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BSN to DNP – Online Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP) Program

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Overview

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Prepare for Advanced Practice in Mental Health – Earn Your DNP and Become a PMHNP

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The past decade has witnessed efforts to destigmatize mental health while also providing greater access to lifesaving mental health services — increasing the demand for skilled mental health practitioners. This need has intensified as communities cope with the stress, depression, irritability, insomnia, fear, confusion, anger, frustration, and boredom associated with COVID-19, economic struggles, and contentious political ideologies.

Hawai‘i Pacific University’s online BSN to DNP – PMHNP program is designed for registered nurses who want to specialize in mental health care and earn a Doctor of Nursing Practice degree. This CCNE-accredited program offers a direct path from BSN to advanced clinical practice and leadership in psychiatric nursing.

Delivered in a flexible online format with full clinical placement support, this program prepares you to treat individuals across the lifespan facing psychiatric and behavioral health conditions.

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CALENDAR

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Application Deadline:
December 5, 2025

Upcoming Start Date:
January 12, 2026
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Program at a Glance

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100% online coursework with mobile-friendly delivery
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Small classes with accessible faculty who care about your success and well-being
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Prepare to pass the ANCC certification exam on your first attempt
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Dedicated student support from first contact through graduation
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Earn your BSN-DNP in as few as 34-44 months*
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Transfer up to 12 credits
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*Full-time students take 34 months and part-time students take 44 months to complete the program.
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Why Choose HPU’s Online BSN to DNP – PMHNP?

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HPU’s nursing programs emphasize whole-person mental health care and community-centered leadership. The BSN to DNP – PMHNP pathway trains you to integrate evidence-based therapy and pharmacologic treatment, with a strong focus on culturally responsive care for underserved and diverse populations.

INTEGRATED PMHNP & DNP

Pathway A streamlined route to advanced certification and terminal degree.

FOCUSED MENTAL HEALTH TRAINING

Learn psychotherapy, psychopharmacology, and trauma-informed care.

MENTAL HEALTH FACULTY MENTORS

Learn from experienced psychiatric providers and educators.

CLINICAL PLACEMENT INCLUDED

Gain experience in behavioral and psychiatric settings near you.

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MEET OUR DNP FACULTY
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BSN to DNP – PMHNP Career Outcomes

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PMHNPs play a critical role in addressing the national mental health provider shortage. Graduates of this program are equipped to work independently or in collaboration with physicians to provide psychiatric evaluation, medication management, and evidence-based therapy.
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Practice Settings

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  • Community Mental Health Centers
  • Outpatient Behavioral Clinics
  • VA and Military Health Facilities
  • Hospitals and Inpatient Psychiatric Units
  • Private Practice and Telehealth Platforms
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Job Outlook

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  • Median Salary: $116,000 (ZipRecruiter)
  • Projected Growth: 40% growth from 2023 through 2033 (BLS)
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BSN to DNP Careers

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Ready for your next step?

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BSN to DNP – PMHNP Curriculum Overview

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As a PMHNP student, you’ll follow a comprehensive plan of study focused on mental health diagnosis, treatment, and leadership. In addition to core DNP coursework, you’ll take specialized classes in psychiatric nursing and complete 1,000+ hours of supervised clinical practice.
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Courses include:

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  • Psychopharmacology Across the Lifespan
  • Advanced Psychiatric/Mental Health Nursing I, II and III
  • Advanced Clinical Decision Making
  • Evidence Based Practice for Advanced Nursing
  • Leadership and Systems Management
  • Informatics and Technology for Advanced Practice
  • Optimizing Quality in Healt Care Systems
  • Business and Finance Essentials for the DNP
  • Development and Implementation of Health Care Policy
  • Clinical Scholarship and Scholarly Writing
  • Analytical Methods for Evidence-Based Practice
  • Doctoral Projects: Development, Implementation, and Data Analysis and Dissemination
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Clinical Placement Support

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HPU’s clinical placement team works with you to secure approved psychiatric and mental health sites and preceptors in your region.

  • Placements in outpatient clinics, inpatient units, community mental health settings, and telepsychiatry
  • Support with onboarding, documentation, and scheduling
  • Faculty mentorship during clinical experiences and capstone project
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You’ll build real-world expertise in therapeutic communication, medication management, and care planning, culminating in a scholarly project that addresses a current mental health challenge.

Students may transfer up to 12 eligible credits from another college or university into HPU’s online BSN-DNP program.

