Program Tracks Overview
| Program | Est. Tuition (NYS Resident) | Est. Duration |
|---|---|---|
| MS FPMHNP | ~$28,260 resident | 7 Semesters (~2.5 Years Part-Time) |
| BS-to-DNP FPMHNP | ~$96,120 resident | 9 Semesters (~3 Years Full-Time) |
| Post-Master’s DNP FPMHNP | Contact program for details | Varies by individual plan |
Program Highlights:
- All three tracks are offered through distance education with on-site requirements — predominantly online with required in-person clinical components
- Clinical placements are facilitated by a dedicated Office of Clinical Placements; students do not self-arrange; the school does not permit any payment to clinical sites by students or third parties
- Graduates are eligible for New York State certification and national certification through either AANPBC (PMHNP-C) or ANCC (PMHNP-BC)
Master of Science – Family Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner
The estimated cost for the Upstate MS FPMHNP program is approximately $28,260 for NYS residents or $64,380 for out-of-state students and would take approximately 7 semesters (~2.5 years) to complete on a part-time basis.
Estimate based on 60 credits × $471/$1,073 per credit, 2026–27 rates.
MSN Curriculum
The 60-credit curriculum is structured across 7 semesters (part-time) and covers advanced practice role development, clinical pathophysiology, pharmacology, health assessment, FPMHNP theory, clinical management practicums, and evidence-based practice. The MS is a hybrid program with both online and in-person components.
NURS 530 – Professional Role Development I: The Advanced Practice Role (3 credits)
This course introduces the advanced practice nursing role. Students study nursing theory, scholarship, and the legal and ethical issues that shape practice. The course also builds communication skills for teamwork and professional development.
NURS 508/621 – Clinical Pathophysiology (3 credits)
This course examines altered physiologic function across the lifespan. Students compare normal body processes with disease states and related diagnostic findings. The course provides a foundation for later diagnosis and management courses.
NURS 640 – Pharmacology for Advanced Practice (3 credits)
This course covers core principles of pharmacology, pharmacokinetics, and pharmacodynamics. Students study major drug classes, prescribing, and legal issues related to medication use. The course prepares students to apply pharmacotherapy in advanced practice.
NURS 531 – Professional Role Development II: Applying EBP (3 credits)
This course focuses on evaluating and applying research in clinical practice. Students learn to analyze evidence, improve care outcomes, and support practice changes based on research. The course also prepares students to collaborate on evidence-based improvement efforts.
NURS 507/607 – Advanced Health Assessment (3 credits)
This course develops advanced assessment and clinical reasoning skills across the lifespan. Students strengthen history taking, physical exam, communication, and decision-making abilities. The course emphasizes organized data collection for advanced nursing practice.
NURS 638 – Mental Health Across the Lifespan (3 credits)
This course examines mental health care in the primary care setting. Students use a biopsychosocial approach to assess, diagnose, and manage common psychiatric conditions. The course also introduces psychopharmacology and other treatment approaches across the lifespan.
NURS 609 – FPMHNP Theory and Psychopharmacology (3 credits)
This course explores the biological, psychological, and developmental basis of psychiatric mental health practice. Students study brain development, environmental influences, and treatment approaches for mental illness. The course also examines the nurse practitioner’s role in caring for at-risk and affected populations.
NURS 627 – Clinical Management NP I (8 credits)
This course introduces clinical management of common psychiatric conditions across the lifespan. Students learn psychiatric interviewing, assessment, diagnosis, and early treatment planning. The course includes therapeutic approaches, health promotion, and 250 clinical hours.
NURS 628 – Clinical Management NP II (8 credits)
This course expands advanced psychiatric mental health knowledge and practice. Students study assessment, decision-making, and treatment for families, groups, and at-risk populations. The course also examines psychopharmacologic and supportive interventions for diverse patients across the lifespan.
