ÑÇÉ«Ó°¿â

Doctorate-prepared nurses from ÑÇÉ«Ó°¿â graduate from a proven nursing program with an excellent reputation. For over 120 years, our nursing graduates have provided excellent health care across many settings. In as little as three years, you can elevate your impact, play a key leadership role, and directly influence healthcare outcomes through systems change. 

The doctor of nursing practice in psychiatric and mental health begins with an emphasis on the nurse practitioner role. You will continue on with coursework grounded in critical inquiry, innovation, ethical leadership, and a holistic view of the patient. You will leave with the confidence and competencies to provide mental health care with dedication and commitment to social justice and health equity. 

In the DNP: Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner program, you will learn:

• Advanced practice nursing assessment and management of common and acute alterations in mental health care
• Implementation and coordination of care for patients with complex and chronic mental health conditions in the context of the family, community, and health systems through interprofessional education (IPE)
• Advanced concepts in clinical information systems, patient care technologies, clinical decision support, legal/ethical issues, consumer health informatics, and the integration of evidence-based practice to change systems

While this is a full-time commitment, our program provides flexibility by offering effective online courses and highly interactive, in-person learning for core nurse practitioner classes. The program includes 810 hours of in-person clinical experiences facilitated by our dedicated clinical placement coordinator, who provides clinical placements for all nurse practitioner students. Courses are held one day a week, with some online classes. Students of all genders are welcome in this program.

In addition to the DNP: Psychiatric Mental Health Practitioner degree, a PMHNP post-graduate certificate is available on its own or in conjunction with our DNP: Post-Master's degree. Contact our Graduate Admissions team to learn more.

Format: Hybrid 

Start: Fall

Time to completion: 3 years full-time, or 4 years part-time

Credits required: 68

Tuition per credit: $1,200 (2025-26 rates)

Rates are subject to change each June 1.

Tuition and fee information

Scholarships

A ÑÇÉ«Ó°¿â education is one of the most worthwhile investments you’ll ever make, and we are committed to helping you find ways to make that investment affordable. All applicants will be reviewed for DNP scholarships.

Students employed by a St. Kate’s corporate or community partner may be eligible for a partner scholarship, reducing your tuition costs by 10%. 

Apply for financial aid