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Note: Upon completion of our BSN to DNP program, the DNP degree will be awarded. This program does not lead to the MSN degree.
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Core Courses

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BSN to DNP Core Courses
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NUR 6000 Introduction to Advanced Practice Roles / 3 Credits
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This course covers the definitions of advanced practice nursing (APN) roles in community environments. Theoretical content includes ethics, multicultural population-focused care, community coordination strategies and interdisciplinary collaboration, critical thinking, problem solving, creativity, and leadership. Roles of the nurse as case manager, administrator, educator, researcher, consultant, and practitioner are explored. Communication issues including assertive behavior, conflict resolution, and the dynamics of change are examined.
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NUR 6010 Advanced Pathophysiology / 3 Credits
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This course covers the in-depth exploration of pathophysiological responses involved in processes affecting the body's optimal functioning. The ability to implement diagnostic reasoning, critical thinking, and the integration of scientific concepts with psychosocial and spiritual aspects of the human condition are enhanced using case studies. Human pathophysiological responses across the life span that incorporate the individual, families, and communities are surveyed.
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NUR 6020 Advanced Nursing Research / 3 Credits
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A broad range of quantitative and qualitative methods of inquiry are explored as a means to forward nursing research.
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NUR 6025 Advanced Pharmacology / 3 Credits
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This course covers advanced knowledge of pharmacology integrated with the needs of the community served by the practitioner. A case-study method is utilized to support increased knowledge, development, and application.
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NUR 6030 Advanced Assessment and Diagnostic Reasoning / 3 Credits
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This course expands upon health assessment skills and diagnostic reasoning concepts to determine the health status of clients across the life span. Focuses on the collection and interpretation of clinical data derived from the history and physical exam.
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NUR 8050 Development and Implementation of Health Care Policy / 3 Credits
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In this course the DNP student will develop knowledge, skills, and tools toward the DNP terminal competencies related to policy, policy development, and change to maintain high-quality care while remaining accessible and using scarce resources wisely.
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Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP) Program Curriculum

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At the conclusion of the program, PMHNP students will have completed a total of 630 clinical hours:

  • NUR 6971 Advanced Psychiatric/Mental Health Nursing I Practicum - 210 clinical hours
  • NUR 6973 Advanced Psychiatric/Mental Health Nursing II Practicum - 210 clinical hours
  • NUR 6975 Advanced Psychiatric/Mental Health Nursing III Practicum - 210 clinical hours

