MCPHS Online Nurse Practitioner Programs
Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences (MCPHS) offers online MSN and Post-Master’s Certificate programs with Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) and Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP) specializations. In addition, an RN to MSN Bridge program is offered in the FNP specialty. Three campus visits are required for the MSN and certificates, and four visits for the RN to MSN Bridge program. Clinical preceptorships are completed at approved facilities local to the student.
Graduates of the nursing programs will be prepared to diagnose, treat, and manage care for patients across the lifespan. The NP programs focus on teaching effective communication between practitioners and patients, families, and healthcare teams. In addition, analytical decision-making and compassionate care are key elements of the programs.
Graduates of the FNP program are eligible to take the FNP certification exam through the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) or the American Association of Nurse Practitioners (AANP). Family nurse practitioners may work in a variety of settings, including hospitals, government facilities, primary care clinics, private practice, emergency rooms, long-term healthcare facilities, home health care, and research facilities.
Psychiatric-mental health NPs may work individually with patients, as well as with families and groups. PMHNPs also work in various settings, including counseling centers, psychiatric hospitals and clinics, treatment centers, rehabilitation centers, government facilities, and schools. Graduates of this program are eligible to sit for the Family Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner ANCC certification exam.
Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences (MCPHS) is accredited by the New England Commission on Higher Education (NECHE). The graduate nursing programs are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE). MCPHS is located in Lake Worcester, Massachusetts.
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What to Expect from MCPHS Online FNP and PMHNP Programs
Admission Requirements: Applicants to the MSN program must hold a BSN from an accredited institution with a minimum GPA of 3.0 or higher. Applicants to the RN to MSN Bridge program must hold an associate’s degree in nursing (ADN) or diploma from a state-approved program with a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.7 or higher. All students must hold an unencumbered RN license in their state of residence.
Application materials for the MSN include an application, official transcripts, one letter of recommendation, proof of RN licensure, and a resume. The RN to MSN application includes official transcripts, a resume or CV, and a personal statement. The GRE or GMAT is not required.
State Restrictions: MCPHS accepts students from most states and is an NC-SARA participant. However, only students from the following states are eligible to study the nursing programs: Alaska, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Texas, Vermont, Virginia, Washington DC, and West Virginia. All students outside of Massachusetts should verify with the MCPHS School of Nursing and their State Board of Nursing as to eligibility and licensure requirements for their state.
Study Plan: The MSN program can be completed in 24 months on a part-time basis. The RN to MSN Bridge program can be completed in three years, taking two courses per term. The first year is a bridge year, and the following two years fulfill MSN coursework and clinicals. Start dates land in the Fall, Spring, and Summer.
MSN Core Curriculum: Core courses for the MSN program include Professional Role Development for Advanced Practice Nursing; Advanced Pathophysiology; Advanced Pharmacology; Scholarship for Advanced Nursing: Building an Evidence-based; Human Diversity, Social, and Policy Issues; Advanced Health Assessment Across the Lifespan; and Translating and Integrating Scholarship Practicum.
- FNP Specialty Curriculum: The FNP specialization comprises 42 credits and requires the completion of 630 clinical practicum hours. Specialty courses include Family Primary Care I: OB/GYN and Pediatric; Family Primary Care II: Adult; and Family Primary Care III: Geriatric.
- PMHNP Specialty Curriculum: The PMHNP specialization comprises 45 credits and requires the completion of 540 clinical practicum hours. Specialty courses include Psychopharmacology for Advanced Practice Nurse (PMHNP); Psychiatric Mental Health Nursing I: Child & Adolescent; Psychiatric Mental Health Nursing II: Young and Middle-Aged Adult; and Psychiatric Mental Health Nursing III: Older Adult.
RN to MSN – FNP Curriculum: The RN to MSN – FNP program comprises 62 credits plus 720 clinical practicum hours. Bridge courses include Chemistry of Nutrition; Professional Role Development; Health Assessment; Community Health Nursing; Nursing Informatics and Healthcare Technologies; and Scholarly Inquiry. Once the bridge year is completed, students follow the curriculum for the MSN – FNP program.
Post-Master’s Certificate Curriculum: The FNP Post-Master’s Certificate comprises 24 credits plus 630 clinical hours, while the PMHNP certificate comprises 27 credits plus 540 clinical hours. Both specializations complete Professional Role Development for Advanced Practice Nursing; Advanced Pathophysiology; Advanced Pharmacology; Advanced Health Assessment Across the Lifespan; and Survey of Telemedicine. Specialty courses then follow those listed for the MSN.
Online Experience: Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences utilizes Blackboard as its online delivery system. Blackboard allows students to participate in discussion boards, view recorded lectures, complete assignments, and interact with faculty and peers. MCPHS provides hands-on and collaborative learning experiences. Courses are mostly asynchronous, with some scheduled synchronous activities. Class sizes are kept small, and students are typically able to keep working while earning an online graduate degree.
