Program Tracks Overview
| Program | Est. Cost | Estimated Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Master of Science in Nursing — PMHNP | $42,000 total | 2–3 years (full time) |
| Post-Master’s PMHNP Certificate | $18,000 total | 1.5–2 years |
Master of Science in Nursing – PMHNP
The estimated cost for the MSN/PMHNP program is $42,000 and would take 2-3 years to complete on a full-time basis.
The program prepares nurses to provide advanced comprehensive mental health care for individuals, families, and groups across the lifespan with psychiatric disorders.
Students complete 42 credits in theory and clinical practicum courses using a holistic, person-centered approach emphasizing psycho-pharmacological and psycho-therapeutic interventions.
MSN Curriculum
MSN-600 Orientation to MSN Program
Students complete online modules to learn Alverno College systems and Graduate Nursing expectations. They also finish CastleBranch requirements for clinical placement.
MSN-602 Nursing Inquiry, Research & Scholarship
Students build skills to read, compare, and apply research to practice. They evaluate study quality, distinguish research from QI and EBP, and consider ethics and human-subject protections.
MSN-603 Health Care Systems: Organization, Economics, and Politics
Students study how policy, politics, delivery, and financing shape care quality and access. They analyze resource allocation across federal, state, and local systems through a nurse-leader lens.
MSN-615 Advanced Practice Roles and Nursing Theories
Students review APRN roles, scope, competencies, and legal issues. They apply nursing and related theories to guide advanced practice and leadership in teams.
MSN-616 Ethics for the Advanced Practice Nurse
Students reflect on moral reasoning using the ANA Code of Ethics. They apply ethical frameworks to APRN cases, committees, and consultations.
MSN-617 Population-Based Health
Students use epidemiology to assess community and population health. They analyze genetics, culture, environment, and reliable data sources to plan safe, cost-effective improvement strategies.
MSN-621 Advanced Physiology & Pathophysiology
Students examine disease mechanisms and clinical signs across the lifespan, with emphasis on adults and older adults. They consider variation by age, race, culture, and social factors to support APRN diagnosis and management.
MSN-622 Advanced Health & Physical Assessment
Students practice advanced assessment across the lifespan and synthesize findings. They generate differential diagnoses to support APRN clinical decisions.
MSN-623 Advanced Pharmacotherapeutics and Clinical Decision Making
Students study major drug classes, pharmacokinetics, and current evidence for patients across the lifespan. They assess cultural and genetic factors to prescribe safely as APRNs.
MSN-630 Psychopharmacology
Students examine psychotropic medications, actions, indications, side effects, and risks. They connect neurotransmission concepts to APRN treatment of mental health and addiction.
MSN-634 Advanced Practice Psychiatric Mental Health Care Theory 1
Students assess and diagnose adult mood, anxiety, OCD, and sleep disorders. They combine advanced psychopharmacology with CBT, Behavioral Activation, and ACT to build individualized, culturally aware plans.
MSN-634P PMHNP Clinical Practicum 1
Students deliver supervised care using advanced assessment, pharmacology, and psychotherapy. They form differentials and plans that reflect history, genetics, and lifestyle factors.
MSN-635 Advanced Practice Psychiatric Mental Health Care Theory 2
Students address disorders across the lifespan, including personality, neurocognitive, bipolar, schizophrenia, ADHD, and autism. They integrate psychopharmacology and group therapy to create evidence-based care plans.
MSN-635P PMHNP Clinical Practicum 2
Students expand supervised practice with individuals and groups, including children and adolescents. They refine diagnosis and treatment planning using clinical data and contextual factors.
MSN-636 Advanced Practice Psychiatric Mental Health Care Theory 3
Students focus on trauma, eating, and addiction disorders. They design evidence-based, culturally sensitive treatments and study PMHNP roles, standards, and legal and ethical duties.
MSN-636P PMHNP Clinical Practicum
Students demonstrate near-independent PMHNP practice under supervision. They integrate advanced assessment, pharmacology, and therapy to deliver comprehensive mental health care.
