Salve Regina University Online FNP & PMHNP Programs

What to Expect

Admission Requirements: Applicants to Salve Regina University’s MSN program must fulfill both general admission requirements for Salve Regina and nursing program-specific requirements. General admission requirements include a complete online application, a personal statement and a current resume. Nursing program applicants must demonstrate the award of a bachelor of science in nursing degree from an accredited institution via official transcripts. Applicants must have graduated with a cumulative GPA of at least 3.0 on a 4.0 point scale and successfully complete a statistics course of at least three credit-hours. Applicants must also provide proof of a current, unencumbered RN license.

State Restrictions: Salve Regina does not currently process I-20s for international students. Thus, international applicants are only eligible to complete online programs while based in their home country. Given the on-site clinical training requirement typical of nursing education programs, many such programs do not offer admission to international students. Prospective international students should contact Salve Regina to verify if any accommodation is made to permit international students to pursue online nursing study from outside the USA.

Study Plan: Salve Regina University’s MSN degrees can be completed in as little as 28 to 32 months. Students may choose one of six different start dates in a calendar year. Coursework requirements for post-graduate certificate programs are smaller than the MSN programs. Certificate programs offer three start dates per year and can often be completed in 24 to 28 months. All degree and certificate programs require the completion of 750 precepted clinical practicum hours. 

MSN Curriculum: Students of both specializations complete a series of seven core courses covering topics such as advanced physiology, pathophysiology and assessment, advanced practice nursing, healthcare informatics, research, and pharmacological principles. Prospective students can find an exact listing of required courses on the university’s website’s degree specialization page.

FNP Specialization Courses: FNP specialization students must complete 48 credit hours. Specialization courses focus on developing skills in advanced care for multiple types of patients, such as pediatric and women patients, the role of the advanced practice nurse in the coordination and management of common and complex health conditions for persons across the life span, and global influences in advanced care management. The precepted clinical hours requirement is completed throughout four courses.

PMHNP Specialization Courses: PMHNP specialization students complete 51 credit hours. Students complete courses in advanced psychopharmacology across the lifespan, the assessment, diagnosis, and evaluation of mental health in the integration of psychotherapies, advanced leadership in the healthcare industry, and mental health across the lifespan. 

Required clinical hours are completed as part of a three-course series. Within these three courses, students accrue substantial education and experience in mental health promotion, illness prevention, and psychoeducation. The three-course series begins with foundational knowledge and later introduces students to more challenging material and clinical situations typical of more complex patient and population scenarios.

Certificate Program Courses: Post-master’s certificate program students have a smaller time commitment than degree programs as they have already completed master’s degree level coursework before entry. The post-master’s FNP program requires 39 credit-hours, while the PMHNP certificate requires 30 credit-hours. Both certificate programs feature didactic and experiential learning designed to enhance existing nursing knowledge and prepare students for national certification. Certificate programs are delivered online using a mixture of synchronous and asynchronous class sessions. Both programs also include an on-site 40-hour skills-based colloquium.

Online Experience: The Salve Regina MSN degree programs utilize an online learning delivery model. This is common amongst many graduate-level nursing programs, as students are often working nurse professionals who cannot necessarily take time away from work for study. Online learning accommodates the needs of professionals with substantial work, family, and other commitments.

On-Site Requirements: As is true of most nursing education programs, Salve Regina University’s MSN degree and postgraduate certificate programs have an on-site clinical training requirement, as noted above. In addition, the certificate program features an on-site 40-hour colloquium requirement.