Program Tracks Overview
| Program | Est. Cost | Typical Duration |
|---|---|---|
| MSN in PMHNP | $31,542 | ~2.3 years |
| RN to MSN in PMHNP | $39,803 | ~3 years |
| Post-Graduate/APRN PMHNP Certificate | $21,779 | ~1.67 years |
All programs include complimentary clinical placement services built into tuition, with a dedicated placement team handling site identification and preceptor coordination at no additional cost. Students receive individualized support from a dedicated Student Success Counselor from enrollment through graduation.
Programs address mental health care for culturally diverse, rural, and underserved populations. Integrated exam preparation courses provide resources contributing to consistently high board certification pass rates. The university participates in the Yellow Ribbon program for veterans and offers various financial aid options.
Wilkes does not require GRE or GMAT for admission. All programs allow up to 9 transfer credits with grades of 3.0 or higher.
Graduates achieve a 95.4% pass rate on the ANCC PMHNP certification exam, significantly exceeding the 90% national average.
MSN in PMHNP
The estimated cost for the MSN PMHNP program is approximately $31,542 (42 credits × $751/credit, plus $86/semester general university fee) and takes 2.3 years to complete with 15 courses over 7 terms.
Curriculum
The 42-credit MSN program includes:
- Core Graduate Courses: Advanced Nursing Research, Advanced Role Development in Nursing, Health Policy and Politics for Advancing Nursing Practice, Diagnostic Reasoning for Nurse Practitioners
- Foundational Courses: Advanced Pathophysiology, Advanced Pharmacology, Advanced Health Assessment, Health Perspectives of Culturally Diverse/Rural/Underserved Populations
- PMHNP Specialty Courses (17 credits): Clinical Modalities in Advanced Psychiatric/Mental Health Nursing Practice, Psychopathology/Theories/Advanced Clinical Modalities, Advanced Practice in Psychiatric/Mental Health Nursing I & II, Psychopharmacology, Scholarly Review
Course length is 12 weeks per term, and curriculum was created and taught by experienced, practicing nurse practitioners.
Clinicals
Students complete 500 total clinical hours:
- NSG 535: Advanced Practice in Psychiatric/Mental Health Nursing I (250 hours)
- NSG 536: Advanced Practice in Psychiatric/Mental Health Nursing II (250 hours)
Clinical placement assistance included at no extra cost. Team partners with students to research nearby sites, secure preceptors, organize documentation/clearances, and monitor schedule/hours for compliance. Sites may be up to 125 miles from student location.
Prerequisites & Admissions
- Bachelor’s degree in nursing (BSN) with 3.0 GPA from institution with programmatic (ACEN, NLNAC, CCNE) and regional accreditation
- Current unencumbered RN license
- One year of RN clinical experience required by start of NP clinical courses
- Current resume or curriculum vitae
- Check state authorization requirements
- Students from non-programmatically accredited institutions evaluated case-by-case
- Transfer credits: Up to 9 total transfer credits accepted (minimum 3.0 grade)
- No GRE or GMAT required
RN to MSN in PMHNP
The estimated cost for the RN to MSN PMHNP program is approximately $39,803 (53 credits × $751/credit, plus $86/semester general university fee) and takes 3 years to complete with 18 courses over 9 terms.
Curriculum
The 53-credit RN to MSN program includes:
- Bridge Courses: Transition to Baccalaureate Nursing for Graduate Nursing Student, Leadership and Management Practicum for Graduate Nursing Student, Graduate Academic Writing for Nursing Professionals
- MSN Core Courses: Advanced Nursing Research, Advanced Role Development, Health Policy and Politics, Diagnostic Reasoning
- Foundational Courses: Advanced Pathophysiology, Advanced Pharmacology, Advanced Health Assessment, Health Perspectives of Culturally Diverse/Rural/Underserved Populations
- PMHNP Specialty Courses: Clinical Modalities, Psychopathology/Theories, Advanced Practice in P/MH Nursing I & II, Psychopharmacology, Scholarly Review
Note: Pass-through BSN not granted as part of RN to MSN program. Students save approximately $10,000 and graduate 7 months sooner compared to traditional BSN-then-MSN route.
