DNP: Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner

For financial aid purposes, there are credit minimums for full-time status that may differ from the plans of study. See details.

Post-BSN:

Plans of Study for Fall 2016 and Beyond:

• Three-Year Plan of Study
• Four-Year Plan of Study
  
• Five-Year Plan of Study

Plans of Study Prior to Fall 2016:

• Download a PDF

Post-Master's:

• Core Degree Requirements
• List of Specialty-Specific Courses

Postdoctoral Certificate:

• Course Listing

Post-BSN: Three-Year Plan of Study

Post-BSN: Four-Year Plan of Study

Post-BSN: Five-Year Plan of Study

Post-Master's: Core Degree Requirements

The Post Masters-DNP with Specialty plan of study is by definition variable credit based on the student’s individual educational experiences.

Students should work closely with their advisor to determine specific plans of study.

All of the below degree requirements must be completed at the University of Maryland School of Nursing, or through transfer or waiver of credits that are directly equivalent to UMSON coursework.

*Additional credits as needed to meet certification and 1,000-hour requirement.

**All students must complete a minimum of 48 credits to receive a DNP with specialty. Credits necessary to meet certification and DNP requirements determined upon admission.  Maximum credits for degree 80.

Post-Master's: List of Specialty-Specific Courses

If the student has already taken some of the required courses, the option of lowering the number of credits is possible upon review by the program director.

Your nursing education is an important investment. Financial aid and scholarships can help make your goals a reality.

UMSON offers multiple opportunities to help you afford your graduate education.

Learn More About Financial Aid and Scholarships

All students receiving funds through the University must:

• be enrolled at least half-time (6 credits) in a degree-seeking program
• complete a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) each year by UMB's award priority deadline
• FAFSA Submission period: Oct. 1 (of the previous year) through Feb. 28
• FAFSA School code: 002104

The UMB Office of Student Financial Assistance & Education is available to guide prospective and current students through the FAFSA application process and the financial aid award package.

Contact Us:

UMSON Scholarships and Grants Office
410-706-0489 | nrsscholarships@umaryland.edu

UMB Student Financial Assistance and Education Office
410-706-7347 | aidtalk@umaryland.edu

The Nurse Anesthesia specialty accepts applicants for the summer session only and has different deadlines and requirements. 

All other specialties and the Post-Master's DNP option accept students for fall admission.

In this section:

• Deadlines
• Qualifications
• Application Materials and Instructions
• Applicants without a High School Diploma or College Degree in the U.S

Deadlines:

For best consideration, applicants are encouraged to have all required application materials submitted by the deadlines listed below.

Should the deadline fall on a weekend or holiday, applications will be accepted through the subsequent business day.

• After the admissions committee file review, applicants may be invited to an on-campus interview.
• Applicants not selected for an interview will not be advanced to the next stage of applicant review.  

Qualifications:

• bachelor’s degree with a major in nursing from:
  • an ACEN- (formally known as NLNAC), CCNE- or NLN CNEA- accredited college or university
    or
  • an equivalent degree from a comparable foreign institution
• an undergraduate cumulative grade point average of at least 3.0

Work experience requirements, if applicable, are included under the Required Work Experience dropdown on each DNP specialty page.

Application Materials and Instructions:

An interview with selected applicants will be arranged after the applications are received and reviewed.

Applicants without a High School Diploma or College Degree in the U.S:

• If you do not have a degree from a U.S. high school, college, or university, you are required to demonstrate English proficiency.
• If you have completed coursework outside of the U.S., you must have your transcripts evaluated.

More information.

This program is not eligible for F-1 or J-1 student visa sponsorship by the University of Maryland, Baltimore, due to the amount of online courses.

If you have questions regarding the admissions requirements or process, contact the Office of Admissions and Student Scholarships to avoid errors that could delay the processing of your application.

You must have at least two years of full-time psychiatric mental health work experience at the time of application.

It is recommended that you be certified in Psychiatric–Mental Health Nursing (RN-BC credential). Membership and participation in the professional specialty organization, the American Psychiatric Nurses Association, is also recommended.

Postdoctoral Certificate: Course Listing

Doctoral-prepared nurses who want to add or change their area of specialty only need to take the courses necessary for certification in that specialty. Your personalized plan of study will be determined at the time of admission.

If the student has already taken some of the required courses, the option of lowering the number of credits is possible upon review by the program director.

For postdoctoral certificate program outcomes, please see the What You’ll Do drop-down on the Doctor of Nursing Practice webpage.

Postdoctoral Certificates are available for the following specialty areas:

• Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner/Adult-Gerontology Clinical Nurse Specialist#/postdoc-cert 
• Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner
• Family Nurse Practitioner
• Pediatric Acute Care Nurse Practitioner
• Pediatric Primary Care Nurse Practitioner 
• Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner
• Neonatal Nurse Practitioner

Learn more about our DNP and Postdoctoral Certificate Pathways.

