Program Tracks Overview
| Program | Est. Cost | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| MSN – PMHNP | $53,616 | ~28 months |
| Post-Master’s Certificate – PMHNP | $30,159 (27 credits × $1,117) | ~18–24 months |
HPU provides personalized clinical placement support to help students secure approved psychiatric-focused practicum sites in their local communities, including outpatient psychiatric clinics, inpatient psychiatric hospitals, substance use recovery centers, and telehealth platforms.
Master of Science in Nursing – PMHNP
The estimated cost for the MSN-PMHNP program is $53,616 ($1,117 per credit × 48 credits) and would take 28 months to complete on a full-time basis.
MSN Curriculum
The 48-credit curriculum blends foundational nursing theory with advanced psychiatric coursework and clinical practicum experiences. Students may transfer up to 12 eligible credits from another accredited institution.
The program emphasizes holistic, trauma-informed approaches and prepares graduates to provide culturally competent, patient-centered care for individuals and families with complex psychiatric needs.
Core MSN Courses (18 credits):
NUR 6000 – Introduction to Advanced Practice Roles (3 cr.)
Defines APN roles and scope across community settings while sharpening ethics, cultural humility, systems coordination, and interprofessional collaboration. Builds leadership, communication (assertiveness, conflict resolution), and change-management skills for case manager, educator, administrator, researcher, consultant, and practitioner roles.
NUR 6010 – Advanced Pathophysiology (3 cr.)
Deep dive into disease mechanisms and body responses across the lifespan, integrating biologic, psychosocial, and spiritual factors. Uses case studies to strengthen diagnostic reasoning and clinical decision-making for individuals, families, and communities.
NUR 6020 – Advanced Nursing Research (3 cr.)
Surveys qualitative and quantitative methods to design, critique, and translate studies that advance nursing science. Emphasizes rigorous inquiry, measurement, and application to practice problems.
NUR 6025 – Advanced Pharmacology (3 cr.)
Applies pharmacologic principles to community-focused advanced practice through case-based learning. Covers drug selection, dosing, monitoring, interactions, and safe prescribing across populations.
NUR 6030 – Advanced Assessment and Diagnostic Reasoning (3 cr.)
Expands comprehensive history-taking and physical exam skills to generate accurate differentials across the lifespan. Focuses on targeted data collection, interpretation, and evidence-informed clinical judgments.
NUR 8050 – Development and Implementation of Health Care Policy (3 cr.)
Prepares DNP students to analyze, craft, and operationalize policies that sustain high-quality, accessible care amid constrained resources. Develops competencies in advocacy, systems change, and outcome-focused policy leadership.
PMHNP Specialization Courses (30 credits):
NUR 6026 – Psychopharmacology Across the Lifespan (3 cr.)
Prepares PMH APRNs to safely prescribe, monitor, and adjust psychotropics across age groups using evidence-based principles. Links neuroanatomy, neurophysiology, and psychopathology to drug selection, addresses adherence, ethics, legal/financial realities, cultural and genetic factors, and includes complementary/alternative agents.
NUR 6970 – Advanced Psychiatric/Mental Health Nursing I (3 cr.)
Builds PMH APRN skills for adult and geriatric care within a recovery model—covering cultural and psychiatric assessment, differential diagnosis, comorbidity management, and crisis intervention. Emphasizes evidence-based treatment planning with strong focus on pharmacotherapy.
NUR 6971 – Advanced Psychiatric/Mental Health Nursing I Practicum (5 cr.)
Supervised clinical immersion applying adult/geriatric assessment, diagnosis, and crisis response in diverse settings. Highlights recovery-oriented care using communication and group theory to guide interventions for patients and families.
NUR 6972 – Advanced Psychiatric/Mental Health Nursing II (3 cr.)
Advances recovery-focused psychotherapy and management for complex, chronic psychiatric conditions across the lifespan. Examines forensic, social, cultural, and economic determinants of severe mental illness and the PMH APRN’s advocacy role.
NUR 6973 – Advanced Psychiatric/Mental Health Nursing II Practicum (5 cr.)
Clinical application of comprehensive assessment and recovery-based interventions for adults/older adults with complex needs. Stresses therapeutic communication, group modalities, and coordinated management of comorbidities.
NUR 6974 – Advanced Psychiatric/Mental Health Nursing III (3 cr.)
Prepares PMH APRNs to assess, diagnose, and treat children, adolescents, and families using a recovery framework. Integrates culturally responsive care, differential diagnosis, and multimodal therapies tailored to developmental stages.
NUR 6975 – Advanced Psychiatric/Mental Health Nursing III Practicum (5 cr.)