NURS 605 – Public Health Policy (3 credits)
This course analyzes how public policy shapes health outcomes at the local and global levels. Students study health advocacy, social justice, financing, and access to care. The course prepares DNP students to lead in health policy development.
NURS 540 – Health Promotion and Education (3 credits)
This course focuses on patient education and health promotion. Students learn to design, deliver, and evaluate teaching for different populations and settings. The course also covers health literacy, ethics, and the use of educational materials.
NURS 532 – Professional Role Development III: Concepts in Informatics, Quality and Safety (3 credits)
This course examines quality improvement, safety, and health care technology. Students use data and evidence-based tools to identify and address care problems. The course prepares students to lead improvement initiatives in practice settings.
NURS 629 – Clinical Management NP III (8 credits)
This course continues advanced psychiatric mental health training across the lifespan. Students focus on diagnosis and management of mental health conditions in children, adolescents, adults, and older adults. The course also explores ethical, social, and systems issues that affect care delivery.
NURS 680 – Professional Role Development IV: Ethics and Advanced Leadership (3 credits)
This course prepares advanced practice nurses for leadership roles in health care. Students study ethics, advocacy, policy, equity, and system improvement. The course combines leadership theory with practical skills for professional growth.
NURS 710 – Foundations of the DNP Project (3 credits)
This course prepares students to translate research into clinical practice. Students identify practice problems, develop clinical questions, and evaluate evidence. The course also supports planning for the DNP project and includes 50 project hours.
More curriculum details available on the course catalog page.
MSN Clinicals
Clinical practicum hours are embedded in three sequential Clinical Management courses totaling 24 credits and 750 supervised clinical hours. An additional 50 project hours are included in NURS 710.
- NURS 627 – Clinical Management NP I: 250 hours (8 cr.)
- NURS 628 – Clinical Management NP II: 250 hours (8 cr.)
- NURS 629 – Clinical Management NP III: 250 hours (8 cr.)
- NURS 710 – Foundations of the DNP Project: 50 project hours (3 cr.)
- Total: 750 supervised clinical hours + 50 project hours
- Current, unencumbered NYS RN license required; CPR certification required upon acceptance
- Criminal background check required after offer of admission and before program start
MSN Prerequisites & Admissions
- BSN from an accredited program; minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0
- Current, unencumbered RN license (New York State)
- Personal statement and written essay questions (submitted through online application)
- Three letters of recommendation:
- One from a provider (NP, PA, MD, or DO)
- One from a supervisor
- No peer evaluations accepted
- Current resume or CV
- Online application with official transcripts from all institutions attended
- Virtual interview may be requested at the discretion of the admissions committee
- Criminal background check required post-offer, prior to program start
- CPR certification required upon acceptance
- International transcripts require course-by-course evaluation by a NACES-accredited agency (e.g., WES)
- Application deadline: March 1, 2026 for Summer 2026 start
BS-to-DNP – Family Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner
The estimated cost for the Upstate BS-to-DNP FPMHNP program is approximately $96,120 for NYS residents or $126,720 for out-of-state students and would take approximately 3 years (9 semesters, year-round) to complete on a full-time basis using the current summer-start curriculum.
Estimate based on 90 credits × $1,068/$1,408 per credit at the DNP rate, 2026–27.
⚠️ Two Curriculum Versions: A fall-start curriculum (88 credits) and a revised summer-start curriculum (90 credits, effective Summer 2024) both exist.
The summer-start version is the current standard and is featured below. Students should confirm the applicable curriculum with their academic advisor at enrollment.
BS-to-DNP Curriculum
The 90-credit year-round program is structured across 9 semesters, beginning each summer. Courses cover advanced practice role development, pathophysiology, pharmacology, FPMHNP theory, epidemiology, statistics, clinical management, a DNP scholarly project, and a final project defense.
- Semester 1 / Summer Start (6–9 credits)
- NURS 530 – Professional Role Development I: The Advanced Practice Role (3 cr.)
- NURS 540 – Health Promotion and Education (3 cr.)
