Program Tracks Overview
| Program Name | Est. Tuition | Est. Duration |
|---|---|---|
| MSN PMHNP | $22,200 | 2.5–3 years (FT) |
| Post-Master’s Certificate PMHNP | $11,286 | 1.5–2.5 years |
The MSN track includes 550 clinical hours across multiple practicum courses focusing on adults, children/adolescents, and couples/families/groups.
Master of Science in Nursing – PMHNP
The MSN PMHNP program costs about $22,200 and takes approximately 2.5-3 years to complete on a full-time basis.
MSN Curriculum
The curriculum includes MSN core courses (18 credit hours) and PMHNP concentration courses (29 credit hours) delivered across seven semesters:
MSN Core Courses:
- NURS 6080 – Theory for the Practice of Advanced Nursing (3 s.h.)
- NURS 6610 – Health Assessment for Advanced Nursing (3 s.h.)
- NURS 6050 – Human Physiology and Pathophysiology for Advanced Nursing (3 s.h.)
- NURS 6081 – Research for Advanced Nursing (3 s.h.)
- NURS 6611 – Clinical Pharmacology for Advanced Nursing (3 s.h.)
- NURS 6083 – Healthcare Finance & Economics (3 s.h.)
- NURS 6082 – Influencing Health Quality, Safety, & Policy (3 s.h.)
- NURS 6208 – Concepts of Health Promotion and Disease Prevention (3 s.h.)
PMHNP Concentration Courses:
NURS 7501 – Neuroscience and Psychopharmacology in Advanced Nursing Practice (3 credits)
This course covers behavioral neuroscience and psychopharmacology related to mental health care. Students study how medications affect the central nervous system and guide treatment of psychiatric conditions.
NURS 7502 – Psychiatric–Mental Health Nurse Practitioner Role Development (1 credit)
This course focuses on role preparation for PMHNP practice. Students examine professional responsibilities, scope of practice, and role integration across mental health care settings.
NURS 7503 – Substance-Related and Addictive Disorders Across the Lifespan in Advanced Provider Practice (3 credits)
This course addresses screening, referral, and evidence-based treatment of substance use and addictive disorders. Students learn approaches to care across age groups and clinical environments.
NURS 7510 – Psychotherapeutic Interventions for Couples, Families, and Groups in Advanced Nursing Practice (3 credits)
This course explores psychotherapy models for couples, families, and groups. Students develop skills in assessment, treatment planning, and evaluation of interpersonal and relational concerns.
NURS 7511 – Advanced Nursing Practice Practicum with Couples, Families, and Groups (2 credits)
This practicum provides supervised clinical experience with couples, families, and groups. Students apply advanced therapeutic skills in real practice settings.
NURS 7520 – Diagnosis and Psychotherapeutic Treatment of Adults and Older Adults in Advanced Nursing Practice (3 credits)
This course examines diagnostic reasoning, medication management, and psychotherapy for adults and older adults. Students study care delivery across inpatient, outpatient, and community settings.
NURS 7521 – Advanced Nursing Practice Practicum with Adults and Older Adults (2 credits)
This practicum offers supervised clinical experience caring for adults and older adults with psychiatric and co-occurring conditions. Students focus on assessment, treatment, and ongoing management.
NURS 7530 – Diagnosis and Psychotherapeutic Treatment in Children, Families, and Special Populations (3 credits)
This course focuses on psychiatric care for children, families, and special populations. Students apply behavioral science principles to plan and evaluate age-appropriate treatment strategies.
NURS 7531 – Advanced Nursing Practice Practicum with Children, Families, and Special Populations (2 credits)
This practicum provides supervised clinical training in psychiatric care for children, families, and special populations. Students manage acute and chronic conditions across diverse care settings.
See the official curriculum page for more details.
MSN Clinicals
Students complete 550 clinical hours across three practicum courses focusing on different populations. Clinical requirements include:
- Criminal background check upon admission
- Current health requirements and liability insurance throughout clinical courses
- Clinical experiences arranged in geographically convenient locations
- Practicum supervision with adults/older adults (NURS 7521)
- Practicum supervision with couples, families, and groups (NURS 7511)
- Practicum supervision with children and adolescents (NURS 7531)
MSN Admissions Requirements
Prerequisites & Application Requirements:
- Bachelor of Science in Nursing from an accredited program
- Minimum 2.7 undergraduate GPA and 3.0 nursing major GPA
- Current unrestricted RN license in North Carolina or NCSBN compact state
- One year of clinical RN experience
- Statistics course with grade of C or higher
- Computer literacy
- Statement of purpose essay
- Three professional references
- Personal interview with PMHNP faculty
- Current resume
- Admission priority given to applicants with psychiatric nursing experience who plan to provide direct care post-graduation
- Application deadline: February 1 for summer admission only
Post-Master’s Certificate – PMHNP
The Post-Master’s PMHNP Certificate costs about $11,286 and takes 1.5-2.5 years to complete.
