Psychiatric/Mental Health Nursing Advanced Certificate

This program covers mental health across the lifespan, thus the “family” designation. Students gain advanced knowledge and skills basic to the psychiatric nurse practitioner's (PMHNP) ability to: assess, diagnose and plan treatment for psychiatric disorders and co-morbid conditions; provide treatment that includes prescribing and monitoring psychotropic medications; implement psychotherapy and health promotion/illness prevention interventions with individuals and groups; and evaluate treatment outcomes.

Program Quick Facts

Tuition*

$470 per credit hour

Time to Completion

Full or part time

Format

Synchronous online, pending transcript review

Credit Hours

34-49

Start Term

Spring

Degree Required

Master's (advanced practice nursing)

*Estimated tuition is based on the resident rate and does not include fees.

This certificate program is intended for licensed nurse practitioners in another specialty who want to add to or change their specialty area to psych/mental health.

Before you can apply, you must have:

Copies of master's transcripts for review
The equivalent of a Master of Science (MS) degree in advanced practice nursing
Active U.S. RN and NP licenses
An active national certification in your specialty area (ex. FNP, AGNP, etc.)
MS GPA of 3.0 or higher

To apply, you must submit:

Online application and $75 fee
Official copies of transcripts from ALL colleges attended
Resume/curriculum vitae
Personal statement
Three references

Admissions evaluations and decisions are made on a case-by-case basis. The Nursing Core courses may or may not be waived based on admitted student’s work experience and/or time since completing his/her previous nursing program(s).

Advanced Practice Nursing Core
Course		Credits
NGC 612	Pharmacotherapeutics for Advanced Practice Nursing	4
NGC 625	Pathophysiology for Advanced Practice Nursing	3
NGC 626	Pathophysiology for Advanced Practice Nursing II	3
NGC 576	Advanced Health Assessment-Foundations	3
NGC 574	Advanced Health Assessment-Child	2

*To waive these courses, accepted students will be required to submit syllabi from their prior program to UB for evaluation. Coursework must have been taken within 10 years of beginning the program and meet ANCC guidelines.

Specialty Coursework
Course		Credits
NFN 559	The Family: Theoretical Foundations and Perspectives	3
NPM 553	Primary Care of Individuals & Families Experiencing Addictions	3
NPM: 562	PMHNP Theoretical Foundations: Practice Perspective	3
NPM: 565	PMHNP Group Work in Practice	2
NPM 567	Clinical Practicum: Individual and Group Psychotherapy Interventions Across the Lifespan	4
NPM 568	SEM: Clinical Psychopharmacology for the APN	3
NPM 569	Neurological Basis of Mental Health & Addictive Disorders	3
NPM 570	MH Assessment & Diagnosis Across the Lifespan	3
NPM 618	Clinical Practicum I	4
NPM 619	Clinical Practicum II	4
NPM 652	PMHNP Clinical Practicum Seminar I	1
NPM 653	PMHNP Clinical Practicum Seminar II	1

Total Credits: 34-49*

*A maximum of 49 credit hours are required to complete the Psych/Mental Health Nurse Practitioner Advanced Certificate. All students in this program must complete at least 34 credit hours and 600 unique clinical hours in this specialty area, all of which must be taken at the University at Buffalo.