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

A Nurse Practitioner (NP) is an Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (APRN) who holds a master’s or doctoral degree in a specific population focus. These include family, adult-gerontology (primary or acute care), neonatal, pediatrics (primary or acute care), women’s health, or psychiatric-mental health populations. Texas Woman’s University offers programs for family, adult-gerontology (primary and acute care), pediatric (primary care), women’s health, and psychiatric-mental health nurse practitioner tracks. 

The Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP) is prepared in mental health assessment, treatment, and management of mental health disorders for clients and families of all ages. The PMHNP provides advanced therapeutic modalities such as individual, group, and family psychotherapy as well as prescribing psychotherapeutic medications.  

Marketable Skills

Defined by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board's 60x30 Strategic Plan as, "Those skills valued by employers that can be applied in a variety of work settings, including interpersonal, cognitive, and applied skills areas. These skills can be either primary or complementary to a major and are acquired by students through education, including curricular, co-curricular, and extracurricular activities."

1. Work well with teams and complete project work.
2. Collect and analyze information, problem-solve, and make decisions.
3. Effectively communicate through a variety of mediums and modes.

Admissions

All students must meet the University requirements as outlined in the Admission to the TWU Graduate School section of the catalog.

The academic program may have additional admission criteria that must also be completed as outlined on the program's website.

Degree Requirements

Total Semester Credit Hours Required

27 semester credit hours (SCH).

Prerequisites

These courses are considered prerequisites to a Post-Master's Certificate. If a student is practicing as an advanced practice registered nurse and is currently credentialed by the Texas Board of Nursing as an advanced practice registered nurse, the pharmacology course must have been completed no more than six years earlier (must be current within six years of anticipated certificate completion). If not, this coursework will need to be repeated for the new certificate.