MSN-755 Capstone 1
Students develop a practice-focused project proposal. They define a problem, review the literature, justify the need, and outline implementation methods with faculty guidance.
MSN-760 Capstone 2
Students implement the capstone project, analyze results, and present recommendations. They disseminate findings in a professional forum before graduation.
More curriculum details are available here.
Upon graduation, students are eligible to apply for national certification as a lifespan PMHNP by the American Nurses Credentialing Center and state-sanctioned prescriptive authority.
MSN Clinicals
Students complete 750 hours of supervised clinical practice in psychiatric and mental health care settings. Clinical experiences are integrated throughout the program’s practicum courses.
MSN Admissions Requirements
- Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree
- Current, unencumbered RN license or eligibility for RN licensure in Wisconsin or multi-state compact
- Application requirements available through admissions office
Post-Master’s PMHNP Certificate
The estimated cost for the Post-Master’s PMHNP Certificate program is $18,000 and would take 1.5-2 years to complete.
The certificate program provides nurses with a master’s degree in nursing additional coursework and clinical training to fulfill requirements for national certification as a lifespan PMHNP by the American Nurses Credentialing Center.
Students complete psychopharmacology coursework, three theory courses, three practica courses, and orientation.
Readiness for initial advanced practice nurse prescriber licensure application in Wisconsin requires a clinical pharmacology course within the three preceding years.
Certificate Curriculum
Prerequisites (if not completed in previous MSN):
- MSN-615 – Adv Practice Roles & Nursing Theories (3 credits)
- MSN-621 – Advanced Physiology & Pathophysiology (3 credits)
- MSN-622 – Advanced Health & Physical Assessment (3 credits)
- MSN-623 – Advanced Pharmacotherapeutics & Clinical Decision Making (3 credits)
Certificate Requirements:
- MSN-600A – Orientation to Post Masters Program (0 credits)
- MSN-630 – Psychopharmacology (3 credits)
- MSN-634 & 634P – Advanced Mental Health Care- Adults and PMHNP Pract 1 (5 credits)
- MSN-635 & 635P – Adv Mntl HC-Chld, Adlt, Gero and PMHNP Pract 2 (5 credits)
- MSN-636 & 636P – Adv Mntl HC-Ser Ill, Addict and PMHNP Pract 3 (5 credits)
Certificate Clinicals
Students complete 600 practicum hours across three clinical practicum courses integrated with theory coursework.
Certificate Admissions Requirements
- Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) degree
- Successful completion of Advanced Practice Roles course
- Successful completion of courses in Advanced Pathophysiology, Advanced Physical Assessment, and Advanced Pharmacology in previous MSN curriculum (if not completed, these courses must be taken)
- Transcript evaluation determines specific course requirements
Tuition
Graduate tuition for the MSN program is $1,000 per credit hour.
The comprehensive fee for graduate students is $450 per semester, covering library and technology resources.
See the official tuition page for more details.
Accreditation
The master’s degree program in nursing and post-graduate APRN certificate program at Alverno College are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE), 655 K Street NW, Suite 750, Washington, DC 20001.
Other Nursing Programs
- Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN)
- 2+2 Nursing BSN Degree
- Direct Entry Master of Science in Nursing (DEMSN) – Milwaukee
- Direct Entry Master of Science in Nursing (DEMSN) – Mesa
- Family Nurse Practitioner MSN
- Post Master’s Adult-Gerontology Acute Care (ACNP)
- Post Master’s Adult-Gerontology Primary Care (AGNP)
- Post Master’s Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS)
- Post Master’s Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP)
- Post Master’s Neonatology Nurse Practitioner (NNP)
- Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) – Direct Care
- Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) – Executive Leadership
- Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) – Educational Leadership
More PMHNP Programs in Wisconsin
View All PMHNP Programs in Wisconsin
- Bellin College - Green Bay
- Concordia University - Mequon
- Edgewood University - Madison
- Milwaukee School of Engineering - Milwaukee
- University of Wisconsin - Madison
- University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire - Eau Claire
- University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee - Milwaukee