- NURS 638 – Mental Health Across the Lifespan (3 cr.) — FPMHNP track only
- Semester 2 / Fall (9 credits)
- NURS 508/621 – Clinical Pathophysiology (3 cr.)
- NURS 632 – Statistics and Methods for the DNP Project (4 cr.)
- NURS 541 – Research Utilization (2 cr.)
- Semester 3 / Spring (12 credits)
- NURS 507/607 – Advanced Health Assessment (3 cr.)
- NURS 640 – Pharmacology for Advanced Practice (3 cr.)
- NURS 531 – Professional Role Development II: Applying EBP (3 cr.)
- NURS 605 – Public Health Policy (3 cr.)
- Semester 4 / Summer (9 credits)
- NURS 608 – Epidemiology and Population Health (3 cr.)
- NURS 532 – Professional Role Development III: Concepts in Informatics, Quality and Safety (3 cr.)
- NURS 609 – FPMHNP Theory and Psychopharmacology (3 cr.) — FPMHNP track only
- Semester 5 / Fall (11 credits)
- NURS 710 – Foundations of DNP Project (3 cr., 50 project hours)
- NURS 627 – Clinical Management FPMHNP I: 250 hours (8 cr.)
- Semester 6 / Spring (11 credits)
- NURS 722 – DNP Project I (3 cr., 50 project hours)
- NURS 628 – Clinical Management FPMHNP II: 250 hours (8 cr.)
- Semester 7 / Summer (8 credits)
- NURS 723 – DNP Project II (2 cr., 50 project hours)
- NURS 509 – Genetics/Genomics (3 cr.)
- NURS 680 – Professional Role Development IV: Ethics and Advanced Leadership (3 cr.)
- Semester 8 / Fall (11 credits)
- NURS 725 – DNP Project III (3 cr., 50 project hours)
- NURS 629 – Clinical Management FPMHNP III: 250 hours (8 cr.)
- Semester 9 / Spring (10 credits)
- NURS 730 – Project Defense (1 cr.)
- NURS 630 – Clinical Management FPMHNP IV: 250 hours (6 cr.)
- NURS 637 – Scholarly Writing and Program Development (3 cr.)
More curriculum details available on the course catalog page.
BS-to-DNP Clinicals
Clinical hours are distributed across four sequential Clinical Management courses totaling 900 supervised clinical hours, plus 200 DNP project hours embedded in the project courses. Practicums can be completed in the student’s home area where possible.
- NURS 627 – Clinical Management FPMHNP I: 250 hours (8 cr.)
- NURS 628 – Clinical Management FPMHNP II: 250 hours (8 cr.)
- NURS 629 – Clinical Management FPMHNP III: 250 hours (8 cr.)
- NURS 630 – Clinical Management FPMHNP IV: 250 hours (6 cr.)
- DNP Project I, II, III: 200 project hours total (50 hours each in NURS 710, 722, 723, 725)
- Total: 900 clinical hours + 200 DNP project hours
- Current, unencumbered NYS RN license required; CPR certification required upon acceptance
- Criminal background check required post-offer, prior to program start
BS-to-DNP Prerequisites & Admissions
- BSN from an accredited program; minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0
- Current, unencumbered RN license (New York State)
- Minimum 2 years of recent, relevant direct patient care as an RN prior to beginning NP specialty courses (Year 2)
- Personal statement and written essay questions (per online application guidelines)
- Three letters of recommendation:
- One from a provider (NP, PA, MD, or DO)
- One from a supervisor
- No peer evaluations accepted
- Current resume or CV
- Online application with official transcripts from all institutions attended
- Virtual interview may be requested at the discretion of the admissions committee
- Criminal background check required post-offer, prior to program start
- CPR certification required upon acceptance
- International transcripts require course-by-course evaluation by a NACES-accredited agency
- Application deadline: March 1, 2026 for Summer 2026 start (rolling until program is full)
Post-Master’s DNP – Family Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner
The Upstate Post-Master’s DNP FPMHNP program is currently accepting applications, but detailed credit totals, cost estimates, and semester-by-semester plans of study for this track are not available.
