Program Tracks Overview
| Program | Duration (full-time) | Est. Tuition |
|---|---|---|
| MSN PMHNP | ~2–2.5 years | $72,576 |
| Post-Master’s Certificate PMHNP | ~1–2 years | $24,000-$34,000 |
| BSN → DNP PMHNP | ~3–4 years | $72,583 |
| Graduate Entry MS PMHNP (for non-nurses) | ~3 years | $87,000-$97,000 |
Notes: Costs are tuition estimates based on the figures you provided and may exclude fees, books, and other expenses.
At the Ohio State University College of Nursing, students benefit from access to cutting-edge research within the country’s most comprehensive health sciences center. Additionally, there are collaborative relationships with Ohio State University Medical Center’s teaching hospitals, plus community-based mental health programs throughout Ohio.
Ohio State’s central location and flexible scheduling accommodate both full-time and part-time students through distance learning capabilities and state authorization across multiple jurisdictions.
Master of Science in Nursing PMHNP Concentration
The estimated cost for the MSN PMHNP concentration is $72,576 for Ohio residents and approximately $86,000 for non-residents and would take 2-2.5 years to complete on a full-time basis.
This comprehensive online track serves registered nurses with bachelor’s degrees seeking advanced practice specialization in psychiatric-mental health care across the lifespan.
The distance learning format accommodates working professionals while maintaining rigorous clinical preparation standards through collaborative healthcare team interactions.
Curriculum
The curriculum includes specialized courses in neuroscience principles, advanced psychiatric nursing, psychopharmacology across the lifespan, and three sequential advanced practice psychiatric nursing courses with integrated clinical components.
Core coursework covers include the following:
Nursing 7340 Neuroscience Principles and Concepts
Neurobiological bases of brain-mind-behavior relationships in mental health and illness, including chemical dependence. The promotion, maintenance, and restoration of central nervous system homeostasis will be emphasized.
Nursing 7341 Advanced Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing
Advanced nursing clinical therapeutic interventions with persons across the lifespan diagnosed with mental illness and/or substance abuse.
Nursing 7348.01 Advanced Practice Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing I
Application of advanced practice psychiatric and mental health nursing biopsychosocial interventions with individuals experiencing mental illness and chemical dependence.
Nursing 7348.02 Advanced Practice Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing II
Application of advanced practice psychiatric and mental health. Nursing biopsychosocial interventions with individuals experiencing mental illnesses and chemical dependence.
Nursing 7348.03 Advanced Practice Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing III
Application of advanced practice psychiatric and mental health nursing biopsychosocial interventions with individuals experiencing mental illness and chemical dependence.
Nursing 7350 Psychopharmacology Across the Lifespan
Pharmacokinetic principles and application of evidence-based clinical decision-making in relation to Advanced Practice Registered Nurse psychotropic medication prescribing across the lifespan.
More curriculum information available here:
- https://courses.erppub.osu.edu/psp/ps/EMPLOYEE/PUB/c/COMMUNITY_ACCESS.OSR_CAT_SRCH.GBL
- https://online.osu.edu/masters-degree/master-nursing-psychiatric-np/
Clinicals
Clinical requirements include 600 precepted clinical hours distributed across three sequential advanced practice psychiatric and mental health nursing clinical courses during the final year of study.
Students must secure clinical preceptors who are either PMHNPs or psychiatrists, with faculty support available throughout Ohio and approved states.
Master’s Concentration Requirements:
- Bachelor of Science in Nursing from ACEN/CCNE/CNEA-accredited institution
- Minimum 3.0 cumulative GPA on 4.0 scale
- Active unrestricted RN license
- Current resume or curriculum vitae
- Purpose and goals statement (maximum 3 pages)
- Recorded online video interview through HireVue platform
- Three professional letters of recommendation
- Holistic application review emphasizing leadership, collaboration, and clinical experience
Post-Master’s Certificate PMHNP Track
The estimated cost for the Post-Master’s Certificate PMHNP program is $24,000-$34,000 for Ohio residents (assuming 25-35 credit hours at $972.50 per credit plus associated fees). It would take 1-2 years to complete on a full-time basis.
This specialized pathway targets master’s-prepared nurses seeking psychiatric-mental health nurse practitioner certification as an additional or transitional specialty area.
Curriculum
The certificate curriculum includes specialty-specific psychiatric mental health coursework with potential waivers based on previous master’s degree completion.
