Graduate Nursing students on the Worcester Campus

Master of Science in Nursing—Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP)

Location: Online | Start Term: Fall, Spring, Summer

Prepare for a specialized career in psychiatric mental health nursing practice (PMHNP) by building on your bachelor’s degree in nursing.

Learn to Diagnose and Treat Psychiatric Disorders

In this 27-month online program, engage in one online and two on-campus residency opportunities where you'll collaborate with peers, participate in simulated clinical experiences, and learn from industry experts. During your clinical rotations, you'll develop foundational knowledge, skills, and competencies in the diagnosis and management of dementia, depression, anxiety, and other psychiatric conditions across the lifespan. Plus, you can complete the required 750 clinical hours within your very own community. Through these experiences, you will gain competency in delivering compassionate and high-quality care and in building relationships with clients and their families as a future Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner. Upon graduation, you’ll be eligible to sit for the PMHNP certification examination given by the American Nurses Credentialing Center or the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners Certification Board.

Nursing is a Rewarding, High-Demand Career

As a psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner, you will make a measurable difference in people’s lives—and build a career with lifelong job security.

$126,260

median salary

Average annual compensation for nurse practitioners according to U.S. News & World Report’s Best Healthcare Jobs ranking, 2025.

#1

Best Healthcare Job

U.S. News & World Report ranks nurse practitioner #1 in their list of “The Best Healthcare Jobs, 2025.”

Top 10%

nursing schools in the U.S

MCPHS is among the top 10% of nursing schools in the U.S. and ranked 5th in Massachusetts according to College Factual.

Graduate Nursing students on the Worcester Campus

Residencies

Graduate nursing students participate in one online and two on-campus residencies. During these experiences, you’ll collaborate and connect with peers, faculty, and field experts while deepening your understanding of key concepts and practicing and refining your clinical skills.
Graduate Nursing students on the Worcester Campus

The Master of Science in Nursing degree program at Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences (MCPHS) is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education: http://www.ccneaccreditation.org.

MCPHS accepts nursing students into its programs from the following states:

Alaska, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Hawaii, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Montana, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, North Dakota, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Texas, Vermont, Virginia, Washington D.C.

Admission into a nursing program is dependent on program availability in the state where the student is physically located at the time of matriculation. If a student moves to a different state after matriculation, continuation within the program will depend on the availability of the program within the new state where the student is physically present. It is the student's responsibility to notify the University of a change in physical presence. Program availability is subject to change.

MSN Student End of Program Learning Outcomes (EPLOs)

  1. Demonstrate expert clinical reasoning and decision-making by integrating comprehensive assessment, diagnostic acumen, and evidence-based therapeutic management to deliver safe, culturally sensitive, and compassionate patient-centered care across diverse populations and practice settings.
    Domains 1: Knowledge for Nursing Practice, and 2: Person-Centered Care (AACN Essentials, 2021)
  2. Collaborate with interprofessional teams to drive system-based practice using advanced communication, leadership skills, and knowledge of social determinants of health to optimize care coordination and enhance patient and population health outcomes.
    Domains 3: Population Health, 6: Interprofessional Partnerships, 7: Systems-Based Practice, and 10: Personal, Professional, and Leadership Development (AACN Essentials, 2021)
  3. Critically appraise, synthesize, and apply current research and evidence-based guidelines to inform clinical practice and policy, enhancing patient care and improving health outcomes at individual and population levels.
    Domain 4: Scholarship for the Nursing Discipline (AACN Essentials, 2021)
  4. Cultivate a robust professional identity by integrating effective communication, lifelong learning, mentorship, compassionate care, and ethical practice to enhance the standards of advanced nursing practice.
    Domains 9: Professionalism, and 10: Personal, Professional and Leadership Development (AACN Essentials, 2021)
  5. Propose quality improvement initiatives that enhance clinical practice, patient safety, and healthcare delivery systems by employing reflective, data-driven strategies for continuous personal and organizational development.
    Domains 5: Quality and Safety, 7: Systems-Based Practice, and 8: Informatics and Healthcare Technologies (AACN Essentials, 2021)

Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP) Certification Pass Rates

2024 American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) board exam results:
100% of MCPHS PMHNP and CAGS PMHNP students who took the ANCC board certification exam passed on the first attempt which is above the national average.

2024 American Academy of Nurse Practitioners Certification Board (AANPCB) exam results:
MCPHS PMHNP and CAGS PMHNP certification exam results are Not Reported (NR) by AANPCB due to less than 3 testers.

Online tuition is calculated at a cost-per-credit rate based on the program you choose and the number of credits for which you register. Learn more about Online tuition and fees here.

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Find Your Nursing Path

Whether you’re an undergraduate student or a current professional, there’s lots of ways MCPHS can be a part of your journey as a nurse practitioner. Learn about the benefits to this rewarding career.

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