Program Tracks Overview
| Program | Cost | Length |
|---|---|---|
| MSN: PMHNP | $40,110 | 2.5 years (full time) |
| Post-Master’s PMHNP Certificate | $20,055 | 15 months |
The programs mandate 540 clinical hours, have one annual start date, and no GRE/GMAT requirements.
MSN: Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner
The estimated cost for the MSN: PMHNP program is $40,110 and would take 2.5 years to complete on a full-time basis.
Curriculum
The 42-credit curriculum includes the following:
The 42-credit curriculum combines foundational MSN core courses with specialized psychiatric mental health content delivered over 11 courses. Core courses include:
- NU 550 Family and Community Context for Health Care — Examines family, primary care, and community theories to guide advanced nursing practice, emphasizing culturally informed assessment of families within their environments. Students apply epidemiologic concepts and collaborate with interprofessional teams to plan and evaluate care across the life cycle.
- NU 551 Advanced Pharmacology for the Nurse Practitioner — Covers pharmacotherapeutic principles for common primary-care drug classes with a focus on rational selection, monitoring, adverse effects, interactions, and patient education. Emphasizes safe, evidence-based prescribing and counseling.
- NU 552 Advanced Health Assessment for the Nurse Practitioner — Develops comprehensive biopsychosocial assessment skills across the lifespan, integrating history, physical exam, diagnostics, and interpretation. A lab component builds advanced techniques and clarifies the NP role in today’s care settings.
- NU 566 Advanced Pathophysiology for the Nurse Practitioner — Analyzes mechanisms of disease and clinical pathology across major body systems, linking presentation to underlying processes. Prepares students to interpret common diagnostic tests and apply pathophysiology to primary-care decision-making.
- NU 509 Advanced Psychopharmacology for the PMHNP — Explores pharmacodynamics, pharmacokinetics, interactions, and evidence for psychotropic agents across the lifespan, including special populations. Guides differential diagnosis and safe medication management for disorders such as depression, anxiety, PTSD, bipolar disorder, and psychosis.
- NU 571 PMHNP I: Role Development of the Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner — Introduces the PMHNP role with 180 supervised clinical hours focused on late adolescence through adulthood. Emphasizes assessment, diagnosis, and treatment planning using psychotherapeutic and psychopharmacologic modalities in diverse behavioral health settings.
- NU 572 PMHNP II: The Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner’s Role with Children and their Families — Builds competency in pediatric and adolescent mental health with 180 supervised hours (≥100 hours under age 18). Focuses on crisis management, developmental and genetic considerations, and family-centered, interdisciplinary care.
- NU 573 PMHNP III: Advanced Role Development of the Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner in Complex Systems — Advances diagnostic and treatment skills for individuals, couples, families, and older adults through 180 supervised hours. Highlights co-occurring medical/psychiatric conditions, outcomes evaluation, termination, and growing autonomy within complex care systems.
Students must complete 540 clinical hours through practicum coursework and participate in annual in-person residencies. The program prepares graduates for the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) certification exam and subsequent APRN licensure in psychiatric mental health.
Post-Master’s PMHNP Certificate
The estimated cost for the Post-Master’s PMHNP Certificate is $20,055 and would take 15 months to complete.
Curriculum
This accelerated 21-credit certificate program consists of four core courses delivered over four semesters. Classes include:
- NU 509 Advanced Psychopharmacology for the PMHNP
This course expands on advanced pharmacology, pathophysiology, and health assessment to prepare students for safe, effective medication management in mental health care across the lifespan. It examines pharmacodynamics, pharmacokinetics, drug interactions, and the pathophysiology of disorders such as depression, PTSD, anxiety, bipolar disorder, and psychosis. Special populations, including pediatric, geriatric, and pregnant patients, are addressed. Students learn best practices for medication selection, monitoring, safety, patient preferences, and long-term management within the PMHNP role. - NU 571 PMHNP I: Role Development of the Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner
This course includes 180 supervised clinical hours focused on late adolescence through adulthood in various behavioral health settings. Students develop skills in assessment, diagnosis, and treatment planning for common adult behavioral health disorders. Training covers the patient interview process, diagnostic work-up, and management plans incorporating both psychopharmacologic and psychotherapeutic approaches. Emphasis is on applying prior coursework to understand psychopathology and guide clinical decision-making. - NU 572 PMHNP II: The Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner’s Role with Children and their Families
This course provides 180 supervised clinical hours, with at least 100 hours dedicated to patients under age 18. Students gain experience diagnosing and managing developmental, age-specific, and genetic aspects of pediatric and adolescent mental health disorders. Emphasis is placed on crisis intervention, psychiatric emergency management, and using interdisciplinary resources. Clinical work focuses on building competency in diverse pediatric and family behavioral health settings with increasingly complex cases. - NU 573 PMHNP III: Advanced Role Development of the Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner in Complex Systems
This course involves 180 supervised clinical hours caring for individuals, couples, and families across the lifespan, including those with co-occurring medical and psychiatric conditions. Students explore factors influencing family functioning, generational impacts of mental health disorders, and strategies for comprehensive assessment and intervention. Training emphasizes outcome evaluation, management of acute and chronic conditions, termination planning, and developing greater independence in the PMHNP role.
Students may transfer up to 6 credits from previous graduate coursework.
The program requires 540 clinical hours and includes one annual in-person residency component. Graduates are prepared for either ANCC or AANP certification examinations.
Prerequisites & Admissions
MSN Program Requirements:
- BSN from CCNE-accredited institution
- Current unencumbered RN license
- Minimum 3.0 GPA
- No GRE/GMAT required
- Application deadline: 4 weeks prior to start date
Post-Master’s Certificate Requirements:
- MSN from accredited institution
- Current unencumbered RN license
- Minimum 3.0 GPA
- Prerequisite courses: Advanced Pathophysiology, Advanced Health Assessment, Advanced Pharmacology
- Either current NP status or minimum 2 years nursing experience
- TOEFL score equivalent to 80% (international students)
Tuition
Graduate programs cost $955 per credit hour. See the official tuition page for more details.
Accreditation
Sacred Heart University’s College of Nursing is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE), ensuring quality education that meets professional standards and prepares graduates for advanced practice roles.
Other Nursing Programs
- MSN: Nursing Management & Executive Leadership
- MSN: Clinical Nurse Leader
Other PMHNP Programs in CT
View All PMHNP Programs in Connecticut
- Fairfield University - Fairfield
- Goodwin University - East Hartford
- Quinnipiac University - Hamden
- University of Saint Joseph - West Hartford
- Western Connecticut State - Danbury
- Yale - New Haven