BSN-DNP Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner, Doctorate

Requirements to apply to a BSN-DNP track:

• Baccalaureate degree in nursing from an ACEN or CCNE accredited institution with a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher on a 4.0 scale.
• Students admitted to BSN-DNP programs shall be currently licensed as a registered nurse (RN) or, if enrolled in an RN to Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) or RN to Nursing Doctorate (ND) program, shall complete all competencies for undergraduate requirements prior to taking graduate courses.
  • New graduates are expected to obtain RN licensure within the first semester of program matriculation.
  • New graduates are expected to obtain a RN position within the first semester of program matriculation-specific to track option selected.
  • Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Delaware RN licensures are also required prior to beginning the clinical sequence for all BSN-DNP track specialty curriculum.
• Completion of an undergraduate health assessment course with a grade of “C” or higher.
• Current Healthcare Provider CPR or ACLS certification.
• For the BSN-DNP Family/Individual Across the Lifespan NP track
  • 24 months of care in the adult population prior to entering the clinical sequence.
• For the BSN-DNP Adult-Gerontology Acute Care NP track
  • evidence of 24 months of adult acute care / ICU specialty area (i.e. medical/surgical ICU, trauma ICU, neuro/neurosurgical ICU, cardiac ICU, open heart unit, burn unit) experience prior to entering the clinical sequence.
• For the BSN-DNP Psychiatric/Mental Health NP track
  • evidence of 24 months of psych mental health experience prior to entering the clinical sequence.
• For the BSN-DNP Adult-Gerontology Clinical Nurse Specialist track
  • evidence of 24 months of adult gerontology RN experience prior to entering the clinical sequence.

Applicants for whom English is a second language must submit English proficiency test scores (TOEFL, iBT, IELTS, or CAE) as part of their application. An official copy of test results must be sent by the testing agency directly to the Division of Nursing at DeSales University, 2755 Station Avenue, Center Valley, PA 18034. Visit the following websites for up-to-date information:

• The Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL)
• The International English Language Testing System (IELTS)
• The Cambridge English Proficiency (CPE)

* All exams must have been taken within two years of application to a DeSales program.

How to Apply

In the BSN-DNP Psychiatric-Mental Health NP track, you'll complete:

• 26 courses including scholarly project and portfolio
• 85 credits
• 675 clinical hours and 525 residency hours

• NU 633: Behavioral Neuroscience
• NU 634: Foundations of Assessment and Diagnosis in Psychiatry
• NU 740: Foundations in Psychopathology
• NU 741: Psychotherapy with Individuals and Groups
• NU 738: Applied Psychopharmacology
• NU 757:Psychiatric Evaluation and Treatment
• NU 758: Special Populations in Psychiatry 

See the curriculum and course details

Upon completion of Year 3 of the curriculum, students are eligible to take the Psychiatric-Mental Health (Across the Lifespan) Nurse Practitioner Certification Examination offered by the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC). The required 60-hour advanced pharmacology course exceeds the minimum required hours for prescriptive authority in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

Program Costs

• Tuition/credit hour: $975*
• Program Fees for BSN-DNP tracks: $3,750 ($250 per semester, 15 semesters)
• Graduation Fee: $120
• Returned Check Service: $30 

*Tuition/credit hours listed are for 2024/2025 academic year. Tuition and fees are reviewed each academic year and are subject to change with notice.

View a comprehensive list of financial aid forms and graduate program information sheets

Tuition Deferment

DeSales University offers graduate students the opportunity to defer payment of their tuition when they will be receiving reimbursement from their employer or when they are eligible to receive financial aid. A copy of your employer's tuition reimbursement policy must be forwarded to the Treasurer's Office and/or all necessary financial aid paperwork must be filed with the Financial Aid Office before tuition deferment is granted. 

Tuition deferment is a privilege given to graduate students at DeSales and can be revoked if this privilege is abused. Please note that you, as the student, are responsible for payment of your tuition balance in the event that your financial aid/loans or employer reimbursement is not received by the Treasurer's Office.

Tuition Reimbursement

When a student is eligible for tuition reimbursement from his/her employer, written evidence of eligibility is required. The student is responsible for requesting this reimbursement from his/her employer. In cases where reimbursement is contingent upon successful completion of the course(s) and the student either withdraws or does not achieve a grade sufficient to warrant maximum reimbursement, the student is ultimately responsible for payment for the course(s).

Refund on Withdrawal

A refund of tuition payments will be made to a student who withdraws from a course. In all cases, credits will be calculated from the date the student completed the official withdrawal form, and the rebate will be based on the schedule shown below. 

Refunds apply to tuition only. If a student is allowed to enroll by use of the deferred payment procedure, any funds due the University are immediately due and payable upon withdrawal.

Withdrawal during the add/drop period is 100% of tuition refunded. The schedule below is for withdrawal after the first class after the close of the add/drop period. 

The refund policy is based upon the number of classes held up to the date of withdrawal.

• Withdrawal after 1st class: 80% of tuition refunded
• Withdrawal after 2nd class: 65% of tuition refunded
• Withdrawal after 3rd class: 50% of tuition refunded
• Withdrawal after 4th class: 25% of tuition refunded
• Withdrawal after 5th class: No refund