Psychiatric/Mental Health Nurse Practitioner
Psychiatric/Mental Health Nurse Practitioners (PMHNP) have expert knowledge and skills essential for promoting, supporting, and facilitating optimal mental health through compassionate client-centered care.
Differentiated Student Expected Outcomes
The Psychiatric/Mental Health Nurse Practitioner graduate is prepared to:
- Deliver evidence-based, person-centered psychiatric-mental health care across the lifespan, integrating theory, research, and clinical expertise for individuals, families, and communities.
- Design, implement, and evaluate innovative behavioral health interventions and quality improvement initiatives that address complex mental health and substance use needs.
- Lead and collaborate within interprofessional teams to influence mental health policy, advocate for health equity, and optimize care delivery systems.
- Demonstrate ethical practice, cultural humility, and a commitment to lifelong learning to advance the psychiatric-mental health nursing profession and improve patient outcomes.
Emphasis Information
Revised Plan of Study (Starting Academic Year 25-26)
Legacy Plans of Study (Prior to 25 Fall Semester)
Fall 2025
NURS 6670 – Advanced Evidence‑Based Practice and Research
NURS 6671 – Biostatistics for Evidence‑Based Practice
NURS 6760 – Role of the Nurse Practitioner
NURS 6780 – Advanced Pathophysiology Across the Lifespan
Spring 2026
NURS 6672 – Advanced Population Health
NURS 6767 – Clinical Diagnostic Reasoning
NURS 6782 – Advanced Pharmacology Across the Lifespan
NURS 6781 – Advanced Health Assessment Across the Lifespan
Summer 2026
NURS 6675 – Healthcare Finance and Economics
NURS 6676 – Informatics and Healthcare Technologies
NURS 6677 – Systems‑Based Practice & Leadership
NURS 7160 – Foundations of Psychotherapeutics I
Fall 2026
NURS 7161 – Foundations of Psychotherapeutics II
NURS 7424 – Advanced Psychopharmacology
NURS 7425 – Introduction to Mental Health Assessment
Spring 2027
NURS 6673 – Quality & Safety
NURS 7292 – Child & Adolescent Mental Health
NURS 7951 – PMHNP Practicum I
NURS 7839 – Diagnosis & Management: Psychiatric Disorders I
Summer 2027
NURS 7911 – Doctor of Nursing Project Planning
NURS 7840 – Diagnosis & Management: Psychiatric Disorders II
NURS 7952 – PMHNP Practicum II
NURS 7426 – Psychiatric Care of Older Adults
Fall 2027
NURS 7482 – Professional Issues for the NP
NURS 7953 – PMHNP Practicum III
NURS 7841 – Diagnosis & Management: Psychiatric Disorders III
NURS 7912 – Doctor of Nursing Project Implementation
Spring 2028
NURS 7913 – Doctor of Nursing Project Evaluation & Dissemination
NURS 7954 – PMHNP Practicum Immersion
Program Total Credits: 79
View the University of Utah Catalog.
Graduates are prepared to sit for the national certification from the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC). Upon successful completion of the exam, candidates are eligible to become certified or licensed to practice.
Salt Lake City Veterans Affairs Medical Center (SLC VAMC) and University of Utah College of Nursing (UU CON) were granted by Office of Academic Affiliations (OAA) to offer an innovative 12 month Post-Graduate PMHNP Residency Training. This residency is designed for new PMHNPs with a commitment to serve the Veterans population.
The major goal of this partnership between the UU CON and the SLC VAMC is to create better access to mental health care for veterans. The new PMHNP residents will experience every facet of veteran-centric mental health care at the SLC VAMC, working in close collaboration with experienced psychiatric mental health nurse practitioners, physicians, pharmacists, social workers, psychologists and support staff. Residents receive training via clinical experiences and didactic classroom instruction in this inter-professional environment.
The program prepares new NPs to become confident and competent specialty care providers by providing didactic seminars, Grand Rounds, supervised and independent clinical practice, specialty rotations, leadership training, inter-professional simulations and Tele-mental health training during the 12 month of period. The application deadline is subject to change.
For more information contact: Amy Morton Miller at amy.morton-miller@va.gov
Application Deadlines
Fall Semester
Opens: September 1
Closes: December 1, 11:59PM MT