Program Tracks Overview
| Program | Est. Cost* | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| BSN to DNP – PMHNP | ~$39,000 | 3 years |
| Post-Graduate APRN Certificate – PMHNP | ~$11,800–$12,000 | 1 year |
*Totals reflect tuition only and do not include course fees or additional expenses.
The programs integrate knowledge and competencies for diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of opioid and substance use disorder throughout the curriculum, with opportunities to work with clients undergoing medication-assisted treatment (MAT) and evidence-based recovery therapies.
Doctor of Nursing Practice – BSN to DNP PMHNP
The estimated cost for the BSN to DNP PMHNP program is approximately $38,979 and takes 3 years to complete on a full-time basis.
Estimate based on 79 credits at $493.40 per credit: $444.40 base + $49 nursing differential.
The DNP is a terminal practice-focused doctoral degree preparing leaders for the highest level of nursing practice with over 1,000 contact hours of supervised clinical experiences.
DNP Admissions Requirements
Academic Credentials:
- Bachelor’s degree in Nursing from nationally accredited nursing program
- Minimum nursing GPA of 3.0 or better
- Successful admission to NMSU Graduate School required
- Admission is competitive process based on application components and interview
Prerequisite Coursework:
- Undergraduate or graduate level statistics course completion
Licensure:
- Current unencumbered RN license from one of the 50 U.S. States or Territories (at time of application)
Application Materials:
- Complete DNP Program application through NMSU Graduate School (select ‘NMSU Global Campus’ to find DNP-PMHNP program)
- Current CV/resume
- RN license documentation
- Unofficial transcripts from nursing programs/degrees (official transcripts required before end of first semester)
- Letter of intent specifying career goals and clear statement of how DNP will advance applicant’s career
- Two to four (2-4) page paper (double-spaced, 12 pt font) describing example of common problem in clinical practice that could improve patient outcomes, population health, and/or healthcare delivery in specialty area (potential DNP Project basis; APA format with cited references)
- Names and contact information for three (3) references from colleagues in clinical practice
- Personal interview with faculty (on campus or via videoconferencing) for selected applicants
Application Deadlines:
- Priority Deadline: February 15
- Final Deadline: March 15 (for Fall admission)
- Program admits only for Fall semester
Commitment Requirements:
- Must sign commitment to enroll for full-time study
- Must attend 2-day on-campus program orientation at start of fall semester
- Must attend 1-week clinical seminar/immersion in summer of second year
- Non-attendance could result in program dismissal or failure to progress
Official Transcripts Submission: Send to: ATTN: Official Transcripts Graduate School New Mexico State University Educational Services Building, Suite 301 1780 E University Las Cruces, NM 88003 Email: gradinfo@nmsu.edu
State Authorization:
- NMSU is full member of National Council of State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements (SARA) consortium
- Students must check NMSU SARA website before applying to determine if NMSU has reciprocity agreement with home state
- State Boards of Nursing may regulate NMSU’s ability to have APRN students in clinical practice in out-of-state students’ home states
- Refer to National Council of State Boards of Nursing’s APRN Distance Education Requirements website
- Contact Nursing Graduate Advisor to confirm eligibility for clinical training in states outside New Mexico
Contact Information:
- Leah Baeza, Academic Advisor Lead, Graduate Programs: 575-646-4007, leahjh@nmsu.edu
- General inquiries: nursing graduate advisor at 575-646-4007
DNP Curriculum
The 79-credit BSN to DNP PMHNP program integrates DNP core courses for population health leadership with NP core courses and PMHNP specialty courses, requiring DNP project completion demonstrating advanced coursework in leadership, research translation, and clinical knowledge.
DNP Core Courses (30 Credits):
NURS 5120 – Nursing Informatics
Builds the essentials of health informatics, including EHRs, telehealth, data standards, and decision support, so you can use technology to improve safety, outcomes, and population monitoring.
NURS 6110 – Introduction to Population Health
Prepares you to design prevention and health-promotion strategies by examining global disease trends, emergency preparedness, health inequities, and lifestyle impacts on communities.