Clinicals
Students complete 500 clinical hours across two advanced practice courses (250 hours each). Clinical placement services provided at no additional charge with dedicated placement team support.
Prerequisites & Admissions
- Associate degree in nursing (ADN) with 3.0 GPA from institution with programmatic and regional accreditation
- Current unencumbered RN license
- One year of RN clinical experience required by start of NP clinical courses (typically Year 2)
- Resume
- Check state authorization
- Students from non-programmatically accredited institutions evaluated case-by-case
- Transfer credits: Up to 9 total (minimum 3.0 grade)
- No GRE or GMAT required
Post-Graduate/APRN PMHNP Certificate
The estimated cost for the Post-Graduate/APRN PMHNP Certificate is approximately $21,779 (29 credits × $751/credit, plus $86/semester general university fee) and takes 1.67 years to complete with 11 courses over 5 terms.
Curriculum
The 29-credit certificate includes:
- Foundational Courses: Advanced Pathophysiology, Advanced Pharmacology, Advanced Health Assessment, Health Perspectives of Culturally Diverse/Rural/Underserved Populations, Diagnostic Reasoning for Nurse Practitioners
- PMHNP Specialty Courses (17 credits): Clinical Modalities in Advanced Psychiatric/Mental Health Nursing Practice, Psychopathology/Theories/Advanced Clinical Modalities, Advanced Practice in Psychiatric/Mental Health Nursing I & II, Psychopharmacology, Scholarly Review
All courses are 12 weeks long. Certificate designed for MSN or DNP-prepared nurses seeking PMHNP specialization.
Clinicals
Certificate students complete 500 clinical hours across two courses (250 hours each). Complimentary clinical placement support included to identify sites, secure preceptors, organize documentation, and monitor compliance.
Prerequisites & Admissions
- MSN or DNP degree with 3.0 GPA from institution with programmatic and regional accreditation
- Current unencumbered RN license
- Current resume or curriculum vitae
- Check state authorization
- Students from non-programmatically accredited institutions evaluated case-by-case
- Transfer credits: Potential transfer credits must have grade of B (3.0) or better; Wilkes accepts transfer credits based on course information and certification requirements knowledge
- Students responsible for additional certification organization requirements (ANCC/AANP) related to transferred courses
- No GRE or GMAT required
Tuition
Graduate nursing courses cost $751 per credit hour with a general university fee of $86 per semester.
Wilkes offers various financial aid options including veteran financial relief through Yellow Ribbon program participation. Application fees are not mentioned in source documents.
Accreditation
The baccalaureate degree in nursing, master’s degree in nursing, Doctor of Nursing Practice, and post-graduate/APRN certificate programs at Wilkes University are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE).
State Authorizations
Students should check Wilkes’ full list of state authorizations to determine whether programs meet licensure requirements in their home state. Wilkes cannot place students who move to unauthorized states before or during the program, which may impact ability to continue.
The current list of states authorized for the PMHNP programs is as follows:
- AK
- AZ
- CA
- CT
- DE
- FL
- HI
- IL
- IN
- IA
- KY
- ME
- MD
- MA
- MI
- MS
- MT
- NH
- NJ
- NM
- OH
- OK
- PA
- RI
- SC
- TX
- UT
- VT
- VA
- DC
- WV
- WI
Students must declare Primary State of Residence (PSOR) for legal purposes, verified through driver’s license, federal income tax return, or voter registration.
Other WGU Nursing Programs
Wilkes University Passan School of Nursing offers additional programs:
- Master of Science in Nursing — Family Nurse Practitioner
- Master of Science in Nursing — Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner
- RN to MSN — Family Nurse Practitioner
- RN to MSN — Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner
- Post-Graduate/APRN Certificate — Family Nurse Practitioner
- Post-Graduate/APRN Certificate — Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner
- Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)
- PhD in Nursing