Program Tracks Overview
| Program | Est. Tuition | Est. Duration | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| Post-BSN DNP | $104K | 3 yrs (4 part-time) | ~84 |
| Post-MSN DNP | $43K–$45K | 2 yrs (part-time) | 35 |
| Post-MSN DNP (non-APRN) | Not stated | 2–3 yrs | Set by gap analysis |
| PMHNP Certificate | $60K | 28 mo | 48 |
PLU is the only Washington PMHNP program that lets a master’s-prepared nurse add the psychiatric specialty without enrolling in a doctorate. Its 750 psychiatric clinical hours are also the highest published direct-psych total in the state.
The catch is format: this is a true hybrid, with classes on the Tacoma campus one to two days every week.
Quick Facts
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Program Types | BSN-to-DNP, MSN-to-DNP, MSN-APRN-to-DNP, Post-Graduate Certificate |
| Format | Hybrid — on campus 1–2 days per week, some course components online |
| Campus Visits | Weekly. Certificate courses meet mostly on Thursdays |
| Clinical Hours | 750 PMHNP hours (five 120-hour rotations plus a 150-hour capstone) |
| Clinical Placement | All preceptorships arranged by PLU faculty; students do not self-source |
| Population | Psychiatric, mental health, and addictions care across the lifespan |
| Distinctive Coursework | Required substance abuse and addiction, complex trauma, primary care for psych |
| Cohort Size | 10–18 students per specialty cohort |
| RN License Requirements | DNP: WA RN or multistate compact license. Certificate: WA RN or WA APRN only |
| Experience Gate | DNP requires direct care RN experience; no minimum hours published |
| Start Terms | DNP: spring, summer, or fall. Certificate: fall only |
| Tuition | $1,242/credit under cohort pricing; falling behind your cohort forfeits the rate |
| Accreditation | CCNE (DNP and post-graduate APRN certificate); NWCCU institutional |
DNP PMHNP (BSN Entry)
The estimated tuition for the DNP PMHNP at Pacific Lutheran University is approximately $104,328 (about 84 credits at $1,242/credit). The program can generally be completed in about 3 years full-time, or 4 years part-time.
Credit-count conflict. PLU’s cost page describes an 80-credit DNP for both FNP and PMHNP, but 80 credits at $1,242 produces $99,360 — the published FNP total, not the PMHNP total.
The PMHNP figure of $104,328 divides evenly into 84 credits, while the published PMHNP course plan sums to 85. Ask admissions to confirm your billed credit count in writing before you budget.
DNP Curriculum
The plan of study runs year-round across fall, January Term, spring, and summer, layering three strands at once rather than front-loading the core.
Foundation and DNP core. Year 1 covers scholarly writing, advanced practice roles, theory and evidence-based practice, and informatics, then adds biostatistics, quality improvement, and leadership and resource management in Year 2. The health policy course can be taken as a January Term Study Away in Mexico, Washington D.C., Olympia, or Tacoma.
PMHNP specialty sequence. The three P’s land in Years 1, followed by psychopharmacology across the lifespan and four paired didactic/clinical courses that escalate from common conditions to complex psychopathology. What sets PLU apart is that three subjects most programs treat as electives are required here: substance abuse and addiction management, complex trauma, and primary care for medically comorbid psychiatric patients.
That last course is unusual and practical — psychiatric caseloads carry high rates of diabetes, COPD, and cardiovascular disease, and most PMHNP curricula leave that gap to on-the-job learning.
DNP project. A proposal, repeated project seminars, and a variable-credit project-hours sequence run from the end of Year 2 through the final semester, adding roughly 420 practice hours on top of clinical rotations (derived from the published plan of study).
- Advanced Pathophysiology, Advanced Pharmacotherapeutics, Advanced Physical Assessment
- Psychopharmacology Across the Lifespan
- PMHNP 1–4 Didactic
- PMHNP 1–5 Seminar/Clinical plus PMHNP Capstone Seminar/Clinical
- Management of Substance Abuse & Addiction
- Management of Complex Trauma
- Primary Care Essentials for PMHNPs
- Population Health, Policy & Politics (J-Term Study Away option)
- DNP Project Proposal, Project Seminars, and Project Clinical Hours
More curriculum details are available here.
DNP Clinical Requirements
- 750 PMHNP clinical hours: five 120-hour rotations plus a 150-hour capstone
- Approximately 420 additional DNP project practice hours, derived from the published plan of study ⚠️
- All preceptorships arranged by PLU faculty — students never self-source placements
- Rotations run through Years 2 and 3 in hospital, outpatient, and community settings
- Scope includes individual, group, and family therapy plus addictions care
- COVID vaccination and a CastleBranch background check required before clinical rotations
750 direct psychiatric hours is high. The national floor for NP certification is 500, most PMHNP programs land at 500–660, and Washington’s other published totals sit at 660. Combined with project hours, PLU students log roughly 1,170 supervised hours overall. The placement model matters more than the raw number, though: because faculty own the preceptor search, you are not competing for scarce psychiatric preceptors in a saturated market — the trade-off is less control over where you land and when.
