Program Tracks Overview
| Program Name | Est. Tuition | Est. Duration |
|---|---|---|
| BSN to DNP PMHNP | $126,126 | 4 years (10 semesters) |
| MSN to DNP PMHNP | $117,720 | 3 years (8 semesters) |
| Post-Doctoral PMHNP Certificate | Varies (tuition is $1,635 per unit + fees) | As little as 1 year |
Students can also pursue a concurrent Master of Public Health (MPH) degree, completing both the MPH and DNP in 5 years through streamlined coursework.
Bachelor of Science in Nursing to DNP – PMHNP
The estimated cost for the BSN to DNP PMHNP program is $126,126 (77 units × $1,635 per unit) and would take 4 years to complete on a full-time basis.
BSN Curriculum
The 77-unit curriculum spans 10 semesters and integrates population health, advanced practice nursing, and psychiatric mental health specialty courses.
Semester 1: Fall (7 units)
NURS 705A – Evidence-Based Scholarship I
This course teaches doctoral students the core skills they need for DNP-level scholarship. Students practice ethical publishing and presentation standards. Students write scholarly papers and develop posters and oral presentations.
NURS 790P – Practicum: Assessing the Needs of Populations
This leadership practicum introduces the population health leader role. Students select a DNP project topic and identify an evidence-based problem. Students complete a population, community, or organization assessment to guide leadership actions.
NURS 7012 – Population Health Epidemiological Inquiry
This course explains how factors at local and global levels affect population health outcomes. Students study epidemiology concepts, disease patterns, and causal thinking. Students use epidemiologic methods to compare, monitor, and improve population health through interventions.
Semester 2: Spring (9 units)
NURS 705B – Evidence-Based Scholarship II
This course strengthens DNP skills in evidence-based practice and scholarly writing. Students build a PICOT question, run a literature search, and appraise evidence. Students complete an integrated review and synthesis paper that supports practice change.
NURS 7006 – Policy and Ethics in Population Health
This course connects nursing leadership with policy, ethics, and responsibility for outcomes. Students analyze bioethical issues in population health services. Students use cases and reflection to create policy recommendations that reduce disparities and improve access.
NURS 7009 – Foundations of Leadership in Population Health
This course develops systems and organizational leadership skills for advanced practice. Students learn how to assess organizations and identify system problems. Students use systems thinking and cultural awareness to lead change that improves safety, quality, and efficiency.
Semester 3: Summer (6 units)
NURS 713 – Analytical Methods for Evidence
This course introduces statistics and data analysis for DNP practice. Students select and interpret analytic methods for quality improvement work. Students use data to plan, implement, and evaluate interventions for individuals and populations.
NURS 739 – Quality, Safety, & Performance
This course prepares students to lead quality and safety work across a health system. Students apply performance improvement methods, quality tools, and safety practices. Students use metrics and change management to support reliable care and team-based improvement.
NURS 7008 – Pop Health Legal & Risk Management
This course reviews legal issues and risk exposure in healthcare leadership. Students study legal principles tied to practice, contracts, and workforce management. Students apply risk management steps to prevent losses and protect privacy and data security.
Semester 4: Fall (8 units)
NURS 706 – Advanced Physiology and Pathophysiology
This course reviews advanced concepts in normal body function. Students examine physiologic responses tied to health and illness. Students connect body systems concepts to patient responses and clinical patterns.
NURS 707 – Applied Drug Therapy
This course applies pharmacology to advanced practice decision making. Students build medication plans for common chronic and minor acute conditions in primary care. Students study dosing, interactions, contraindications, side effects, and patient teaching across special populations.
NURS 7100 – Professional Roles for the Nurse Practitioner
This course explains the nurse practitioner role and its professional foundations. Students examine ethics, policy, and interprofessional practice. Students build leadership skills that support system-level improvement in care delivery.
Semester 5: Spring (6 units)
NURS 7210 – Advanced Physical Assessment and Health Promotion for the Advanced Practice Nurse
This course builds advanced assessment skills and health promotion strategies across the lifespan. Students practice history taking, exam techniques, and clinical reasoning. Students create differential diagnoses and plan patient-centered guidance that considers culture and health disparities.
