Program Tracks Overview
| Program | Est. Cost | Estimated Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Post-BSN to DNP – PMHNP | $21,006 | 3 years |
| Post-Master’s Certificate – PMHNP | $14,004 | ~2 years |
Post-BSN to Doctor of Nursing Practice – PMHNP
The estimated cost for the Post-BSN to DNP – PMHNP program is $21,006 over 3 years.
Estimate is based on approximately $6,802 per year for in-state tuition plus $200 in fees, based on graduate tuition rates. The complete 77-credit program (or 43 credits for MSN exit option) is more than 95% online.
BSN Curriculum
The Post-BSN to DNP – PMHNP curriculum totals 77 credit hours (43 credits for MSN exit option) and includes graduate core, advanced practice core, nursing emphasis, and doctoral core courses:
PMHNP Emphasis (17 Credit Hours):
NURS 8314 – Vulnerable Populations (1 cr.)
Prepares PMHNPs to serve marginalized groups in settings like prisons, shelters, EDs, and community agencies. Emphasizes prevention, system-level assessment, program design, population management, and translating research into advocacy and policy.
NURS 8335 – PMHNP I: Mental Health Care of the Individual (3 cr.)
Covers assessment, diagnosis, and treatment planning for individuals with psychiatric conditions across the lifespan in diverse care settings. Highlights culturally responsive care, health promotion, and ongoing management. Corequisite: NURS 8724.
NURS 8336 – PMHNP II: Care of the Individual & Family with Substance Abuse (2 cr.)
Focuses on evidence-based care for patients and families affected by substance use disorders—from prevention and acute stabilization to recovery support. Integrates assessment, differential diagnosis, and treatment within a transcultural, family- and group-centered framework. Corequisite: NURS 8725.
NURS 8337 – PMHNP III: Complex Mental Health Care of Special Populations (3 cr.)
Addresses advanced care for children, older adults, and individuals with special needs who present with complex psychiatric concerns. Stresses nuanced assessment, treatment, and health promotion within community and culturally diverse contexts. Corequisite: NURS 8726.
NURS 8520 – Capstone Practice & Professional Issues (2 cr.)
Culminating experience integrating advanced assessment, clinical management, and population-focused practice across the lifespan. Reviews regulatory, legal, ethical, and practice issues for APRNs and includes 90 clinical hours tailored to the student’s track.
NURS 8724 – PMHNPC I: Mental Health Care of the Individual – Clinical (2 cr.)
Provides 180 clinical hours emphasizing individual-focused psychiatric care, including interviewing, diagnostics, psychotherapies, and medication management. Builds therapeutic alliance skills and interprofessional collaboration. Corequisite: NURS 8335.
NURS 8725 – PMHNPC II: Care of the Individual & Family with Substance Abuse – Clinical (2 cr.)
Delivers 180 clinical hours in settings offering substance use services, applying assessment, individual/group therapies, consultation, and pharmacotherapeutics. Reinforces coordinated, recovery-oriented care. Corequisite: NURS 8336.
NURS 8726 – PMHNPC III: Complex Mental Health Care of Special Populations – Clinical (2 cr.)
Engages in 180 clinical hours managing complex psychiatric needs of children, elders, and special populations. Emphasizes tailored assessment, treatment, and community-grounded health promotion. Corequisite: NURS 8337.
Students may exit with MSN degree after completing the above 43 credits
Graduate Core (16 Credit Hours):
- NURS 7121 – Theoretical Basis for Clinical Scholarship (2)
- NURS 7122 – Research Design and Dissemination (2)
- NURS 7123 – Psychodynamics of Health (2)
- NURS 7128 – Epidemiology (2)
- NURS 7129 – Role Transition for APRN (2)
- NURS 7130 – Health Policy Concerns in Delivery Systems (3)
- NURS 7135 – Informatics (3)
Advanced Practice Core (10 Credit Hours):
- NURS 7141 – Pathophysiology and Differential Diagnosis (3)
- NURS 7142 – Advanced Pharmacology (3)
- NURS 7143 – Advanced Health Assessment (3)
- NURS 7710 – Advanced Health Assessment Clinical (1)
Doctoral Core (34 Credit Hours):
- NURS 7110 – Scholarly Writing at the Graduate Level (1)
- NURS 9113 – Biometrics (3)
- NURS 9123 – Biomedical Ethics (2)
- NURS 9124 – Outcomes Management (2)
- NURS 9125 – Role Transition for DNP Prepared APRN’s (2)
- NURS 9143 – Population Focused Collaborative Initiative (3)
- NURS 9144 – Leadership and Management in Practice Transformation (3)
- NURS 9931 – Clinical Project I (3)
- NURS 9932 – Clinical Project II (3)
- NURS 9933 – Clinical Project III (3)
- 9 credit hours of elective courses
More curriculum details are available here.
