The University of Louisiana at Lafayette Online FNP and PMHNP Programs
#25 Most Affordable NP School
The University of Louisiana at Lafayette (UL Lafayette) Department of Nursing offers an online Master of Science in Nursing with Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) and Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP) specializations. These programs do not require campus visits, and students must complete clinical preceptorships at approved sites in the state of Louisiana (LA). As such, applicants must hold an unencumbered RN license in LA. The programs are quite competitive, and because preceptorship slots are limited, preference is given to full-time students.
The MSN degree is offered through an Intercollegiate Consortium for a Master of Science in Nursing (ICMSN) that includes Nicholls University, McNeese State University, Southeastern Louisiana University, and the University of Louisiana at Lafayette. Interested students may apply through any of these institutions, taking the same courses which are delivered through the Moodle online learning management system (LMS). The core values of the ICMSN include leadership, practice, caring, diversity, lifelong learning, accountability, and collaboration.
Graduates of the UL Lafayette MSN – FNP program are eligible to take the FNP certification exam through the American Association of Nurse Practitioners (AANP) or the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC). Family nurse practitioners may work in various settings, including primary care, emergency care, hospitals, government institutions, schools, long-term healthcare, research facilities, and home healthcare situations.
Graduates of the MSN – PMHNP program are eligible to take the PMHNP certification exam through the ANCC and apply for an advanced practice license. PMHNPs may work in mental health settings, such as correctional and rehabilitation facilities and counseling centers, as well as primary care, emergency care, hospitals, government institutions, and schools.
UL Lafayette is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC). The MSN program is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE). The University of Louisiana at Lafayette is located in Lafayette, Louisiana.
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What to Expect from the UL Lafayette Online FNP and PMHNP Programs
Admission Requirements: Applicants must hold a BSN degree from a nationally accredited program in the United States. No GRE is required; however, a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.75 or higher is required. RN licensure must be from the state of Louisiana and be current and unencumbered. Application materials include official transcripts, three letters of reference, a letter of application, an application fee, and proof of RN licensure in Louisiana. Candidates must have completed an introductory statistics and health assessment course.
State Restrictions: Applicants to the University of Louisiana at Lafayette MSN must hold an unencumbered RN license in the state of Louisiana, and all clinicals must be completed in Louisiana. Students in all states outside of Louisiana are encouraged to contact the UL Lafayette Department of Nursing to verify enrollment eligibility. As well, the program may not meet licensure requirements in all states.
Study Plan: The MSN – FNP degree can be completed in five semesters and the PMHNP specialization in six semesters by taking up to nine credits per semester. Students must choose to complete either a scholarly project (three credits) or a thesis (six credits) which affects the total credits earned. NP students must complete a minimum of 600 clinical hours at facilities in Louisiana. The MSN program begins in the Fall and Spring.
MSN Curriculum: The FNP specialization comprises 42 to 45 credits depending on the student’s choice of a focused scholarly project (three credits) or a thesis (six credits). The PMHNP specialization comprises 48 to 51 credits according to these same choices. Completion of 600 clinical practicum hours is required. 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 Practice Nursing; Pathophysiology for Advanced Practice Nursing; Business, Leadership and Health Policy for Nurse Practitioners; and Focused Scholarly Project or Thesis.
FNP specialty courses include Advanced Practice Nursing: Family Health I-II.
PMHNP specialty courses include Diagnostic Considerations and Psychopharmacology for Psychiatric Disorders, Psychotherapy for the Advanced Practice Psychiatric Nurse, and Advanced Nursing Practice: Psychiatric Mental Health I-III.
Online Experience: The MSN consortium (ICMSN) utilizes Moodle as its online learning management system (LMS). The courses are asynchronous for added flexibility. Online students complete an eLearning Orientation course at the beginning of the program by the posted deadlines, and assignments are submitted through Moodle rather than through email.
UL Lafayette and other consortium students use the Typhon Nurse Practitioner Student Tracking System (Typhon NPST) to log clinical hours. Student services include admissions and career counseling, academic advising, financial aid, disability services, an online library and bookstore services, health services, mental health counseling, and technical support.
On-Site Requirements: There are no on-site requirements for the MSN program. All coursework can be completed online, and clinicals are completed at an approved location near the student in the state of Louisiana. However, students are welcome to visit campus and participate in campus graduation ceremonies.
Paying for the UL Lafayette Online FNP Program
The online MSN program costs $480 per credit plus fees and materials. Interested students should contact the Department of Nursing through UL Lafayette for updated tuition and fees.
UL Lafayette graduate students may be eligible for unsubsidized federal Stafford Loans and Graduate PLUS loans by applying through the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). In addition, students should check with their employers about a tuition reimbursement program or tuition discounts. Finally, outside options for funding may include private loans and community and organizational scholarships and grants.
The UL Lafayette online MSN – FNP and PMHNP programs offered through the ICMSN consortium with three other schools are 100% online, with very affordable flat-rate tuition and clinicals completed locally in Louisiana.
MSN – Family Nurse Practitioner
MSN – Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner
104 East University Circle
Lafeyette, Louisiana 70503
Program Essentials
MSN – Master of Science in Nursing
FNP – Family Nurse Practitioner
Spring, Fall
Yes
0
42
600
CCNE – Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education
Program Admissions
BSN – Bachelor of Science in Nursing
No GRE Required
2.75 or higher
AL, AK, AZ, AR, CA, CO, DE, DC, FL, GA, HI, ID, IL, IN, IA, KS, KY, LA, MD, MI, MN, MS, MO, MT, NE, NV, NJ, NM, NY, NC, ND, OH, OK, OR, PA, SC, SD, TN, TX, UT, VA, WA, WV, WI, WY
Program Tuition
42
$480.00
$20,160.00
N/A
N/A
Program Essentials
MSN – Master of Science in Nursing
PMHNP – Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner
Spring, Fall
Yes
0
48
600
CCNE – Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education
Program Admissions
BSN – Bachelor of Science in Nursing
No GRE Required
2.75 or higher
None
Program Tuition
48
$480.00
$23,040.00
N/A
N/A
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.