Program Tracks Overview
| Program Track | Est. Cost | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| MSN – PMHNP | $40,851 | 3 years |
| Post-Master’s Certificate – PMHNP | $24,030 | 2 years |
MSN with PMHNP Concentration
The estimated cost for the MSN-PMHNP program is $40,851 for partner institution nurses or $43,248 for non-partner institution nurses and would take 3 years to complete on a full-time basis.
Estimate based on $801 or $848 per credit × 51 credits.
MSN Curriculum
The 51-credit curriculum integrates the latest research, evidence-based practices, and ethical considerations with expertise in assessment, diagnosis, and treatment of mental health disorders across the lifespan.
Delivered in seven-week modules, the program offers six start dates per year (fall, spring, and summer) with primarily asynchronous coursework and limited live sessions.
Required Courses (51 credits)
Nur 503 – Advanced Physiology and Pathophysiology
Students link normal physiology to disease mechanisms by system and age. Students use these patterns to guide advanced assessment and clinical decisions.
Nur 505 – Foundations of the Advanced Practice Nurse
Students apply leadership concepts, professional values, and scope of practice to APRN roles across settings. Students plan role transition, collaboration, and advocacy.
Nur 511 – Global Influences in the Advanced Management of Care
Students examine how policy, law, ethics, and economics shape advanced nursing care worldwide. Students assess the impact of genetics and genomics on management decisions.
Nur 512 – Advanced Health Assessment
Students perform comprehensive, lifespan-based histories and exams with attention to culture and development. Students use diagnostic reasoning to separate normal from abnormal findings.
Nur 514 – Advanced Healthcare Informatics
Students use health IT tools—EHRs, telehealth, decision support—to improve safety and care. Students learn basics of systems, lifecycles, and the healthcare informaticist role.
Nur 520 – Research for Evidence-Based Practice
Students design answerable questions, review literature, and appraise methods. Students translate findings into practice as part of the APRN role.
Nur 535 – Pharmacologic Principles for Advanced Practice Nursing
Students apply pharmacology and prescriptive authority to treat common and complex conditions. Students consider indications, monitoring, and safety.
Nur 542 – Advanced Psychopharmacology Across the Lifespan
Students match psychotropic classes to diagnoses using efficacy, safety, and pharmacogenomics. Students plan dosing, monitoring, and counseling across ages.
Nur 546 – PMHNP I: Assessment, Diagnostics, Evaluation & Psychotherapies
Students conduct psychiatric assessments, apply diagnostic criteria, and order tests. Students begin psychotherapy planning within comprehensive care plans.
Nur 558 – PMHNP II: Psychogenomics, Pharmacologic Management & Counseling
Students interpret diagnoses, select therapies, and manage meds across the lifespan. Students integrate psychotherapy and psychopharmacology with patient education.
Nur 568 – PMHNP III: Mental Health Across the Lifespan
Students deliver age-appropriate interventions with attention to consent, privacy, and ethics. Students evaluate family and individual dynamics to improve outcomes.
Nur 570 – PMHNP Clinical I
Students practice interviewing, assessment, diagnosis, and psychoeducation in supervised settings. Students complete 250 clinical hours (~6–7 hours/week).
Nur 575 – PMHNP Clinical II
Students coordinate and manage complex cases, emphasizing prevention and education. Students complete 250 clinical hours (~16 hours/week).
Nur 580 – PMHNP Clinical III
Students implement advanced management with interprofessional collaboration and patient teaching. Students complete 250 clinical hours (~16 hours/week).
More curriculum details are available here.
Students must maintain a minimum 3.0 GPA and may transfer up to 9 credits from accredited institutions, with a minimum of 42 credits required at Salve Regina University.
MSN Clinicals
Students complete a minimum of 750 direct, supervised clinical hours across the lifespan, with the majority completed within psychiatric mental health community partners.
Clinical hours are distributed across four practicum courses (NUR-570, NUR-575, and NUR-580 totaling 18 credits) completed during the third year of the program.
A mandatory 40-hour skills-based colloquium on Salve’s Newport, Rhode Island campus is required when students reach the clinical portion of the course sequence, providing hands-on learning with state-of-the-art facilities.
