Program Tracks Overview
| Program | Est. Cost | Estimated Duration |
|---|---|---|
| MSN – PMHNP | ≈ $47,908 per year | ≈ 17–28 months (FT/PT) |
| BSN to DNP – PMHNP | ≈ $41,447 per year | ≈ 2.5–3 years |
| Post-Master’s DNP – PMHNP | ≈ $41,447 per year | ≈ 2 years |
Master of Science in Nursing – PMHNP
The estimated cost for the MSN – PMHNP program is approximately $47,908 per year based on full-time enrollment at $1,159 per credit hour (or $10,430 flat rate per semester for 9+ credits) plus fees, and would take 17-28 months to complete depending on full-time or part-time enrollment status.
MSN Curriculum
The MSN – PMHNP curriculum provides comprehensive coursework focused on health promotion, disease prevention, and management of psychiatric, mental health, and behavioral disorders.
Students follow a structured sequence integrating classroom learning with clinical experience. Clinical credit hours are on a 1:4 ratio (1 credit = 4 contact hours).
Core classes include:
NUR 602 – Advanced Health Assessment
Builds graduate-level head-to-toe assessment skills across the lifespan, integrating history, exam, labs/imaging, and cultural considerations to form sound clinical judgments with hands-on lab practice.
NUR 603 – Advanced Physiology/Pathophysiology
Explores how disruptions in normal physiology—shaped by genetics, diagnostics, and environment—produce clinical signs of disease to inform advanced assessment and management.
NUR 607 – Advanced Pharmacology
Applies pharmacokinetics/dynamics and prescriptive standards to select, dose, and monitor medications across the lifespan, emphasizing safety, legal/ethical issues, interactions, and patient teaching.
NUR 649 – Role and Scope of the APRN
Clarifies APRN scope, standards, collaboration, and regulatory responsibilities to support a confident transition into advanced practice.
NUR 680 – Management of Psych-Mental Health I
Introduces adult psychiatric care with a focus on therapeutic interviewing, differential diagnosis, and evidence-based treatment models.
NUR 617 – Evidence-Based Practice and Research for Advanced Nursing
Teaches how to ask focused clinical questions, appraise research, and synthesize evidence to drive practice improvements.
NUR 639 – Population Health & Policy for the APRN
Examines equity, social determinants, and health policy so APRNs can advocate for population-level outcomes.
NUR 681 – Management of Psych-Mental Health II
Covers assessment and treatment planning for children and adolescents, linking development to diagnosis and care of DBMH conditions.
NUR 683 – Psych-Mental Health Practicum I
Begins supervised psychiatric clinical practice with adult clients, strengthening assessment, collaboration, and treatment planning skills.
NUR 687 – Psychopharmacology
Connects neurobiology to psychotropic selection and monitoring, including dosing, pharmacogenetics, and side-effect management across the lifespan.
NUR 635 – Healthcare Information, Quality, and Safety
Prepares nurses to leverage health IT and systems thinking to enhance safety, quality, and patient engagement.
NUR 675 – Statistics for the Behavioral and Clinical Sciences
Builds practical fluency with core statistical concepts and common inferential tests to interpret and critique research.
NUR 679 – Common Medical Conditions for the PMHNP
Sharpens recognition of prevalent medical issues in psychiatric settings, emphasizing differential diagnosis, referral, and basic test interpretation.
NUR 682 – Management of Psych-Mental Health III
Advances diagnosis and management of specific psychiatric disorders while applying psychotherapy frameworks and interprofessional collaboration.
NUR 684 – Psych-Mental Health Practicum II
Expands lifespan clinical experience in diverse settings, deepening competence in managing psychiatric conditions under preceptor guidance.
NUR 628 – Synthesis of Advanced Nursing Practice
Capstone lab that integrates advanced knowledge and skills to support the move toward autonomous practice with complex patients.
NUR 650 – Interprofessional Leadership & Practice Excellence for the APRN
Develops leadership styles, teamwork, and communication strategies for effective APRN practice across disciplines.
NUR 685 – Psych-Mental Health Practicum III
Final immersive rotation that consolidates full-scope PMHNP skills—assessment, therapy, and management—across varied clinical environments.
More curriculum details are available here.
MSN Clinicals
Students complete a minimum of 780 clinical practice hours throughout the program, gaining hands-on field experience applying psychiatric mental health nursing skills and techniques.