DNP Admissions
Admission is a holistic faculty review, and the requirement most likely to disqualify an otherwise strong applicant is direct care RN experience, which PLU requires but does not quantify.
- BSN from a nationally accredited institution, 3.0 minimum cumulative GPA
- Current unencumbered Washington RN license, or a multistate compact license from your home state
- Introductory statistics (descriptive and inferential) with a B or better
- Direct care RN experience
- Transcripts from all institutions, personal statement, professional resume, two recommendations
- $80 application fee, waived for PLU students and alumni
- Annual cycle: December 1 (spring start deadline, plus early action #1 for summer and fall), February 1 (early action #2), May 1 (summer and fall deadline), then rolling as space allows
PLU notes that many BSN-to-DNP students keep working at 0.5–0.6 FTE, and advises applicants to have schedule flexibility for varying class and practicum times.
DNP PMHNP (Post-Master’s Entry)
The estimated tuition for the APRN-prepared post-master’s DNP is approximately $43,000–$45,000 (35 credits at $1,242/credit).
The program can generally be completed in about 2 years part-time, with the exact plan of study set by a gap analysis of prior graduate coursework.
Two distinct post-master’s routes exist, and they are priced very differently:
- MSN-APRN to DNP — for nurses who already hold advanced practice certification. About 35 credits, roughly 2 years part-time. This is a doctoral completion, not PMHNP role preparation; if you are not already a certified PMHNP, expect specialty coursework and clinical hours to be added.
- MSN to DNP — for master’s-prepared nurses without APRN certification. PLU lists 2–3 years full-time or 4 years part-time. Credits and total cost are not published, because the plan of study is built individually from a gap analysis.
Post-Master’s Curriculum
There is no fixed published sequence. PLU builds each plan of study from a gap analysis of your transcripts and syllabi, applying prior graduate coursework against the DNP competencies. Anyone entering without a PMHNP credential completes the same specialty sequence as BSN-entry students — psychopharmacology, the four didactic/clinical pairs, the capstone, and the required addiction, complex trauma, and primary care courses. The DNP core and project sequence apply to every entry point.
You can submit a gap analysis request before applying, though PLU does not guarantee it will be processed before an application deadline.
Post-Master’s Clinical Requirements
- PMHNP clinical hours are not separately published for post-master’s entrants
- Nurses who are not already certified PMHNPs should expect the full 750-hour specialty sequence
- Faculty-arranged placements apply to all pathways
- DNP project hours apply regardless of entry point
The published 35-credit, 2-year figure describes the shortest possible route — an already-certified APRN adding the doctorate. Treat it as a floor, not an estimate for your own plan, until a gap analysis is complete.
Post-Master’s Admissions
Requirements mirror the BSN-entry track with one addition for advanced practice applicants.
- MSN from a nationally accredited institution, 3.0 minimum cumulative GPA
- Current unencumbered Washington RN license, or a multistate compact license
- Introductory statistics with a B or better
- Direct care RN experience
- APRN applicants only: copy of current advanced practice certification
- Optional pre-application gap analysis of prior graduate coursework
Post-Graduate PMHNP Certificate
The estimated tuition for the Post-Graduate PMHNP Certificate at Pacific Lutheran University is approximately $59,616 (48 credits at $1,242/credit). PLU states a program length of 28 months, with a single fall entry each year.
Certificate Curriculum
This is a full specialty program, not a trimmed add-on. At 48 credits it is larger than most post-graduate PMHNP certificates, which commonly run 21–30 credits, and it includes every distinctive course from the DNP track.
Advanced practice core. Advanced pathophysiology, advanced pharmacotherapeutics with its discussion seminar, and advanced physical assessment. Applicants who already hold national NP certification may have all three waived, which is the single biggest lever on both cost and completion time.
Specialty sequence. Psychopharmacology, then four didactic courses each paired with a seminar/clinical course, a fifth standalone clinical, and a six-credit capstone. Substance abuse and addiction management, complex trauma, and primary care for psych are woven into the later terms rather than offered as electives.
- Advanced Pathophysiology, Advanced Pharmacotherapeutics (+ discussion), Advanced Physical Assessment
- Psychopharmacology
- PMHNP I–IV Didactic
- PMHNP I–V Seminar/Clinical
- PMHNP Capstone Seminar/Clinical
- Management of Substance Abuse and Addiction
- Management of Complex Trauma
- Primary Care for Psych
More curriculum details are available here.
