What sets the program apart is the pairing of a direct-entry pathway for career changers with a curriculum built around integrated mental health and addictions treatment, backed by required coursework in substance disorders, motivational interviewing, and the neurobiology of addiction.
| Program | Estimated Tuition | Estimated Duration | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| RN-DNP | $108K | 3 years | 107-111 |
| APNI-DNP PMHNP (non-nurse entry) | $163K | 4 years | 164-168 |
| Post-Doctoral Certificate | $60K | 3 years | 67 |
Quick Facts
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Program Types | RN-DNP, APNI-DNP (direct entry for non-nurses), Post-Doctoral Certificate; post-master’s DNP applicants also accepted |
| Format | In-person on the First Hill campus in Seattle |
| Campus Visits | Campus-based program — not an online or hybrid format |
| Clinical Hours | Not clearly stated; Year 3 includes four clinical practicum courses plus DNP internships |
| Clinical Placement | Not clearly stated |
| Population | Mental health and addictions care across the lifespan, early childhood to older adults |
| Facilities | 20,000 sq ft Clinical Performance Lab at Swedish Cherry Hill Medical Center |
| Tuition | $973/credit (DNP); $1,002/credit (certificate); no application fee |
| Accreditation | CCNE (DNP and post-graduate APRN certificate) |
RN-DNP PMHNP
The estimated tuition for the RN-DNP PMHNP at Seattle University is approximately $108,003 (107–111 credits at $973/credit) and full-time students generally finish in about 3 years. The program starts each June, and courses run on a quarter calendar until summer 2027, when Seattle University’s graduate programs shift to semesters — the university says it is committed to minimizing impact on completion time and cost during the transition.
RN-DNP Curriculum
Year 1 covers advanced practice foundations — pathophysiology, pharmacology, epidemiology, informatics, health policy, and quality improvement — capped by a neurobiology of psychiatric disorders and addictions course. Year 2 delivers the psychiatric specialty core, where the addictions integration is most visible: substance disorders management across the lifespan, motivational interviewing, and two psychopharmacology courses that include complementary therapeutics. Year 3 is almost entirely clinical, with four practicum courses and the DNP project internships.
- Advanced Pathophysiology and Advanced Health Assessment
- Neurobiology of Psychiatric Disorders and Addictions
- Advanced Psychiatric Diagnosis and Management
- Psychopharmacology and Complementary Therapeutics I–II
- Assessment and Management of Substance Disorders and Addictions Across the Lifespan
- Motivational Interviewing Theory and Practice
- Theory-Guided Psychotherapy and Health Promotion Theory
- PMHNP Clinical Diagnosis and Management Practicum I–IV
- DNP Internship I–III
RN-DNP Clinical Requirements
Total clinical hours are not clearly stated. Clinical training concentrates in Year 3, which pairs four PMHNP practicum courses with three DNP project internships, ending in a transition-to-professional-practice practicum and DNP project presentation. Students also train in the university’s 20,000-square-foot Clinical Performance Lab at Swedish Cherry Hill Medical Center, practicing realistic patient scenarios before and alongside live clinical work.
- Four clinical practicum courses across all four quarters of Year 3
- DNP project internship sequence integrated with clinicals
- Simulation training at the Swedish Cherry Hill Clinical Performance Lab
- Clinical settings span community, primary care, hospital, and outpatient psychiatry
- Placement policy and total hours: not clearly stated
RN-DNP Admissions
Full admission requirements are not clearly stated in the available material, but the process and timeline are specific.
- Bachelor’s degree and current RN required for RN-DNP entry
- Priority application deadline: December 1 for summer (June) start
- Interviews in February; decisions released in March; waitlist runs March–June
- No application fee for any applicant
- Post-master’s DNP applicants: priority deadline January 15, then space-available
APNI-DNP PMHNP
The estimated tuition for the APNI-DNP PMHNP at Seattle University is approximately $163,464 (164–168 credits at $973/credit) and students generally finish in about 4 years. The Advanced Practice Nursing Immersion is Seattle University’s direct-entry route: career changers with a non-nursing bachelor’s degree complete 67 credits of pre-licensure coursework over the first five quarters (about $65,191 of the total), pass the RN exam, then merge into the PMHNP curriculum.