Capstone clinical experience managing complex psychiatric cases across the lifespan with emphasis on pediatric and family care. Builds on prior practicums to refine medication management, therapeutic interventions, and advocacy informed by forensic and social-context factors.
NUR 7000 – Project Proposal Paper (3 cr.)
Guided scholarly project that synthesizes theory, clinical experience, and research into a formal proposal addressing a priority practice problem. Develops a feasible, evidence-based plan for implementation and evaluation.
MSN Clinicals
Students complete a total of 630 clinical hours across three practicum courses:
- NUR 6971 (210 hours)
- NUR 6973 (210 hours)
- NUR 6975 (210 hours)
HPU’s dedicated placement team provides personalized clinical placement support to secure approved psychiatric-focused practicum sites in students’ local communities.
Clinical settings include community mental health centers, behavioral health clinics, inpatient psychiatric units, telepsychiatry platforms, and integrated care models.
MSN Admissions Requirements
Prerequisites:
- Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) from an accredited institution
- Minimum 3.0 GPA preferred
- Active, unencumbered U.S. Registered Nurse (RN) license
- Application and $55 application fee
- Official transcripts from all colleges/universities attended
- Two letters of recommendation
- Current curriculum vitae or resume
- Statement of purpose
- $200 deposit fee (applied to account upon enrollment)
Post-Master’s Certificate – PMHNP
The estimated cost for the Post-Master’s PMHNP Certificate program is $30,159 ($1,117 per credit × 27 credits) and would take approximately 18-24 months to complete.
This program is designed for master’s-prepared APRNs seeking academic progression and specialization in the psychiatric mental health field, honoring current advanced nursing practice while building leadership skills to drive impactful systems change.
Certificate Curriculum
The 27-credit Post-Master’s Certificate program focuses exclusively on psychiatric mental health specialization courses. Students may transfer up to 12 eligible credits from another accredited institution.
Post-Master’s Certificate Courses (27 credits):
- NUR 6026 Psychopharmacology Across the Lifespan (3)
- NUR 6970 Advanced Psychiatric/Mental Health Nursing I (3)
- NUR 6971 Advanced Psychiatric/Mental Health Nursing I Practicum (5)
- NUR 6972 Advanced Psychiatric/Mental Health Nursing II (3)
- NUR 6973 Advanced Psychiatric/Mental Health Nursing II Practicum (5)
- NUR 6974 Advanced Psychiatric/Mental Health Nursing III (3)
- NUR 6975 Advanced Psychiatric/Mental Health Nursing III Practicum (5)
Certificate Clinicals
The Post-Master’s Certificate program requires 630 clinical hours distributed across three practicum courses: NUR 6971 (210 hours), NUR 6973 (210 hours), and NUR 6975 (210 hours). Clinical placements are coordinated in students’ local communities across diverse mental health settings including outpatient psychiatric clinics, community mental health centers, substance use recovery centers, private psychiatric practices, and correctional facilities.
Certificate Admissions Requirements
Prerequisites:
- Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) from an accredited university
- Minimum 3.0 GPA from undergraduate degree preferred
- Active, unencumbered U.S. RN license
- Completion of Statistics and Research (Evidence-Based Nursing) course
- Completion of MSN Core Courses in graduate-level:
- Advanced Practice Nursing Roles (NUR 6000)
- Advanced Pathophysiology (NUR 6010)
- Advanced Nursing Research (NUR 6020)
- Pharmacology (NUR 6025)
- Physical Assessment (NUR 6030)
- Development & Implementation of Health Care Policy (NUR 8050)
- Core courses must have been completed within 5 years if not currently practicing as an APRN
- Gap Analysis will be conducted to evaluate current MSN degree and identify any coursework gaps
- Application and $55 application fee
- Official transcripts with semester-specific syllabi if requested
- Two letters of recommendation
- Current curriculum vitae or resume
- Statement of purpose
- $200 deposit fee
- Application deadline: May 1
Tuition
Graduate nursing tuition is $1,117 per credit hour for all online MSN and Post-Master’s Certificate programs.
The application fee is $55 and a $200 deposit fee is required upon enrollment (applied to student account).
See the official tuition page for more details.
Accreditation
The baccalaureate degree program in nursing, master’s degree program in nursing, post-graduate APRN certificate program, and Doctor of Nursing Practice at Hawai’i Pacific University are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE).
HPU is also accredited by the WASC Senior College and University Commission (WSCUC) and participates in the National Council for State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements (NC-SARA).
More PMHNP Programs
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- University of Hawaii - Manoa