The post-graduate certificate program with a PMHNP specialization is offered as a 33-credit curriculum for nurses already holding a master's degree in nursing.
Each student is required to complete clinical practicum courses. These courses (NURS 528, NURS 538 and NURS 548) are taken over three semesters. Faculty will assign students to practitioner(s) who will serve as preceptor(s) for the clinical practicum in the PMHNP program. The preceptor must be a PMHNP or a psychiatrist.
Each credit of clinical practicum equals 125 hours per semester so that the total clinical practicum time is 750 hours for the PMHNP specialization. The third practicum course includes an intensive campus-based evaluation of psychiatric mental health nursing competencies at the beginning of the term.