MSN Admissions Requirements
- Online application submission
- Bachelor’s degree in nursing from BSN program accredited by ACEN, NLNAC, CNEA, or CCNE
- Official transcripts from all higher education institutions
- Undergraduate GPA of 3.0 on 4.0 scale (applicants with 2.75-2.99 GPA in upper division nursing courses may be conditionally accepted)
- Current unencumbered RN license to practice in Georgia
- Minimum one year work experience as professional registered nurse
- Resume including healthcare experience, work experience, community involvement, academic honors, research, civic or leadership awards
- Admissions cover letter (1,000 words or less) describing professional goals and reasons for seeking graduate education
- Three professional references who can address ability to successfully complete graduate study (at least one reference from master’s-prepared or higher nurse; applicants with BSN coursework completed within last five years must include faculty reference)
- $50 nonrefundable application fee
- Admissions interview with graduate programs coordinator/dean after application submission
BSN to Doctor of Nursing Practice – PMHNP
The estimated cost for the BSN to DNP – PMHNP program is approximately $41,447 per year based on full-time enrollment at $1,285.50 per credit hour plus fees, and would take approximately 2.5-3 years (8 semesters) to complete on a full-time basis.
BSN DNP Curriculum
The BSN to DNP – PMHNP curriculum includes comprehensive doctoral-level coursework and psychiatric mental health specialty courses:
Semester 1 – Fall (11 credits):
- NUR 603: Advanced Physiology/Pathophysiology (3)
- NUR 607: Advanced Pharmacology (3)
- NUR 730: Transition to the Practice Doctorate (2)
- NUR 731: Clinical Epidemiology (3)
Semester 2 – Spring (9 credits):
- NUR 732: Population Health (3)
- NUR 734: Health Care Economics and Finance (3)
- NUR 739: Health Care Policy (3)
Semester 3 – Summer (6 credits):
- NUR 675: Statistics for the Behavioral and Clinical Sciences (3)
- NUR 735: Informatics and Patient Care Technology (3)
Semester 4 – Fall (11 credits):
- NUR 602: Advanced Health Assessment (3)
- NUR 649: Role and Scope of the APRN (1)
- NUR 680: Management of Psych-Mental Health I (4)
- NUR 728: Theoretical Foundations for Advanced Nursing Practice (3)
Semester 5 – Spring (11 credits):
- NUR 681: Management of Psych-Mental Health II (2)
- NUR 687: Psychopharmacology (3)
- NUR 733: Evidence Appraisal (3)
- NUR 783: Psych-Mental Health Practicum I for the DNP (180 practicum hours) (3)
Semester 6 – Summer (11 credits):
- NUR 679: Common Medical Conditions for the PMHNP (1)
- NUR 682: Management of Psych-Mental Health III (3)
- NUR 729: DNP Project Development (1)
- NUR 736: Outcomes Measurement and Program Evaluation (3)
- NUR 784: Psych-Mental Health Practicum II for the DNP (180 practicum hours) (3)
Semester 7 – Fall (10 credits):
- NUR 628: Synthesis of Advanced Nursing Practice (1)
- NUR 650: Interprofessional Leadership & Practice Excellence for the Advanced Practice Provider (2)
- NUR 738: Organizational and Systems Leadership (60 immersion hours) (3)
- NUR 740A: DNP Immersion (60 immersion hours) (1)
- NUR 785: Psych-Mental Health Practicum III for the DNP (180 practicum hours) (3)
Semester 8 – Spring (8 credits):
- NUR 740B: DNP Immersion (120 immersion hours) (2)
- NUR 741: Advancing Nursing Practice (2)
- NUR 786: Psych-Mental Health Practicum IV for the DNP (240 practicum hours) (4)
Total program: 77 credit hours
BSN DNP Clinicals
Students complete 780 clinical practicum hours and 240 immersion hours for a total of 1,020 post-baccalaureate practice hours. Practicum courses follow a 1:4 credit-to-clinical hour ratio.
Clinical experiences are distributed across Semesters 5-8:
- Practicum I (180 hours)
- Practicum II (180 hours)
- Practicum III (180 hours)
- Practicum IV (240 hours)
Immersion hours occur in Semesters 7-8.
BSN DNP Admissions Requirements
- Online application submission
- Bachelor’s degree in nursing from BSN program accredited by ACEN, NLNAC, CNEA, or CCNE
- Official transcripts from all higher education institutions
- Undergraduate GPA of 3.2 on 4.0 scale (applicants with 3.0-3.19 GPA in upper division nursing courses may be conditionally accepted)
- Current unencumbered RN license to practice in Georgia
- No minimum work experience required
- Resume including healthcare experience, work experience, community involvement, academic honors, research, civic or leadership awards
- Admissions cover letter (1,000 words or less) describing professional goals and reasons for seeking additional certification
- Three professional references who can address ability to successfully complete graduate study (at least one reference from master’s-prepared or higher nurse; applicants with BSN coursework completed within last five years must include two faculty references)
- $50 nonrefundable application fee
- Associate Dean for Graduate Programs and selection committee review all materials
- Selected applicants invited for interview with Associate Dean, DNP Coordinator, or faculty designee
- Scholarly writing sample required following interview
- Applicants typically notified of admission decision within three weeks from interview
Post-Master’s DNP – PMHNP
The estimated cost for the Post-Master’s DNP – PMHNP program is approximately $41,447 per year based on full-time enrollment at $1,285.50 per credit hour plus fees, and would take approximately 2 years (6 semesters) to complete on a full-time basis.
