Program Tracks Overview
| Program | Estimated Cost | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Hybrid MSN – PMHNP | ≈ $110,818 | ~3 years (part-time only) |
| MSN – PMHNP (Residential) | ≈ $107,799–$110,328 | ~2 years (full-time) |
| Post-Master’s Certificate – PMHNP | $2,071/credit + fees | Varies (gap analysis) |
Students graduate prepared to sit for ANCC Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (Lifespan) certification, equipped to assess, diagnose, treat, and prescribe for patients across the lifespan while bridging physical and mental health with evidence-based care and leadership skills.
Hybrid Master of Science in Nursing – PMHNP
The estimated cost for the Hybrid MSN-PMHNP program is approximately $110,818 ($2,071 per credit for 51.5 credits plus $81 per credit fees totaling $110,818) and takes 3 years to complete part-time only, starting Spring 2026.
Curriculum
The 51.5-credit program delivered through 100% live interactive online classes combines foundational advanced practice nursing courses with specialized psychiatric mental health content across carefully sequenced three-year timeline.
Coursework includes the following:
NURS 6000 Advanced Health Assessment (3 cr.)
Builds advanced skills for complete histories and exams across all systems and populations. Emphasizes physical, psychosocial, spiritual, and cultural assessment, normal vs. abnormal findings, and differential diagnosis. Includes interprofessional learning with Medicine and Public Health.
NURS 6010 Advanced Pathophysiology (3 cr.)
Covers cellular function, genetics, immunity, and system-level disease processes across the lifespan. Uses research and cases to link mechanisms to clinical signs and advanced practice decisions.
NURS 6020 Advanced Pharmacology (2 cr.)
Reviews pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, major drug classes, and adverse effects. Applies core principles to common indications and safe prescribing in advanced practice.
NURS 7605 Psychopathology: Diagnosis and Clinical Reasoning (3 cr.)
Develops diagnostic thinking for psychiatric conditions across the lifespan. Trains students to connect symptoms, history, and evidence to accurate diagnoses and care plans.
NURS 7615 Psychotherapeutic Interventions I: Principles and Theory (2 cr.)
Introduces psychodynamic, cognitive, behavioral, and humanistic models. Builds therapeutic alliance skills and links theory to case formulation within ethical and legal standards.
NURS 7625 Skills I: PMHNP Role Development (1 cr.)
Establishes foundational PMHNP skills in self-reflection, therapeutic communication, and psychiatric assessment across the lifespan. Focuses on forming and maintaining a therapeutic alliance.
NURS 6040 Statistics and Research for Evidence-Based Practice Nursing (3 cr.)
Teaches appraisal of research and application to practice. Covers study design, basic statistics, and interpretation to support evidence-based decisions.
NURS 7626 Skills II: Clinical Decision Making and Treatment Planning (1 cr.)
Uses cases and simulation to create biopsychosocial-spiritual-cultural formulations and shared treatment plans. Adds risk assessment and clear communication with interprofessional teams. Prerequisite: NURS 7625.
NURS 7635 Psychopharmacologic Interventions I: Foundations in Psychopharmacology (2 cr.)
Presents major psychotropic classes, related neurobiology, and safe prescriptive practice. Centers on evidence-based, person-centered medication use across the lifespan. Prerequisite: NURS 6020.
NURS 7787 Psychiatric-Mental Health Clinical Practice I (6.5 cr.)
First clinical focuses on applying assessment and treatment with supervised practice. Builds core skills in interviewing, diagnosis, and initial interventions across settings.
NURS 6050 Transitions to Professional Practice (2 cr.)
Prepares students for advanced roles through scope, policy, finance, ethics, quality, and leadership. Uses cases to plan careers and navigate organizational systems.
NURS 6060 Promoting Health in the Community (2 cr.)
Integrates health promotion, public health, and epidemiology for individuals, families, and communities. Emphasizes prevention and management across the lifespan.
NURS 7715 Psychotherapeutic Interventions II: Application and Special Populations (2 cr.)
Applies individual, group, and family therapies with developmental and trauma-informed lenses. Students plan, deliver, and evaluate relational, cognitive, and behavioral interventions. Prerequisite: NURS 7615.
NURS 7735 Psychopharmacologic Interventions II: Application and Special Populations (2 cr.)
Applies foundational psychopharmacology to special populations and across ages. Considers guidelines, scope, and patient factors such as history, culture, and preferences. Prerequisite: NURS 7635.
NURS 7788 Psychiatric-Mental Health Clinical Practice II (6.5 cr.)
