Program Tracks Overview
| Program Track | Duration (Full-Time) | Est. Tuition | Format |
|---|---|---|---|
| MSN – PMHNP | ~2.5 years | $41,055 | Online + 2–3 day campus intensives each semester; |
| BSN to DNP – PMHNP | ~3 years | $65,835 | Online + 2–3 day campus intensives each semester |
| Post-Graduate Certificate | ~1.25 years | $17,710 | Online + 2–3 day campus intensives each semester |
Anderson University’s School of Nursing delivers comprehensive PMHNP education through Christ-centered, holistic healthcare training with 750 required clinical hours across all patient populations including pediatrics, adolescents, adults, and older adults. Students benefit from instruction by practicing nurses who understand current healthcare complexities and integrate faith-based perspectives on servant leadership, emotional intelligence, and Christian worldview into advanced nursing practice.
The School of Nursing maintains CCNE accreditation and features South Carolina’s only cadaver lab designed exclusively for nursing students, plus state-of-the-art technology and simulation facilities. The program emphasizes holistic patient care recognizing neurocognitive implications of disease and treatment while developing skills in assessment, diagnosis, and management of complex mental health conditions across diverse clinical settings.
Master of Science in Nursing PMHNP Track
The estimated cost for the MSN PMHNP track is $41,055 and would take 2.5 years to complete on a full-time basis.
This comprehensive track serves registered nurses with bachelor’s degrees seeking advanced practice specialization in psychiatric-mental health care across the lifespan in clinical, community, or hospital settings.
Curriculum & Duration
The 51-credit hour program spans 5 semesters full-time or 8 semesters part-time. Core coursework includes:
- NUR 507 – Integration of Scholarship into Practice. Surveys research designs and evidence-appraisal skills to translate findings into clinical practice, including auditing workplace policies and identifying gaps in the literature.
- NUR 510 – Faith and Learning Worldview. Explores competing worldviews with emphasis on Christian perspectives, applying them to holistic patient care and servant leadership in advanced nursing roles.
- NUR 551 – PMHNP Clinical I. Introduces the PMHNP role through supervised physical and psychiatric assessments, building foundational clinical reasoning and team-based practice skills.
- NUR 555 – PMHNP Clinical II. Expands supervised practice to integrate assessment, diagnosis, and both psychopharmacologic and non-pharmacologic therapies for patients across the lifespan.
- NUR 591 – Advanced Pathophysiology. Examines disease as disordered physiology, linking mechanisms to clinical signs and symptoms to inform advanced diagnostic reasoning.
- NUR 592 – Advanced Physical Assessment. Develops comprehensive, lifespan assessment and clinical reasoning, distinguishing normal from abnormal findings and providing anticipatory guidance and health teaching.
- NUR 593 – Advanced Pharmacology. Uses a systems approach to design individualized pharmacotherapy plans, emphasizing risk stratification, monitoring, interactions, adverse effects, and patient education.
- NUR 601 – Organizational and Systems Leadership. Applies leadership and management principles to healthcare structures and processes, focusing on leading teams and driving outcome improvement.
- NUR 602 – Interprofessional Collaboration in Health Promotion. Builds teamwork and communication skills to coordinate, deliver, and evaluate patient-centered care for diverse populations.
- NUR 603 – Care of Aging Adults. Prepares nurses to manage complex conditions in older adults using evidence-based approaches tailored to age-related variations in assessment and treatment.
- NUR 610 – Applied Informatics in Healthcare Delivery. Trains students to manage clinical information and evaluate patient-care technologies to improve decision-making and outcomes.
- NUR 616 – Advocacy and Health Policy. Teaches analysis and development of healthcare policy and equips nurses to advocate effectively in political and organizational arenas.
- NUR 650 – Advanced Assessment Processes in Mental Healthcare across the Life Span. Introduces advanced psychiatric assessment and diagnosis using DSM-5, addressing dysfunctional coping and mental disorders across ages.
- NUR 651 – Management of Behavioral Health Populations across the Life Span. Reviews major psychopathologies with cultural and spiritual considerations, applying evidence-based pharmacologic and non-pharmacologic interventions and addressing legal/ethical issues.
- NUR 652 – Psychopharmacological Therapies across the Life Span. Deepens psychopharmacology with neurobiological and genetic foundations to guide safe, effective medication strategies from childhood through geriatrics.
- NUR 653 – Management of the Complex Mental Health Client across the Life Span. Builds on prior courses to assess, diagnose, and treat complex psychiatric conditions using DSM-5 with tailored pharmacologic and therapeutic interventions.
- NUR 655 – Certification Review Seminar – PMHNP. Provides a focused review of core PMHNP content and test-taking strategies to prepare for certification.
- NUR 661 – PMHNP Clinical III. Strengthens advanced practice independence by synthesizing assessment, diagnosis, and evidence-based treatments under supervision for patients of all ages.
