UC Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner Certificate Program
A collaborative effort of the UC Schools of Nursing
The UC Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP) Certificate Program is a 12-month, hybrid graduate certificate designed to prepare advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs) to care for patients with psychiatric and mental health needs across the lifespan.
Developed in collaboration with Sue & Bill Gross School of Nursing at UC Irvine, UCSF School of Nursing and UCLA School of Nursing this program responds to California’s critical shortage of mental health professionals. Housed at the Betty Irene Moore School of Nursing at UC Davis, this program features virtual classroom learning and includes clinical placements throughout the state.
This unique UC-wide initiative was created to expand access to psychiatric care across California by training a new generation of board-certified psychiatric-mental health nurse practitioners. The 12-month hybrid program combines online education with three immersion sessions in summer, fall and winter quarters, as well as regional clinical training across California.
This 48-unit graduate academic certificate (GAC) provides supplemental course work and clinical experiences to allow licensed NPs to qualify to sit for the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s (ANCC) Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (Across the Lifespan) Board Certification (PMHNP-BC™) examination to become a board-certified PMHNP to allow practicing NPs to care for psychiatric and mental health patients.
About the program
Core courses are offered primarily online in summer, fall, winter and spring quarters, with some virtual sessions through UC Davis. Students typically attend class virtually on Wednesdays for their clinical case conference. Students should expect that some quarters, courses and clinical experiences must be completed during evenings and weeks. There are virtual immersion sessions in the summer, fall and winter quarters. Students may be required to attend virtual sessions to review and enhance course content comprehension.
This program is developed in collaboration with Sue & Bill Gross School of Nursing at UC Irvine, UCSF School of Nursing and UCLA School of Nursing. Prospective students apply for the UC PMHNP Certificate Program through the Betty Irene Moore School of Nursing at UC Davis. Guided by the school’s core values of leadership development, interprofessional and interdisciplinary education, transformative research, cultural inclusiveness and innovative technology, the UC PMHNP Certificate Program takes 12 months (four consecutive quarters including one summer) to complete.
Programs at the School of Nursing prepare nurses with both the knowledge and skills needed to meet the needs of a constantly changing health care system. Rooted in a growing body of research and nurtured by visionary faculty who seek to transform health care, the curricula embrace integrative case-based learning, technology and systems-wide perspectives.
Sign up to receive updates about how to apply.
Program requirements
- International graduate requirements
- Full-time enrollment (12 units per quarter) is required
- UC PMHNP students are expected to complete the program in four quarters
- UC PMHNP Certificate Program students will take graduate core courses during each quarter of the program, plus 16-24 hours/week of supervised clinical training
- Essential abilities and technical standards for students
Who can apply
The UC PMHNP Certificate Program is geared towards APRNs looking to further their education and training to serve the psychiatric patient population in their local communities. These include:
- Nurse Practitioners (NPs)
- Clinical Nurse Specialists (CNSs)
- Certified Nurse Midwives (CNMs)
- Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists (CRNAs)
Review requirements, admissions and aid information for the UC PMHNP Certificate Program.
Do you have questions?
Still have questions? For additional assistance, the fastest way to get answers, admission requirements and information on the application process is to email SONAdmissions@health.ucdavis.edu HS-BettyIreneMooreSON@ucdavis.edu. You can also join our email list sign up to receive updates about this program.