NURS 7220 – Advanced Physical Assessment and Health Promotion for the Advanced Practice Nurse Practicum
This practicum applies advanced assessment and health promotion skills in clinical settings. Students practice history taking, exam skills, and differential diagnosis with supervision. Students create evidence-based care plans and patient education based on assessment findings.
Semester 6 – Summer (7 units)
NURS 763 – Management of Financial Resources
This course covers finance and fiscal management in healthcare systems. Students analyze reimbursement, budgets, and financial statements. Students use forecasting and ROI or cost-benefit analysis to support strategy and organizational stability.
NURS 7004 – Healthcare Informatics
This course examines health information systems, data, and technology in care delivery. Students analyze how electronic data affects quality, safety, and outcomes across settings. Students study privacy and security while practicing leadership in system design and implementation.
NURS 7007 – Environmental and Occupational Effects on Health
This course reviews environmental and workplace exposures that affect health. Students learn how to find and evaluate scientific and public sources on exposure risk. Students study US laws and apply exposure awareness to assessment, education, and advocacy.
Semester 7: Fall (10 units)
NURS 747 – PMHNP Role in Psych/Lifespan
This course surveys theories of mental illness across the lifespan. Students apply neurobiological and psychosocial models to assessment and treatment planning. Students use research and epidemiology to support outcome-focused psychiatric care for children, adults, and older adults.
NURS 748 – PMHNP Clinical Practicum I
This practicum provides supervised PMHNP clinical experience with adults. Students assess, diagnose, and manage acute and chronic behavioral health conditions. Students apply prevention, health promotion, and symptom management using evidence and population data.
NURS 791P – Address Needs/Pops EB Interventions
This leadership practicum advances the population health leader role. Students choose a practice setting and refine an evidence-based intervention focus. Students set goals and deliverables that move their DNP project work forward.
NURS 7015 – Project Management
This course teaches project planning and control for practice improvement. Students learn scheduling, monitoring, and project tools for quality and safety work. Students design a structured plan for implementing and evaluating a practice change initiative.
Semester 8: Spring (10 units)
NURS 749A – NP Qualifying Project: Manuscript Development
This course guides a faculty-mentored scholarly manuscript project. Students develop a publishable paper that demonstrates doctoral-level practice. Students prepare the manuscript for submission as a formal scholarly product.
NURS 758 – PMHNP Clinical Practicum II
This practicum focuses on integrated psychiatric care for children and adolescents in a family context. Students apply prevention and health promotion in assessment and management. Students use evidence and outcome measures to guide care for acute and chronic behavioral health needs.
NURS 760 – Psychopharmacology
This course focuses on medication management for mental illness across the lifespan. Students study drug classes, interactions, titration, and adverse effects. Students practice prescribing decisions and patient and family medication education.
NURS 792P – Design EB Change of Practice Project
This leadership practice course supports the design of an evidence-based DNP project. Students build expertise in a selected topic area through guided activities. Students create goals, objectives, and deliverables that define the project plan.
Semester 9: Summer (7 units)
NURS 749B – NP Qualifying Project: Manuscript Development
This course continues the faculty-mentored qualifying project work. Students develop a DNP project prospectus that shows doctoral-level practice planning. Students refine the prospectus using required milestones and feedback.
NURS 768 – Applied Psychotherapy Treatment Planning
This course builds psychotherapy assessment and treatment planning skills across the lifespan. Students develop evidence-based plans for individuals, couples, families, and groups. Students apply neurobiological and psychosocial models and use outcome data to guide care.
NURS 778 – PMHNP Clinical Practice III
This practicum covers PMHNP care for patients with psychiatric disorders and medical comorbidities. Students assess and manage acute and chronic psychiatric and medical needs. Students apply prevention, health promotion, and symptom management in supervised practice.