NURS 6250 – Healthcare Policy and Ethics
Analyzes how ethics, law, and policy shape care delivery and guides the development of advocacy approaches that support equity, access, quality, and cost stewardship.
NURS 6270 – Clinical Data Management and Analysis
Covers how to source, organize, analyze, and visualize clinical datasets to support evidence-based decisions and quality improvement in advanced practice.
NURS 6265 – Strategic & Financial Planning for Population Health Programs
Links leadership, quality, and risk concepts with accounting and finance principles to help you build a practical business plan for an evidence-based practice change.
NURS 6135 – Interdisciplinary Leadership & Role Development
Develops communication, negotiation, and team-based leadership skills to support effective, patient-centered care in complex systems.
NURS 6255 – Innovations and Health Care Organizations
Explores systems thinking, change strategies, and ethics to guide innovation, reduce disparities, and improve population health outcomes.
NURS 6120 – Quality Improvement in Healthcare
Prepares you to lead interprofessional QI efforts that enhance outcomes, lower costs, expand access, and reduce care gaps.
NURS 6125 – Evidence-Based Practice in Healthcare
Builds skills to search, appraise, and synthesize research and apply the strongest evidence directly to clinical practice.
NURS 6260 – Population Health and the Environment
Examines environmental, cultural, and socioeconomic influences on health and uses community assessment to guide prevention and safety strategies.
NURS 6305 – Introduction to the DNP Project
Guides early project development as you choose a practice focus, align with a clinical site, and outline foundational competencies for your DNP project.
NURS 6130 – Epidemiology for Advanced Nursing Practice
Applies epidemiologic principles to evaluate population health, interpret surveillance data, and critique research using real-world datasets.
NURS 6991 – DNP Project Development
Three-term sequence covering development, implementation, evaluation, and dissemination of a scholarly practice project that demonstrates advanced-level DNP competencies.
PMHNP Specialty Courses (22 Credits):
NURS 6405 – Psychopharmacology for Advanced Practice
Covers the major psychotropic drug classes with focus on prescribing, monitoring, safety, and patient education.
NURS 6410 – PMHNP Across the Lifespan I
Introduces the PMHNP role, psychiatric assessment, developmental theory, and foundational psychotherapy skills for diverse populations.
NURS 6411 – PMHNP Across the Lifespan I Practicum
Provides clinical experience in psychiatric evaluation and individual therapies across child, adolescent, adult, and older-adult populations.
NURS 6420 – PMHNP Across the Lifespan II
Expands skills in differential diagnosis, family and group therapy, and integrated management of common mental health conditions.
NURS 6421 – PMHNP Across the Lifespan II Practicum
Applies psychotherapy and psychopharmacology in inpatient and outpatient settings under preceptor supervision.
NURS 6430 – PMHNP Across the Lifespan III
Refines neuropsychology, diagnostic reasoning, and treatment planning for complex psychiatric presentations across the lifespan.
NURS 6431 – PMHNP Across the Lifespan III Practicum
Culminating clinical experience focused on advanced assessment, therapy, and medication management for individuals, families, and groups.
NURS 6432 – PMHNP Across the Lifespan Residency
Immersive residency that builds autonomy and competence in the full PMHNP role, with broad exposure to psychopharmacologic and psychotherapeutic care across settings.
NP Core Courses (15 Credits):
NURS 6220 – Advanced Pathophysiology for Clinical Nursing
Provides an in-depth study of human physiology and disease processes across the lifespan with case-based application to advanced practice.
NURS 6230 – Advanced Clinical Pharmacology
Links pharmacology concepts to therapeutic decision-making, dosing, monitoring, and safety for patients from childhood through older adulthood.
NURS 6224 – Diagnostic Reasoning & Advanced Health Assessment
Sharpens comprehensive history, psychosocial, and physical exam skills while developing differential diagnosis and documentation proficiency.
NURS 6226 – Advanced Health Assessment Practicum
Offers supervised practice to refine head-to-toe assessment and interpretation skills for patients of all ages.
NURS 6352 – Integrated Care for Diverse Populations
Covers interprofessional care models and teaches how to create biopsychosocial treatment plans and deliver brief, effective interventions across settings.