Students are encouraged to contact the College of Nursing directly for a personalized plan of study and cost estimate.
⚠️ Contact Program for Details: Post-Master’s DNP curriculum, credit requirements, and tuition totals vary by individual entry point and are determined in consultation with the program director. Email admiss@upstate.edu or call 315-464-4570 for details.
Post-Master’s DNP Curriculum
The post-master’s DNP builds on the student’s existing MSN preparation. A personalized plan of study is developed based on prior graduate coursework. Specific course requirements for the FPMHNP track are determined by advisement.
- Program builds on existing MSN-level advanced practice preparation
- Includes a DNP scholarly project component with required project hours
- Same scholarly and leadership outcomes as the BS-to-DNP track
- Individual course requirements determined by gap analysis of prior graduate coursework
Post-Master’s DNP Clinicals
Clinical hour requirements for the post-master’s DNP track are determined individually based on prior clinical hours completed at the master’s level. Total hours must meet DNP standards for advanced practice preparation.
- Clinical hours assessed via gap analysis at admission
- DNP project hours required (minimum per AACN standards)
- Current, unencumbered NYS RN license and CPR certification required
- Criminal background check required post-offer
Post-Master’s DNP Prerequisites & Admissions
- MSN from an accredited nursing program (advanced practice specialty required)
- Current, unencumbered RN license (New York State)
- Three letters of recommendation (same structure as BS-to-DNP)
- Personal statement and essay questions
- Current resume or CV
- Online application with official transcripts from all institutions attended
- Virtual interview may be requested
- Criminal background check required post-offer, prior to program start
- Application deadline: March 1, 2026 for Summer 2026 start (rolling until full)
- Contact: admiss@upstate.edu | 315-464-4570
Tuition
| Program | NYS Resident | Out-of-State | Basis |
|---|---|---|---|
| MS & Advanced Certificate | ~$471/credit | ~$1,124/credit | Annual COA tuition ÷ 24 credits |
| DNP (Post-Master’s) | $13,651/semester | $16,806/semester | Spring 2026 flat semester rate |
2025–26 annual graduate tuition: $11,310 NYS resident / $26,990 out-of-state.
The Spring 2026 full-time DNP semester rate (tuition + fees) is $13,651.01 resident / $16,806.01 out-of-state.
A $2,912 annual fees charge applies to all graduate students. Health insurance is charged to full-time students and may be waived with proof of coverage. CastleBranch system setup requires a one-time fee upon admission. All tuition rates are set annually by SUNY and are subject to change following state approval.
More tuition details are available here.
Application Deadlines
| Program | Application Deadline | Program Start |
|---|---|---|
| MS – PMHNP | November 6, 2025 | Summer 2026 |
| Advanced Certificate – PMHNP | November 6, 2025 | Summer 2026 |
| Post-Master’s DNP (Advanced Standing) | February 15, 2026 | Summer 2026 |
Online applications open annually on August 1. All application materials are processed through Stony Brook’s Graduate Admissions portal. Questions can be directed to pmhnp_nursing@stonybrook.edu (MS and Certificate) or gradadmission@stonybrook.edu (general graduate admissions).
Accreditation
The baccalaureate, master’s, DNP, and post-graduate APRN certificate programs at Stony Brook University School of Nursing are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE). Graduates of all PMHNP tracks are eligible for New York State certification and are academically qualified to sit for national certification through either the AANPBC (PMHNP-C) or ANCC (PMHNP-BC) examinations.
More PMHNP Programs in New York
- Adelphi University - Adelphi
- Binghamton University - Binghamton
- D'Youville University - Buffalo
- Hunter College - NY
- Mercy University - Dobbs Ferry
- Pace University - New York
- St. John Fisher University - Rochester
- Stony Brook University - Stony Brook
- University of Rochester - Rochester