Certificate Clinical Requirements
- 750 total clinical hours: five 120-hour rotations plus a 150-hour capstone
- Clinicals begin in the second summer and run every term through completion
- All preceptorships arranged by PLU faculty
- Same clinical sequence and hour totals as the DNP track
Post-graduate certificates typically require 500–600 hours, so 750 is a meaningful premium — roughly a full extra rotation. That is a real cost in unpaid time, and a real advantage if you are entering psychiatry from an unrelated specialty and want supervised volume before practicing independently.
Certificate Admissions
Applications are accepted year-round but all admits start in fall, and the licensure requirement is stricter than the DNP’s — no compact-license alternative is offered.
- Current unencumbered Washington RN license, or Washington APRN certification
- Master’s degree or higher from a nationally accredited nursing school
- Minimum 3.0 cumulative GPA
- Transcripts from every college attended
- Two-page statement of professional goals and a professional resume
- Recommendation: PLU’s requirements page lists two letters while its application page lists one ⚠️
- Civil, administrative, and criminal history clearance in all applicable jurisdictions
- $65 application fee, waived for PLU students and alumni
- Annual cycle for fall entry: early action December 1 and February 1, final deadline May 1, then rolling. Processing takes 3–4 weeks
Tuition
Total estimated tuition is $104,328 for the DNP PMHNP, roughly $43,000–$45,000 for the APRN-prepared post-master’s DNP, and $59,616 for the post-graduate certificate.
All three price at $1,242 per semester hour (2026–27 rate): 84 credits × $1,242 = $104,328; 48 credits × $1,242 = $59,616.
Tuition runs on a cohort model. You keep the locked rate only by progressing with your cohort, so a leave of absence or a slowed pace can reset you to a later, higher rate.
Mandatory fees add several thousand dollars beyond the per-credit rate:
- Nursing program fee: $730 per term, excluding January Term
- Clinical and test prep course fees: $5,500 for PMHNP (versus $2,000 for FNP)
- Technology fee: $290 per year
- Wellness fee: $120 per year
- One-time matriculation fee: $225
- Background check: $70
- Books and course materials
Across a three-year DNP with eight or nine billable terms, program fees alone approach $6,000–$6,500, pushing realistic all-in cost past $115,000. Offsets exist: PLU alumni receive an automatic $5,000 scholarship, non-alumni are auto-considered for $1,000–$4,000 merit awards, and the Washington State Opportunity Scholarship offers up to $25,000 over three years for graduates committing to medically underserved areas.
See PLU’s official DNP cost page and certificate cost page.
Why Choose This PMHNP Program?
Best suited for nurses in the South Sound who want heavy supervised clinical volume and someone else handling preceptor logistics — and who can be on campus every week.
PLU’s clearest structural advantage is the certificate. Every other Washington PMHNP option requires a doctorate or a second degree: University of Washington and Washington State University are DNP-only, Seattle University‘s certificate is post-doctoral, and Gonzaga awards a second MSN rather than a certificate. If you already hold a master’s in nursing and want the PMHNP role without another degree, PLU is currently the only Washington answer.
The head-to-head that matters most is PLU versus Gonzaga for master’s-prepared nurses. Gonzaga’s Second MSN costs about $37,000–$41,000, runs online with five Spokane immersions, and requires 660 clinical hours. PLU costs about $59,600, requires weekly Tacoma attendance, and requires 750 hours with faculty-arranged placements. Gonzaga wins on price and flexibility; PLU wins on clinical volume and on removing the preceptor search entirely. If you live near Tacoma and have struggled to find psychiatric preceptors, that trade favors PLU. If you live anywhere else in the state, it does not.
Two more caveats deserve weight. Cohort pricing punishes any interruption, which is a genuine risk in a program that expects working nurses to sustain three years of weekly campus attendance. And PLU’s published numbers do not reconcile cleanly — credit counts, post-master’s tuition, and certificate duration all carry internal conflicts, so get your specific plan of study and cost sheet in writing before you deposit.
Accreditation
Pacific Lutheran University’s nursing programs carry standard, current accreditation with no candidacy or probationary status. Per PLU’s own accreditation statement, the baccalaureate degree program in nursing, master’s degree program in nursing, Doctor of Nursing Practice program, and post-graduate APRN certificate programs are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) — scope that explicitly covers both PMHNP pathways described here.
The School of Nursing’s programs are approved by the Washington State Board of Nursing, and the university is institutionally accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU), which reaffirmed PLU’s accreditation in 2025. PLU states that successful completion of the PMHNP program qualifies graduates to sit for national PMHNP certification and to apply for Washington State APRN licensure.
Compare More Washington PMHNP Programs
- Gonzaga University - Spokane
- Seattle University - Seattle
- University of Washington - Seattle
- Washington State University - Spokane Falls