Psychiatric & Mental Health Nurse Practitioner, Post-Graduate Certificate

1. Graduate degree in nursing from an institution of higher education that is fully accredited by the appropriate regional accrediting agency, and from an ACEN- or CCNE-accredited graduate nursing program.
2. A current valid and unrestricted license as a Registered Nurse in the U.S. In addition, an applicant must not have had a previous revocation, denial, suspension, or restriction of their license from any state or country. Current unrestricted licensure as a Registered Nurse in the state where the clinical experiences will be conducted.
3. Minimum of one (1) year paid clinical work experience within the past three years as a Registered Nurse before the application deadline, documented on the submitted resume. Clinical work experience including direct care in a public health, community, hospital, or ambulatory care setting that serves patients across the life span is recommended.
4. Evidence of capacity for graduate study.
   • A blended cumulative grade point average of 3.0 or higher on a 4.0 scale for all previous course work on the submitted transcripts;
   • A Science GPA of 3.0 or higher on a 4.0 scale comprising grades in anatomy, physiology, pathophysiology, microbiology, statistics, and chemistry courses;
   • Positive professional recommendations; and
   • Completion of an undergraduate- or graduate-level statistics course with a grade of B or better.
5. Ability to articulate one’s professional goals, evidenced by the faculty interview, with applicant’s goals congruent with the objectives and resources of the Otterbein University Department of Nursing.

After review of the written materials, a selected pool of applicants may be required to participate in a faculty interview.

The following experiences are not criteria for selection, but are highly recommended:

1. Demonstrated facility with computer-based office productivity tools, including word processing, electronic mail, and spreadsheet manipulation. This may be achieved by completing one or more of several online tutorials and face-to-face workshops; and
2. Demonstrated facility with the most recent version of the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (aka APA style). This may be achieved by taking one of several available tutorials, including the APA Tutorial available at the APA Website.

Total of 42 graduate credit hours. All courses are required. Credit hour total includes 9 credit hours of Advanced Practice Science Core Courses that may have been taken at another institution.

Note: A minimum grade of B minus (B-) is required in all courses. Students must also maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.0 out of 4.0 throughout the program.

*Rolling – Application decisions will be made monthly, while seats remain available.

1. Complete the online application. Include your entire list of colleges/universities attended, and have your nursing license number ready. You do not need to log back into this application once submitted.
2. Submit to gradadmit@otterbein.edu the following documents, preferably as an MS Word or PDF file a resume with all professional experience documented. Also include leadership activities, scholastic awards, nursing organizational memberships, and community service, as applicable.
3. Request from all institutions of higher education where you have earned credit, irrespective of number of courses taken, that an individual, official transcript be sent to The Graduate School, Otterbein University. They may be sent directly from the institution electronically to gradadmit@otterbein.edu
4. Please give an Otterbein University Graduate Nursing Recommendation Form to three individuals that can support your application to pursue graduate studies. Please choose a clinical supervisor, a peer (RN), and another clinician to complete and submit this form. You will complete the front of the form; your recommender will complete the back. Otterbein University reserves the right to contact persons providing recommendations and to contact a recommender to acknowledge receipt of a recommendation. Recommenders should email the form (required) and letter (optional) to gradadmit@otterbein.edu. 

Students must submit documentation of meeting health requirements – including completion of the American Heart Association Basic Life Support (BLS) curriculum – prior to starting classes, and must submit documentation of keeping health requirements current throughout their course of study.

Transfer Credit. The Psychiatric & Mental Health Nurse Practitioner Post-Graduate Certificate will consider transferring credit for graduate level course work if:

1. The course work is evaluated by the Director, PMHNP major, and course faculty, according to student coursework level.
2. The transcript and syllabus reflect graduate level course work from an institution that is accredited by the appropriate regional accrediting agency and whose graduate nursing program is accredited by ACEN and/or CCNE.
3. The content of the transfer course is equivalent to the course offered in the Otterbein University Post-Masters Certificate Program and PMHNP major.
4. The course has been taken within the previous five years.
5. The course was completed with a grade of B or higher. The actual grade is not transferred and thus will not be included in the Otterbein grade point average.
6. No more than 6 hours of graduate semester credit will be accepted as transfer credit.
7. Credit for life/professional experiences is not granted for the Post-Graduate Certificate Program.
8. Courses eligible for transfer credit are NURS 6810 Advanced Pathophysiology for the Advanced Practice Nurse, NURS 6820 Advanced Pharmacology for the Advanced Practice Nurse, and NURS 6830 Advanced Physical and Health Assessment for the Advanced Practice Nurse.
9. The Director, PMHNP major, brings any eligible transfer credit coursework to the DON Curriculum committee for a final vote to accept or deny the student’s request for transfer credit, and the Chair, Department of Nursing, concurs.

