Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner Graduate Certificate
Expand your scope to meet the surging demand for mental healthcare. The online PMHNP post-MSN certificate from WVU empowers advanced practice nurses to diagnose, treat, and support patients requiring specialized psychiatric care.
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Courses and Credits:
7 Courses / 21 Credits
Duration:
4 semesters
Admission Terms:
Fall
Next Start Date:
Fall 2027 (Start date TBD)
Term Length:
16-week courses
Learning Format:
Online asynchronous and synchronous
Program Overview
The online Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner post-MSN certificate is designed for licensed advanced practice nurses ready to address the critical mental health needs of their communities. This specialized program prepares you to perform advanced clinical differential diagnoses and manage comprehensive care plans for psychiatric populations. Featuring individualized plans of study tailored to your professional background, the curriculum can be completed in as few as three to four semesters. All didactic coursework is delivered online, offering a streamlined, flexible pathway to maximize your clinical capabilities while balancing your current practice.
Broaden Your Impact
Acquire the specialized clinical expertise needed to deliver comprehensive psychiatric care and lead mental health initiatives.
- Certification Preparation: Fully satisfy the educational requirements needed to sit for either the ANCC or AANP national certification examinations to advance your credentials.
- Clinical Practice: Gain deep, real-world experience through 540 total clinical hours, structured around an individualized plan of study that respects your professional history.
What You’ll Learn
The curriculum delivers advanced diagnostic tools and evidence-based methodologies to transform patient recovery frameworks.
- Diagnostic Frameworks: Formulate precise clinical assessments and manage complex psychiatric conditions utilizing current scientific models and nursing theories.
- Care Coordination: Create, communicate, and execute ethical, evidence-based care plans that actively promote mental health recovery and lower patient risk.
- Interprofessional Collaboration: Partner seamlessly with multifaceted healthcare teams and coordinate resource systems to ensure safe, transparent, and equitable healthcare delivery.
- Technological Integration: Utilize modern health information technologies to gather clinical data, drive diagnostic decision making, and optimize long-term patient outcomes.
Application Steps
What You Need to Apply
- Hold a degree of Master of Science in Nursing (or higher) from a nationally accredited nursing program and regionally accredited institution.
- Minimum cumulative GPA of at least 3.0 on a 4.0 scale on graduate degree work (Provisional admission may be considered if the overall GPA is 2.75-2.99 depending upon space available and other qualifications).
- A minimum overall nursing GPA of a 3.0 on a 4.0 scale.
- Hold an active, unrestricted RN license in the state where the student plans to complete clinical hours.
- Transfer students must provide a letter of good standing from the Nursing program in which currently enrolled or left incomplete.
In addition, applicants:
- For the PMHNP Certificate Program: must hold national certification and licensure as an APRN; admission preference is given to applicants with at least one year of experience in an advanced practice role in an approved psychiatric mental health setting and/or at least two years of experiences as an APRN.
- For program admission, students must provide evidence of completion of stand-alone graduate level courses in APRN Core Courses of Advanced Pathophysiology, Advanced Pharmacotherapeutics, and Advanced Physical Assessment (3Ps). As part of the admission process, the Track Coordinator will review primary source documents (i.e., transcript as well as syllabi and course descriptions from the time of student completion) in order to complete a Gap Analysis Form (Appendix 3) to ensure there is evidence of completion three separate comprehensive graduate-level courses in APRN Core Courses (3Ps). This is necessary to ensure that the 3P requirements for the national certification examinations for PMHNP are met
To be considered, applicants will be required to meet all WVU admission requirements in addition to program-specific admission criteria.
Students must satisfactorily complete background checks and drug screens upon admission.
New program applicants with a positive drug screen will be ineligible for admission to the program and will forfeit their admission “seat.” Please see the WVU SON Drug and Alcohol Screening Policy and the Health Information and Credential Documentation Policy.
Note: Any student who has been dismissed from the West Virginia University School of Nursing or any other nursing program may be considered for readmission if the dismissal was academic and was followed by successful completion of an additional degree. Any student who has withdrawn from the WVU School of Nursing program may be considered for readmission. Students may apply for readmission in accordance with the following guidelines and criteria but must follow the standard admission procedures. Students must meet all original admission requirements.
