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Online Post-Master's Certificate PMHNP
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Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner Certificate Program
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Get up close and personal with the specialty you’re most passionate about—and deliver care in the spirit of aloha: love, kindness, grace, and unity.
The future of mental health care needs compassionate nurses like you. And Hawai‘i Pacific University's online psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner (PMHNP) Post-Master's Certificate program prepares you to assess, diagnose, and treat patients with unique mental health needs—anywhere in the world. Through robust coursework and evidence-based practicums, you’ll emerge better prepared to lead the way in quality and safety of care for patients of all ages in a global society.
Expand the scope of your career with our online PMHNP Post-Master's Certificate—and put what you’ve learned immediately into practice.
Start here. Go anywhere.
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CALENDAR
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Application Deadline:
December 5, 2025
December 5, 2025
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Program at a Glance
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Online coursework with clinical practicum experience
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Small classes with faculty who care about your success and well-being
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Hands-on learning opportunities and dedicated clinical placement support
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Earn your PMHNP certificate in as few as 14 months
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Why earn your PMHNP certificate with HPU?
FIT CLASSES AROUND WORK AND FAMILY
HPU’s online PMHNP certificate program is designed for working professionals, which means class scheduling is flexible and convenient.
PREPARE FOR LICENSURE AS A PMHNP
Qualify to sit for the PMHNP certification exam administered by the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC).
LEARN FROM EXPERIENCED FACULTY
HPU faculty are leaders at the local, national, and global levels. Not only are they active nurse practitioners, they’re also doctoral scholars, researchers, and skilled change agents.
BUILD VERSATILE SKILLS
Through a combination of specialized coursework and more than 600 clinical hours, you'll develop advanced competencies that can translate to a variety of mental health settings.
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Careers and Median Salary for Online PMHNP Certificate Program Graduates
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Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner
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$111,001
Psychiatric mental health nurse practitioners evaluate, diagnose, and treat mental health conditions in individuals, families, groups, and communities. In this specialty, you’ll explain the risks and benefits of treatments to your patients and their families, consult with healthcare providers, and advocate for patients’ medical and legal rights.
As a PMHNP, you can work in settings such as:
- Hospitals and mental health clinics
- Social service agencies
- Private psychiatric practices
- Public health departments
- Correctional facilities
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Ready for your next step?
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PSYCHIATRIC MENTAL HEALTH NURSE PRACTITIONER CERTIFICATE CURRICULUM
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27 credits
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Students may transfer up to 12 eligible credits from another college or university into HPU’s online program.
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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 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 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 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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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 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 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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ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS
HPU’s admissions process is designed to be streamlined for MSN-prepared nurses who are hoping to earn a new NP certificate.
Applicants must hold:
- Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) from an accredited university
- 3.0 GPA from undergraduate degree preferred
- U.S. unencumbered state RN license
- Applicants must 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
In addition, applicants are required to have completed MSN Core Courses, including nurse practitioner preparation in graduate-level:
- Advanced Practice Nursing Roles (NUR 6000)
- Advanced Pathophysiology (NUR 6010)
- Advanced Nursing Research (NUR 6020)
- Pharmacology (NUR 6025)
- Physical Assessment (NUR 6030)
- Development & Implementation of Health Care Policy (NUR 8050)
These (6) graduate-level courses are required to have been completed within 5 years if the applicant is not currently practicing as an APRN. Applicants who are missing graduate-level Advanced Practice Roles (NUR 6000), Advanced Nursing Research (NUR 6020) or Development & Implementation of Health Care Policy (NUR 8050) have the option to register for these courses at HPU as co-requisites in the first semester of the program or as a special status/non-degree seeking student before admission to the post-master's certificate. All graduate-level NUR courses completed will count toward student’s final GPA.
As part of the application process, Hawai‘i Pacific University (HPU) will conduct a Gap Analysis to evaluate your current Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) degree. This analysis will assess whether the core competency courses required for Nurse Practitioner (NP) certification have been completed. Upon completion of the review, you will be provided with the results of the analysis, including any identified gaps in coursework or clinical preparation. These requirements must be fulfilled prior to beginning clinical placements, ensuring you meet the eligibility criteria to sit for national board certification upon completion of the program. Please prepare to gather semester-specific syllabi to complete the GAP analysis if requested by the graduate college.
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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