Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner

Admission requirements are consistent with those of the Graduate School. Applicants for the nurse practitioner post-graduate certificate will be considered on a competitive basis. Nurses who are interested in a post-graduate certificate program are encouraged to contact the Capstone College of Nursing (CCN) Graduate Recruitment and Retention Liaison, Vickie Samuel, at 205-348-8163 or vsamuel@ua.edu.

NOTE:  Residents of the following 30 states are eligible for admission to NP concentrations: Alabama, Arkansas, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Vermont, Virginia and West Virginia. Please check this site in the future for changes in the residency requirement.

The following are requirements for admission:

1. Master’s degree in nursing from an accredited graduate program in nursing or a master’s degree in a health-related field with a baccalaureate degree in nursing from an accredited program.
2. For regular admission, a grade point average of at least 3.0 overall (based on a 4.0 grading scale) or 3.0 for the graduate work is required.
3. Students must reside and hold a current unencumbered RN licensure in a state approved for admission. View the states here from which the College of Nursing accepts applications for admission.
4. Final admission is contingent upon drug and background screen results that are deemed acceptable by appropriate University officials.

Enrollment into the Post-Graduate Certificate program is available for the fall and summer semesters each year. Your completed application must be received by the March 1 deadline for the fall semester or by the December 1 deadline for the summer semester.

Post-Graduate Certificate Application Process:

• Begin your graduate application at the UA Graduate School.
  • For “Program Type” select Distance (Online/Blended/Gadsden)
  • For “Campus” select Distance Learning 
• Request official transcripts following the Graduate School’s transcript instructions.
• Submit supporting documents:
  • Statement of Purpose following the Graduate School’s instructions. 
  • Resume or curriculum vitae. 
  • Contact information for two references – The references should be professionals who can provide insight regarding your potential for success in the doctoral program.  The Graduate School will contact these references via e-mail.
  • Copy of active RN license from every state in which you are licensed. A screenshot of your online verification is sufficient. Note: Licensure must be maintained throughout the program.
  • Interview – Applicants who meet all other requirements will receive instructions on this step once the application is complete and submitted with all of the above requirements.

Contact Vickie Samuel at (205) 348-8163 or vsamuel@ua.edu for additional questions about the application process.

Find more information and learn about restrictions related to this certificate program that may exist regarding licensure in the state in which you reside.