Second clinical advances comprehensive assessments, diagnosis, and evidence-based interventions. Students coordinate care for individuals, groups, and families and present cases in conference. Prerequisites: NURS 7635 and NURS 7787.
NURS 7716 Psychotherapeutic Interventions III: Complex Cases and Systems of Care (2 cr.)
Synthesizes therapies for complex presentations within health systems. Addresses comorbidities, equity, and delivery factors across the lifespan. Prerequisites: NURS 7615 and NURS 7715.
NURS 7736 Psychopharmacologic Interventions III: Complex Cases and Systems of Care (2 cr.)
Integrates psychopathology and pharmacology for complex, transdiagnostic cases. Covers differential diagnosis, comorbidities, and system factors that shape medication management. Prerequisites: NURS 7635 and NURS 7735.
NURS 7789 Psychiatric-Mental Health Clinical Practice III
Final clinical refines independent practice across settings and populations. Students demonstrate advanced interviewing, diagnostic reasoning, and treatment planning with increasing autonomy.
More curriculum details are available in the course catalog here.
Clinicals
Students complete 750 clinical hours distributed across four progressive clinical practice courses:
- Clinical Practice I (105 hours)
- Clinical Practice II (195 hours)
- Clinical Practice III (225 hours)
- Clinical Practice IV (225 hours)
Clinical placements represent cornerstone of education, providing diverse hands-on experience delivering care across settings, populations, and life stages. Students gain experience conducting mental health assessments, managing complex medical conditions, and collaborating across interprofessional teams.
Yale’s Clinical Support Unit (CSU) supports students in securing clinical placements, though students expected to fully engage in securing placements in home states through own clinical agencies. YSN provides clinical placements in Connecticut or telemedicine-based clinical training for all enrolled students, though specific in-person placements outside Connecticut subject to availability, program requirements, and regulatory compliance factors.
Placements may require reasonable travel to nearby approved states or telehealth clinical hours integration. During three mandatory on-campus immersions (3-4 days each including weekends), students demonstrate skills in simulated environments receiving intensive instruction and faculty feedback.
Clinical confidence develops through simulated labs, virtual consults, and real-world settings with direct faculty feedback, patient interactions, and hands-on practice mirroring modern mental health care complexity.
Prerequisites & Admissions
- Bachelor of Science in Nursing from accredited program (must be Registered Nurse)
- Current RN licensure required
- No specific work experience required for admission, though prior mental health settings exposure strongly recommended for program success and career preparation
- Experience in behavioral health, mental health nursing, or related fields demonstrates specialty commitment and strengthens application
- Application through NursingCAS (common application for nursing schools/programs)
- Spring 2026 admission open now (typical cohort size 30 students)
- Students must reside in or plan to relocate to approved state due to licensing/regulatory requirements
- Currently ineligible states: Alabama, California, District of Columbia, Iowa, Louisiana, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Puerto Rico, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee
- Part-time enrollment only permitted; program cannot be completed in less than three academic years
- Students expected to commit at least 15-30 hours weekly for coursework/clinical requirements
- Students responsible for obtaining appropriate licensure in applicable jurisdiction prior to clinical placement
- Travel, hotel, food costs for three on-campus immersions are student responsibility
- Competitive merit-based and need-based program scholarships available through holistic admissions review (no separate scholarship application required)
- U.S. citizens/permanent residents must file FAFSA for need-based consideration; international applicants submit YSN financial aid form
Master of Science in Nursing – PMHNP (Residential)
The estimated cost for the residential MSN-PMHNP program is approximately $107,799-$110,328 depending on first-year vs. continuing student status (52.5 credits over 2 years for RN-MSN students) and takes 2 years full-time or longer part-time.
Curriculum
The 52.5-credit residential program (49.5 credits plus 3 credits Advanced Health Assessment required for RN-MSN students only, not GEPN students) delivers comprehensive lifespan psychiatric mental health education through on-campus instruction.
See course details above.
Clinicals
Students complete 774 clinical hours through four progressive clinical practice courses:
- Clinical Practice I (148.5 hours)
- Clinical Practice II (148.5 hours)
- Clinical Practice III (238.5 hours)
- Clinical Practice IV (238.5 hours)
Clinical practice experiences occur in variety of healthcare settings/systems including:
- acute emergency psychiatric services
- community mental health centers
- office-based/private practice
- integrated psychiatric/primary care
- acute/long-term care settings
Faculty provide opportunities for student reflection, skill/leadership development on-site and in weekly seminars. Clinical preceptors/sites carefully vetted by program faculty ensuring balanced experience across populations and settings.