Semester 10: Fall (7 units)
NURS 789 – The DNP Project
This course supports an evidence-based project that addresses a clinical practice problem. Students complete literature review, project design, implementation, and evaluation of outcomes. Students show critical thinking and research use through a faculty-guided scholarly process.
NURS 795P – Practicum: Culmination of Evidence-Based Change of Practice Project
This practicum functions as an advanced residency to complete and disseminate the DNP project. Students complete structured immersion to master population health leadership practice. Students implement goals and deliverables that support project completion and dissemination.
NURS 7290 – Transition to Practice Practicum
This practicum supports the student’s transition into advanced practice. The program team provides the official course description. Students complete supervised clinical practice as part of role readiness.
More curriculum details are available here.
BSN Clinicals
Students complete supervised clinical practice hours through PMHNP Clinical Practicum I, II, and III courses, along with Advanced Physical Assessment Practicum and Transition to Practice Practicum. The program facilitates practicum placements and meets clinical requirements for PMHNP board certification.
BSN Prerequisites & Admissions
- Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree
- Active RN license
- Completion of application process through USF graduate admissions
Master of Science in Nursing to DNP – PMHNP
The estimated cost for the MSN to DNP PMHNP program is $117,720 (72 units × $1,635 per unit) and would take 3 years to complete on a full-time basis.
MSN Curriculum
The 72-unit curriculum spans 8 semesters and builds upon existing master’s-level nursing knowledge to advance psychiatric mental health practice and doctoral scholarship.
Course Sequence:
- Semesters 1-3: Evidence-Based Scholarship I & II, Advanced Physiology and Pathophysiology, Applied Drug Therapy, Intro to Population Health, Foundations of Leadership, Advanced Physical Assessment (didactic and practicum), Theoretical Foundations of Population Health, Healthcare Informatics, Professional Roles for NP
- Semesters 4-6: PMHNP Role in Psych/Lifespan, PMHNP Clinical Practicum I-III, Psychopharmacology, Applied Epidemiology & Data Analysis, Project Management, Environmental and Occupational Effects on Health, NP Qualifying Project (Manuscript Development), Management of Financial Resources, Applied Psychotherapy Treatment Planning
- Semesters 7-8: Policy and Ethics in Population Health, Transition to Practice Practicum, DNP Project, Culmination of Evidence-Based Change of Practice Project, Legal & Risk Management
More curriculum details are available here.
MSN Clinicals
Students complete supervised clinical practice hours through PMHNP Clinical Practicum I, II, and III, Advanced Physical Assessment Practicum, and Transition to Practice Practicum.
The program requires completion of 1,000 supervised clinical practice hours total, meeting requirements for PMHNP national board certification.
MSN Prerequisites & Admissions
- Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) degree
- Active RN license
- Completion of USF graduate admissions application
Post-Doctoral PMHNP Certificate
The Post-Doctoral PMHNP Certificate is available for Advanced Practice Registered Nurses (APRNs) who already hold a doctorate degree and can be completed in as little as 1 year.
Tuition
Graduate tuition is $1,635 per credit unit.
Additional fees include $40 AGSUSF fee per semester ($80 annually), nursing clinical lab fees ($175 per related course), nursing malpractice insurance ($25 per related course), nursing HESI exam fees ($30-$210 per course), and fieldwork fees ($100 per related course).
See the official tuition page for more details.
Accreditation
The Doctor of Nursing Practice and post-graduate APRN certificate programs at University of San Francisco School of Nursing and Health Professions are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) and approved by the California Board of Registered Nursing.
The PMHNP DNP program leads to national PMHNP board certification through the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) and American Association of Nurse Practitioners, and qualifies graduates for state-issued APRN or NP licensure.
Related PMNHP Programs
View all PMHNP programs in California
- Azusa Pacific University - Azusa
- Charles R Drew - Los Angeles
- CSU Fresno (Fresno State) - Fresno
- National University - San Diego
- San Diego University - San Diego
- Touro University - Vallejo
- UC Davis - Sacramento
- UCLA - Los Angeles
- University of California San Francisco - San Francisco
- Vanguard University - Costa Mesa
- Western University - Pomona