Graduate Programs


Overview

UToledo’s Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner programs teach you to assess, diagnose and treat the mental health needs of patients.

  • Provide therapy
  • Prescribe medications
  • Do physical and psychosocial assessments
  • Evaluate effectiveness of treatments 

UToledo’s nationally ranked M.S.N. and D.N.P. programs educate outstanding advanced practitioners who often find jobs before they graduate. 

We offer several routes for nurses who want to become Nurse Practitioners and sit for the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) certification.

All courses in our Nurse Practitioner programs are online; labs and clinical experiences are in person.

If you already have a graduate degree in nursing and want to become a nurse practitioner, consider our part-time, online graduate certificate.

Master of Science in Nursing (M.S.N.) 

  • Designed for registered nurses who want to advance to a higher level of clinical practice
  • Builds on the knowledge and skills you’ve gained as an RN
  • Accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education

Doctor of Nursing Practice (D.N.P.) 

  • Our Post-Baccalaureate to D.N.P. and Post-Master's to D.N.P. programs take B.S.N. or M.S.N.-prepared nurses to the highest level of clinical practice
  • The American Association of Colleges of Nursing recommends that, by 2025, those entering practice as NPs have a D.N.P. degree
  • Accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education

Graduate certificate program

  • Designed for those with a master's degree in Nursing or doctorate in Nursing Practice who wish to obtain specialized knowledge and sit for certification

UToledo’s College of Nursing offers the widest variety of advanced-practice programs in northwest Ohio. We pride ourselves on evolving to meet the needs of our nursing students and the increasing complexities and challenges of the healthcare industry.

Our partnership with ProMedica — a large, not-for-profit healthcare system — helps us fulfill that mission as we seek to: 

  • Provide the highest level of evidence-based practice in northwest Ohio 
  • Advance nursing education through innovative educational programs and diverse clinical experiences for students 
  • Promote interprofessional research collaborations 
  • Provide high-quality professional development programs 

Contact our College of Nursing graduate advisor about the best pathway for you.

Top Reasons to Study psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner at UToledo

  1. National reputation.
    • UToledo’s master’s program in nursing ranks 11th among the country’s best nursing schools by Top Master’s in Healthcare Administration.  
    • Our M.S.N. and D.N.P. programs also are ranked in U.S. News & World Report’s 2019 Best Graduate Schools edition. 
  2. Flexible degree options.
    We offer full-time and part-time degree programs. All courses in our Nurse Practitioner programs are online, except for required lab and clinical experiences.
  3. Practicing faculty.
    The majority of our Nurse Practitioner faculty members practice. Their real-world experience and perspective about current clinical practices enrich the student learning experience. 
  4. State-of-the-art facilities.

    Gain hands-on experience on one of the most technologically advanced medical campuses in the U.S. UToledo’s Health Science Campus is home to the College of Nursing, College of Medicine and Life Sciences, College of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences and The University of Toledo Medical Center.  

    As a graduate student, you have access to the latest educational and healthcare technology, including: 

  5. Service learning.
    • Travel abroad and experience diverse cultures while providing service to communities in need of healthcare. Nursing faculty members lead graduate students on mission trips to international destinations such as Nicaragua and Haiti. 
    • Volunteer locally with interprofessional teams in community clinics that treat underserved populations. 
  6. Financial support.
    The College of Nursing offers graduate assistant positions
  7. Scholarship.

    UToledo is a large, public research institution with the resources to help you succeed. 

    • Office of Research, Scholarship and Evaluation — helps nursing students find funding for research, locate conferences and publishing opportunities and more. 
    • Nursing librarian — helps find references, literature sources and more. 
    • Dissemination of scholarly work — Faculty and the associate dean of research, scholarship and outcomes assist students in finding opportunities to publish research and present findings. The college offers financial assistance to disseminate research.  

Our award-winning faculty includes: 

  • Journal editors 
  • Grant recipients 
  • Board members of professional organizations 

Graduate Nursing students are encouraged to collaborate with faculty on myriad research interests, including:  

  • Pediatric lead poisoning 
  • Cancer 
  • Holistic nursing 
  • Opioid use disorder 
  • Mental health 

D.N.P. are required to conduct evidence-based practice projects about contemporary healthcare needs. M.S.N. students complete capstone projects. Past D.N.P. projects include: 

  • Social Support Among Family Caregivers Who Attend Hospice Virtual Group Counseling Sessions
  • Improving Influenza Vaccination Rate in Intercollegiate Athletes
  • Orthopedic-Trauma Opioid Prescribing Guideline Adherence Initiative
  • Foot Care Confidence of Individuals with Diabetes in a Medically Underserved Area

 

What jobs can I get with a psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner degree?

Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioners practice in settings such as:

  • Community mental health centers
  • In-patient or outpatient psychiatric facilities
  • Correctional facilities
  • Veterans Administration psychiatric facilities
  • Domestic violence shelters

Nearly 75% of our M.S.N. and D.N.P. graduates are employed within 12 months of graduation.  

Nurse Practitioner graduates from UToledo have earned leadership and practice positions at some of the best healthcare and professional organizations in the country, including: 

  • Johns Hopkins Medicine (hospitals and medical centers), Baltimore, Md. 
  • Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute, Detroit 
  • Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. 
  • Ohio Association of Advanced Practice Nurses 
  • Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Columbus, Ohio 
  • United States Armed Forces 
  • Michigan Medicine (University of Michigan hospitals), Ann Arbor, Mich. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Last Updated: 11/16/23