NURS 6210 – Professional Roles for Advanced Practice Clinical Nursing
Explores the legal, historical, political, social, and ethical foundations of APRN roles and examines emerging practice pathways.
Total Program: 79 Credits (Updated degree plan; original catalog showed 74 credits)
More curriculum details are available here.
Full-Time Three-Year Plan:
Year 1 – Fall (12 credits):
- NURS 6112 Population Health Leadership & Epidemiologic Decision Making (3)
- NURS 6115 Advanced Nursing Knowledge & the DNP Role (3)
- NURS 6120 Quality Improvement in Healthcare (3)
- NURS 6210 Professional Roles for Advanced Practice Clinical Nursing (3)
Year 1 – Spring (9 credits):
- NURS 6125 Evidence Based Practice in Healthcare (3)
- NURS 6135 Interdisciplinary Leadership and Role Development for Practice Excellence (3)
- NURS 6220 Advanced Pathophysiology for Clinical Nursing (3)
Year 1 – Summer (6 credits):
- NURS 6230 Advanced Clinical Pharmacology (3)
- NURS 6270 Clinical Data Analysis (2)
- NURS 6305 Introduction to the DNP Project (1)
Year 2 – Fall (9 credits):
- NURS 5120 Nursing Informatics (3)
- NURS 6224 Diagnostic Reasoning and Advanced Health Assessment (3)
- NURS 6226 Advanced Health Assessment Practicum (1)
- NURS 6991 DNP Project Development (2)
Year 2 – Spring (11 credits):
- NURS 6250 Healthcare Policy and Ethics (3)
- NURS 6260 Population Health and the Environment (3)
- NURS 6266 Strategic & Financial Decision-Making in HC Systems (3)
- NURS 6991 DNP Project Development (2)
Year 2 – Summer (9 credits):
- NURS 6404 Neurobiology of Mental Disorders (2)
- NURS 6408 PMHNP Role in Diagnostics & Screening (3)
- NURS 6411 PMHNP Across the Lifespan Practicum 1 (2)
- NP Clinical Immersion (included)
- NURS 6991 DNP Project Development (2)
Year 3 – Fall (9 credits):
- NURS 6410 PMHNP Across the Lifespan I (3)
- NURS 6411 PMHNP Across the Lifespan I Practicum (3)
- NURS 6405 Psychopharmacology for Advanced Practice (3)
Year 3 – Spring (9 credits):
- NURS 6420 PMHNP Across the Lifespan II (3)
- NURS 6421 PMHNP Across the Lifespan II Practicum (4)
- NURS 6352 Integrated Care for Diverse Populations (2)
Year 3 – Summer (5 credits):
- NURS 6430 PMHNP Across the Lifespan III (1)
- NURS 6431 PMHNP Across the Lifespan III Practicum (2)
- NURS 6432 PMHNP Across the Lifespan Residency (2)
Program Features:
- Flexible, mostly asynchronous online format for didactic courses
- On-campus orientation at program start
- 1-week on-campus intensive prior to third year
- Clinical practicum conducted in student’s hometown
- DNP Project must be completed by Fall Year 2; otherwise continue enrolling in NURS 6991 until project defended and final manuscript submitted
Curriculum Focus:
- Four core PMHNP competencies: advanced health assessment (physical and psychosocial); diagnosis (mental disorders, pathophysiology, neurophysiology); psychotherapy (individual, group, family); medication management (pharmacology and psychopharmacology)
- Healthcare systems competencies
- Best-practice research utilization and translation
- Healthcare quality improvement
- Holistic approach integrating psychotherapy approaches, medication management, mental health services into primary care settings
DNP Clinicals
The BSN to DNP PMHNP program requires over 1,000 contact hours of supervised clinical experiences, with the majority completed in the final year.
Clinical training conducted in students’ hometowns with nurse practitioners and physicians at local healthcare centers.
