Program Tracks Overview
| Track | Duration | Est. Cost | Format |
|---|---|---|---|
| MSN – PMHNP | ~2–3 years | $48,132–$60,165 | Online or hybrid; |
| DNP – Post-Baccalaureate Entry (PMHNP) | ~4–6 years | $90,916 | Online/hybrid |
| Post-Graduate Certificate – PMHNP | ~1.5–2 years | $36,099 | Online/hybrid |
Thomas Jefferson University College of Nursing delivers comprehensive psychiatric-mental health nurse practitioner education with a 98% job placement rate for graduates, and maintains pass rates higher than national averages.
The program curriculums emphasize training across multiple clinical settings with opportunities spanning the full lifespan from pediatric to geriatric populations. Students complete comprehensive clinical placements through joint responsibility partnerships between students and faculty members, with mandatory orientation attendance before program commencement.
Master of Science in Nursing PMHNP Track
The estimated cost for the MSN PMHNP program is $48,132-$60,165 and would take 2-3 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 with integrated healthcare delivery focus.
Curriculum
The curriculum includes graduate core, APRN core, and specialty psychiatric mental health coursework.
Key subjects include health policy, research, pharmacology, advanced assessment, and psychiatric care for adults, children, and special populations.
Coursework includes:
NU 602 Health Policy, Legal and Ethical Dimensions of Practice
This course equips advanced practice nurses with the ability to evaluate research and identify clinical research opportunities. It covers theoretical foundations for advanced nursing practice, data collection and statistical analysis methods, and interpretation of both qualitative and quantitative outcomes.
NU 603 Research for Advanced Practice Nursing I
Focuses on applying research and evidence-based practice to support clinical decisions, organizational improvements, and quality care delivery. Students develop the skills to interpret research findings and integrate them into nursing practice for better patient outcomes.
NU 704 Philosophy, Foundations, and Methods for Evidence-Based Practice
Students learn to assess and apply clinical research using a systematic framework. Emphasis is placed on identifying practice problems, evaluating relevant literature, and implementing evidence-based changes while considering ethical implications in healthcare research.
NU 605 Role of the Advanced Practice Nurse
Explores the multifaceted roles of advanced practice nurses, including clinician, educator, consultant, and leader. It examines how historical, social, political, and economic factors influence advanced nursing roles in healthcare systems.
NU 696 Leadership and Critical Decision Making
Prepares students to lead within healthcare organizations by focusing on system leadership and resource management. The course emphasizes strategic thinking, quality improvement, and the delivery of cost-effective and safe patient care.
NU 705 Advanced Topics in Health Informatics
Introduces advanced concepts in health informatics and the application of information technology to transform healthcare delivery. Students explore innovations that support clinical decision-making and improve care outcomes.
NU 570 Pathophysiology of Human Disease/Pathologic Aspect of Disease
Covers systemic and general pathology with a focus on disease mechanisms. Students gain foundational knowledge in the pathophysiology of major human diseases.
NU 673 Comprehensive Assessment for Clinical Decision-Making
Trains students in comprehensive health assessment across the lifespan. Includes physical exams, health histories, differential diagnosis, and documentation, with an introduction to nurse practitioner roles and cultural considerations in care.
NU 560 Advanced Pharmacotherapeutics
Focuses on rational drug therapy and safe medication management. Students learn to evaluate pharmacologic treatments while considering social, emotional, and economic impacts on patient care.
NU 613 Management of Common Psychiatric and Mental Health Problems of Adults
Prepares students to manage psychiatric disorders in adults using therapeutic relationships, pharmacological interventions, and evidence-based psychotherapies. Emphasizes communication, interdisciplinary collaboration, and application of DSM-5 diagnostic frameworks.
NU 614 Management of Psychiatric and Mental Health Problems in Children
Focuses on pediatric psychiatric care with attention to developmental stages, therapy, and pharmacology. Students apply DSM-5 criteria and explore family dynamics, group treatments, and systemic interventions.
NU 615 Management of Psychiatric and Mental Health Problems in Special Populations
Trains students to care for vulnerable populations and address advanced practice entry-to-practice concerns. Covers complex assessments, family therapy, psychopharmacology, and professional role development, continuing the use of DSM-5 and evidence-based frameworks.
More curriculum information available here:
Clinicals
Clinical requirements include 750 clinical hours distributed across three specialty courses with minimum 16 hours weekly during clinical rotations.