Students work closely with faculty and peers in on-campus learning environment, critically thinking about care complexity for individuals with mental health needs and advanced practice psychiatric-mental health nursing role.
Prerequisites & Admissions
- Bachelor of Science in Nursing from accredited program (or entry through Graduate Entry Pre-specialty in Nursing GEPN program)
- Demonstrated interest in psychiatric-mental health nursing field required
- Ideally have experience working in psychiatric settings or with individuals with mental health needs
- Prior science coursework helpful for managing accelerated program and concurrent core course requirements
- Full-time or part-time programs of study available
- Application through NursingCAS
- Yale School of Nursing attracts students nationally/internationally with varied field experience and unique backgrounds/experiences enriching classroom learning
Post-Master’s Certificate – PMHNP
The estimated cost for the Post-Master’s PMHNP Certificate varies based on individualized gap analysis determining credit requirements at $2,071 per credit plus fees.
Curriculum
The certificate builds on existing PMHNP specialty curriculum, including all required PMHNP specialty courses except research courses. Plan of study determined through completion of gap analysis evaluating previous coursework; previously taken courses may be eligible for waiver. Individualized plans available from Student Affairs Office.
The program addresses increasing prevalence of psychiatric disorders in general population constituting major public health problem, with estimated 10-20% of primary healthcare clients suffering well-defined chronic psychiatric disorders.
Clinicals
Clinical requirements determined through individualized gap analysis based on previous graduate nursing education and clinical experiences. Certificate students complete clinical practicum hours necessary to meet PMHNP competency requirements not fulfilled through prior education.
Prerequisites & Admissions
- Master’s degree in nursing required
- Designed for individuals finding high rate of psychiatric problems in their practice difficult to assess/manage
- Recognition that psychiatric problems go unrecognized in non-psychiatric settings (just as medical problems go unrecognized in psychiatric settings)
- Gap analysis completed to determine individualized plan of study
- Application through standard Yale School of Nursing admissions process
Tuition & Fees
Hybrid MSN-PMHNP
- Tuition: $2,071 per credit
- Fee: $81 per credit
Residential MSN-PMHNP (full-time)
- Tuition: $25,874 per semester (Fall/Spring)
- Fees: Equipment & Technology $2,246 (year 1), then $771; Lab $510; Student Activities $133
Residential MSN-PMHNP (part-time)
- Tuition: $17,175 Fall; $17,174 Spring
Post-Master’s Certificate (PMHNP)
- Tuition: $2,071 per credit
- Fees: Equipment & Technology $2,246 (new), then $771; Student Activities $133; Lab $510 (new students)
See the official tuition page for more details.
Additional costs include nonrefundable $600 tuition deposit ($300 applied to fall tuition if matriculating), required Yale Health hospitalization insurance ($3,422 annually, waivable with alternative coverage proof), equipment, uniforms, books, photocopying, clinical site transportation/parking, and for Hybrid program students: travel, hotel, food for three on-campus immersions.
Accreditation
The master’s degree program in nursing at Yale School of Nursing is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE).
The PMHNP program curriculum prepares students to apply for Lifespan PMHNP Certification by the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC).
Graduates also apply for state licensure as advanced practice nurse where available.
The curriculum meets psychiatric-mental health population competencies required by:
- National Organization of Nurse Practitioner Faculties (NONPF)
- American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) Essentials of Master’s Education in Nursing
Other Nursing Programs
Yale School of Nursing offers comprehensive advanced practice nursing education:
- Master of Science in Nursing Specialties: Adult/Gerontology-Acute Care NP, Adult/Gerontology-Primary Care NP, Family Nurse Practitioner, Nurse-Midwifery, Pediatric Nurse Practitioner-Acute Care, Pediatric Nurse Practitioner-Primary Care, Women’s Health Nurse Practitioner
- Graduate Entry Pre-specialty in Nursing (GEPN): For non-nurses with bachelor’s degrees seeking nursing entry
- Doctor of Nursing Practice Programs: Various advanced practice specializations
- Post-Master’s APRN Certificates: Available for all MSN specialty areas for nurses with master’s degrees seeking additional certification
Other PMHNP Programs in CT
View All PMHNP Programs in Connecticut
- Fairfield University - Fairfield
- Goodwin University - East Hartford
- Quinnipiac University - Hamden
- Sacred Heart - Fairfield
- University of Saint Joseph - West Hartford
- Western Connecticut State - Danbury