Online testing is monitored by ProctorU, which allows students to take exams in a location preferable to them. Students are verified at the beginning of the program, and during exams, their screen, body movements, and eye movements are motored by proctors. Online students have access to all of the college’s services, including libraries, faculty office hours, technical support, the Center for Academic Success and Enrichment, disability support services, counseling services, the Center for Professional Career Development, and the alumni network.
On-Site Requirements: The FNP and PMHNP specializations of the MSN and Post-Master’s Certificate programs require three visits to the Worcester, MA, campus. These include new student orientation, a residency during the second year, and a final residency during which graduation ceremonies take place. The RN to MSN Bridge program adds an MSN orientation to the requirement, totaling four campus visits. The length of the residencies runs one to three days. All other coursework is online, while clinicals are completed at approved locations near the student.
Paying for MCPHS Online FNP and PMHNP Programs
Each MCPHS online nurse practitioner program’s tuition is listed in its corresponding table below. There is a one-time technology fee during the first semester of the program. Neither this fee nor other fees are included in the tuition price. Aspiring students should speak with the MCPHS School of Nursing to clarify program costs.
MCPHS graduate students may be eligible for unsubsidized federal Stafford Loans and Graduate PLUS loans through the FAFSA, in addition to private loans. Scholarships may also be available. Students are also encouraged to check with their employers in regard to a tuition reimbursement program. As well, MSN students may seek outside funding such as organizational or community scholarships and grants.
MCPHS offers MSN and Post-Master's Certificate programs with FNP and PMHNP specializations that include 3-4 campus visits, local practicums, and some synchronous activities, with an RN to MSN option for the FNP track.
MSN – Family Nurse Practitioner
MSN – Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner
Post-Master's Certificate – Family Nurse Practitioner
Post-Master's Certificate – Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner
RN to MSN Bridge – Family Nurse Practitioner
19 Foster St.
Worcester, Massachusetts 01608
Program Essentials
MSN – Master of Science in Nursing
FNP – Family Nurse Practitioner
Fall, Spring, Summer
No
3
42
630
CCNE – Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education
Program Admissions
BSN – Bachelor of Science in Nursing
No GRE Required
3.0 (in all nursing coursework)
AL, AZ, LA, MD, NY, TN, UT, WI, WY
Program Tuition
42
$1,160.00
$48,720.00
$1,160.00
$48,720.00
Program Essentials
MSN – Master of Science in Nursing
PMHNP – Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner
Fall, Spring, Summer
No
3
45
540
CCNE – Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education
Program Admissions
BSN – Bachelor of Science in Nursing
No GRE Required
3.0 or higher preferred in all nursing courses
AL, AZ, LA, MD, NY, TN, UT, WA, WI, WY
Program Tuition
45
$1,160.00
$52,200.00
$1,160.00
$52,200.00
Program Essentials
Post-Master Certificate – Post-Graduate (Post-MSN) Nursing Certificate
FNP – Family Nurse Practitioner
Fall, Spring, Summer
No
3
24
630
CCNE – Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education
Program Admissions
MSN – Master of Science in Nursing
No GRE Required
3.0 or higher
None
Program Tuition
24
$1,160.00
$27,840.00
$1,160.00
$27,840.00
Program Essentials
Post-Master Certificate – Post-Graduate (Post-MSN) Nursing Certificate
PMHNP – Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner
Fall, Spring, Summer
No
3
27
540
CCNE – Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education
Program Admissions
MSN – Master of Science in Nursing
No GRE Required
3.0 or higher
None
Program Tuition
27
$1,160.00
$31,320.00
$1,160.00
$31,320.00
Program Essentials
MSN – Master of Science in Nursing
FNP – Family Nurse Practitioner
Fall
No
4
62
720
CCNE – Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education
Program Admissions
ADN – Associate Degree in Nursing
No GRE Required
3.0 (in all nursing coursework)
AL, AZ, LA, MD, NY, TN, UT, WI, WY
Program Tuition
62
$1,160.00
$71,920.00
$1,160.00
$71,920.00
Tuition is calculated based on credits, at the published tuition rate. Rates may change, so please check here for the latest tuition information. For programs with variable tuition rates, we use the rates for part-time students. “Resident” and “non-resident” refer to the student’s school-recognized state residency status. Tuition number represents the cost of tuition for the entire program, not per semester or year. Estimated total tuition does not include additional fees.
Sara Navratil
WriterSara Navratil is a freelance writer and a Certified Canfield Success Principles Trainer. She’s the owner of Sara Liza Life, a company dedicated to helping people rewrite their lives. She enjoys researching and writing about healthcare-related topics, including information on online NP programs. When not working she likes to read, bake, and spend time with her family.