Program Tracks Overview
| Program | Duration | Estimated Cost |
|---|---|---|
| MSN PMHNP (49 credits) | 2 years full-time | ~$23,814 |
| BSN to DNP PMHNP (75 credits) | 4 years full-time | ~$36,450 |
| Post-Graduate Certificate (40 credits) | ~2.5–3 years | ~$19,440 |
| Post-Graduate Certificate (current APRNs) (28 credits) | ~2 years | ~$13,608 |
| Post-Graduate Certificate + Post-Master’s DNP | ~3–4 years (dual enrollment) | Varies by DNP plan; 28 cert credits + additional DNP coursework (see tuition) |
The programs emphasize rural health delivery through both face-to-face and telemental health modalities, with particular focus on early intervention for children, adolescents, and families. Graduates have achieved a 100% pass rate on certification exams and are prepared to practice in community, acute care, and telemental health settings across the lifespan.
MSN Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner
The estimated cost for the MSN PMHNP program is approximately $23,814 for Texas residents ($238,098 for non-residents) and takes 2 years to complete full-time or 3 years part-time.
Curriculum
The 49-credit hour program includes:
- 9 credits of core nursing courses
- scientific foundations
- leadership
- population health
- 12 credits of prerequisite courses:
- advanced health assessment with a required 2-day on-campus OSCE
- pharmacotherapeutics
- pathophysiology
- foundations for advanced practice
- 28 credits of population focus courses
Classes are as follows:
NURS 6305 Scientific Foundation for the Practice Scholar
Examines scientific and philosophical underpinnings of nursing to support advanced practice. Students critically appraise research and quality-improvement studies, address ethics, and build skills for clinical inquiry and scholarship.
NURS 5345 Advanced Practice Nursing: Application of Pathophysiology
Applies advanced human pathophysiology to clinical decision-making in APRN practice, linking disease mechanisms to assessment findings and evidence-based interventions across the lifespan.
NURS 6325 Informatics and Technology to Improve Health Care, CL
Introduces health informatics tools and data systems that enhance safety, quality, and outcomes. Students apply clinical technologies in practice settings and evaluate their impact on care delivery.
NURS 5343 Pharmacotherapeutics for Nurses in Advanced Practice
Covers pharmacokinetics/dynamics and evidence-based prescribing for patients across the lifespan. Emphasizes assessment-driven, safe medication management in the master’s-prepared nursing role.
NURS 6310 Practical Application of Statistics in Health Care
Builds working competency in measurement, data management, and statistical analysis—from t-tests to multiple regression—using SPSS to answer clinical and health-services questions.
NURS 5312 Foundations for Advanced Practice Nursing Role
Explores the evolution, scope, and contemporary issues of the APRN role. Highlights professional standards, regulation, and factors shaping advanced clinical practice.
NURS 6330 Evidence-Based Inquiry I
Prepares students to translate evidence to practice by framing answerable questions, appraising and synthesizing literature, and initiating the capstone project plan.
NURS 5202 Psychotherapeutic Modalities with Individuals, Families and Groups across the Lifespan
Develops competency in evidence-based psychotherapies for diverse populations. Focuses on assessment, treatment planning, and modality selection for individual, family, and group work.
NURS 5342 Advanced Health Assessment
Builds advanced history-taking and physical examination skills across the lifespan. Emphasizes diagnostic reasoning, differential development, and concise communication of findings.
NURS 5203 Neuroscience and Epigenetics: A Lifespan Approach
Explores neurobiological and epigenetic mechanisms influencing mental health and behavior. Links science to assessment and personalized treatment planning across ages.
NURS 5204 Psychopharmacology
Covers medication selection, monitoring, and safety for psychiatric conditions. Integrates mechanisms of action, side-effect profiles, and interprofessional prescribing considerations.
NURS 5307 Diagnostics and Management I: Advanced Mental Health Assessment Across the Lifespan, CL
Applies comprehensive psychiatric assessment in clinical settings, integrating diagnostics, risk evaluation, and initial management strategies for patients of all ages.
NURS 6345 Population Health and Epidemiology
Examines determinants of health, epidemiologic methods, and population-level interventions. Students analyze data to design, implement, and evaluate strategies that reduce risk and disparities.