Clinical Hour Requirements:
- Advanced Health Assessment Practicum: 64 hours (NURS 6226: 1 credit × 64 hours/credit)
- PMHNP Clinical Practicum Hours: 832 hours (13 credits × 64 hours/credit)
- NURS 6411 PMHNP Across the Lifespan I Practicum: 3-4 credits (192-256 hours)
- NURS 6421 PMHNP Across the Lifespan II Practicum: 4 credits (256 hours)
- NURS 6431 PMHNP Across the Lifespan III Practicum: 2-3 credits (128-192 hours)
- NURS 6432 PMHNP Across the Lifespan Residency: 2 credits (128 hours)
- DNP Project Leadership Hours: 192 hours (3 credits × 64 hours/credit)
- Total Grand Total Practicum Hours: 1,088 hours
Clinical Settings: Students gain experience in:
- Community mental health centers
- Private clinics
- Psychiatric hospitals
- Integrated care settings
- Primary care clinics with mental health integration
- Community health centers
- Private practices
Clinical Coordination:
- Clinical training completed with nurse practitioners and physicians at local healthcare centers in student’s hometown
- Distance education format allows nurses to earn DNP in their hometown
- Students work with experienced preceptors in diverse settings
Clinical Focus Areas:
- Advanced psychiatric assessment
- Psychopharmacology management
- Evidence-based interventions for mental health disorders
- Substance use disorder and serious mental illness
- Individual, group, and family psychotherapy
- Medication-assisted treatment (MAT)
- Integration of mental health services into primary care
Program Immersion Experiences:
- On-campus orientation (2 days) at program start
- 1-week on-campus clinical seminar/intensive in summer of second year
- NP Clinical Immersion included in Year 2 Summer
Certification Eligibility: Graduates prepared to sit for American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner certification exam.
Post-Graduate APRN Certificate – PMHNP
The estimated cost for the PMHNP Post-Graduate Certificate is approximately $11,842 and takes 1 year to complete.
Estimate based on 18 credits at $493.40 per credit: $444.40 base + $49 nursing differential, with optional additional 3-credit course.
The certificate is named among the Most Affordable Online Post-Master’s NP Certificate Programs by NPSchools.com.
Certificate Admissions Requirements
Academic Credentials:
- Master’s degree in nursing or Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) with minimum GPA of 3.0
- Currently certified as master’s or doctorally-prepared nurse practitioner, certified nurse midwife, or certified registered nurse anesthetist
Licensure:
- Active and current APRN license and certification as nurse practitioner, certified nurse midwife, certified registered nurse anesthetist, or clinical nurse specialist
Prerequisite Coursework:
- Advanced Health Assessment (completed)
- Advanced Pathophysiology (completed)
- Advanced Pharmacology (completed)
- Prerequisites must be satisfied before certificate enrollment
Application Materials:
- Complete application through NMSU Graduate School (select “Graduate Certificate” in application system)
- Resume/CV
- Unofficial transcripts (official transcripts required before end of first semester)
- Letter of intent describing career goals and how certificate fits professional objectives
- Contact information for three references from colleagues familiar with clinical expertise
Application Deadlines:
- Priority Deadline: February 15
- Final Deadline: April 1 (for 2025-2026 academic year)
- Program accepts applicants only for Fall
State Authorization:
- NMSU is full member of SARA consortium
- Students must check NMSU SARA website before applying to determine reciprocity agreement with home state
- Refer to School of Nursing’s Distance Education State Authorization Information website for eligibility information
Contact Information:
- Nursing Graduate Academic Advisor: 575-646-4007
- Leah Baeza, Academic Advisor Lead: 575-646-4007, leahjh@nmsu.edu
Certificate Curriculum
The 18-credit certificate focuses exclusively on PMHNP specialty coursework building upon four core PMHNP competencies with minimum 500 required clinical hours that cannot be waived or negotiated.
Required Courses (18 Credits):
- NURS 6410 PMHNP Across the Lifespan I (3 credits)
- NURS 6411 PMHNP Across the Lifespan I Practicum (3 credits)
- NURS 6420 PMHNP Across the Lifespan II (3 credits)
- NURS 6421 PMHNP Across the Lifespan II Practicum (3 credits)
- NURS 6352 Integrated Care for Diverse Populations (2 credits)
- NURS 6430 PMHNP Across the Lifespan III (1 credit)
- NURS 6431 PMHNP Across the Lifespan III Practicum (3 credits)
Optional Elective:
- NURS 6405 Psychopharmacology for Advanced Practice (3 credits)
Note on Psychopharmacology Course: New Mexico Higher Education Department limits graduate certificates to 18 credits, making NURS 6405 optional. However, it is strongly recommended students take this course to prepare for prescriptive practice and medication management competencies on PMHNP certification exam.