APNI-DNP Curriculum
After the pre-licensure sequence, APNI students complete a first year of advanced practice foundations on a slightly different schedule than RN-entry students, then join them for the identical Year 2 specialty core and Year 3 clinical year described above. Curriculum content is otherwise the same, including the substance disorders, motivational interviewing, and psychopharmacology sequence.
APNI-DNP Clinical Requirements
Same as the RN-DNP track once advanced practice study begins: four Year 3 practicum courses, DNP internships, and Clinical Performance Lab training. Total hours not clearly stated.
APNI-DNP Admissions
- Bachelor’s degree in a non-nursing field (pre-licensure APNI entry)
- Priority application deadline: December 1; June start
- Interviews in February, decisions in March
- No application fee
Post-Doctoral Certificate PMHNP
The estimated tuition for the Post-Doctoral Certificate PMHNP at Seattle University is approximately $60,120 (60 credits at $1,002/credit) and students generally finish in about 3 years. Note this is a post-doctoral credential — it’s built for NPs who already hold a doctorate and want to add psychiatric certification, which is narrower than the post-master’s certificates most schools offer.
Certificate Curriculum
Individualized programs of study are created through a gap analysis of each applicant’s prior doctoral education, drawing from the same PMHNP specialty coursework as the DNP, with the program’s characteristic mental health and addictions integration. Specific required courses vary by student.
Certificate Clinical Requirements
Not clearly stated; clinical requirements are determined by the individualized program of study.
Certificate Admissions
- Doctoral degree required
- Applications accepted on a space-available basis
- Gap analysis of prior education determines the program of study
- No application fee
Tuition
Total tuition runs approximately $108,003 for the RN-DNP and $163,464 for the APNI-DNP at $973 per credit, with the post-doctoral certificate at $1,002 per credit (roughly $60K at 60 credits).
Fees add up: Seattle University estimates $7,368 in annual fees and costs for DNP students — including program, wellness, and technology fees, liability and health insurance, and books — plus $675 in one-time charges ($500 admission deposit applied to the first bill and a $175 matriculation fee).
APNI students should budget about $10,588 in first-year fees and roughly $75,779 total for Year 1. Figures reflect 2025–26 rates and are subject to change, particularly with the 2027 semester transition.
Why Choose This PMHNP Program?
Seattle University fills two niches most PMHNP programs don’t. First, the APNI pathway gives career changers with no nursing background a single continuous route from bachelor’s degree to psychiatric NP — most schools would require completing an ABSN and gaining licensure elsewhere first. Second, the addictions integration is structural, not cosmetic: required courses in substance disorders across the lifespan, motivational interviewing, and addiction neurobiology prepare graduates for the co-occurring disorders that dominate real psychiatric caseloads.
The trade-offs are format and cost. This is an in-person program on the First Hill campus — nurses wanting online flexibility should look elsewhere — and at roughly $108K for the RN-DNP (over $163K for APNI entry) plus $7K+ in annual fees, it sits at the expensive end of Washington options. Total clinical hours and placement support aren’t published, so ask directly during an information session. The 2027 quarter-to-semester transition is also worth watching for anyone starting in 2026.
Choose Seattle University if you’re Seattle-based, want serious addictions preparation alongside psychiatric training, or are a non-nurse who wants one program from start to PMHNP. Graduates are eligible to sit for the ANCC PMHNP examination.
Accreditation
The Doctor of Nursing Practice program and post-graduate APRN certificate program at Seattle University are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE). The university states that DNP PMHNP and post-doctoral certificate graduates are eligible to sit for the PMHNP examination from the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC).
Explore Additional Washington PMHNP Programs
- Gonzaga University - Spokane
- Pacific Lutheran University - Tacoma
- University of Washington - Seattle
- Washington State University - Spokane Falls