NURS 5603 Diagnostics & Management II: Evidence-Based Management of Adults with Mental Health Disorders, CL
Focuses on assessment, diagnosis, and individualized management of adult and geriatric psychiatric conditions. Emphasizes promotion, collaboration, and guideline-driven care in clinical practice.
NURS 6320 Systems Leadership for Effectiveness, Quality and Safety, CL
Applies systems thinking, change science, and quality-improvement methods to enhance outcomes. Students practice communication, process analysis, and measurement for safety and effectiveness.
NURS 5604 Evidence-Based Management: Children & Adolescents with Mental Health Disorders, CL
Addresses pediatric and adolescent psychiatric assessment and treatment. Emphasizes family engagement, developmentally appropriate interventions, and interprofessional collaboration.
NURS 6350 Financial Intelligence for the DNP Leader
Builds fluency in healthcare finance, budgeting, and business planning. Students analyze financial statements, design projects aligned to strategy, and teach teams about cost implications of care.
NURS 6110 DNP I: Project Identification
Launches the DNP project by defining a practice problem, aligning theories and concepts, and developing a rigorous literature-review strategy to support inquiry.
NURS 6500 Interprofessional Collaboration in Management of the Complex Psychiatric Patients Across the Lifespan, CL
Capstone clinical focusing on team-based management of complex, comorbid psychiatric conditions. Includes crisis stabilization and coordination of care for co-occurring chronic diseases.
NURS 6111 DNP II: Project Planning and Development
Transforms the identified problem into an implementable proposal, detailing design, methods, system changes, outcomes, and dissemination in collaboration with faculty and site partners.
NURS 5201 Telehealth and Rural Service Delivery
Prepares students to establish telemental health services with attention to technology, ethics, legal standards, billing, and outcomes. Highlights advocacy and policy to expand rural access.
NURS 7220 Specialty Practice I for Psychiatric Mental Health
Provides immersive clinical experience in a focused PMH specialty area, advancing from competent toward proficient practice through high-volume, mentored patient care.
NURS 7110 DNP III: Project Implementation
Implements the DNP project and evaluates preliminary outcomes, culminating in a podium presentation and preparation of scholarly dissemination (conference abstract and journal manuscript).
NURS 6340 Advancing Policy and Politics in Health Care, CL
Engages students in policy analysis and advocacy strategies. Clinical activities apply political processes to influence equitable, high-quality health systems.
NURS 7221 Specialty Practice II in Psychiatric Mental Health
Continues immersive specialty practice to refine proficiency, expand autonomy, and strengthen outcome-focused, evidence-based psychiatric care.
NURS 7299 The DNP Role in Complex Care
Seminar addressing multi-level management of complex patients, from micro- to macro-systems. Students analyze barriers, financing, ethics, and policy to improve outcomes.
NURS 7111 DNP IV: Project Evaluation and Dissemination
Completes outcome evaluation and leads formal dissemination of the DNP project. Students finalize scholarly products and translate findings for practice and policy impact.
More curriculum information here: https://app4.ttuhsc.edu/CourseCatalog/default/School-of-Nursing
Clinicals
Clinical courses provide extensive hands-on experience with concurrent clinical sections totaling significant patient contact hours.
Prerequisites & Admissions
- Valid unencumbered RN license
- BSN from CCNE or ACEN accredited program with minimum 3.0 cumulative GPA
- Undergraduate research and statistics courses (grade C or better)
- Computer literacy test completion
- Personal statement (maximum 500 words)
- Three professional letters of reference (two from nursing supervisors/mentors, one from faculty or healthcare professional)
- Official transcripts from all institutions
- Critical analysis essay (maximum 650 words)
- TOEFL scores for non-English speaking countries (84+ total, 26+ speaking, 27+ writing)
- Invitation-only interviews after application review
BSN to DNP Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner
The estimated cost for the BSN to DNP PMHNP program is approximately $36,450 for Texas residents ($58,050 for non-residents) and takes 4 years to complete full-time across 12 semesters.
Curriculum
The 75-credit hour program combines advanced practice preparation with doctoral-level scholarship, including 1,080+ clinical hours. Students complete coursework in pathophysiology, pharmacotherapeutics, advanced health assessment, statistics, scientific foundations, evidence-based inquiry, systems leadership, informatics, population health, policy and politics, and financial intelligence. PMHNP-specific courses mirror the MSN track with enhanced doctoral-level rigor, including diagnostics and management courses for adults and children/adolescents, neuroscience and epigenetics, psychopharmacology, psychotherapeutic modalities, telehealth delivery, and interprofessional collaboration.
