They Said Managing Work and Nursing School Was Impossible—Not WGU

Become A Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner

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Earn Your Degree Mostly Online, Even with Your Busy Schedule

Transform your current nursing career and earn your Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP) MSN degree mostly online with an in-person clinical internship spent working in your community.

Nurse practitioners provide high-quality healthcare to people of all ages, combining their technical nursing know-how with strong people skills, organizational prowess, and business knowledge to help patients and to transform lives.

Consider advancing your career with a CCNE-accredited* degree from WGU, where you'll find:

Flexibility. A nurse’s schedule is never predictable—and not very forgiving. That’s why our programs focus on making the best use of your time and experience. Your years as a nurse can help you accelerate through the MSN Core portion of your program.
Affordability. Our tuition is already about half what most other online universities charge, and scholarships can make your degree even more affordable.**
Personalized support. Programs are competency-based, so you’re in the driver’s seat. You also have personalized faculty support from your own Program Mentor. Plus, your Placement Coordinator will help you plan for a successful clinical internship experience.

Limited geographic availability

This program is not open to students in the following states: Arizona, California, District of Columbia, Louisiana, Massachusetts, New York, North Dakota,, Washington, and U.S. Territories.

*The baccalaureate degree programs in nursing, master's degree programs in nursing, and post-graduate APRN certificate programs at WGU are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (http://www.ccneaccreditation.org).

**WGU average annual bachelor’s tuition rates are 44% lower than the national average, compared to national rates reported by the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data Systems in 2022. WGU average rate does not include rates for WGU Bachelor of Science, Nursing Prelicensure program.

Do You Qualify For This Program?

The PMHNP program at WGU has strict admission requirements and is only available in limited areas. There are several general admissions requirements you must meet in order to be eligible for this program:

Have a BSN degree from an accredited institution and have a specific GPA in certain courses from your degree program
Have a current, active, RN license
Be prepared to commit 30+ hours a week to the rigors, time-intensive program
See other admissions criteria below

Applicants must possess a bachelor of science in nursing degree (BSN) from an accredited institution. NOTE: Students that hold an MSN are not be eligible to apply for the PMHNP pathway.
Applicants must possess a current, active, unencumbered registered nurse (RN) license
Applicants must have earned a 3.0 cumulative grade point average (on a 4.0 scale) in the following 5 courses OR hold a BSN degree from WGU:
- Anatomy / Physiology I w/lab (equivalent to 4 semester hours)
- Anatomy / Physiology II w/lab (equivalent to 4 semester hours)
- Statistics (equivalent to 3 semester hours)
- Human Growth and Development Across the Lifespan (equivalent to 3 semester hours)
- Pharmacology (equivalent to 2 semester hours)
Note: All courses must be awarded a C- or above to meet this requirement. At this time, WGU is not accepting transfer credit for the Master of Science - Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner program.
Students should be prepared to commit 30+ hours a week to the rigors, time-intensive program.

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Don't Qualify for PMHNP Admission?

Many students interested in the PMHNP program don't yet qualify for admission. For many, earning a BSN is a critical first step in preparing for a future as a nurse practitioner. Current nurses can earn their BSN and then progress toward a career as a nurse practitioner with programs offered at WGU. And some students in select states can earn their RN licensure and BSN through WGU.

Learn About BSN Programs

An Exciting and Rigorous Program That Can Change Your Future

Professional Evolution

Seize the moment and invest in your own professional growth by becoming a psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner. After completing the WGU Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner program, you will be prepared to deliver high-quality mental healthcare to individuals across the lifespan through diagnosing mental health disorders, providing therapy, prescribing medication, and in working with interprofessional teams.

Make a Difference in Your Community

Over 130 million Americans live in areas where there are not enough mental health providers. When you become a psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner through the WGU PMHNP program, you will become part of the mental healthcare solution that your community needs. Answer the call today, and start your journey to meeting the need for mental health providers in your community.

Employment Flexibility

The nurse practitioner profession is consistently ranked among the top professions nationally due to the high demand for NP services, excellent work-life balance, and high salary. Psychiatric mental health nurse practitioners enjoy high pay, professional satisfaction in meeting patient needs, and flexibility in clinical practice with the highest adoption rate of telemedicine among all specialties.

An Innovative Program Developed by Mental Health and Healthcare Industry Experts

Gain the comprehensive knowledge you need to become an expert in the field. Graduates of this program will make a significant impact in their communities as they help prevent suicide and treat mental health conditions among at-risk populations.

Learn More About WGU's PMHNP and Check Out Our Other Health Master's Degrees

Health & Nursing

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Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (BSN-to-MSN) – M.S. Nursing

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This program for BSNs who have an active, unencumbered RN license prepares...

This program for BSNs who have an active, unencumbered RN license prepares you to become a board-certified Mental Health Nurse Practitioner.

