality Improvement Practice Initiatives
  • NGR 7940L Residency in Advanced Nursing Practice
  • NGR 6503 Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner: Individual Psychotherapy
  • NGR 6503L Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner: Individual Psychotherapy Clinical
  • NGR 6538 Psychopharmacology for Psychiatric Nursing
    Knowledge base for prescribing and managing psychotropic medications in treating psychiatric disorders.
  • NGR 7970L Advanced Nursing Project
  • NGR 6509 Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner: Family Psychotherapy
  • NGR 6509L Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner: Family and Individual Psychotherapy Clinical
  • NGR 7940L Residency in Advanced Nursing Practice
  • NGR 7970L Advanced Nursing Project
  • NGR 6508 Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner: Group Psychotherapy
  • NGR 6508L Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner: Group and Individual Psychotherapy Clinical 3
  • NGR 6740 Professional Issues in Advanced Practice Nursing
  • NGR 7940L Residency in Advanced Nursing Practice
  • NGR 7970L Advanced Nursing Project
  • NGR 7176 Advanced Topics in Pharmacotherapeutics & Genomics
  • NGR 6941 DNP Practicum
  • NGR 7940L Residency in Advanced Nursing Practice
  • NGR 7970L Advanced Nursing Project

Clinical Requirements

Clinical training requires 1,260 supervised clinical hours across diverse mental health settings throughout Florida, including rural, community, and urban environments.

Students complete specialized clinical rotations in the following:

  • individual psychotherapy (180 hours)
  • family psychotherapy (180 hours)
  • group psychotherapy (180 hours)
  • advanced practicum experiences (240 hours)
  • residency experiences (300 hours total)
  • DNP project implementation

Prerequisites & Admissions

BSN to DNP Program Requirements:

  • No GRE required
  • Bachelor’s Degree in Nursing from ACEN, CNEA, or CCNE accredited school
  • Minimum overall GPA of 3.0 on 4.0 scale
  • Current unencumbered Florida or multi-state RN license (or eligibility for licensure)
  • Demonstrated clinical excellence and leadership ability
  • U.S. citizen, legal resident, or valid visa holder
  • Two-part application process: University of Florida Professional Program Application and NursingCAS application
  • Three letters of reference
  • CV or resume
  • Official transcripts from all institutions (foreign coursework requires NACES credential evaluation)
  • Background check, immunization verification, fingerprinting, and drug screening upon admission
  • Current health insurance proof required
  • English proficiency test required for non-native speakers (TOEFL, IELTS, or MELAB)

Tuition

Graduate courses cost $530.69 per credit hour for Florida residents and $1,327.88 per credit hour for non-residents.

Additional fees include technology fee ($6.56), activity and service fee ($19.06), and health fee ($15.81) per credit hour.

See the official tuition page for more details.

Accreditation

The University of Florida College of Nursing’s DNP program is accredited by appropriate nursing education accrediting bodies. Graduates are eligible for national certification through the American Nurses Credentialing Center.

Other Nursing Programs

  • Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner (BSN to DNP)
  • Family Nurse Practitioner (BSN to DNP)
  • Pediatric Acute Care Nurse Practitioner (BSN to DNP)
  • Pediatric Primary Care Nurse Practitioner (BSN to DNP)
  • Dual Pediatric Acute and Primary Care Nurse Practitioner (BSN to DNP)
  • MSN to DNP program (35 credits, 5 semesters)
  • Nurse Educator Certificate

Related PMHNP Programs

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