DNP Curriculum
The Post-Master’s DNP – PMHNP curriculum is designed for registered nurses with MSN degrees currently certified as advanced practice nurses:
Semester 1 – Fall (8 credits):
- NUR 728: Theoretical Foundations for Advanced Nursing Practice (3)
- NUR 730: Transition to the Practice Doctorate (2)
- NUR 731: Clinical Epidemiology (3)
Semester 2 – Spring (12 credits):
- NUR 732: Population Health (3)
- NUR 733: Evidence Appraisal (3)
- NUR 734: Health Care Economics and Finance (3)
- NUR 739: Health Care Policy (3)
Semester 3 – Summer (7 credits):
- NUR 729: DNP Project Development (1)
- NUR 735: Informatics and Patient Care Technology (3)
- NUR 736: Outcomes Measurement and Program Evaluation (3)
Semester 4 – Fall (12 credits):
- NUR 738: Organizational and Systems Leadership (60 immersion hours) (3)
- NUR 740A: DNP Immersion (60 immersion hours) (1)
- DNP 780: Management of Psych-Mental Health I (4)
- DNP 783: Psych-Mental Health Practicum I (240 practicum hours) (4)
Semester 5 – Spring (10 credits):
- NUR 740B: DNP Immersion (60 immersion hours) (1)
- DNP 781: Management of Psych-Mental Health II (2)
- DNP 784: Psych-Mental Health Practicum II (240 practicum hours) (4)
- DNP 787: Psychopharmacology (3)
Semester 6 – Summer (9 credits):
- DNP 779: Common Medical Conditions for the PMHNP (1)
- DNP 782: Management of Psych-Mental Health III (3)
- DNP 785: Psych-Mental Health Practicum III (300 practicum hours) (5)
Total program: 58 credit hours
DNP Clinicals
Students complete 780 clinical practicum hours and 180 immersion hours for a total of 960 post-master’s practice hours. Practicum courses follow a 1:4 credit-to-clinical hour ratio.
Clinical experiences are distributed across Semesters 4-6:
- Practicum I (240 hours)
- Practicum II (240 hours)
- Practicum III (300 hours)
DNP Admissions Requirements
Requirements mirror the BSN to DNP track with the addition of current APRN certification as nurse practitioner, clinical nurse specialist, nurse midwife, or nurse anesthetist, and completion of Master of Science in Nursing degree.
Tuition
MSN Program: Graduate nursing students pay $1,159 per credit hour or a flat tuition rate of $10,430 per semester for 9+ credits.
Additional fees include Activity Fee ($230/semester), Credentialing Fee ($25/semester), and Liability Insurance Fee ($25 spring semester only). Full-time annual estimated cost of attendance is $47,908 including tuition, fees, books, housing, food, transportation, personal expenses, and average loan fees.
DNP Programs: Graduate DNP students pay $1,285.50 per credit hour.
Based on full-time enrollment (6 credits per semester in fall and spring), total annual estimated cost of attendance is $41,447 including tuition, fees, books, housing, food, transportation, personal expenses, and average loan fees.
See the official tuition page for more details.
Accreditation
The Master of Science in Nursing program is accredited by appropriate nursing accreditation bodies. All programs leading to licensure are designed to meet educational requirements of regulatory authorities in the State of Georgia.
Certification Eligibility
Graduates of all PMHNP tracks are prepared to sit for the Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner certification examination offered by the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) or the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners Certification Board (AANPCB).
Other Nursing Programs
Mercer University Georgia Baptist College of Nursing offers additional degree programs:
MSN Tracks:
- Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner
- Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner
- Family Nurse Practitioner
BSN to DNP Tracks:
- Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner
- Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner
- Family Nurse Practitioner
Additional Programs:
- Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN)
- Doctor of Philosophy in Nursing (PhD)
- Pre-Nursing
- Graduate Statistics Course
More PMHNP Programs in Georgia
View All PMHNP Programs in Georgia
- Augusta University - Augusta
- Brenau University - Gainesville
- Emory University - Atlanta
- Georgia College & State University - Milledgeville
- Georgia Southern University - Statesboro, Savannah
- Georgia State University - Atlanta
- Valdosta State University - Valdosta