BSN to DNP PMHNP

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NUR 6026 Psychopharmacology Across the Lifespan / 3 Credits
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Prepares the psychiatric/mental health APRN to prescribe psychotropic medications to clients in different settings. Applying evidence-based knowledge of psychopharmacological principles to treat specific psychiatric conditions is emphasized. Managing iatrogenic/trophicogenic problems caused by pharmacologic agents is explored. Neuropsychiatric development, brain function, neuroanatomy, and neurophysiology are examined in relation to pharmacologic agents. The relationship between specific psychopathological and neurological conditions and psychopharmacological treatments is examined. Prescribing, managing, and monitoring of psychopharmacotherapeutics are emphasized along with complementary and alternative agents. The role of the psychiatric/mental health APRN as prescriber for the patient with psychiatric conditions is incorporated throughout this course, including therapeutic challenges such as medication compliance, outcomes, ethical responsibilities, legalities, financial realities, cultural, and genetic diversity, and practical considerations.
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NUR 6970 Advanced Psychiatric/Mental Health Nursing I  / 3 Credits
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Facilitates the Psychiatric/Mental Health APRN for the complex role of providing mental health care and crisis intervention to adults/geriatric adults of differing social, economic, and cultural backgrounds within a recovery framework. Cultural assessment, psychiatric assessment and diagnosis, differential diagnosis, and co-morbidities are incorporated throughout the course. Treatment and management of mental health disorders using a variety of modalities and interventions with an emphasis on pharmacotherapy are explored. Synthesis of evidence-based, recovery-focused management in concert with the social, cultural, environmental, spiritual, and physical needs of the patient and family are emphasized.
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NUR 6971 Advanced Psychiatric/Mental Health Nursing I Practicum / 5 Credits
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Prepares the psychiatric/mental health APRN to provide mental health care and crisis intervention to adults/geriatric adults of differing social, economic, and cultural backgrounds within a recovery framework. Cultural assessment, psychiatric assessment and diagnosis, differential diagnosis, and co-morbidities are incorporated throughout the course. Treating and managing mental health disorders are explored using a variety of modalities and interventions, with emphasis on communication theory and group theory focused on recovery. Synthesizing evidence-based, recovery-focused management is emphasized along with the social, cultural, environmental, spiritual, and physical needs of the patient and family.
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NUR 6972 Advanced Psychiatric/Mental Health Nursing II  / 3 Credits
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Facilitates Psychiatric/Mental Health APRN students in the complex role of providing recovery-focused, mental health nursing care to clients with chronic, and complex psychiatric needs of differing social, economic, and cultural backgrounds. Emphasis on psychotherapeutic management of clients across the lifespan while integrating evidence-based, recovery-focused approaches. Examination of the forensic, social, cultural, physical, economic, familial, spiritual, and societal impacts of severe mental illness incorporates local and world views as well as advocacy opportunities for the Psychiatric/Mental Health APRN. Synthesis of evidence-based, recovery-focused management in concert with the social, cultural, environmental, spiritual, and physical needs of these clients is explored.
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NUR 6973 Advanced Psychiatric/Mental Health Nursing II Practicum / 5 Credits
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Prepares the psychiatric/mental health APRN to provide mental health care and crisis intervention to adults/geriatric adults of differing social, economic, and cultural backgrounds within a recovery framework. Cultural assessment, psychiatric assessment and diagnosis, differential diagnosis, and co-morbidities are incorporated throughout the course. Treating and managing mental health disorders using a variety of modalities and interventions are explored, with emphasis on communication theory and group theory focused on recovery. Synthesizing evidence-based, recovery-focused management are emphasized along with the social, cultural, environmental, spiritual, and physical needs of the patient and family.
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NUR 6974 Advanced Psychiatric/Mental Health Nursing III / 3 Credits
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Facilitates the Psychiatric/Mental Health APRN for the complex role of providing mental health nursing care and crisis intervention to children, adolescents, and families of differing social, economic, and cultural backgrounds within a recovery framework. Cultural assessment, psychiatric assessment and diagnosis, differential diagnosis, and co-morbidities are incorporated throughout t course. Treatment and management of mental health disorders using a variety of modalities and interventions are explored. Synthesis of evidence-based, recovery-focused management in concert with the social, cultural, environmental, spiritual, and physical needs of children, adolescents, and families are emphasized.
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NUR 6975 Advanced Psychiatric/Mental Health Nursing III Practicum / 5 Credits
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Prepares psychiatric/mental health APRN students to provide recovery-focused mental-health nursing care to clients with the chronic and complex psychiatric needs of differing social, economic, and cultural backgrounds. Emphasizes medication and therapeutic management of clients across the lifespan while integrating evidence-based, recovery-focused approaches. The student builds on the knowledge and concepts learned in NUR 6970 and NUR 6972 and gains a more in-depth understanding of treating people with complex psychiatric/mental health needs using recovery-focused interventions. An examination of the forensic, social, cultural, physical, economic, familial, spiritual, and societal impacts of severe mental illness incorporates local and world views, as well as advocacy opportunities, for the psychiatric/mental health APRN. Synthesizing evidence-based, recovery-focused management is explored along with social, cultural, environmental, spiritual, and physical needs of these clients.
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DNP Courses

