Program Track Overview
| Program | Est. Duration (FT) | Est. Tuition | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| Certificate | 1.5 years | $50,388 | 19 |
Estimate based on 19 credits at $2,652 per credit.
Highlights include:
- a 19-credit hybrid certificate
- 750 clinical hours
- focused on mental health care across the lifespan.
- synchronous online classes
- two required on-campus intensives,
- supervised clinical practicums in Washington, D.C., Maryland, and Virginia
Certificate Curriculum
The PMHNP-PGC curriculum builds advanced psychiatric assessment, diagnostic, and treatment skills for work with individuals, families, and populations across the lifespan.
Students complete 19 graduate credits in a structured four-semester sequence that integrates didactic content with progressive clinical learning.
The hybrid design blends synchronous online discussions, asynchronous materials, and on-campus learning intensives that use standardized patients and simulation to support skill development in a safe setting.
Key courses include:
Psychiatric Evaluation, Formulation, and Differential Diagnosis
Introduces core PMHNP competencies in psychiatric assessment, diagnosis, and care planning. Emphasizes biopsychosocial evaluation, differential diagnosis, and ethical, evidence-based mental health care.
Neuroscience for Mental Health Care
Explores brain function, neurobiology, and mechanisms underlying mental health disorders. Focuses on linking neuroscience concepts to diagnosis and targeted pharmacologic treatment.
PMHNP Clinical Practicum I
Provides supervised experience in assessing and treating pediatric and adolescent psychiatric conditions. Builds skills in evaluation, diagnosis, and trauma-informed, culturally responsive care.
On-Campus Intensive: Formative
Includes hands-on workshops and simulations with standardized patients to strengthen clinical and communication skills.
Psychopharmacology
Examines psychiatric medications, mechanisms of action, and treatment planning. Emphasizes safe prescribing, clinical decision-making, and patient-centered care for complex cases.
PMHNP Clinical Practicum II
Focuses on adult psychiatric care, including assessment, diagnosis, and medication management. Strengthens clinical reasoning and application of psychopharmacology.
Psychotherapy: Theory and Practice
Covers major psychotherapy approaches and evidence-based techniques. Emphasizes CBT, therapeutic relationships, and effective individual and group interventions.
PMHNP Clinical Practicum III
Develops psychotherapy skills in diverse treatment settings. Includes group facilitation and integration of behavioral and pharmacologic care.
Community Mental Health
Examines mental health through a population and systems lens. Focuses on health equity, community-based interventions, and strategies to reduce stigma and improve access.
PMHNP Clinical Practicum IV
Final clinical experience emphasizing interdisciplinary, community-based care for diverse populations. Highlights leadership, advocacy, and culturally responsive practice.
Certificate Clinicals
The PMHNP-PGC includes 750 total clinical hours spread across four PMHNP clinical practicum courses.
Clinical experiences take place in approved sites across D.C., Maryland, and Virginia, where students apply trauma-informed, holistic, and recovery-oriented approaches with diverse populations.
Across PMHNP Clinical Practicums I–IV, students progress from:
- Foundational psychiatric assessment and basic management
- To advanced differential diagnosis, psychopharmacologic decision-making, and
- Psychotherapy integration for complex mental health and substance use conditions.
The program includes two required on-campus intensives that give students structured practice with:
- Patient interviews
- Mental status examinations
- Clinical decision-making using standardized patients
A summative on-campus intensive at the end of the program provides a comprehensive synthesis of:
- Clinical knowledge
- Hands-on skills
- Professional attitudes needed for advanced psychiatric nursing practice.
Certificate Admissions
Applicants to the PMHNP-PGC must already hold a graduate nursing degree and advanced practice preparation and must meet selective academic and professional standards.
The program currently admits one cohort per year in the fall.
Admission is restricted to nurses licensed and practicing in D.C., Maryland, or Virginia who can complete clinicals in those regions.
Key admissions and prerequisite requirements include:
- U.S. citizen or permanent resident
- Bachelor’s degree
- Graduate-level nursing degree such as CNL/entry-level MS in Nursing, APRN degree, DNAP, DNP, or PhD from a CCNE-, ACME-, or ACEN-accredited program
- Current, unencumbered U.S. RN license
- Minimum 3.0 cumulative GPA and 3.0 science GPA
- Successful completion of a three-credit college statistics course with a grade of C or better
- Passing grades in previous advanced health assessment, advanced pathophysiology, and advanced pharmacology courses
- Professional curriculum vitae
- Official transcripts from all colleges and universities attended
- Personal statement describing goals and fit for advanced psychiatric practice
- Three letters of recommendation, including at least one former nursing faculty member and at least one recent supervisor or practice director
Applicants benefit from virtual information sessions and Zoom advising sessions hosted twice weekly, which cover program expectations, application steps, and opportunities in psychiatric mental health nursing.
Tuition
Georgetown’s online nursing programs, including the PMHNP-PGC, charge $2,652 per credit hour for the 2025–2026 academic year, and students also pay a School of Nursing (SON) technology fee of $180 per semester.
See the official tuition page for more details.
Accreditation
The post-graduate APRN certificate programs at Georgetown University, including the Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner Post-Graduate Certificate, are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE).
Review More Virginia PMHNP Programs
- George Mason University - Fairfax
- Old Dominion University - Norfolk
- Shenandoah University - Winchester
- University of Virginia - Charlottesville