Psychiatric Mental Health Post-Master's Certificate Program
This post-master's certificate is available for MSN graduates who would like to gain further knowledge in advanced practice psychiatric mental health nursing. The program can be completed in one year of full-time study. Please note that a sufficient cohort of students is necessary in order to begin this program. The psych mental health certificate program focuses on advanced practice psychiatric-mental health nursing as a specialty area. A multi-theoretical model is used to examine issues relevant in adolescent and adult mental health and illness. The program prepares students to provide comprehensive and integrative psychiatric mental health care to those in need of psychiatric services, as well as those who are at risk. The program has 18 graduate level academic credits of mental health theory and supervised clinical experiences in three psychotherapeutic treatment modalities (individual, group and family).
The program is available to any RN holding an MSN degree and is particularly relevant to:
- Nurses with practice and educational background in psychiatric nursing who wish to become Advanced Practice Psychiatric Mental Health Nurses and/or
- Adult Nurse Practitioners or Family Nurse Practitioners who wish to prepare for a second certification in Psychiatric Mental Health Nursing.
Advanced practice psychiatric mental health nurses have multiple and diverse career opportunities including providing care in large health care organizations and in the community. Graduates of the program are prepared to function independently and collaboratively with health care team members to provide comprehensive health care that will maximize patient care outcomes.
Certification and Accreditation
Completion of the program provides eligibility for certification as an adult psychiatric clinical nurse specialist and or psychiatric nurse practitioner by the American Nurses' Association American Nurses Credentialing Center, and for state licensure/certification where available.
Admission Requirements
Applicants should complete the online application at www.miami.edu/grad and select Psych Mental Health Certificate. Two to three letters of recommendation, a resume, and an original copy of the applicant’s master’s transcript showing degree conferred should be submitted separately to the Graduate Studies Admission Office. A GRE score is not required.
Pre-requisite graduate level courses of at least 3 credits each are required:
- Pharmacology
- Advanced Health Assessment
- Pathophysiology
| Fall Semester 9 Credit hours | ||||
| Course | Credits and hours | |||
| Classroom Hours | Clinical Hours * | |||
| Psychopharmacology (2 credits) |
2 consecutive 50 minute hours/ week x 14 weeks | |||
| Theoretical Bases for Advanced Practice Psychiatric Mental Health Nursing (2 credits) |
2 consecutive 50 minute hours/ week x 14 weeks | |||
| Advanced Practice Psychiatric Mental Health Nursing Therapeutic Interventions (5 credits; 3 classroom and 2 clinical) |
3 consecutive 50 minute hours/ week x 14 weeks | 8 contact semester clinical hours per week for 14 weeks. ( 112 total hours) |
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| Spring Semester 9 Credit hours | ||||
| Course | Credits and hours | |||
| Classroom Hours | Clinical Hours * | |||
| Advanced Practice Psychiatric Mental Health Nursing Preceptorship (9 credits; 1 classroom and 8 clinical credits) |
14 classroom hours per semester – One 7 hour class at beginning of semester and one 7 hour class at the end of semester | 32 contact semester clinical hours for 14 weeks. (448 total hours)** |
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* Three contact clinical hours per each clinical credit- 560 total program clinical hours
** Clinical hours may be taken over two semesters, Spring and Summer, or in block times of several days or weeks within the Spring semester.
For additional information, please Email Dr. Doris Ugarriza, the faculty program director at dugarriza@miami.edu or Kathy Del Toro, admissions director at kdeltoro@miami.edu. All application materials should be sent to:
School of Nursing and Health Studies
Graduate Admissions Office
PO Box 248153
Coral Gables, Florida 33124-3850
Admission status questions should be directed to Anne Stabb at 305-284-2533 or astabb@miami.edu
