Online Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner and Post-Master’s Certificate Programs

PMHNP Curriculum

The greater demand for PMHNPs coincides with a dramatic increase in reported cases of depression and anxiety, which has been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. Ensuring that get the treatment they need remains a key concern. With such an unmet need for service providers in this specialty to care for existing patients and help new ones, the demand for more nurses to pursue this specialty will likely only grow.

Quick facts 

• Enroll full-time  

• Fully online 

• Build a professional, resourceful network for your future. 

• Clinical sites provided for students. 

Program Outcomes: These overarching outcomes for all MSN Program Tracks reflect the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) Essentials. 

• Provide Comprehensive Care: Formulate medical diagnoses, develop treatment plans, prescribe medications, and order/interpret diagnostic tests for patients of all ages. 

• Achieve Certification: Meet all educational requirements to successfully sit for the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners (AANP) or American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) board certification exams. 

• Lead and Collaborate: Supervise healthcare teams, lead interdisciplinary collaborations, and integrate cost-containment and care coordination strategies. 

• Advocate and Educate: Design community health education programs and collaborate with policymakers to improve patient access to care. 

• Serve Underserved Communities: Apply specialized training—bolstered by Carlow’s Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) initiatives—to treat medically underserved and disadvantaged populations. 

Prepared for Certification and Licensure: Graduates are eligible to sit for national PMHNP board certification.  In the final semester, students complete a comprehensive board review course designed to reinforce clinical reasoning, strengthen exam readiness, and support a confident transition into advanced practice. Graduates leave Carlow confident, prepared, and ready to expand their practice — grounded in a solid foundation of clinical excellence, holistic care, and Mercy-centered formation.

76 Years of Nursing Excellence

For 76 Years, Carlow University’s School of Nursing has been dedicated to educating and empowering nurses who make a significant impact on healthcare as clinicians, educators, leaders, and researchers. As we look to the future, Carlow University remains devoted to creating ethical leaders who strive to build a more just and merciful world.

Investing in the Future of Youth Mental Health 

Carlow University is proud to support the next generation of mental health leaders through the CURE Grant, an award of up to $25,000 for students who demonstrate a commitment to serving pediatric, adolescent, and young adult patients in underserved communities. 
 
This grant reflects Carlow’s mission to expand access to care where it is needed most. Recipients are prepared not only to deliver high-quality, evidence-based treatment, but to address disparities in mental health access and outcomes among vulnerable populations. 
 
Through initiatives like the CURE Grant, Carlow advances its commitment to justice, advocacy, and the formation of clinicians who lead with both skill and mercy. 

Career opportunities for Women’s Health Nurse Practitioners 

Employment of nurse practitioners is projected to grow 45% from 2019 to 2029, much faster than the average for all occupations, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Growth will occur primarily because of an increased emphasis on preventive care and demand for health care services from an aging population.  

Apply online at no cost here. Submit the following materials: 

• Official transcripts from all degree-granting institutions you have attended 

• Personal essay that describes your academic objectives 

• Current resume or curriculum vitae 

• Two letters of recommendation (one must be from a supervisor) that address your leadership potential and ability to succeed in graduate-level work 

• No GRE or GMAT required 

• One year of clinical experience is required prior to beginning clinical rotations. 

• A current and valid unrestricted license as a registered nurse 

• Completed and approved undergraduate statistics course 

**Post MSN Certification Program – NP graduates in another NP specialty must show evidence of current licensure and certification. A gap analysis will be completed to determine study plan and clinical hours. 

**Applicants with pre-licensure master of nursing degrees may be required to take additional courses from the graduate nursing common core curriculum to meet all program requirements, if equivalent coursework was not completed in their prior master’s program.  

Faculty & staff

Margaret Smith DNP MSN CRNP FNP-BC  Associate Professor, Family Nurse Practitioner Program Director

Zachary Walker, DNP, CRNP, FNP-C  Assistant Professor 

Michelle Vitale, MSN, CRNP, WHNP-BC  Coordinator, Women’s Health Nurse Practitioner Program

Jean Dean, DNP, MSN, RN Director of Clinical Education 

Marissa Cullen PharmD, BCPP  Adjunct Faculty

Carl A. Ross, PhD, FNP-BC, CNE, FAANP Adjunct Faculty

Dawn Ball DNP FNP-BC, FNP-C Adjunct Faculty

Nicholas Pertile, MSN, CRNP, FNP-C Adjunct Faculty

Megan Rodriguez, DNP, MSN, FNP-C Adjunct Faculty

Miranda E. Jones DNP, FNP-BC, MSN, IBCLC Adjunct Faculty – Pediatrics

Our responsive faculty and supportive community care deeply for students and work hard to help you meet your goals. With the assistance of a dedicated program-level faculty adviser, you’ll prepare to grow your healthcare career. 

Apply anytime: Fall start  

HRSA IMPACT Grant 

Carlow University was approved for a 2.6-million-dollar HRSA Grant with disbursement of funds over the next 4 years ending in 2027. This grant focuses on placing FNP students into medically underserved areas to complete their primary care rotations and a specialty rotation with a focus on women’s and behavioral health.  The goal of the grant is to make a BIG IMPACT on students, preceptors, and the underserved population through “Impacting Diversity and Education of Advanced Practice Registered Nurses for Healthy Communities” .  Current full time FNP students are eligible to apply for up to $23,000 in tuition reimbursement. The impact grant application is closed to new students. 

HRSA Grant Faculty 
Shannon Robertson, MSN, MBA, CRNP, FNP-C, CMC, Project Coordinator 
Deborah Mitchum, DNP, ANP-C, WHNP, Project Director, Clinical Coordinator 
Monte Stone, Administrative Assistant