Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner Concentration MSN (Online)
Georgia College School of Nursing offers a number of options for BSN prepared nurses who are seeking to further their career. Our programs are offered in a fully online format with minimal face to face on campus requirements during the program. Students completing the MSN degree have opportunities encompassing management, administration, teaching, and advanced practice clinical positions throughout Georgia and the nation.
Our Master of Science in Nursing degree offers concentrations in Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP), Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP), Women's Health Nurse Practitioner (WHNP), Nurse Educator (NE), and Nurse Midwifery. Post-Master's certificates in these concentrations are also offered for MSN prepared nurses seeking certification.
All clinical rotations must be completed in Georgia with a preceptor that is approved by the School of Nursing (SON). Students are assisted by the SON in securing their preceptors and arranging their clinical schedule.
Students must have computer access, preferably at home. All MSN majors are expected to be able to use Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Access) when submitting assignments. Graduate students should have proficiency with Microsoft Office, Internet, and email.
To earn the MSN, students need to complete all required courses within a period of seven years from the date the student begins graduate courses at Georgia College. Any coursework completed more than seven years prior to completion of requirements for the MSN degree will be considered outdated and will not be applied toward the MSN degree program. This includes courses that may be transferred in from other institutions.
To enhance the practical learning experience and ensure comprehensive skill development, students enrolled in our program will be required to participate in on-campus labs and simulations approximately once per semester, with the duration spanning between 1 to 3 days. These hands-on sessions are designed to provide students with valuable opportunities to apply theoretical knowledge in real-world scenarios, fostering a deeper understanding of the subject matter. Students will be notified of specific dates well in advance of the required campus visits.
The application for graduate admissions will open on July 15 and close on March 15 each year. Because MSN classes begin in summer semester, please note that when you apply, you are applying for the next academic and calendar year. For example, an application in July 2023 is for admission in May 2024. Those applying before November 1 will be considered for early admission, those applying from November 1 through January 15 will be considered for regular admission, and those applying between January 15 and March 15 will be considered for late admission on a space-available basis. Please refer to the table below for additional information.
SON Graduate Admissions
Graduate Admissions Application Window
SON Application Window
Student Notification (as approved by SON Grad Committee)
Mission Statement: In concert with the Georgia College liberal arts mission, the School of Nursing is committed to the formation of nurse leaders to engage in evidence-based practice, lifelong learning, and civic participation in a health information intensive environment through the development and mastery of clinical reasoning, professional nursing skills, and values. The Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner program prepares nursing professionals to fulfill mental health advanced practice roles in rural and underserved areas.
Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner Quick Facts
The Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP) Program prepares students to provide psychiatric and mental health care in a variety of healthcare settings. Students ready to complete this program and qualified to receive this APRN certification are needed to address the severe shortage of psychiatric and mental health care providers in Georgia.
ONLINE PROGRAM AND REQUIRED TRIPS TO CAMPUS
It is an online program. However, there are a limited number of mandatory trips to campus that are required. These dates are posted well in advance.
Our programs begin each summer with a mandatory face to face immersion experience on campus, enabling you to meet your faculty and fellow students. During Immersion Week, you are also provided with training that supports and encourages your successful completion of the program. Examples of topics that are covered include:
How to use our library system so that books and journal articles can be delivered directly to your home.
How to connect to your online classroom.
How to navigate the online learning system.
How to meet virtually with your classmates and faculty outside of class time.
How to develop an electronic portfolio of your work.
How to ensure that you are up to date with technology requirements.
How to secure preceptors and clinical sites.
Opportunities for International Study Abroad and Exchange Programs.
Students taking Advanced Assessment (NRSG 5480) are also required to be on campus for Lab Immersion Week in the fall. This 45-hour hands-on intensive clinical instruction provides the advanced assessment skills foundation for all FNP students. (Full-time FNP students take this class the very first semester they are enrolled in the program. Part Time students will take this course the following Summer semester.)
Throughout the rest of the program, there may be approximately an additional five required trips to campus, for activities such as a required guest lecture, specific skills lab, etc. These dates are announced well in advance so that you may plan accordingly.
INFORMATION ABOUT CLINICALS AND PRECEPTORSHIPS
The majority of student’s clinical experiences are completed in their home communities with a preceptor that is approved by the School of Nursing (SON). Students are assisted by the SON Clinical Coordinator in securing their own preceptors and arranging their own clinical schedule.