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Locations: Due to the clinical requirements of this degree program, the PMHNP program at WGU is currently NOT open to students who have a permanent residence in the following states: Arizona, California, District of Columbia, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, New York, North Dakota, Oregon, Tennessee, Washington, and Wisconsin.
Time: It takes 2.5 years to complete the coursework and clinical components of this degree program.
Tuition and fees: $6,955 per six-month term.
Courses: 17 total courses in this program.

This program is for current RNs who have earned their BSN and are ready to move forward in their career. This MSN program prepares students to become licensed as a Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner in select states.

Skills for your résumé that you will learn in this program:

Advanced Pathophysiology
Assessment and Diagnostics
Behavioral health
Advanced Pharmacology

Students must have a permanent and active license from a state that is not listed above, must complete the internships in that state, and intend to obtain initial APRN licensure in that state. See more state-specific information related to nursing licensure. Compact licenses must be endorsed by your state of residence. More about compact licenses.

Master's Degrees in Nursing and Healthcare

Nursing - Education (BSN to MSN) – M.S.

Nursing – Leadership and Management (BSN to MSN) – M.S.

Nursing – Nursing Informatics (BSN to MSN) – M.S.

Nursing – Education (RN to MSN Program) – M.S.

Nursing – Leadership and Management (RN to MSN Program) – M.S.

Nursing – Nursing Informatics (RN to MSN Program) – M.S.

Master of Healthcare Administration

MBA Healthcare Management (from the School of Business)

Post-Master's Certificates

Nursing Education—Post-Master's Certificate

Nursing Leadership and Management—Post-Master's Certificate

Family Nurse Practitioner—Post-Master's Certificate

Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner —Post-Master's Certificate

Earn Your Degree for about Half the Cost of Other Universities*

You pay tuition per six-month term, not per course or credit. So when you move faster through your courses, you also lower your total bill!

WGU students pay about half the tuition,* and end up with half the debt of the national average.**

Low, flat-rate tuition.
Graduate faster and with less debt.
Financial aid and scholarships available.
Online education with supportive faculty.
VA and military benefits accepted.
Great return on investment.
All course materials for a low, flat fee.

*WGU average annual bachelor’s tuition rates are 47% lower than the national average, compared to national rates reported by the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data Systems in 2023. WGU average rate does not include rates for WGU Bachelor of Science, Nursing Prelicensure program.

**WGU undergraduate students have approximately half the debt at graduation compared to the national average, according to the Institute for College Access and Success (2022).

Spend Less with Flat-Rate Tuition

Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner M.S. Nursing
Family Nurse Practitioner M.S. Nursing

$6,955
$6,850

M.S. Nursing

$5,035

Master of Healthcare Administration

$4,995

MBA Healthcare Management

$4,755

Tuition rates effective September 1, 2024. Costs are per six-month term. Tuition covers unlimited courses per term.
All programs: $200 per-term Resource Fee covers e-textbooks and learning resources.

Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner M.S. Nursing
Family Nurse Practitioner M.S. Nursing

$6,955
$6,850

M.S. Nursing

$5,035

Master of Healthcare Administration

$4,995

MBA Healthcare Management

$4,755

FASTER

Learn, prove it, move on.

Competency-based education focuses on learning rather than seat time. You’re in the driver’s seat. Each course is a collection of defined competencies—knowledge and skills that employers are looking for from successful graduates. You study on your schedule. As soon as you can prove you’ve mastered the competencies, you take an assessment, pass it, and move on. You spend your time learning new concepts, not rehashing subjects you already know. You can set the pace to graduate early. And in the end, your degree is proof you’ve shown that you’re what employers are looking for!

MORE SUPPORT

Your success is our job.

From before you enroll to after you graduate, our #1 job is a better life for you and your family. Think of it as the best of both worlds: a program that offers complete independence and more support than you ever knew you needed—at exactly the moment you need it! From the Enrollment Counselor who helps you decide if WGU is the right fit for you, to the faculty mentors who are obsessed with your academic progress, to the student and tech support teams who are eager to help you solve any issues you might encounter as a student, you’re never alone—even though you’re online. And even after you’ve graduated, career and alumni support is just a call away.

GREATER VALUE

Smaller investment, bigger returns.

At WGU, affordability means cutting-edge programs at tuition rates that are about half of what you’d pay at other online universities.* It means graduating with little or no student debt. It means scholarship and financial aid opportunities and minimal, transparent fees. It means a flat-rate, per-term tuition so that when you save time, you also save money. And it means understanding that value includes quality, flexibility, relevance, and results, not just cost.

*WGU average annual bachelor’s tuition rates are 47% lower than the national average, compared to national rates reported by the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data Systems in 2022. WGU average rate does not include rates for WGU Bachelor of Science, Nursing Prelicensure program.