McNeese State University Online NP Programs
The College of Nursing and Health Professions at McNeese State University offers a 100% online MSN program with Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) and Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP) specializations. In addition, a PMHNP Post-Master’s Certificate is offered. No campus visits are required and practicums are completed at approved facilities local to the student in either Texas or Louisiana.
The graduate nursing degrees are offered through an Intercollegiate Consortium for a Master of Science in Nursing (ICMSN) that includes McNeese State University, Southeastern Louisiana University, Nicholls State University, and the University of Louisiana at Lafayette. As such, students may apply through any of these institutions and will participate in the same online courses throughout the programs.
According to the consortium home page, “The mission of the ICMSN is to prepare a diverse group of nurse practitioners, educators, and leaders by fostering a culture of nursing excellence for improving health-related outcomes.” Core values of the consortium include caring, diversity, accountability, collaboration, leadership, practice, and lifelong learning.
The family nurse practitioner (FNP) MSN prepares graduates to serve populations across the lifespan in preventive health care, disease management, and healthcare education. Graduates are eligible to take the FNP certification exams through the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) or the American Association of Nurse Practitioners (AANP). Family nurse practitioners may work in primary care clinics, hospitals, emergency rooms, government institutions, long-term health care facilities, home health care, urgent care facilities, and research entities.
The PMHNP MSN and certificate programs prepare graduates to provide mental health care to patients across the lifespan. PMHNPs may work with patients one on one, in families, or in groups. In addition, PMHNPs may work in treatment centers, psychiatric hospitals and clinics, counseling centers, rehabilitation centers, schools, and government facilities. Graduates of this program are eligible to sit for the Family Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner ANCC certification exam.
McNeese State University is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC). The graduate nursing programs are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE). McNeese State University is located in Lake Charles, Louisiana.
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What to Expect
Admission Requirements: Applicants to the MSN program at McNeese State University must hold a BSN from an accredited nursing program with a minimum GPA of 2.8 or higher. An undergraduate statistics course is a prerequisite with a grade of “C” or better. Applicants to the PMHNP Post-Master’s Certificate program must hold an MSN degree from an accredited nursing school and have an unencumbered RN license in Louisiana or Texas.
Application materials include an application, application fee, official transcripts, two professional letters of recommendation, a 500-word essay, and a current resume or CV. Students must have an unencumbered RN license in the state of Louisiana or Texas or be eligible for said license since all clinicals must be completed within these states. Upon admission, students must provide documentation of a successful background check and drug screen. The GRE or GMAT is not required.
Requirements for clinicals include proof of CPR certification, health insurance, proof of OSHA training, preceptor forms, malpractice insurance, site agreements, and possible additional immunizations.
State Restrictions: McNeese State University accepts students from most states and is an NC-SARA participant. However, since clinicals must be completed in Louisiana or Texas, all other states are considered ineligible for the FNP and PMHNP programs. Students must have or be eligible to acquire RN licensure in LA or TX.
Study Plan: The MSN – FNP program can be completed in five semesters on a full-time basis. The MSN – PMHNP can be completed in six semesters on a full-time basis and the PMHNP certificate can be completed in four to five semesters. Start dates land in the Fall and Spring. Students in the MSN program can choose a scholarly project or thesis option. The thesis option adds three credits to the whole of the degree. In order to graduate, students in all graduate nursing programs must maintain a GPA of 3.0 or higher throughout the program.
MSN Core Curriculum: Core courses for the MSN program include Theoretical Foundations of Advanced Nursing; Generating Evidence for Nursing Practice; Applied Statistics for the Health Sciences; Health Assessment and Diagnostic Reasoning for Advanced Practice Nursing; Population-Based Primary Care; Pharmacotherapeutics for Advanced Nursing Practice; Pathophysiology for Advanced Nursing Practice; and Business, Leadership, and Health Policy for Nurse Practitioners.
- FNP Specialty Curriculum: The FNP specialization comprises 42 credits plus the required clinical practicum hours. Courses for this track include Advanced Practice Nursing: Family Health I-III. Students also choose a Focused Scholarly Project or a Thesis Option. The Thesis Option adds three credits for a total of 45 credits to complete the degree.
- PMHNP Specialty Curriculum: The PMHNP specialization comprises 48 credits plus the required clinical hours. Courses include Diagnostic Considerations and Psychopharmacology for Psychiatric Disorders; Psychotherapy for the Advanced Practice Psychiatric Nurse; and Advanced Practice Nursing: Psychiatric/Mental Health I-III. Students also choose a Focused Scholarly Project or a Thesis option. The Thesis Option adds three credits for a total of 51 credits to complete the degree.
