Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner, Post-Master's Certificate
Prepare to deliver advanced mental health care and lead change in a growing, high-need field.
Advance your practice and expand access to mental health care. This certificate program prepares you to assess, diagnose and treat psychiatric conditions while helping address critical gaps in behavioral health care.
Build advanced expertise in psychiatric assessment, psychopharmacology and psychotherapy while strengthening your leadership in evidence-based, patient-centered care.
Offered in an online format, the 23-credit-hour program aligns with national standards for advanced practice nursing education, including AACN Essentials and nurse practitioner competencies. Graduates are prepared to pursue national certification as a Post-Master’s Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner.
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Program Overview
The Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner Certificate prepares advanced practice registered nurses for specialized clinical roles in mental and behavioral health. The curriculum integrates advanced nursing science with clinical practice, leadership and health systems knowledge to prepare you for practice at the highest level.
This program prepares you to:
- Assess, diagnose and manage psychiatric conditions across the lifespan
- Prescribe and manage psychopharmacologic treatments
- Provide individual, group and family psychotherapy
- Integrate evidence-based practice into clinical decision-making
- Lead improvements in health care delivery and patient outcomes
Graduates are prepared to pursue national certification as a Post-Master’s Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner and to serve as clinicians, leaders and advocates in a wide range of health care settings.
Advanced Practice Preparation
Build the knowledge, clinical experience and leadership skills needed to deliver high-quality mental health care and expand access in high-need communities.
Behavioral Health Practice
Prepare to assess, diagnose and treat psychiatric conditions while leading improvements in behavioral health care.
Eligibility for PMHNP-BC certification
Specialized clinical practice across diverse care settings
Leadership in patient-centered care delivery
Clinical Experience
Build real-world expertise through more than 690 hours of hands-on clinical training.
690 direct patient care hours
Progressive practica across patient populations
Experience in hospital, community and telehealth settings
Practice-Ready Preparation
The program combines flexibility, clinical depth and strong regional partnerships to prepare you for clinical practice at the highest level.
Online format designed for working nurses
Partnerships with leading regional health systems and community providers
Curriculum aligned with AACN Essentials and PMHNP competencies
Focus on rural and underserved populations
Preparing Leaders in Behavioral Health Care
The demand for psychiatric mental health providers continues to grow nationwide, with significant shortages in rural and underserved communities. In North Carolina, only a small percentage of nurse practitioners are certified in psychiatric mental health, contributing to limited access to care.
This program prepares practice-ready clinicians who can expand access, improve outcomes and lead change in behavioral health systems.
Program Highlights
- Advanced clinical preparation
Build expertise in psychiatric assessment, diagnosis, psychopharmacology and psychotherapy. - Extensive hands-on experience
Complete more than 690 clinical. - Leadership-focused curriculum
Develop skills in health policy, quality improvement and systems leadership. - Designed for working professionals
A flexible format supports your ability to continue working while advancing your education.
Clinical Experience
You will complete more than 690 hours of hands-on clinical and project-based experience, preparing you for advanced practice in varied clinical populations.
- 690 direct patient care hours focused on psychiatric assessment, diagnosis and treatment
- Progressive clinical practicums that build experience across the lifespan and diverse populations
- Experience in psychotherapy and medication management across a range of behavioral health conditions
- Opportunities in hospital, outpatient, community and telehealth settings
This integrated experience strengthens your skills in psychotherapy, psychopharmacology and the delivery of comprehensive, patient-centered behavioral health care.
Students complete clinical experiences with leading regional health systems and community partners, as well as a range of behavioral health organizations.
Certification & Licensure
Graduates are eligible to sit for national certification as a Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP-BC) through recognized certifying bodies.
Curriculum & Clinical Training
Explore a sequence of courses designed to build expertise in psychiatric assessment, psychopharmacology, psychotherapy and health systems leadership. The curriculum integrates classroom learning with clinical experience to support professional growth.