Estimate based on 23 hours for current APRNs, 35 hours for MSN/DNP without APRN credentials.
Post-Master’s Certificate Curriculum
The program director reviews transcripts to determine the appropriate pathway. The curriculum differs based on prior education:
Advanced Practice Nurses Pathway (23 s.h.):
- NURS 6993 – Advanced Nursing Synthesis (1 s.h.)
- All PMHNP concentration courses listed below (22 s.h.)
Master’s/Doctoral Nurses Without APRN Credentials (35 s.h.):
- NURS 6050 – Human Physiology and Pathophysiology for Advanced Nursing Practice (3 s.h.)
- NURS 6208 – Concepts of Health Promotion and Disease Prevention (3 s.h.)
- NURS 6610 – Health Assessment for Advanced Nursing Practice (3 s.h.)
- NURS 6611 – Clinical Pharmacology for Advanced Nursing Practice (3 s.h.)
- NURS 6993 – Advanced Nursing Synthesis (1 s.h.)
- All PMHNP concentration courses (22 s.h.)
PMHNP Concentration Courses (All Students – 22 s.h.):
- NURS 7501 – Neuroscience and Psychopharmacology in Advanced Nursing Practice (3 s.h.)
- NURS 7502 – Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner Role Development (1 s.h.)
- NURS 7503 – Substance-Related and Addictive Disorders Across the Lifespan (3 s.h.)
- NURS 7510 – Psychotherapeutic Interventions with Couples, Families and Groups (3 s.h.)
- NURS 7511 – Advanced Nursing Practice Practicum with Couples, Families and Groups (2 s.h.)
- NURS 7520 – Diagnosis, Disease Management and Psychotherapeutic Treatment of Adults (3 s.h.)
- NURS 7521 – Advanced Nursing Practice Practicum with Adults and Older Adults (2 s.h.)
- NURS 7530 – Diagnosis, Disease Management and Psychotherapeutic Treatment in Children, Families and Special Populations (3 s.h.)
- NURS 7531 – Advanced Nursing Practice Practicum in Children, Families and Special Populations (2 s.h.)
See the official curriculum page for more details.
Post-Master’s Certificate Clinicals
Clinical requirements match the MSN program structure with the same 550-hour total requirement. Requirements include:
- Criminal background check upon admission
- Maintained health requirements and liability insurance
- Three practicum courses with supervision across populations
- Clinical placements coordinated for distance students when possible
- Terminal program assessment in final semester
Post-Master’s Certificate Admissions Requirements
Prerequisites & Application Requirements:
- Master’s degree in nursing from nationally accredited program OR DNP/PhD in nursing
- Current unencumbered RN license in North Carolina or NCSBN compact state
- Completion of advanced pathophysiology, pharmacology, and health assessment within last 5 years (for APRNs)
- If AGPCNP or FNP, current approval to practice required
- One year of clinical RN experience
- Statement of purpose essay
- Three professional references (one knowledgeable about nursing practice)
- Personal interview with graduate faculty
- Application deadline: February 1 for summer admission only
Tuition
ECU does not publish a standalone per-credit graduate tuition rate, but estimated costs can be derived from the 2026–2027 Cost of Attendance data and program credit totals.
Graduate distance education tuition and fees run approximately $5,662/semester (NC resident) and $19,882/semester (non-resident).
All MSN, DNP, PhD, and Post-Master’s nursing programs carry an additional tuition differential of $150 per credit hour, bringing the effective estimated per-credit rate to approximately $472–$490/credit (in-state) based on published program cost estimates.
Estimated total tuition by program:
- MSN-PMHNP (47 credits): ~$22,200 in-state | out-of-state significantly higher
- Post-Master’s Certificate – APRN pathway (23 credits): ~$11,286 in-state
- Post-Master’s Certificate – Non-APRN pathway (35 credits): ~$17,220 in-state (estimated)
Additional fees to budget for:
- $150 per clinical course (course-level fee)
- $125 per semester during clinical enrollment
- Individual professional liability insurance required before clinical courses begin
- Criminal background check required upon admission
More tuition details are available here.
Accreditation
The MSN program and post-graduate APRN Certificate programs at East Carolina University College of Nursing are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education.
Upon graduation, students are eligible to sit for the PMHNP certification exam administered by the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC).
More PMHNP Programs in North Carolina
- Duke University - Durham
- North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University - Greensboro
- UNC Greensboro - Greensboro
- University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill - Chapel Hill
- University of North Carolina Wilmington - Wilmington