BSN Clinicals
Students complete 630 clinical hours total (720 hours for full DNP program) distributed across three clinical courses plus advanced health assessment clinical. The clinical experiences include:
- Mental Health Care of the Individual Clinical (2 credits)
- Care of the Individual and Family with Substance Abuse Clinical (2 credits)
- Complex Mental Health Care of Special Populations Clinical (2 credits)
Students must complete all clinical practicums with qualified preceptors in Georgia or South Carolina and must be proactive in securing preceptors.
BSN Admissions Requirements
- Bachelor’s degree in nursing (BSN) including Health Assessment course with grade of C or better
- BSN program must be accredited by appropriate accrediting association
- Current Georgia RN license OR multistate/eNLC compact license
- One year full-time clinical nursing employment prior to entering nurse practitioner health assessment course (proof may be required)
- Prerequisite undergraduate statistics or statistically-oriented methodology course with grade of C or better
- Minimum undergraduate GPA of 3.0 on 4.0 scale
- College of Graduate Studies online application with $50 fee
- Georgia Southern Health Services form
- School of Nursing Student Health Appraisal forms
- Proof of current malpractice liability insurance (1 million incident/3 million aggregate)
- Proof of American Heart Association or Red Cross BLS certification
- Three letters of professional recommendations (phone interview may be necessary)
- Criminal background and/or drug testing may be requested by clinical agencies (cost and scheduling is student’s responsibility)
- Must reside in or attest to completing clinical hours in Georgia or South Carolina
- Cannot physically reside in AL, AZ, CO, ID, LA, MO, NE, ND, NY, OH, PA, SD, TN, or WA
- Application deadline: March 1 for fall admission
- International students requiring TOEFL: official scores required if native language is not English and/or undergraduate degree not from regionally accredited U.S. institution
MSN Exit Option: Students who complete 43 credits (graduate core, practice core, and specialty core) may opt out with an MSN degree. These students are eligible to sit for national certification and have four years from MSN final transcript date to reapply to DNP program without penalty.
Post-Master’s Certificate – PMHNP
The estimated cost for the Post-Master’s Certificate – PMHNP program is $14,004 over approximately 2 years (if completed in 1 year: $7,002).
Certificate Curriculum
The Post-Master’s Certificate curriculum requires 19 credit hours with an individualized program of study created through gap analysis:
Required Courses (19 Credit Hours):
- NURS 7123 – Psychodynamics of Health (2)
- NURS 8314 – Vulnerable Populations (1)
- NURS 8335 – PMHNP I – Mental Health Care of the Individual (3)
- NURS 8336 – PMHNP II – Care of the Individual and Family with Substance Abuse (2)
- NURS 8337 – PMHNP III – Complex Mental Health Care of Special Populations (3)
- NURS 8520 – Capstone Practice and Professional Issues (2)
- NURS 8724 – PMHNPC I – Mental Health Care of the Individual Clinical (2)
- NURS 8725 – PMHNPC II – Care of the Individual and Family with Substance Abuse Clinical (2)
- NURS 8726 – PMHNPC III – Complex Mental Health care of Special Populations Clinical (2)
Prerequisites: Students must show completion of the following courses in their MSN program or complete them prior to certificate admission: Nursing Research, Advanced Health Assessment, Pathophysiology, and Pharmacology for Advanced Practice Nursing.
A gap analysis is performed by the Graduate Program Director to create an individualized program of study based on previous coursework.
More curriculum details are available here.
Certificate Clinicals
Certificate students complete 630 clinical hours distributed across three clinical courses. Students must complete all clinical practicums with qualified preceptors in Georgia or South Carolina within 250 miles of Georgia Southern University Statesboro Campus. Students must be proactive in securing preceptors.