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Courses
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DNP 570 – Psychopharmacology & Advanced Mental Health
This course provides an advanced overview of psychopharmacology for Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner practice. Students examine neurobiological mechanisms, pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics and principles of safe prescribing and monitoring at every stage of life. Emphasis is placed on integrating evidence-based decision-making, culturally responsive care and advanced clinical reasoning in the management of psychiatric disorders through case studies, applied assignments and structured discussions.
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DNP 572 – Psychiatric Mental Health Diagnosis and Management I
This course is designed to develop the doctoral advanced practice nursing student in the Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner role to provide evidence-based psychotherapeutic care at every stage of life. Students examine foundational and applied psychotherapy concepts and engage with individual, family and group psychotherapy modalities, including brief and crisis intervention approaches. Emphasis is placed on clinical reasoning, culturally responsive care, ethical and legal practice, interprofessional collaboration and application of current evidence to psychotherapeutic and psychosocial interventions.
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DNP 574 – Psychiatric Mental Health Diagnosis and Management I (Clinical Practicum)
This practicum synthesizes advanced practice knowledge relevant to individuals with psychiatric illness and their families at every stage of life. Students integrate psychiatric assessment, diagnostic reasoning and evidence-based management planning in supervised clinical practice. The practicum emphasizes development of the therapeutic relationship, culturally responsive care, ethical and legal practice, documentation quality, interprofessional collaboration and safe application of psychopharmacologic and psychotherapeutic interventions consistent with the Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner role.
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DNP 576 – Psychiatric Mental Health Diagnosis and Management II
This course is the second of three didactic courses designed to further develop the advanced practice nursing student in the Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner role in the diagnosis and management of psychiatric mental health disorders at every stage of life. Emphasis is placed on advanced diagnostic reasoning, psychopharmacologic management, ethical and legal decision-making and evidence-based treatment of complex psychiatric conditions. Students integrate neuroscience, psychopharmacology and population-based considerations to guide safe, effective and person-centered care.
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DNP 578 – Psychiatric Mental Health Diagnosis and Management II (Clinical Practicum)
This clinical practicum synthesizes advanced practice knowledge relevant to individuals with psychiatric illness and their families at every stage of life, with emphasis on child and adolescent populations. Students integrate comprehensive psychiatric assessment, advanced diagnostic reasoning and evidence-based management planning in supervised clinical practice. The practicum emphasizes therapeutic relationship development, culturally responsive care, ethical and legal practice, high-quality documentation, interprofessional collaboration and safe application of psychopharmacologic and psychotherapeutic interventions consistent with the Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner role.
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DNP 582 – Psychiatric Mental Health Diagnosis and Management III
This course is the third and final didactic course in the Psychiatric Mental Health Diagnosis and Management sequence and is designed to advance the doctoral nursing student’s competence in the care of specialty and complex psychiatric populations at every stage of life. Emphasis is placed on advanced diagnostic reasoning, evidence-based psychopharmacologic and psychotherapeutic interventions, ethical and legal decision-making, health policy implications and culturally responsive care. Students integrate neuroscience, research evidence and systems-based considerations to guide safe, effective and person-centered psychiatric mental health care.
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DNP 584 – Psychiatric Mental Health Diagnosis and Management III (Clinical Practicum)
This clinical practicum synthesizes advanced practice knowledge relevant to individuals with psychiatric illness and their families at every stage of life, with emphasis on child and adolescent populations. Students integrate comprehensive psychiatric assessment, advanced diagnostic reasoning and evidence-based management planning in supervised clinical practice. The practicum emphasizes therapeutic relationship development, culturally responsive care, ethical and legal practice, high-quality documentation, interprofessional collaboration and safe application of psychopharmacologic and psychotherapeutic interventions consistent with the Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner role.
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Admission Requirements
Admission to the Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner Certificate is competitive and designed for registered nurses seeking advanced practice preparation. Visit our graduate admission for specific admission requirements. Talk with an admission counselor regarding your education and career goals.
Accreditation
The university is seeking accreditation from the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) to add the Post-Master’s Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner Post-Master's Certificate.