The program culminates in three advanced practicum courses (DNP Advanced Practicum I, II, and III) requiring OSCEs, providing nearly 1,000 hours of direct patient care experience. The program emphasizes executive leadership development alongside clinical expertise.
Prerequisites & Admissions
- Valid unencumbered RN license
- Minimum 3.0 cumulative undergraduate GPA
- BSN from CCNE or ACEN accredited program
- One year of previous RN experience at application submission
- Summer start date (May 26, 2026 for next cohort)
- Application deadline: September 1, 2025 – January 15, 2026
Post-Graduate PMHNP Certificate Programs
Non-APRN Certificate
The estimated cost for the Post-Graduate PMHNP Certificate for non-APRNs is approximately $19,440 for Texas residents ($244,440 for non-residents) and takes approximately 2.5-3 years to complete.
The 40-credit hour program includes 12 credits of required nursing courses (foundations for advanced practice, advanced health assessment with on-campus intensive, pharmacotherapeutics, pathophysiology) plus 28 credits of population focus courses identical to the MSN track. This option suits MSN-prepared nurses without APRN certification who wish to add PMHNP specialty.
Current APRN Certificate
The estimated cost for the Post-Graduate PMHNP Certificate for current APRNs is approximately $13,608 for Texas residents ($170,808 for non-residents) and takes approximately 2 years to complete.
The 28-credit hour program focuses exclusively on PMHNP population focus courses, as practicing APRNs have already completed advanced practice foundation coursework. Current certification from ANCC, ANP, or American Midwifery Certification is required.
Certificate + DNP Dual Enrollment
The Post-Graduate PMHNP Certificate + Post-Master’s DNP option allows practicing APRNs to pursue both credentials simultaneously with individualized degree planning developed in conjunction with the DNP Program Director.
Students must apply and gain admission to both programs separately; dual enrollment typically requires 3-4 years to complete both the 28-credit PMHNP certificate (required for ANCC certification eligibility) and additional DNP coursework. Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS) or Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS) certification is required for certain APRN tracks.
Tuition
Graduate nursing tuition is $486 per credit hour for Texas residents and $1,222.20 per credit hour for non-residents. Graduate nursing fees total approximately $356.40 per semester.
See the official tuition page for more details.
Accreditation
All TTUHSC School of Nursing programs—including the baccalaureate, master’s, Doctor of Nursing Practice, and post-graduate APRN certificate programs—are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE). The school is designated as an NLN Center of Excellence in Nursing Education and ranked the No. 1 nursing school in Texas by Nursing Schools Almanac.
Other Nursing Programs
TTUHSC School of Nursing offers 22 programs across bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral levels:
Bachelor of Science in Nursing:
- Traditional BSN
- RN to BSN
- Accelerated Second Degree BSN
- Veteran to BSN
Master of Science in Nursing – Leadership Studies:
- MSN Administration
- MSN-MBA Dual Degree Program
- MSN Education
- MSN Nursing Informatics
Master of Science in Nursing – APRN Studies:
- MSN Acute Care Pediatric Nurse Practitioner
- MSN Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner
- MSN Family Nurse Practitioner
- MSN Primary Care Pediatric Nurse Practitioner
- MSN Nurse Midwifery
Post-Graduate Certificates – Leadership Studies:
- Post-Graduate Nursing Education Certificate
- Post-Graduate Nursing Informatics Certificate
Post-Graduate Certificates – APRN Studies:
- Post-Graduate Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner
- Post-Graduate Family Nurse Practitioner
- Post-Graduate Nurse Midwifery
Doctor of Nursing Practice:
- Post-Graduate DNP
- BSN to DNP Family Nurse Practitioner
Other Programs in Texas
- Baylor University - Waco
- Midwestern State University - Wichita Falls
- Texas A&M - Texarkana
- Texas Christian University - Fort Worth
- Texas State University - Round Rock
- Texas Woman's University - Denton
- UT Health Houston - Houston
- UT Health San Antonio - San Antonio
- University of Texas at Arlington - Arlington
- University of Texas at El Paso - El Paso
- UTTyler - Tyler