- NUR 665 – PMHNP Clinical IV. Culminating residency that advances independent decision-making, interprofessional collaboration, quality evaluation, and role competence across varied psychiatric settings.
Students must achieve B grades or higher in all advanced practice and psychiatric specialty courses while maintaining 3.0 overall GPA.
More curriculum information here: https://catalog.andersonuniversity.edu/preview_program.php?catoid=35&poid=3622&returnto=2056
Clinical Requirements
- Students responsible for securing preceptors with university support
- 750 total clinical hours across all age populations
- Clinical rotations include pediatrics, adolescents, adults, and older adults
- Preceptorship with psychiatrists or practicing PMHNPs
MSN Track Requirements
- Bachelor of Science in Nursing from nationally accredited program
- Minimum 3.0 GPA averaged from all nursing degree programs
- Active unencumbered RN license
- CPR certification
- Current immunization records by program start
- 1-2 years nursing experience recommended
- Two letters of recommendation
- Personal statement
- Official transcripts and resume
BSN to Doctor of Nursing Practice PMHNP Track
The estimated cost for the BSN to DNP PMHNP program is $65,835 and would take 3 years to complete on a full-time basis.
This terminal degree pathway serves registered nurses with bachelor’s degrees seeking doctoral-level preparation in psychiatric-mental health nursing practice with systems leadership capabilities.
Curriculum & Duration
The comprehensive 77-credit hour program spans 9 semesters over 3 years.
Coursework includes:
- NUR 507 – Integration of Scholarship into Practice. Introduces research designs and evidence appraisal to drive evidence-based practice, including auditing workplace policies, translating findings into care, and spotting gaps in the literature.
- NUR 510 – Faith and Learning Worldview. Examines multiple worldviews with emphasis on Christian perspectives, applying them to holistic care, ethical decision-making, and servant leadership in advanced nursing roles.
- NUR 551 – PMHNP Clinical I. Launches PMHNP role development through supervised physical and psychiatric assessments, building foundational clinical reasoning and team-based practice.
- NUR 555 – PMHNP Clinical II. Advances supervised practice by integrating assessment, diagnosis, and both pharmacologic and non-pharmacologic therapies for diverse psychiatric populations across the lifespan.
- NUR 591 – Advanced Pathophysiology. Explores disease as disordered physiology, linking mechanisms to signs and symptoms to strengthen diagnostic reasoning and clinical decision-making.
- NUR 592 – Advanced Physical Assessment. Builds comprehensive, lifespan assessment skills—physical, psychosocial, behavioral, and genetic—while differentiating normal from abnormal findings and providing anticipatory guidance.
- NUR 593 – Advanced Pharmacology. Uses a systems-based approach to craft individualized pharmacotherapy plans, emphasizing monitoring, interactions, adverse effects, and patient education.
- NUR 603 – Care of Aging Adults. Prepares nurses to manage complex health needs in older adults using evidence-based assessment and interventions tailored to age-related variations.
- NUR 610 – Applied Informatics in Healthcare Delivery. Develops competence in managing clinical data and evaluating patient-care technologies to improve decisions and outcomes.
- NUR 616 – Advocacy and Health Policy. Equips students to analyze, design, and influence health policy and to advocate effectively within organizational and political arenas.
- NUR 650 – Advanced Assessment Processes in Mental Healthcare across the Life Span. Introduces advanced psychiatric assessment and diagnosis using the DSM-5, addressing dysfunctional coping and mental disorders across ages.
- NUR 651 – Management of Behavioral Health Populations across the Life Span. Reviews major psychopathologies with cultural and spiritual considerations, applying evidence-based pharmacologic and non-pharmacologic treatments and addressing legal/ethical issues.
- NUR 652 – Psychopharmacological Therapies across the Life Span. Deepens psychopharmacology with neurobiological and genetic foundations to guide safe, effective medication strategies from childhood through geriatrics.
- NUR 653 – Management of the Complex Mental Health Client across the Life Span. Synthesizes advanced assessment and DSM-5–guided diagnosis to manage complex psychiatric conditions using tailored pharmacologic and therapeutic interventions.
- NUR 655 – Certification Review Seminar – PMHNP. Provides a focused content review and test strategies to prepare for PMHNP certification.
- NUR 661 – PMHNP Clinical III. Strengthens independence in advanced practice by synthesizing assessment, diagnosis, and evidence-based treatments for patients of all ages under preceptor supervision.
- NUR 665 – PMHNP Clinical IV. Culminating residency emphasizing autonomous decision-making, interprofessional collaboration, quality evaluation, and role competence across varied psychiatric settings.
- NUR 701 – Scientific Underpinnings for Nursing Practice. Traces philosophical and scientific foundations of nursing to support theory development and establish the scholarly base for the DNP project.
