Program Tracks Overview
| Pathway | Est. Cost | Length |
|---|---|---|
| MSN PMHNP | $26,101 | ~4 years |
| Post-Master’s Certificate in PMHNP | $10,926 | ~1 year |
*Costs shown use the KY resident graduate rate of $607/credit (43×$607 and 18×$607). Non-resident tuition is $917/credit. Totals exclude university fees and supplies.
WKU operates a comprehensive PMHNP program with 750 clinical hours and exclusive geographic focus on Kentucky and Tennessee residents. Students complete 670-750 clinical hours with specific requirements for both therapy and prescribing provider supervision across different age populations.
MSN Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner
The estimated cost for the MSN PMHNP program is approximately $26,101 and would take 4 years to complete on a part-time basis.
Curriculum
The 43-credit curriculum includes 26 core nursing hours and 17 psychiatric concentration hours. Core courses include:
NURS 500 Advanced Physiological and Pathophysiological Concepts
Study normal physiology and disease mechanisms across the lifespan. Build a foundation for clinical decisions and management.
NURS 501 Nursing, Politics and Health Policy
Analyze health economics and current policy issues. Define the advanced practice nurse’s role in policy development and advocacy.
NURS 503 Advanced Health Assessment
Develop advanced interviewing and examination skills for primary and acute care. Interpret diagnostic labs to support clinical decisions.
NURS 504 Theoretical Foundations of Professional Nursing
Examine theory development and major nursing frameworks for advanced practice. Review the ANA Social Policy Statement, role socialization, case management, and managed care.
NURS 505 Advanced Health Assessment Clinical
Apply advanced assessment techniques in supervised clinical settings.
NURS 506 Transition to Advanced Nursing Practice
Prepare for advanced practice roles by clarifying scope, standards, and responsibilities. Strengthen professional identity and teamwork skills.
NURS 507 Advanced Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner Assessment and Clinical Interviewing Techniques
Practice advanced psychiatric interviewing and assessment using DSM criteria. Apply health behavior theories to promotion and prevention work.
NURS 508 Advanced Issues in Professional Nursing
Evaluate political, legal, ethical, socioeconomic, and technology issues that affect advanced practice.
NURS 510 Graduate Nursing Research
Link research to practice and theory through a clear conceptual framework. Build skills to ask questions, design studies, and interpret findings.
NURS 511 Advanced Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner III
Discuss current topics in PMHNP practice, including trends, medicolegal, ethical, and business issues.
NURS 512 Research Applications
Interpret and critique research, communicate results, and explore funding pathways. Complete papers, presentations, and applied projects.
NURS 515 Advanced Pharmacology
Study major drug classes and core prescribing principles for primary care. Plan safe, effective therapy within NP scope.
NURS 523 Adv Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner I: Diag/Mgmt Psych Disorders in Adults and Elderly
Integrate theory and evidence to manage common adult and geriatric psychiatric disorders. Use psychotherapy, psychopharmacology, prevention, and outcome evaluation.
NURS 524 Advanced Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner I: Clinical
Conduct comprehensive assessments, diagnose, and deliver pharmacologic and psychosocial care for adults and older adults. Collaborate across settings; 12 clinical hours per week.
NURS 525 Adv Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner II: Diag/Mgmt Psych Disorders in Child, Adolescent, Young Adult
Manage common psychiatric disorders in younger populations. Emphasize development, psychotherapy, psychopharmacology, psychoeducation, and prevention.
NURS 526 Advanced Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner II: Clinical
Assess, diagnose, treat, and evaluate outcomes for children, adolescents, and young adults. Work across care settings with interprofessional teams; 12 clinical hours per week.
NURS 527 Advanced Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner III: Internship
Provide full-scope psychiatric care across the lifespan in diverse settings. Demonstrate advanced competency with pharmacologic and psychosocial treatments; 20–25 clinical hours per week.
The program follows a structured three-year sequence with courses delivered online, hybrid, and face-to-face formats. Students take graduate statistics as part of their core requirements and complete research applications coursework.
More curriculum information available here:
Clinical Requirements
Students complete 750 supervised clinical hours across three clinical courses.
- NURS 524 requires 160 hours with adults 25+ years (60 hours with therapists, 100 hours with prescribing providers).
- NURS 526 involves 160 hours with children/adolescents/young adults 24 years or younger (60 hours with therapists, 100 hours with prescribing providers).
- NURS 527 encompasses 350 internship hours across the lifespan (100 hours with therapists, 250 hours with prescribing providers).
Therapists must be licensed professionals (LCSW, LMFT, LCT) or psychologists, while prescribing providers must be PMHNPs or psychiatrists.
- Core Foundation Courses (26 credit hours):
- Advanced pathophysiology, health assessment, and pharmacology
- Nursing theory, research, politics and health policy
- Professional issues and graduate statistics
- PMHNP Specialty Courses (17 credit hours):
- Advanced psychiatric assessment and clinical interviewing techniques
- Advanced psychopharmacology specific to psychiatric conditions
- Population-specific diagnosis and management across three sequential courses
- Clinical practicum courses with progressive responsibility
Clinical requirements include 750 total clinical hours: 160 hours with adults, 160 hours with pediatric populations, and 350 hours across the lifespan. Students must complete specific hours with both licensed therapists (220 total hours) and prescribing providers (530 total hours).
MSN Program Requirements:
- BSN from nationally accredited nursing program
- Unencumbered RN licensure in clinical experience state
- Minimum 3.0 cumulative GPA (conditional admission 2.75-2.99 with interview)
- One year RN experience in psychiatric mental health nursing required
- Three professional references including nurse manager/administrator
- Written goal statement (500-700 words) and professional resume
- Interview with graduate faculty
Post-Master’s Certificate in PMHNP
The estimated cost for the Post-Master’s Certificate program is approximately $10,926 and would take 1 year to complete on a full-time basis.
Curriculum The 18-credit certificate targets APRNs with existing master’s degrees:
- Specialty Focus Courses:
- Advanced psychiatric assessment and psychopharmacology
- Population-specific diagnosis and management courses
- Progressive clinical practicum experiences
- Prerequisites Required:
- Advanced pathophysiology, pharmacology, and health assessment
- Must be completed prior to admission or taken at WKU
Clinical requirements include 670 clinical hours across adult, pediatric, and lifespan populations with identical therapy and prescribing provider supervision requirements as the MSN program.
Post-Master’s Certificate Requirements:
- MSN, DNP, or higher nursing degree from nationally accredited program
- Current unencumbered APRN and RN licenses
- Minimum 3.0 GPA requirement
- One year full-time RN/APRN clinical experience
- One year experience working with psychiatric mental health populations
- Goal statement, resume, three professional references, and faculty interview
Tuition
Graduate tuition costs $607 per credit hour for Kentucky residents and $917 per credit hour for non-residents.
Military veterans and dependents receive resident tuition rates.
See the official tuition page for more details.
Accreditation
Western Kentucky University’s baccalaureate, master’s, and Doctor of Nursing Practice programs maintain accreditation from the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE).
Other Nursing Programs
- Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN)
- Associate of Science in Nursing
- Master Entry Professional Nursing (MEPN)
- Family Nurse Practitioner (MSN and Post-MSN Certificate)
- BSN to DNP and MSN to DNP programs
- Bachelor and Associate degrees in Dental Hygiene
Other Programs in Kentucky
View All PMHNP Programs in Kentucky
- Bellarmine University - Louisville
- Frontier Nursing University - Versailles
- Northern Kentucky University - Highland Heights
- University of Louisville - Louisville