Request Official Transcripts from All Colleges and Universities Attended
- It is preferred that official transcripts be sent via an online, secure service such as eScrip-Safe, National Student Clearinghouse, or Parchment to GraduateAdmissions@mail.wvu.edu.
- Alternatively, sealed, untampered, physical official transcripts can be sent directly to:
- WVU Hub
- P.O. Box 6004
- Morgantown, WV 26506
- Applicants who completed prior education outside of the U.S. must have their transcripts evaluated by World Education Services (WES). Please request a “course-by-course” International Credential Advantage Package (ICAP).
Note: Certificate seeking students, with approval from the certificate program, may transfer up to 9 of the required credits for a graduate certificate from a different institution or applied from another previous or concurrent WVU degree or certificate.
How to Apply
Applications for WVU’s online programs are processed through the University’s central portal. Follow these steps to set up your account and submit your application.
- Check the prerequisites: Review ‘What You Need to Apply’ to confirm your eligibility and get your application materials ready.
- Create your account: Visit the portal, create your account and start your application.
- Pay your application fee: Complete the required payment within the portal.
- Submit: Carefully review your details and submit your application.
Candidates for admission are evaluated on the entire admission packet. The WVU School of Nursing accepts new Post-MSN Certificate students on a rolling admission basis and will review all qualified applications based on admission criteria. While unofficial transcripts are accepted for application review, official transcripts are required before an admission decision can be finalized. We strongly recommend submitting your official transcripts as soon as possible to help ensure a smooth and timely admission process.
Acceptance is dependent upon space available in the program with the most qualified applicants being accepted at the time of review. In programs with limited capacity and competitive admissions, the most qualified students are selected among those that meet the minimum requirements. Students who want to appeal the admission decision as unfair, arbitrary, or capricious may contact the Associate Dean of Curriculum and Graduate Programs. The request will be forwarded to the program director for consideration, and the student will receive detailed information regarding the formal appeal process. Decisions will be emailed to students. Accepted students will receive information regarding orientation and course registration. Students will be evaluated based on the following:
- Nursing GPA
- Work Experience
- Overall GPA
Enrollment in nursing courses is based upon readiness, availability of space and other essential resources.
Practicum rotations with approved preceptors in the final year of your program must be arranged with course faculty. Due to potential preceptor limitations, students may have to travel out of their local areas to their clinical sites and are required to provide their own reliable transportation.
Tuition, Fees, and Aid
Since certificates are considered non-degree-seeking programs, they don’t qualify for financial aid. However, some completed certificate programs allow you to transition into a full degree, at which point financial aid can be applied.
Tuition and fees are usually not the only educational expenses you may have while pursuing a degree. You may have other costs such as books, supplies, and living expenses. Please visit WVU’s Estimate Costs and Aid website for how to plan for other potential expenses.
Tuition per credit hour is listed on the page of your program of interest. Please note, tuition and fees are reviewed and subject to change at the start of each academic year.
- Complete the FAFSA
- Check Employer Benefits: Inquire about potential tuition assistance or reimbursement programs.
- Review Waivers: Understand the specific restrictions on University tuition waivers.
Learn More
Careers and Employment
The online Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner Graduate Certificate will prepare you to provide advanced mental health care for individuals, families, and groups across the lifespan. You will learn to assess, diagnose, and treat psychiatric disorders using evidence-based practices, equipping you with the clinical expertise to deliver compassionate and comprehensive care. This program aims to strengthen your ability to address complex mental health needs and promote wellness in diverse populations.
Additionally, you will explore topics such as psychopharmacology, psychotherapy modalities, mental health assessment, and integrated care models while engaging in clinical experiences that connect classroom learning to real-world practice. These opportunities will enhance your ability to deliver holistic, patient-centered care and position you for leadership roles in psychiatric nursing and make real change in the world.
What can I do with an online Psychiatric Mental health Nurse Practitioner Graduate Certificate? Explore potential careers, employment environments, and academic pathways:
- Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner
- Addiction Specialist
- Crisis Intervention Specialist
Frequently Asked Questions
If you’d like to dive deeper into the program’s curriculum and student experience, connect with:
Phillip Engelkemier
- Email: Phillip.Engelkemier@hsc.wvu.edu
- Phone: 304-293-1927