More curriculum details are available here.
One-Year Full-Time Plan:
Fall Semester (6 credits):
- NURS 6410 PMHNP Across the Lifespan I (3)
- NURS 6411 PMHNP Across the Lifespan I Practicum (3)
- Optional: NURS 6405 Psychopharmacology for Advanced Practice (3)
Spring Semester (8 credits):
- NURS 6420 PMHNP Across the Lifespan II (3)
- NURS 6421 PMHNP Across the Lifespan II Practicum (3)
- NURS 6352 Integrated Care for Diverse Populations (2)
Summer Semester (4 credits):
- NURS 6430 PMHNP Across the Lifespan III (1)
- NURS 6431 PMHNP Across the Lifespan III Practicum (3)
Program Features:
- 100% online coursework with on-site clinical hours
- Flexible, mostly asynchronous format
- Designed for working professionals seeking dual certification
- Primary care APRNs can achieve dual certification as PMHNP in 12 months
- Builds on existing APRN knowledge and clinical expertise
Curriculum Focus: Four core PMHNP competencies:
- Advanced Health Assessment (physical and psychosocial)
- Diagnosis (mental disorders, pathophysiology, neurophysiology)
- Psychotherapy (individual, group, family)
- Medication Management (pharmacology and psychopharmacology)
Additional competencies in:
- Healthcare systems
- Best-practice research utilization and translation
- Healthcare quality improvement
Certificate Clinicals
The Post-Graduate APRN Certificate requires minimum 500 clinical hours (576 hours based on credit calculation) of supervised clinical practicum that cannot be waived or negotiated. These are required for national certification.
Clinical Hour Requirements:
- Certificate students must complete 576 hours of supervised clinical practicum
- Calculation: 1 credit in clinical course = 64 hours of clinical practicum
- Total: 576 clinical hours minimum (9 practicum credits × 64 hours/credit)
Clinical Hour Breakdown:
- NURS 6411 PMHNP Across the Lifespan I Practicum: 3 credits (192 hours)
- NURS 6421 PMHNP Across the Lifespan II Practicum: 3 credits (192 hours)
- NURS 6431 PMHNP Across the Lifespan III Practicum: 3 credits (192 hours)
Clinical Settings: Same diverse settings as DNP program:
- Community mental health centers
- Private practices
- Psychiatric hospitals
- Primary care clinics
- Integrated care settings
- Community health centers
Clinical Training:
- Completed in student’s hometown/local area
- Work alongside professional nurses and physicians
- Hands-on experience honing specialized PMHNP skills
- Distance education format accommodates working professionals
Clinical Focus:
- Mental health care across the lifespan (children to adults)
- Individual, group, and family psychotherapy
- Psychopharmacological management
- Assessment and diagnosis of psychiatric disorders
- Emergency psychiatric care
- Substance use disorder treatment
- Serious mental illness management
Certification Eligibility: Program completion prepares graduates to sit for Psychiatric/Mental Health Nurse Practitioner certification exam through ANCC.