- NUR 702 – DNP Project I-IRB. Identifies a practice problem, links it to existing evidence, and prepares for ethical review as the first step of the DNP project.
- NUR 703 – Clinical Epidemiology and Analytical Methods. Applies epidemiologic and analytic tools to assess risk factors, outcomes, and population trends, informing prevention and policy decisions.
- NUR 704 – Clinical Scholarship for Evidence-based Practice. Teaches rigorous literature appraisal and translation of evidence into practice guidelines and improvement initiatives.
- NUR 705 – DNP Project II – Implementation. Executes and evaluates the DNP project in collaboration with faculty and clinical partners, emphasizing change management and outcomes measurement.
- NUR 707 – Improving Health Outcomes. Builds interprofessional leadership to analyze complex organizational issues and lead teams that enhance quality, safety, and patient outcomes.
- NUR 708 – DNP Project III – Dissemination. Finalizes analysis and communicates project findings to peers and stakeholders through scholarly dissemination.
- NUR 709 – Organizational and Systems Leadership – Role Development. Integrates business, finance, economics, and policy principles to lead safe, ethical, and accountable care delivery at system and population levels.
- NUR 715 – Scholarly Writing for Nursing and Healthcare. Develops publication-quality writing and grant preparation skills, emphasizing ethical authorship and evidence integration.
- NUR 780 – DNP Residency I – Advanced Practice. Begins specialty-focused clinical residency, applying best practices with mentorship to manage increasing case complexity.
- NUR 781 – DNP Residency II – Advanced Practice. Continues mentored residency, deepening specialty skills and clinical judgment in complex care environments.
- NUR 782 – DNP Residency III – Advanced Practice. Expands autonomous practice capabilities and advanced decision-making under expert guidance in the chosen specialty.
- NUR 783 – DNP Residency IV- Advanced Practice. Refines high-level specialty competencies and systems thinking to manage complex scenarios and lead care improvements.
- NUR 790 – DNP Transition to Practice. Capstone residency consolidating assessment, advanced clinical judgment, and systems leadership while completing and sustaining the DNP project’s impact.
Clinicals
- Transition to Practice capstone experience
- Minimum 1,000 total clinical hours
- 750 hours in psychiatric specialty training (first 5 semesters)
- Additional 250+ hours for DNP scholarly project implementation
- Four DNP residency courses providing advanced practice experience
BSN to DNP Requirements
- Same requirements as MSN track
- Must complete all MSN requirements plus doctoral-level competencies
- Seven-year completion time limit versus five years for MSN
Post-Graduate Certificate PMHNP Track
The estimated cost for the Post-Graduate Certificate PMHNP program is $17,710 and would take 1.25 years to complete on a full-time basis.
This specialized pathway targets Family Nurse Practitioners with existing certification seeking psychiatric-mental health nurse practitioner specialization as an additional practice area.
Curriculum
The streamlined 22-credit curriculum focuses exclusively on psychiatric-mental health specialty coursework including:
- advanced assessment processes
- behavioral health population management
- psychopharmacological therapies
- complex mental health client management
Students complete faith and learning overview coursework plus certification review preparation.
The accelerated format requires completion of the “3 P’s” (pathophysiology, pharmacology, physical assessment) within previous MSN or DNP education.
Clinicals
Clinical requirements include the same 750 hours as other tracks distributed across four clinical courses with identical population-specific requirements.
Students must already possess Family Nurse Practitioner certification and master’s or doctoral degrees in nursing, allowing immediate focus on psychiatric specialty competencies without foundational advanced practice course repetition.
Post-Graduate Certificate Requirements
- Master’s or doctorate degree in Family Nurse Practitioner from accredited program
- Family Nurse Practitioner certification required
- Completion of pathophysiology, pharmacology, and physical assessment in previous degree
- Same licensure and experience requirements as other tracks
- 15-month completion timeline
Tuition
Graduate nursing tuition is $805 per credit hour for MSN and certificate programs, and $855 per credit hour for DNP programs.
Additional fees include $530 per semester graduate nursing fee, $250 per semester technology fee for full-time students, $100 graduation fee, and $600 enrollment confirmation fee for graduate nursing programs.
Accreditation
Anderson University’s baccalaureate, master’s, and Doctor of Nursing Practice degree programs plus post-graduate APRN certificate programs are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE). The programs maintain full approval from the South Carolina Board of Nursing, ensuring graduates meet certification examination eligibility requirements.
Other Nursing Programs
Anderson University’s School of Nursing offers additional programs including:
- Family Nurse Practitioner (MSN and BSN-DNP tracks)
- DNP Advanced Practice
- DNP Executive Leadership
- Traditional Bachelor of Science in Nursing
- Various post-graduate certificate programs
- Mission opportunities including annual service in Managua, Nicaragua
More PMNHP Programs
- Medical University of South Carolina - Charleston
- University of South Carolina - Columbia