Nursing - Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (DNP)

University Requirements

Application and Application Fee

Prospective students are required to use our online system to create an account and submit an application. The application opens approximately one year in advance and is only good for the term and program in which it is submitted. Applicants who have submitted their application and wish to change their admission term or major/concentration may submit a new application and associated application fee. If you would like to cancel an open application, please contact us.

A $30 (USD) application fee is required regardless of previous enrollment. The application fee is non-refundable and cannot be waived. Undergraduate application fees cannot be used for a graduate application, and vise versa. The application fee must be submitted prior to the review of an application.

Current students who would like to add or change a major, concentration or certificate should submit the Change of Concentration or Major form.

College Transcripts

All applicants must provide transcripts from a U.S. institution accredited by an accepted institutional accreditor or its equivalent from a non-US institution that awarded the bachelor’s degree and master’s degree, if applicable, and transcripts from institutions where any post-baccalaureate and/or graduate credits were earned.

All admits must provide official transcripts.

All international transcripts will require a course-by-course evaluation by an approved third-party credential evaluation agency unless a graduate program has established an alternative credential evaluation procedure that is approved by the graduate school. To be accepted, the evaluation must be:

1. Translated to English and be the U.S. equivalent
2. Evaluated course-by-course
3. Include the overall academic GPA
4. Be from an approved third-party accredited evaluation service. Recommended evaluation agencies: 
   • SpanTran. They have created a custom application for UNF that will make sure you select the right kind of evaluation at a discounted rate. You can access their application through the SpanTran Application - UNF Graduate School portal.
   • Josef Silny & Associates, Inc.
   • World Education Services

Important Notes

• The UNF Graduate School cannot request transcripts on an applicants behalf.
• Unofficial transcript copies are accepted for admissions but must clearly state the institution name, student name, course information, terms, grades, and credits. Degree audits are not accepted. Admitted students will be prompted to provide official transcripts. 
• If currently enrolled in courses, an incomplete transcript must be submitted before the posted deadline. 
• Applicants who also have to apply through systems such as ATCAS or PTCAS, must submit separate transcripts to UNF. 
• Official transcripts must:
  • Must be less than one year old from the date of printing
  • Must be submitted in a sealed envelope from your institution, or emailed through official electronic means.
• When requesting college transcripts, please verify with your institution(s) whether or not they are able to submit electronic transcripts in the proper EDI format. Institutions can submit transcripts via e-mail to graduateschool@unf.edu from an approved vendor such as ScriptSafe, Credentials, or Parchment. 
• Former or current UNF students should not request UNF transcripts. After application submission, the UNF requirement will be updated to a "waived" status.

Where Do I Send Transcripts and Test Scores?

Mail

UNF Graduate School
1 UNF Drive
Jacksonville, FL 32224

Email

graduateschool@unf.edu

Test Score Institutional Codes

GRE: institutional code 5490
GMAT: institutional code CF3QB51

Program Specific Requirements

The program will require specific admission requirements above and beyond the ones currently required by the University. Admission requirements for the Post-MSN PMHNP DNP track include:

• Masters degree in Nursing from an institution accredited by an acceptable institutional accreditor and program accredited by the CCNE or ACEN (formerly NLNAC);
• Active national certification as a nurse practitioner (copy of actual certification showing expiration date is required).  We will also accept applications from those nationally certified as a CNM, CNS, or CRNA with a B or better in graduate-level coursework for pathophysiology, advanced pharmacology, and assessment (the assessment course must include across the lifespan);
• Minimum graduate GPA of 3.50;
• Current licensure as an Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (APRN) in the candidate's state of practice (copy of actual licensure showing expiration date is required);
• 1 year of RN experience at the time of application;
• Current resume or curriculum vitae of all nursing roles/experiences;
• Written essay in APA format not to exceed 500 words and submitted through a separate proctored platform to ensure security and veracity once the application is completed and received; essay to address each of the following areas:
  • Describe your future career plans and how UNF's PMHNP program will help you achieve those career goals;
  • Describe the changes you will make in your personal and professional lives to ensure success in the program given its rigor as a graduate track;
  • Identify one significant contemporary mental health-related issue or problem in U.S. healthcare and explore how members of the nursing profession can help address that issue or solve that problem; and,
• Admission interview.

Applicants who do not meet all of the above admission requirements will not be invited to participate in the proctored essay or interview portion of the selection process.

For assistance with self-uploads of materials, please contact the UNF Graduate School at (904) 620-1360 or graduateschool@unf.edu. 

Note: Agencies in the community may require proof of negative TB test, current CPR, or other immunization or background information. In those instances, it is the student's responsibility to provide the necessary documentation to the agency. 

Additionally, there are specific technology requirements for the program.