Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP)

Program Contact
Misty Richmond, PhD, APRN, PMHNP-BC
mrichmond4@twu.edu 

Application Deadlines
Rolling Admissions

Please refer to the Graduate Admissions page for priority deadline info. 

Admission Requirements

• BS or BSN degree from a nationally-accredited nursing program
• Basic statistics course (undergraduate)
• Minimum grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 in the last 60 hours of course work toward the undergraduate nursing degree and a minimum GPA of 3.0 in all prior graduate course work
• The name, email address, and phone number for two mental health practitioners/former faculty references familiar with your academic capabilities, who can provide letters of recommendation to be requested through and submitted into the application.
• Complete the Casper Assessment upon application to the program
  
  • A $50 fee is required to complete the Casper Assessment.
  • Visit takecasper.com to create an account and to register to take the assessment.
• Uploaded into Graduate Application Manager:
  
  • Current US RN license (unencumbered) uploaded into application
  • Completed Nursing MSN Supplemental Application Form 
  • CV/resume - Must include nursing work experience & one year full-time or two years part-time experience in a behavioral health environment is preferred
  • A one-page essay about your desire to be a Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner
• Applicants will be contacted for an interview if they meet program requirements

Applicants who do not meet these criteria but have a minimum GPA of 2.5 in the last 60 semester credit hours of course work toward the undergraduate nursing degree may be considered for provisional admission on an individual basis. Factors that may be considered in the admission decision are: GPA on any prior graduate course work, scholarly activities, professional leadership, and work history.

For applicants who have a baccalaureate degree in nursing and a master's degree in another field (or more than one graduate degree), the grade point average from all previously earned degrees and post-graduate work can be considered in making the admission decision.

Individuals who have a master’s degree in nursing may seek admission to a post-master’s certification program in one of three areas: nurse practitioner, nursing health systems management, or nursing education. 

Applicants who wish to transfer from another nursing program must provide evidence of eligibility to continue in the previous nursing program. Nine semester hours for programs requiring 39-44 semester hours, 12 semester hours for programs requiring 45 or more semester hours, may be transferred, if approved. A grade of B or higher in each course is necessary for semester credit hours to be considered for transfer.

Application Steps

1. Apply online.
   1. Apply to Graduate Programs via the TWU Graduate Application Manager following instructions below.
2. Pay the application fee.
   1. The $50 fee ($75 fee for International applicants), which applies to all new and returning applicants, can be paid by:
      1. Credit card - Pay Online through the application as the last step before submitting the application. The second portion of the application will not be available until the application fee has been received.
      2. Fee Waivers - Graduate applicants who are certified McNair Scholars are eligible for a McNair Scholar Application Fee Waiver. TWU Alumni may be eligible for the Alumni Advantage Fee Waiver. Check your eligibility here: https://twu.edu/alumni-advantage/. If eligible submit the request using the Application Fee Waiver Submission
      3. Following fee payment return to the application dashboard where supplemental application documents can be uploaded. The online application will list which documents are needed to fulfill the program admission requirements. You can also check the program's website.
3. Submit transcripts to TWU.
   1. Domestic Applicants must submit official transcripts for each college or university attended, both undergraduate and graduate. See the Information on Transcripts website for more details. Original transcripts for each college/university attended must be submitted, even if referred to on another schools transcripts.
   2. International Applicants are now required to provide an evaluation prepared by a NACES or AICE member evaluation service. International transcripts should not be sent directly to TWU. See the International Admissions website for more details.
4. Submit Recommendation Requests
   1. If your program requires you to submit names for recommendations you will need to do it in the application. List of programs-majors.  
5. Submit Program supplemental documents
   1. Review the specific requirements for your intended program to identify any supplemental materials needed for your application.

Watch for emails from your new program/department. For more information or assistance with the application or graduate admissions, visit the Graduate Admissions website.

Students who wish to apply for a Graduate Assistantship must meet the General Criteria for Appointment of Graduate Assistants.