Tuition
Graduate Tuition Rates (2025-2026) – NMSU Global Campus:
All Graduate Nursing Programs (Except Nurse Anesthesiology):
- Base Tuition (per credit): $444.40
- Nursing Tuition Differential (per credit): $49.00
- Total Per Credit: $493.40
Active Military Rates:
- Base Tuition (per credit): $250.00
- Nursing Tuition Differential (per credit): $49.00
- Total Per Credit: $299.00
Estimated Total Program Costs:
BSN to DNP PMHNP (79 credits):
- Semester 1 (12 credits): $5,920.80
- Semester 2 (9 credits): $4,440.60
- Semester 3 (6 credits): $2,960.40
- Semester 4 (9 credits): $4,440.60
- Semester 5 (11 credits): $5,427.40
- Semester 6 (9 credits): $4,440.60
- Semester 7 (9 credits): $4,440.60
- Semester 8 (9 credits): $4,440.60
- Semester 9 (5 credits): $2,467.00
- Total Program Cost: $38,978.60
PMHNP Post-Graduate Certificate (18 credits):
- Semester 1 (10 credits, including optional course): $4,934.00
- Semester 2 (9 credits): $4,440.60
- Semester 3 (5 credits): $2,467.00
- Total Certificate Cost: $11,841.60
PMHNP Post-Graduate Certificate (18 credits only, without optional course):
- Semester 1 (6 credits): $2,960.40
- Semester 2 (8 credits): $3,947.20
- Semester 3 (4 credits): $1,973.60
- Total: $8,881.20
Important Notes:
- These estimates based on NMSU Fall 2025 tuition rates
- Subject to change
- Special tuition agreements (Western Undergraduate Exchange, Descubre, etc.) not applicable to NMSU Global Campus programs
- Course fees still apply and charged separately
Additional Program Costs:
- Books and textbooks
- Technology requirements for online learning
- Uniforms and equipment
- Travel costs for on-campus orientations and immersion experiences
- Clinical site-related expenses
- Professional liability insurance
- Background checks and health screenings
Financial Aid:
- Federal financial aid available
- FAFSA required for consideration
- Loan and grant opportunities
- Scholarship opportunities through NMSU Scholar Dollar$ one-stop scholarship application
- Contact Financial Aid: 1-888-729-6678, globalFA@nmsu.edu
See the official tuition page for more details.
Accreditation
The baccalaureate degree program in nursing, master’s degree program in nursing, Doctor of Nursing Practice program, and post-graduate APRN certificates at New Mexico State University are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE), ensuring quality education meeting national standards for advanced practice nursing.
New Mexico State University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission, an institutional accreditation agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education, ensuring credits are transferable and education meets high-quality standards.
Related School Nursing Programs
Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Programs:
- DNP – BSN to DNP Family Nurse Practitioner – 3-year full-time program preparing primary care nurse practitioners across the lifespan
- DNP – BSN to DNP Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner – 3-year full-time program (current program)
- DNP – BSN to DNP Nurse Anesthesiology – Advanced practice program for certified registered nurse anesthetists (follows different tuition structure: Resident $348.76/credit + $525 differential; Non-Resident $1,062.26/credit + $525 differential)
- DNP – MSN to DNP – Post-master’s option for nurses with MSN seeking terminal practice degree
Master of Science in Nursing (MSN):
- MSN in Leadership and Administration – Full-time (5 semesters) and Part-time (7 semesters) tracks available; prepares nurses for leadership roles in healthcare organizations
Post-Graduate APRN Certificates:
- Family Nurse Practitioner Post-Graduate Certificate – 1-year program for certified APRNs seeking FNP certification; 100% online with clinical hours
- Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner Post-Graduate Certificate – 1-year program (current program)
Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN):
- Traditional BSN for students earning first Bachelor’s degree
- Accelerated BSN for students with Bachelor’s degree in another field
Program Highlights:
- NMSU is full member of National Council of State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements (SARA) consortium
- Distance education format allows nurses to earn degrees in their hometown
- Geographical location along United States-Mexico Border provides outstanding clinical experiences
- Expanded program offerings over past 10 years with many courses fully online
- Programs integrate opioid and substance use disorder treatment competencies throughout curriculum
- Opportunities for medication-assisted treatment (MAT) and evidence-based recovery therapies
- Expert faculty with diverse clinical backgrounds in addiction, substance use disorder, serious mental illness, child/adolescent mental health
Interprofessional Education: Collaboration with professionals from psychology, social work, counseling, and other disciplines developing teamwork skills essential for holistic, patient-centered care.
Career Opportunities: Graduates prepared for advanced practice roles in:
- Community mental health centers
- Private clinics and practices
- Psychiatric hospitals
- Integrated care settings
- Primary care clinics with mental health focus
- Correctional facilities
- Hospital inpatient and outpatient settings
Certification: All programs prepare graduates to sit for American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner certification exam.
Related Programs
View All PMHNP Programs in New Mexico
- University of New Mexico - Albuquerque