Certificate Admissions Requirements
- Master’s degree in Nursing (APRN program: Clinical Nurse Specialist, CRNA, Nurse Midwife, or Nurse Practitioner) from college accredited by appropriate accrediting association (NLN or CCNE)
- Master’s or higher degree with minimum graduate GPA of 3.0 on 4.0 scale
- Current national certification as APRN in one of the following specialties: Adult Nurse Practitioner (ANP), Certified Nurse-Midwife (CNM), Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP), Adult/Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner (AG PCNP), Adult/Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner (AG ACNP), Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA), Geriatric Nurse Practitioner (GNP), Pediatric Nurse Practitioner (PNP), Women’s Health Care Nurse Practitioner (WHCNP), or Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS)
- Current Georgia RN license OR multistate/eNLC compact license
- Evidence in master’s program of advanced physical assessment, pharmacology, and pathophysiology
- Undergraduate introductory statistics course with grade of C or better
- Undergraduate health appraisal/physical assessment course with grade of C or better
- One year full-time RN clinical nursing experience before start of Advanced Health Assessment
- MAT or GRE not required for admission
- College of Graduate Studies online application with required fee
- Georgia Southern University Health Services Form
- Three letters of recommendation (forms in online application acceptable or attach letters)
- Proof of American Heart Association or American Red Cross Level C (2 person-BLS) CPR certification
- Proof of Georgia RN licensure or compact license (write COPY over replication)
- Resume or CV with work history
- Proof of current RN malpractice liability insurance (policy cover page with name, dates, amount: 1 million incident/3 million aggregate)
- Proof of “Student NP” malpractice insurance before entering clinical NP courses
- Must reside in or attest to completing clinical hours in Georgia or South Carolina
- Cannot physically reside in AL, AZ, CO, ID, LA, MO, NE, ND, NY, OH, PA, SD, TN, or WA
- Application deadline: March 1 for fall admission
- Interviews with individuals under consideration may be conducted prior to admission
Admission Status: Certificate students admitted in non-degree status and ineligible to enroll in other graduate courses unless admitted to that program. Only grades of “B” or better earned in certificate are eligible for application to nursing doctorate if later admitted to Post-MSN DNP program.
Program Features
Key Highlights:
- Fully online format (>95% online for DNP)
- Both synchronous and asynchronous learning
- Flexible schedule accommodating working professionals
- Award-winning faculty guidance and support
- Special focus on rural and underserved communities
- MSN exit option available for Post-BSN track
- Individualized program of study through gap analysis (certificate)
- Year-round program of study
Student Learning Outcomes:
- Integrate core knowledge from liberal arts, sciences, and nursing
- Use organizational systems knowledge and leadership principles
- Demonstrate advanced clinical judgment/decision making
- Collaborate using advanced interprofessional communication
Tuition
Graduate Nursing Tuition (In-State):
- Estimated annual tuition: $6,802
- Annual fees: $200
- Living expenses (housing and food): $13,428
- Books, course supplies, and equipment: $1,216
- Personal expenses: $4,106
- Transportation: $3,374
- Miscellaneous fees: $68
Post-BSN to DNP Program:
- Total credits: 77 (or 43 for MSN exit)
- Estimated program cost varies based on credit hours and residency
Post-Master’s Certificate:
- Total credits: 19
- Estimated program cost varies based on credit hours and residency
These are estimated costs based on 2024-2025 academic year. Out-of-state tuition rates are the same as in-state for graduate programs.
For more information, visit the Bursar’s Office.
Accreditation
The baccalaureate degree program in nursing/master’s degree program in nursing/Doctor of Nursing Practice program and/or post-graduate APRN certificate program at Georgia Southern University is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE).
Certification Eligibility
Graduates of both PMHNP tracks are fully prepared for educational eligibility for certification as Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner. The School of Nursing has determined that required classes and educational activities qualify graduates to take board examinations offered by the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) and American Academy of Nurse Practitioners (AANP), which are used by all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and five U.S. territories.
Progression Requirements
Graduate students must maintain overall 3.0 GPA with minimum “B” letter grade in each course to progress. Students become academically ineligible if grade of “C,” “D,” “F,” or “WF” is earned in any graduate nursing courses. All graduate nursing programs must be completed within seven-year time period. Students who opt out of BSN to DNP with MSN and return within three consecutive semesters should contact Graduate Program Director.
Professional Licensure Disclosure
The School of Nursing only supervises clinical placements in Georgia and South Carolina. All students must have active Georgia or South Carolina nursing license or eNLC compact license. Before enrolling, students physically residing in states other than Georgia or South Carolina must attest they will complete clinical hours in Georgia or South Carolina and seek initial licensure as APRN in Georgia or South Carolina. State licensure boards may require jurisprudence examinations, background checks, proof of RN license, proof of clinical hours, or additional training separate from educational requirements.
More PMHNP Programs in Georgia
- Augusta University - Augusta
- Brenau University - Gainesville
- Emory University - Atlanta
- Georgia College & State University - Milledgeville
- Georgia State University - Atlanta
- Mercer University - Macon
- Valdosta State University - Valdosta