Post-Master’s PMHNP Certificate Curriculum: The Post-Master’s PMHNP Certificate program consists of 20 credits, depending on the number of transferable credits from the earned MSN degree. Courses include Diagnostic Considerations and Psychopharmacology for Psychiatric Disorders; Psychotherapy for the Advanced Practice Psychiatric Nurse; Advanced Practice Nursing: Psychiatric-Mental Health I-II; and Advanced Practice Nursing: Psychiatric-Mental Health (PMH) For PMC Students. Students complete the required clinical hours in practice courses.
Online Experience: McNeese State University utilizes Moodle as its online delivery system. Students must have access to high-speed internet and use MS Word for written work. Additional programs include MS PowerPoint and Adobe Acrobat Reader. New online students must complete the eLearning Orientation course modules. A reliable, up-to-date computer and operating system are recommended as well as backup computer access in the event of technical issues. Communication with faculty and peers may take place through email, discussion forums, and phone.
Courses are typically asynchronous and clinicals are completed in LA or TX. Clinical experiences are monitored through the Typhon Nurse Practitioner Student Tracking System (NPST). Students are required to purchase a subscription throughout the duration of their clinical experiences. Online students have access to academic advising, an online library, an online bookstore, admissions counseling, faculty office hours, career counseling, and 24/7 technical support.
On-Site Requirements: There are no on-site requirements as the MSN and certificate programs are 100% online. All coursework is online while clinical preceptorships are completed at locations near the student in LA or TX.
Paying for McNeese State University Online NP Programs
Estimated tuition for each McNeese State University online NP program is listed in its corresponding table below. Tuition may vary depending on how many credits are taken each term. Also, there may be a domestic non-resident fee added after three credits for Texas residents. Interested students should speak with the College of Nursing and Health Professions to clarify costs.
McNeese State University graduate students may be eligible for unsubsidized federal Stafford Loans and Graduate PLUS loans through the FAFSA. In addition, employers may offer tuition reimbursement programs or tuition discounts to students. Finally, graduate nursing students may wish to explore outside funding such as organizational, religious, or community scholarships and grants.
McNeese State University offers FNP and PMHNP MSN and certificate programs to nurses in Texas or Louisiana with no campus visits, local practicums, and core values of collaboration, diversity, caring, accountability, leadership, and practice.
MSN – Family Nurse Practitioner
MSN – Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner
Post-Master's Psychiatric-Mental Health NP Certificate
4205 Ryan Street, Hardtner Hall
Lake Charles, Louisiana 70609
Program Essentials
MSN – Master of Science in Nursing
FNP – Family Nurse Practitioner
Fall, Spring
Yes
0
42
600
CCNE – Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education
Program Admissions
BSN – Bachelor of Science in Nursing
Yes (Revised GRE Score >282)
2.8 or higher
AL, AK, AZ, AR, CA, CO, CT, DE, DC, FL, GA, HI, ID, IL, IN, IA, KS, KY, ME, MD, MA, MI, MN, MS, MO, MT, NE, NV, NH, NJ, NM, NY, NC, ND, OH, OK, OR, PA, PR, RI, SC, SD, TN, UT, VT, VA, WA, WV, WI, WY
Program Tuition
42
$555.58
$23,334.36
$555.58
$23,334.36
Program Essentials
MSN – Master of Science in Nursing
PMHNP – Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner
Fall, Spring
Yes
0
48
Not Specified
CCNE – Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education
Program Admissions
BSN – Bachelor of Science in Nursing
Yes (Revised GRE Score >282)
2.8 or higher
AL, AK, AZ, AR, CA, CO, CT, DE, DC, FL, GA, HI, ID, IL, IN, IA, KS, KY, ME, MD, MA, MI, MN, MS, MO, MT, NE, NV, NH, NJ, NM, NY, NC, ND, OH, OK, OR, PA, PR, RI, SC, SD, TN, UT, VT, VA, WA, WV, WI, WY
Program Tuition
48
$555.58
$26,667.84
N/A
N/A
Program Essentials
Post-Master Certificate – Post-Graduate (Post-MSN) Nursing Certificate
PMHNP – Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner
Fall, Spring
Yes
0
20
Not Specified
CCNE – Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education
Program Admissions
MSN – Master of Science in Nursing
Yes, GRE Required
None
AL, AK, AZ, AR, CA, CO, CT, DE, DC, FL, GA, HI, ID, IL, IN, IA, KS, KY, ME, MD, MA, MI, MN, MS, MO, MT, NE, NV, NH, NJ, NM, NY, NC, ND, OH, OK, OR, PA, PR, RI, SC, SD, TN, UT, VT, VA, WA, WV, WI, WY
Program Tuition
20
$555.58
$11,111.60
$555.58
$11,111.60
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.