In this section:

• Deadlines
• Qualifications
• Application Materials and Instructions
• Applicants without a High School Diploma or College Degree in the U.S

Deadlines:

Fall Admission

Qualifications:

• Graduate degree in nursing (which may include a DNP)
• Doctoral degree (DNP, PhD, EdD, etc.)
• Active registered nursing license
• As part of the application process, applicants interested in completing a post-doctorate certificate should complete the Pre-Application Assessment form. Based on the evaluation of the pre-application assessment, which includes the student's prior academic work and a gap analysis of courses/experiences, DNP faculty will tailor an individualized program plan and recommend a start term. Once you receive your individualized program plan, your dedicated admissions representative will guide you through the necessary steps to submit your application. We look forward to supporting you on your journey to advanced nursing education at the University of Maryland School of Nursing.

Application Materials and Instructions:

An interview with selected applicants will be arranged after the applications are received and reviewed.

Applicants without a High School Diploma or College Degree in the U.S:

• If you do not have a degree from a U.S. high school, college, or university, you are required to demonstrate English proficiency.
• If you have completed coursework outside of the U.S., you must have your transcripts evaluated.

More information.

This program is not eligible for F-1 or J-1 student visa sponsorship by the University of Maryland, Baltimore.

If you have questions regarding the admissions requirements or process, contact the Office of Admissions and Student Scholarships to avoid errors that could delay the processing of your application.

Read our general FAQs regarding the DNP.

How long does it take to complete the specialty?

Students can choose from several options for completing their studies. Click Plans of Study to view each of the different options.

What type of nursing experience should applicants have?  

You must have at least two years of full-time psychiatric mental health experience at the time of application and it is recommended that you be certified in Psychiatric–Mental Health Nursing (RN-BC credential). Membership and participation in the professional specialty organization, the American Psychiatric Nurses Association, is also recommended.

How much hands-on clinical time will need to be completed?

The minimum number of practicum hours required for the DNP degree is 1,000 hours. For UMSON graduates to be eligible for their respective board certification exams, they must complete the DNP degree. Refer to the plans of study for the number of clinical hours required each semester.

Do students have to find their own preceptor or clinical site?  Can they do their clinical rotations where they work? 

Students are not required to find their own preceptor or clinical site. The UMSON faculty is committed to assigning students to clinical sites that are appropriate for course and program objectives. We are fortunate to have contacts with many nurse practitioner alumni and other providers who serve as preceptors. UMSON has clinical contracts with agencies in a variety of settings across the state of Maryland and Washington, D.C.  Students with a particular clinical site/preceptor of interest may forward the contact information to the course faculty member so the faculty member can determine whether the site is appropriate to meet the course objectives. Faculty members must approve any student-suggested site.

Students have completed practica at emergency services and rehabilitation facilities, as well as a variety of private practices, community and non-profit behavioral health organizations, mobile and home treatment centers, military installations, substance abuse centers, and after-hours urgent care and crisis clinics. Preceptors include psychiatric nurse practitioners and clinical nurse specialists, psychiatrists, clinical psychologists, and licensed social workers and counselors. Clinical hours vary by site and are typically completed during regular business hours. However, there may be instances when students attend clinical time after-hours and/or on weekends. Clinical experiences are designed to give students exposure to patients across the life span, from children to geriatric.

Students should not complete their clinical rotations in the specific environments where they are employed due to a potential conflict of interest. Final approval of clinical site placement is at the faculty member’s discretion. 

Where can graduates work? What is the job market like for graduates of this specialty?

PMH Nurse Practitioners are well-respected health care professionals and they are in very high demand. Graduates from this specialty work in areas similar to those where they gained clinical experience: private practice, mobile, hospital, and clinical settings are representative of the varied work environments where PMHNPs readily find jobs. Our graduates are very well prepared academically. Their pass rates for the ANCC board certification exam are above the national average, enabling them to confidently embark on their careers and immediately begin to help improve access to care.

Is there anything else I can do to strengthen my application?

Many variables are taken into consideration when reviewing a student’s application for admission. A strong foundation in courses such as anatomy and physiology, microbiology, pharmacology, and physical assessment is one key to success. Writing and grammar skills are also critically important for graduate-level education. Taking a writing course, particularly a technical writing course, may be of assistance. You may take these courses at a university of your preference. In addition, an applicant’s involvement in professional and organizational activities, as well as other scholarly activities, is evidence of leadership capabilities and interests. Current clinical experience is ideal and completion of certification in your specialty area is strongly recommended. We highly recommend that you spend several hours shadowing an advanced practice nurse in the specialty you wish to pursue. 

How can I get additional information?

For more information regarding admissions to this specialty, please contact the UMSON Admissions Office at: 410-706-0501, option #2 or admissions.nursing@umaryland.edu.