Students complete identical specialized courses as the master’s concentration, including:
- neuroscience principles
- advanced psychiatric therapies
- psychopharmacology
- clinical practicum experiences
Course requirements are determined through comprehensive syllabi review by specialty track directors and academic deans following admission.
Clinicals
Clinical requirements mirror the master’s track with identical 600 precepted clinical hour requirements distributed across the same three-course clinical sequence. Students benefit from the same preceptor networks and faculty support systems as master’s students.
Post-Master’s Certificate Requirements
- Master’s degree in nursing from accredited program
- Same GPA and licensure requirements as master’s track
- Official transcripts from all graduate coursework
- Course syllabi for transfer credit evaluation
- Specialty-specific prerequisite review by faculty
BSN to Doctor of Nursing Practice PMHNP Track
The estimated cost for the BSN to DNP PMHNP program is $72,583 for Ohio residents and approximately $86,000 for non-residents and would take 3-4 years to complete on a full-time basis.
This comprehensive pathway serves registered nurses with bachelor’s degrees seeking the terminal practice degree in psychiatric-mental health nursing.
Curriculum
The 88-credit curriculum combines advanced psychiatric specialty coursework with doctoral-level competencies in evidence-based practice, systems application, and leadership.
Students progress through the same psychiatric mental health specialty courses as master’s students while adding doctoral foundations, advanced research methods, and systems-level intervention capabilities. The program integrates neuroscience principles, psychiatric therapies, and psychopharmacology with enhanced emphasis on practice scholarship and healthcare transformation.
Clinicals
Clinical requirements include comprehensive psychiatric mental health clinical experiences with additional doctoral-level practice immersion focusing on systems improvement and evidence-based practice implementation.
Students develop expertise in practice innovation, quality improvement, and healthcare policy while maintaining the same 600+ clinical hour requirements as master’s-level preparation.
BSN to DNP Requirements
- Bachelor of Science in Nursing or Master of Science in Nursing from accredited program
- Statistics prerequisite course with B- or higher within five years
- Must reside in authorized state for distance learning
- Same application components as master’s track with doctoral-level goal articulation
Graduate Entry Master of Science PMHNP Track
The estimated cost for the Graduate Entry PMHNP program is $87,000-$97,000 for Ohio residents (assuming 90-100 credit hours at $972.50 per credit plus associated fees) and would take 3 years to complete on a full-time basis.
This unique pathway serves non-nurses with bachelor’s degrees seeking entry into nursing with immediate psychiatric-mental health specialization.
Curriculum
The comprehensive curriculum begins with fundamental nursing education including:
- introduction to professional nursing practice
- health assessment
- lifespan development
- clinical nursing care across multiple specialties
Students complete NCLEX preparation and examination at the program midpoint before advancing to psychiatric mental health specialty coursework. The program integrates traditional nursing education with advanced practice psychiatric specialty preparation.
Clinicals
Clinical requirements include foundational nursing clinical experiences across multiple specialties followed by the same 600-hour psychiatric mental health clinical practicum sequence as traditional master’s students.
Tuition
Graduate tuition is $972.50 per credit hour for Ohio residents with additional program fees of $250 per credit hour, general fees of $32.63 per credit hour, plus nursing distance learning fees of $228 per semester and distance learning fees of $100 per semester.
More tuition information here: https://online.osu.edu/masters-degree/master-nursing-psychiatric-np/
Accreditation
Ohio State University’s College of Nursing maintains appropriate accreditation standards through national nursing education bodies. Graduates from all tracks meet educational eligibility requirements to take either the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) or American Academy Nurse Practitioners Certification Board (AANPCB) examinations for Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner certification.
Other Nursing Programs
Ohio State University’s College of Nursing offers additional graduate programs including:
- Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner
- Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner
- Family Nurse Practitioner
- Neonatal Nurse Practitioner
- Pediatric Primary Care Nurse Practitioner
- Pediatric Acute Care Nurse Practitioner
- Nurse-Midwifery
- Women’s Health Nurse Practitioner
- Various DNP and PhD pathways
Other Ohio PMHNP Programs
View All PMHNP Programs in Ohio
- Cleveland State University - Cleveland
- Kent State - Kent
- Mount Carmel - Columbus
- Ohio University - Athens
- Ursuline College - Pepper Pike
- University of Toledo - Toledo
- Wright State University - Dayton