Nursing, Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP), Certificate
With an increased demand for mental health services and the diminishing stigma surrounding mental health conditions, skilled, psychiatric-mental health nurses are in great need. Our certificate of advanced graduate studies equips you with the skills to make a tangible difference in the lives of patients, families, and communities.

Online (1–2 campus visits per semester)
28–37 Credits
1.5–2 Years, Part-Time
Online
Fall
No
No
Advance Your Practice. Make an Impact
Pace’s Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP) Certificate of Advanced Graduate Studies program offered by the Lienhard School of Nursing in the College of Health Professions is for the master’s-prepared nurse practitioner with certification in another specialty, or a master’s-prepared nurse who wishes to become a psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner.
One year of psychiatric mental health nursing is required. Credits are determined by gap analysis.
nurse practitioner, best ranked job (Source: U.S. News & World Report, 2024)
average annual salary for Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner (Source: Salary.com)
the estimated rates of job growth for Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioners (Source: The Health Resources and Services Administration)
Curriculum
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Careers
Our graduates work as specialized healthcare professionals in a variety of settings including hospitals, clinics, outpatient treatment centers, and long-term care facilities to care for the psychiatric-mental health care needs of patients, families, and communities.
By connecting with our robust career services team, you’ll be able to develop a career plan that best fits your goals.
Where Pace Graduates are Employed
- NewYork-Presbyterian
- Mount Sinai
- Northwell Health
- Weill Cornell Medicine
- Montefiore Medical Center
- Planned Parenthood
- Westchester County Medical Center
- New York University (NYU)
- ACP Primary Care
- Health and Hospitals Corporation
- Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center
- Independent practice
Your Learning Pathway
If your career goal is to become a nurse practitioner and a leader in the nursing profession, you can continue your education with the Lienhard School of Nursing (LSN). LSN offers a range of specialties in our master of science degree (MS) programs, certificates of advanced graduate studies (CAGS) programs, and both a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) and PhD in Nursing program.
Explore our graduate programs to see which may be the best fit for your career goals.
Admission and Financial Aid
You're ready for a new level of success—whether it's advancing in your current field or launching a new career. Pace is with you every step of the way, providing a world-class education and the skills your industry will be looking for far into the future.
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- A personal statement following the guidelines below.
- A resume or outline describing at least the past five years of your employment history and any significant community, professional, or college extracurricular activities.
- Applicants need 2 letters of recommendation. Letters should be from academic or professional references that can knowledgeably comment on your ability to successfully complete graduate study. Include recognitions and achievements (e.g. licenses, publications, and awards).
- All Official Transcripts: Transcripts from every accredited college or university attended (not just the degree granting institution) must be sent either to ½ñÈÕºÚÁÏ, directly from the academic institution electronically or by mail, or forwarded by the applicant in sealed envelopes from the academic institution.
- Must be a graduate of an accredited baccalaureate program in nursing
- Be licensed as a registered nurse in New York State
- Demonstrate scholastic aptitude as evidenced by previous academic work, motivation, leadership potential and maturity
- Have an undergraduate cumulative QPA of 3.0
- Evidence of successful completion (grade B or higher) of an undergraduate statistics course is required
- Submit an essay, professional resume, and recommendations as described in the application
- Have one year of clinical experience in psychiatric nursing
- Submit official transcripts from each academic institution previously attended
- A personal interview may be required
- No standardized admissions test (GRE or Miller Analogy) is required
- From the New York State Board of Nursing: For students not living in New York State, it is recommended that you contact your state board of nursing where you plan to conduct clinical practica prior to matriculation to confirm graduate student clinical practica is permitted by students from out of state graduate programs.
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As part of your application to the Nurse Practitioner program at ½ñÈÕºÚÁÏ’s College of Health Professions, we invite you to submit a thoughtfully written essay. Your essay provides an opportunity to share your unique experiences, motivations, and professional goals, and to help us understand how our program can support your next steps in advanced nursing practice.
Please address all the following in a 500–600-word essay:
- Identify your intended specialty
Clearly indicate which nurse practitioner track you are applying to: Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner (AGACNP), Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP), or Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP). - Describe how your current nursing experience has prepared you for this advanced practice role
Reflect on your clinical background and explain how your nursing experiences have prepared you to pursue the AGACNP, FNP, or PMHNP role. Highlight the ways in which you have developed clinical judgment, critical thinking, leadership, or advocacy skills that align with your chosen specialty.
For PMHNP applicants: Please be sure to also include relevant nursing experiences related to psychiatric/mental health care and explain how these experiences will serve as a foundation for your future advanced practice as a PMHNP. - Share your future goals as a nurse practitioner
Discuss the impact you hope to make as an AGACNP, FNP, or PMHNP. Identify a patient population or healthcare issue you are passionate about. Explore how you envision yourself as a nurse practitioner contributing to the profession, community, and healthcare systems to improve health outcomes.
Formatting Guidelines:
- Include your name and a title for the essay
- Length: 500–600 words
- Font: 12-point
- Spacing: Double-spaced
- Format: Submit as a PDF or Word document
Your essay should reflect your voice, values, and vision for the future. We look forward to learning more about your journey and how ½ñÈÕºÚÁÏ can be part of your continued professional growth.
- Identify your intended specialty
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Per credit: $1,585 | Total cost of program: $44,380–$58,645
*Tuition based on current year and subject to change. -
March 1
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Make an appointment to .
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Pace has many internal scholarships and awards to help its students meet their college expenses. Some Pace assistance is meant specifically for College of Health Professions undergraduate and graduate students.
Learn more about CHP-specific scholarships and how to apply.
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As an approved SARA institution, ½ñÈÕºÚÁÏ only needs home state authorization to offer distance education to students residing in any other SARA member state. Each state has its own licensing board with its own Advanced Practice Registered Nurse licensure requirements. Consequently, although the PMHNP master’s degree program in the Lienhard School of Nursing is fully accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE), making MS graduates eligible to sit for national certification (ANCC) and meeting requirements for APRN professional licensure in the state of New York, we cannot guarantee that the program, including Certificate of Graduate Studies (post master’s), meets all the requirements for professional licensure in another state (e.g., some states requirements specific to their state). If a current student is considering relocating to another state after being admitted into the program, the student must contact the program director to discuss how the move may affect their ability to participate in clinical experiences in a different state.
State Authorization Reciprocity Agreement
The US Department of Education regulation requires institutions to disclose to prospective and current students a list of all states for which institution’s curriculum meets out-of-state educational requirements for professional licensure or certification and a list of states for which the institution’s curriculum does not meet, or for which the institution has not made a determination of, whether the curriculum meets educational requirements. In compliance with the above stated regulation, ½ñÈÕºÚÁÏ has determined the PMHNP curriculum meets the professional licensure or certification requirement for New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut. ½ñÈÕºÚÁÏ has made no determination of other states eligibility at this time. As such, we only accept applications from students who are residents of New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut.
Accreditation
Lienhard School of Nursing
The baccalaureate degree program in nursing, master’s degree program in nursing, Doctor of Nursing Practice program, and post-graduate APRN certificate program at ½ñÈÕºÚÁÏ are accredited by the , 655 K Street NW, Suite 750, Washington, DC 20001, (202) 887-6791.
Contact Us
Admission Contact
Office of Graduate Admission
Phone: (212) 346-1531
Email: graduateadmission@pace.edu