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To be considered for admission to the PMHNP (Post-MSN Certificate) Program, you must have: 

• MSN degree from a CCNE accredited graduate nursing program
• Overall graduate GPA of at least 3.0 (on a 4.0 scale) 
• Current unencumbered Louisiana or Multistate Registered Nurse license 
• Current unencumbered Louisiana Advanced Practice Registered Nurse license 
• National certification as an Acute Care Nurse Practitioner, Adult Nurse Practitioner, Family Nurse Practitioner, Geriatric Nurse Practitioner, or Women’s Health Nurse practitioner 

To complete your application, you'll need to provide the following. With the exception of transcripts, all documents can be submitted through the online application portal.

• Application fee ($25)
• Resume or curriculum vitae
• Statement of purpose
• Official transcripts from the institution attended are required for the following:
  • All institutions where any degree was awarded
  • All institutions where any graduate coursework was attempted 
• Two letters of recommendation
  • One recommendation must be from someone who can attest to the clinical competencies of the applicant at an Advanced Practice level. 
  • One recommendation must be from a former faculty member in a nursing program, a current or former nursing supervisor, or a nursing leader who can speak to the applicant’s potential for success in the graduate certificate program. 

Transcripts must be submitted from your previous institution directly to the Graduate School at gradschool@louisiana.edu or by mail at:

Â鶹AV Graduate School
Martin Hall Suite 332
PO Box 43716
Lafayette, LA 70504-3716

Once enrolled in the program, you’ll complete 20 credit hours over four semesters along with a minimum of 510 direct patient care hours in Louisiana. 

Didactic courses are 100% online, and clinical courses include an online didactic component plus direct patient care clinical experiences in which you’ll work with an approved advanced practice preceptor guided by graduate faculty. 

Curriculum

Semester 1

• NURS 508: Diagnostic Considerations & Psychopharmacology for Psychiatric Disorders (3 Credits)
• NURS: 590: Psychotherapy for the Advanced Practice Psychiatric Nurse (3 Credits)
  60 observational hours

Semester 2

• NURS 591: Advanced Practice Nursing: Psychiatric Mental Health I (5 Credits)
  180 clinical hours

Semester 3

• NURS 592: Advanced Practice Nursing: Psychiatric Mental Health II (5 Credits)
  210 clinical hours

Semester 4

• NURS 597: Advanced Practice Nursing: Psychiatric Mental Health III (4 Credits)
  120 clinical hours

Online graduate students have the benefit of flat-rate tuition at $480 per credit. Based on the total credit hours of this program, total tuition is estimated at $9,600. 

Learn more about Tuition & Costs.

Because courses in this program will only be available online, the program may not be available to all applicants. The 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ and its online programs must be in compliance in every state where a student is located. (Visit the Graduate Admissions page to learn more.) International students also may not be eligible. According to U.S. immigration regulations, F-1 students cannot pursue online degrees; international students in other visa categories (i.e., H-4, L2) are exempt from this restriction.