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

  • Certificate
  • Graduate
  • Online
  • Nursing & Health Professions

Advance your career and enhance your credentials with a Post-Master's Certificate in Psychiatric/Mental Health Nursing.

Program Details

  • Next Start Date:  January 16, 2024
  • Est. Program Length:  3 – 6 semesters (Varies based on previous education)
  • Low-Residency Format:  Online coursework and three weekends on campus
  • Credit Hours:  19 – 43 (Varies based on previous education)
  • Course Length:  14 weeks (NSG517 and NSG502 are 7 weeks)
  • Cost Per Credit:  Nursing Courses – $680 / Clinical Courses – $1,061
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Rankings and Accolades

Rivier Ranked Top Nursing School in New Hampshire

Nursing Schools Almanac 2022 has recognized Rivier’s exceptional nursing education, ranking the University as the #1 nursing school in NH!

Rivier ranked #1 Online College in New Hampshire

Rivier University has been named the #1 online college in New Hampshire by Intelligent.com, a trusted resource for higher education programs. 

Why Earn a Post-Master’s Certificate from Rivier?

Post-master’s certificate programs build your clinical skills and knowledge and provide the opportunity for you to take on new challenges and redefine your career path. Offered online with low residency, the Psychiatric/Mental Health Nurse Practitioner Certificate qualifies graduates to assess, diagnose, and treat the mental health needs of individuals and groups.

Rivier offers post-master’s nursing certificates to RNs that have already earned an MSN degree.

Program of Study

The Family Nurse Practitioner Certificate program requires a minimum of 19 credits. The average completion time for this program is three semesters. Courses are offered in 7-week and 14-week terms. Multiple term starts are offered throughout the year.

Applicants must document successful completion of a graduate-level course in Pharmacology (3-credit equivalent) less than five years prior to application to the Certificate Program. Waiver is considered for experienced, practicing nurse practitioners. Applicants must also document successful completion of a graduate-level course in Pathophysiology (3-credit equivalent) less than 10 years prior to application to the certificate program. This may also be waived for practicing nurse practitioners.

Clinical specialty preparation will be reviewed as part of the application process and used by faculty in developing the individualized program of study. Applicants who do not have clinical work in their master’s program will be required to take additional coursework.

Licensure and Accreditation

Registered nurses (RN) who complete this advanced degree coursework and clinical education (if necessary) are qualified to sit for the national exams to become a Board Certified Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP-BC).

Rivier University is unable to accept students from some states due to the post-secondary higher-education requirements. There are also some restrictions for programs that lead to professional licensure due to the various requirements of individual state boards of nursing. See State Guide.

For further information on Professional Nursing Licensure at the state level, please use the following contact list (also available on the NC-SARA website).

Commitment to Quality

Rivier’s ASN, BSN, MSN, Post Master’s Certificates, and DNP programs located in Nashua, NH are accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN). 3390 Peachtree Road NE, Suite 1400, Atlanta, GA 30326, (404) 975-5000.

The most recent accreditation decision made by the ACEN Board of Commissioners for the post master’s certificates nursing programs is Continuing Accreditation. View the public information disclosed by the ACEN regarding this program.

Assistant Professor of Nursing Dr. Donna Proulx, Ph.D., RN, CCRN, CSC is working to advance substance use disorders treatment for vulnerable populations. Her doctoral research was a qualitative inquiry titled “The Lived Experience of Postpartum Women Attending Outpatient Substance-Abuse Treatment for Opioid or Heroin Use.” She holds two certifications in critical care from the American Association of Critical Care Nurses (ACCN)—one in adult critical care (CCRN) and a second in adult cardiac surgery (CSC)—and is a past president of the New Hampshire Chapter of ACCN.

Explore Other Certificates

There are three other post-master’s certificates in Nursing offered in Rivier’s graduate education program.

Take the Next Steps

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Office of Graduate and Professional Studies Admissions

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Prepare to advance your career with a Post-Master's Certificate.