All clinical placements represent joint partnerships between students and faculty, ensuring comprehensive mentorship throughout practical training experiences.
MSN Track Requirements
- Bachelor’s degree in nursing from nationally accredited program
- Competitive admission through application and evaluation process
- Completion of all required application materials including transcripts and references
DNP-Post Baccalaureate Entry PMHNP Track
The estimated cost for the DNP-Post Baccalaureate Entry PMHNP program is $90,916 and would take 4-6 years to complete on a full-time basis.
This terminal degree pathway serves registered nurses with bachelor’s degrees seeking doctoral-level preparation with MSN conferral upon completion of essential competencies before continuing to DNP coursework.
Curriculum
The 68-credit curriculum encompasses complete MSN preparation (45 credits) plus doctoral-level competencies including:
- practice inquiry methods
- healthcare systems safety and quality improvement science
- strategic change leadership
- community engagement
- population health
- scholarly project development
Students complete 18 credits of graduate core curriculum, 9 credits of APRN core requirements, 18 credits of psychiatric specialty training, 16 credits of DNP core curriculum, and 7 credits of doctoral practicum experiences. The program emphasizes scholarly practice preparation through year-long doctoral projects aligned with career interests and goals.
Clinicals
Clinical requirements include the same 750 psychiatric mental health clinical hours as the MSN track plus additional doctoral-level practicum experiences totaling comprehensive advanced practice preparation.
DNP-Post Baccalaureate Requirements
- Bachelor’s degree in nursing from nationally accredited program
- Academic preparation for doctoral-level coursework
- Commitment to 4-6 year program completion timeline
Post-Graduate Certificate PMHNP Track
The estimated cost for the Post-Graduate Certificate PMHNP program is $36,099 and would take 1.5-2 years to complete on a full-time basis.
This accelerated pathway targets nurses with master’s or doctoral degrees seeking psychiatric-mental health nurse practitioner certification through gap analysis academic credit evaluation.
Curriculum
The 27-credit curriculum includes 9 credits of core requirements (advanced pharmacotherapeutics, pathophysiology, and health assessment) plus 18 credits of specialty training through three sequential diagnostic reasoning and clinical decision-making courses. Students complete comprehensive psychiatric mental health management training across adult, pediatric, and special population settings.
The program provides academic credit for prior didactic and clinical experiences based on individual academic and practice portfolio gap analysis.
Clinicals
Clinical requirements mirror other tracks with comprehensive psychiatric mental health clinical experiences across all population groups. Students complete substance use disorder training, lifespan clinical opportunities across multiple settings, and integrated healthcare practice preparation while maintaining focus on evidence-based clinical decision-making and diagnostic reasoning competencies.
Post-Graduate Certificate Requirements
- Master’s or doctoral degree in nursing from accredited institution
- Gap analysis evaluation of academic and practice portfolio
- Advanced practice nursing background preferred
Tuition
Graduate nursing tuition is $1,337 per credit hour with a $1,054 departmental fee. IT and library fees are prorated based on enrollment status. Clinical courses (including NU 613, 614, and 615) include an additional $232 course fee.
Visit the official tuition page for more details.
Accreditation
Thomas Jefferson University College of Nursing maintains appropriate accreditation ensuring graduates meet academic eligibility requirements for American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) or American Association of Nurse Practitioners (AANP) psychiatric-mental health nurse practitioner certification examinations.
Other Nursing Programs
Jefferson College of Nursing offers additional programs including:
- Adult Gerontology – Acute Care Nurse Practitioner
- Adult Gerontology – Primary Care Nurse Practitioner
- Family-Individual Across the Lifespan Nurse Practitioner
- Neonatal Nurse Practitioner
- Nursing Education: Academic Nursing
- Pediatric Primary Care Nurse Practitioner
- Transformative Systems Leadership
- Women’s Health – Gender Related Nurse Practitioner
- DNP-Clinical Practice
- DNP-Executive Leadership
- DNP-Nurse Anesthesia
- Emergency Nurse Practitioner (Post-Graduate Certificate)
Related Programs
View All PMHNP Programs in Pennsylvania
- Drexel University - Philadelphia
- Pennsylvania State University - University Park
- University of Pennsylvania - Philadelphia
- University of Scranton - Scranton
- York College - York