Total of 570 clinical hours in the program.
Our Clinical Coordinator assists students in selecting qualified providers who have precepted our students in the past and provides instruction on how to present yourself in a professional manner to a potential preceptor.
Because we are a public University, Clinical hours MUST be completed within the State of Georgia.
CLASSES
Didactic classes are held on Thursday and are structured in a variety of formats aimed at engaging the learner and making learning possible for all students. Class formats include:
Synchronous interactive lecture/discussion via WebEx.
Asynchronous online modules and recorded lectures that can be accessed on your own schedule.
DEADLINE FOR APPLICATIONS
We accept students once per year.
Applications for PRIORITY CONSIDERATION are due by the 2nd Tuesday in January each year. All supplemental documentation is due at this time. Qualified applicants with complete applications will be interviewed during the first two weeks of February. Notification will be made during the first two weeks of March.
We do continue to accept applications through March 1st each year, with interview dates being held mid-March. Applicants are notified of their application status by April 1st.
The program begins Summer semester (May) each year.
The program is offered as either full time/6 semester program or part time/9 semesters. See programs of study for course details.
Professional Enrichment
Georgia College offers an enrichment status for a "person who holds a baccalaureate degree and wishes to enroll in graduate courses for purposes of self-improvement or enjoyment." In the School of Nursing, a maximum of nine (9) credit hours is permitted in this status. Enrichment students may enroll only in non-clinical courses. Enrichment students may apply for any semester.
Successful completion of courses taken as an Enrichment Status student does not automatically lead or guarantee admission to the Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) program. Enrichment students desiring regular admission and having a grade point average (GPA) of at least 2.75 on a 4.0 scale for the last 60 undergraduate hours required in the nursing major, must apply for regular admissions and meet all criteria for regular admissions.
Acceptance into a course as an enrichment student is dependent upon the availability of space and facilities after full-time and part-time students have been registered.
The Master of Science in Nursing program accepts degree-seeking students once per year and begins each year with summer semester. Students are admitted as a cohort and progress through the program together.
Application deadlines: Second Tuesday in January for priority consideration of application; however, applications are accepted until March 1st each year. Enrichment students are admitted each semester.
All required application documents must be received by Graduate Admissions by close of business on application deadline.
To allow for any possible delay in transcript or other application materials, applicants are encouraged to begin the application process 6 to 8 weeks prior to the deadline.
Applicants must submit THREE letters of recommendation.
Interviews will be held once applications are complete.
Apply online or mail your completed Application for Admission to the MSN program to the Graduate Admissions Office, GC, CBX 107, Milledgeville, GA 31061. For information regarding the admissions process or to check on your admission status, e-mail Grad-Admit@gcsu.edu.
DEGREE SPECIFIC APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS
Three letters of reference from professionals who can speak to the applicant's experience and potential for success in master's studies.
Official transcripts from all previous colleges/universities attended.
The undergraduate nursing program at Georgia College has full approval by the Georgia Board of Nursing (237 Coliseum Dr., Macon, GA 31217-3858; Phone: 478-207-2440).
The master’s degree program in nursing, and post graduate APRN certificate programs at Georgia College & State University are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education, 655 K Street, NW, Suite 750, Washington, DC 20001, 202-887-6791.
Dr. Culpa-Bondal is a Professor of Nursing and has more than 25 years of experience in the area of psychiatric/mental health. She is board-certified as a psychiatric mental health clinical nurse specialist and nurse practitioner. She received her Ph.D. in Nursing from Texas Woman’s University, her Post Master’s in Healthcare Informatics from Georgia College & State University, her MSN in Family Mental Health from Georgia College & State University, and her BSN in Nursing from Holy Name University, in Bohol, Philippines. Her clinical practice serves underserved populations around the Middle Georgia area and encompasses several clinical sites from correctional facilities to outpatient community mental health centers and crisis stabilization units. She has numerous papers/presentations including adult mental health, psychiatric nursing education, and the use of informatics in healthcare and nursing education. Dr. Bondal leads a summer study abroad program that teaches undergraduate research to nursing students while exploring the Filipino culture. She uses problem-based learning, service-learning and evidence-based learning pedagogies.