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Courses in the HPU BSN to DNP program are built around the nationally recognized Essentials set by the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN).
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NUR 8000 Evidence Based Practice for Advanced Nursing / 3 Credits
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This course provides learners with the theoretical and practical foundation for evidence-based practice with an emphasis on evidence-based conceptual models, refining skills in searching and critiquing the literature for application to practice change, and synthesizing a body of literature to design interventions pertinent to a practice problem.
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NUR 8010 Leadership and Systems Management / 3 Credits
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In this course the doctoral student will prepare to assume complex and advanced leadership roles to guide change as a practitioner, clinical executive, educator, clinical scientist, and clinical scholar, among others.
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NUR 8020 Informatics and Technology for Advanced Practice / 3 Credits
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In this course the doctoral student will acquire competencies in using technology systems that capture data on variables for the evaluation of health care, integrating appropriate technologies to translate evolving technical and scientific information. The student will demonstrate information literacy skills in complex decision-making and ability to contribute to the design of clinical information systems that promote safe, quality, and cost-effective care.
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NUR 8030 Optimizing Quality in Health Care Systems / 3 Credits
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In this course the doctoral student will acquire competencies to continuously improve the quality of systems practices focusing on day-to-day responsibilities and realities of guiding change. The student will evaluate the impact of access, cost, quality, and safety of proposed change. The interaction of organizational structure, care processes, financing, marketing and policy decisions, and regulatory pressures will be examined in relation to quality improvement decisions.
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NUR 8040 Business and Finance Essentials for the DNP / 3 Credits
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The student will develop knowledge and skills toward the DNP essentials regarding organizational leadership and systems thinking. The topics of health care economics and the business of practice will be examined. Economic concepts and tools will be used to examine issues, costs, and solve problems pertaining to health care delivery.
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NUR 8050 Development and Implementation of Health Care Policy / 3 Credits
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In this course the DNP student will develop knowledge, skills, and tools toward the DNP terminal competencies related to policy, policy development, and change to maintain high-quality care while remaining accessible and using scarce resources wisely.
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NUR 8070 Clinical Scholarship and Scholarly Writing / 3 Credits
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This course is designed to introduce students to scholarly writing and dissemination for clinicians. The four areas of scholarly writing covered will be argument, evidence, paragraphs, and academic voice. The course provides students with practical information, exercises, and resources for successful clinical manuscript preparation, journal article abstract preparation, and clinical conference poster and oral presentation. This course prepares graduate students for a lifelong approach to integrating scholarship into clinical practice.
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NUR 8080 Analytical Methods for Evidence-Based Practice / 3 Credits
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This course is designed to provide the foundation for applying and implementing research by exploring the nature of inquiry and evaluating designs, methods, and measurements of evidence. Topics of validity, reliability, generalizability, rigor, and trustworthiness will be addressed in this course. Appropriate statistical analysis used to predict and analyze health care outcomes will be presented. Evaluating and using output from statistical computing software are also addressed.
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NUR 9010 Doctoral Project I: Development / 3 Credits
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In this course the DNP student will refine and prepare for implementation of the project proposal at a practice site in their state of licensure. The final project proposal will be submitted to the HPU IRB and the research review process of the project site.
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NUR 9020 Doctoral Project II: Implementation / 3 Credits
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In this course, the DNP student will refine and prepare for implementation of the project proposal at the practice site in their state of licensure. The final project proposal will be submitted to the HPU IRB and the research review process of the project site.
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NUR 9030 Doctoral Project III: Data Analysis and Dissemination / 3 Credits
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Under the guidance of their academic and external advisors, the doctoral student will analyze the results of their selected project by analyzing data, evaluating project outcomes, and disseminating results within the organization, the university, and the professional community. Findings will be disseminated in the form of a publishable scholarly paper and an oral community presentation.
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Admission Requirements

Applicants must hold:

  • Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) from an accredited university
  • 3.0 GPA from undergraduate degree preferred
  • U.S. unencumbered state RN license
  • Before or during the program, applicants must also demonstrate completion of a Statistics and Research (Evidence-Based Nursing) course. This may be listed on transcripts as Statistics, Research Methods, or Evidence-Based Practice

To complete your application, you’ll need:

  • Application and application fee
  • Transcripts
  • Two letters of recommendation
  • Curriculum vitae or resume
  • Statement of purpose
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Transfer Credits

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Students wishing to transfer course credits from an outside institution will need to meet with their Program Chair to review transcripts, course syllabi and fill out appropriate forms. A maximum of 12 semester credits of graduate work is transferrable if the following requirements are met:

  • The institution is accredited
  • Official transcripts and syllabi are available for review
  • The courses are deemed to be equivalent in level, content, objectives, and competencies to the HPU graduate course it will be replacing
  • The proficiency attained is equivalent to a "B" grade or higher
  • Courses were completed within five calendar years of admission to HPU graduate nursing
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The following courses cannot be transferred to HPU for credit:

  • Final project/paper or Capstone course
  • Courses taken as part of a granted degree. For example, if a student has had a Master's degree in Public Health conferred, a health policy course taken during that curriculum may not be transferred in and applied to another degree requirements.
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Graduate-level attainments completed at institutions or through programs or examinations, evaluated by the ACE (American Council on Education) will be considered for appropriate transfer credit on the same basis as prospective transfer credit from graduate programs at U.S. colleges and universities. The Program Chair will use the ACE credit award recommendation as the starting point for the deliberation of credit award; in no case will more credits be awarded than the ACE recommends; usually the award will be more stringent.
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FAQs: BSN to DNP – PMHNP

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What does a PMHNP do?
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PMHNPs provide mental health services across the lifespan, including assessment, diagnosis, therapy, and prescribing medications for psychiatric conditions.
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Can I work while completing the program?
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Yes, the flexible online format allows students to continue working while pursuing their degree.
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What certification will I be eligible for?
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Graduates are prepared to sit for the PMHNP certification exam through the ANCC.
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Does HPU help with clinical placements?
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Yes, the program includes clinical placement support in psychiatric and behavioral health settings.
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How long does the program take to complete?
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Approximately 34 months full time, or 44 months part time, depending on your pace.
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Tuition & Financial Aid

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HPU’s online BSN to DNP – PMHNP program is designed to be affordable, flexible, and accessible for working nurses advancing into APRN roles.

  • $1,117 per credit
  • Program length and total cost vary by specialization
  • Eligible for federal financial aid and scholarships
  • Employer-sponsored tuition assistance welcome
  • Special tuition benefits available for active-duty military and veterans
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