MSN Admissions Requirements
Prerequisites:
- Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) from an accredited program
- Current RN license in good standing
- Minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0
- Official transcripts from all degree-granting institutions
- Verification of RN license
- Completion of online application at admissions.salve.edu/apply
- Rolling admission with fall, spring, and summer start dates available
All qualified students are eligible for admission regardless of race, color, age, gender, disability, religion, or national origin.
Post-Master’s Certificate – PMHNP
The estimated cost for the Post-MSN PMHNP Certificate program is $24,030 for partner institution nurses or $25,440 for non-partner institution nurses and would take 2 years to complete.
Estimate based on $801 or $848 per credit × 30 credits.
This certificate program is designed for registered nurses who hold a master’s degree from an accredited institution and wish to transition their career to advanced practice psychiatric mental health nursing.
The program builds on previous training to provide specialized preparation for national certification as a PMHNP.
Certificate Curriculum
The 30-credit Post-MSN Certificate curriculum focuses on psychiatric mental health specialization with comprehensive didactic and experiential learning.
The program emphasizes assessment, diagnostics, psychotherapies, psychopharmacology, and mental health care across the lifespan.
Required Courses (30 credits):
- NUR-542 Advanced Psychopharmacology Across the Lifespan (3)
- NUR-546 Psychiatric Mental Health NP I: Assessment, Diagnostics, Evaluation & Psychotherapies (3)
- NUR-558 Psychiatric Mental Health NP II: Psychogenomics, Psycho-Pharmaco-Management and Counseling (3)
- NUR-568 Psychiatric Mental Health NP III: Mental Health Across the Lifespan (3)
- NUR-570 Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner Clinical I (6)
- NUR-575 Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner Clinical II (6)
- NUR-580 Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner Clinical III (6)
More curriculum details are available here.
Students must achieve a minimum grade of B- or greater in all courses; if less than B- is earned, the course must be repeated once. Failure to earn B- or greater after one repeat results in disenrollment from the program.
Certificate Clinicals
Post-MSN Certificate students complete a minimum of 750 direct, supervised clinical hours across the lifespan, identical to the MSN track clinical requirements.
Clinical practicum hours are completed across three courses (NUR-570, NUR-575, NUR-580) totaling 18 credits during the second year of the program.
Students must complete the mandatory 40-hour skills-based colloquium on Salve’s Newport, Rhode Island campus, which offers flexibility for working professionals while fostering personal connections with faculty.
Certificate Admissions Requirements
Prerequisites:
- Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) from an accredited institution
- Current RN license in good standing
- Official transcripts from all degree-granting institutions
- Verification of RN license
- Minimum grade of B- required for all courses
- Rolling admission with fall, spring, and summer start dates available
- Completion of online application
At completion of 30 credits, students are prepared to sit for the national Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner certification examination.
Tuition
Graduate nursing tuition varies based on partner institution status:
MSN Program:
- Partner institutions: $801 per credit hour
- Non-partner institutions: $848 per credit hour
- One-time MSN program fee: $1,000 ($500 for current students)
Post-MSN Certificate:
- Partner institutions: $801 per credit hour
- Non-partner institutions: $848 per credit hour
Preferred tuition rates for nurses at partner institutions extend to spouses and family members as well as members of the military. The university offers tuition reimbursement arrangements with employers where possible.
See the official tuition page for more details.
Accreditation
Salve Regina University is accredited by the New England Commission on Higher Education (NECHE). The baccalaureate degree programs in nursing, master’s degree program in nursing, and Doctor of Nursing Practice program are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE). Graduates are prepared to sit for the national Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner certification examination through AANP or ANCC.
Other Salve Regina Nursing Programs
Salve Regina University’s Department of Nursing offers multiple degree programs:
Undergraduate Programs:
- Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN)
- RN to BSN (online) for partner institutions and non-partner institutions
Graduate Programs:
- Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) with Family Nurse Practitioner Concentration
- Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)
Post-Master’s Certificates:
- Family Nurse Practitioner Certificate (39 credits, 750 clinical hours, completed in 24 months)
- Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner Certificate (30 credits, 750 clinical hours, completed in 24 months)
Program Features:
- Rolling admission for all graduate programs
- Multiple start dates per year (fall, spring, summer)
- Financial aid available for eligible graduate students
- Seamless progression to Doctor of Nursing Practice program for qualified graduates
- Payment options including tuition reimbursement and employer payment arrangements
Related PMHNP Programs
View All PMHNP Programs in Rhode Island
- University of Rhode Island - Kingston