To request transfer credit, the student must submit the following information to the Director. Graduate Studies in Nursing, after admission to the program:

1. A letter describing what transfer credit is being sought.
2. Syllabus of the graduate course(s) for which transfer credit is being sought.

Proficiency Credit. The Post-Master’s Certificate offers students the opportunity to obtain proficiency credit for NURS 6830 Advanced Physical and Health Assessment for the Advanced Practice Nurse. The proficiency exam consists of a written exam on assessment content and the demonstration of a history and physical.

1. The written exam must be passed before the student is eligible to perform the history and physical.
2. The student must achieve a minimum of 80% on both components of the exam.
3. The student may take the proficiency exam only once.
4. The student must make an appointment with the course coordinator at least two weeks prior to the exam date. The contact information for the course coordinator can be obtained from the Department of Nursing (614-823-1614).
5. The student must pre-register with the Department of Nursing using the Proficiency Exam Registration Form, at least two weeks before the exam date. (614-823-1614)
6. A non-refundable fee for the proficiency exam must be paid in the nursing office at the time of pre-registration.

Program Tuition Estimates

The following fees are for tuition only. Additional lab, resource, and technology fees can be found on the fee schedule on the Business Office website. Acceptance deposit fees that are credited towards tuition are: Nurse Anesthesia $1,000; all other degrees and certificates $500. Costs subject to slight increases each academic year.

Payment Options

To help you manage your graduate school expenses Otterbein offers the ePay payment system and resources you may research for scholarship opportunities (see non-Otterbein Sources of Aid below). We recommend that you speak with the graduate financial aid counselor at 614-823-1379. See the Business Office site for information about ePay.

Graduate Nursing Financial Aid Options

Graduate students are eligible for consideration for a variety of scholarships and loans.

Non-Otterbein Sources of Aid

National Scholarship Opportunities

• American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN)
  National organization with multiple scholarship and financial aid opportunities.
• American Association of Nurse Anesthetist Foundation (AANA)
  By joining AANA, members are eligible for multiple scholarship opportunities specific to pursuing a CRNA degree.
• American Cancer Society
  Scholarship and living stipend to support a master or doctorate level nurse practitioner student interested in pursuing a career in oncology.
• Doctors of Nursing Practice
  Resource of national scholarship opportunities for nurses pursuing an advanced degree.
• Nurses Educational Funds Etc.
  National organization dedicated to providing scholarships for nurses seeking an advanced degree. Application opens annually in the fall and closes early February the following year.
• American Cancer Society
  The American Cancer Society offers scholarships to support the training of advanced practice nurses, specializing in cancer and DNPs ranging from $10,000 to $15,000 per year.
• Nurse Practitioner Healthcare Foundation (NPHF)
  National organization dedicated to providing financial aid to nurses pursing an advanced degree. Scholarship applications open in late August/early September annually.

Ohio Scholarship Opportunities

• Ohio Board of Nursing
  The website lists multiple sources.
• Ohio Association of Advanced Practice Nurses
  Master’s level and doctorate level opportunities available. Due annually in August, presented in October at annual conference.
• Ohio Nurses Association- Ohio Nurses Foundation
  The Ohio Nurses Foundation awards thousands of dollars annually in research grants and scholarships to notable nurses and future nurses.
• Mid-Ohio District Nurses Association
  Annual scholarship for members of the Mid-Ohio Nurses Association. Scholarship is due the 3rd Friday of February annually and announced mid-April annually.
• Kappa Lambda Chapter Sigma Theta Tau
  By joining the Kappa Lambda chapter of the Sigma Theta Tau Honors Society, students will have the opportunity to apply for scholarships.
• Columbus Foundation
  Check the Columbus Foundation web page periodically for additional scholarship opportunities!
  • Jane Tschappat Nursing Advancement Scholarship
    Local scholarship for a Columbus nurse pursuing an advanced degree with documented financial need.
  • Dorothy A. Cornelius Scholarship
    Local scholarship for a Mid-Ohio Nurses Association nurse pursuing an advanced degree
• City of Westerville Chamber of Commerce Otterbein University Master’s Degree Scholarship
  Scholarship opportunity available for a member of WACC or is an employee of a WACC business enrolled in a master’s degree program at Otterbein University.

Loan Repayment Opportunities

• The Nursing Education Loan Repayment Program (NELRP)
• Ohio Substance Use Disorder Professional Loan Repayment Program
• Army Healthcare
  Additional options available if joining the army reserves.
• National Health Service Corps Loan Repayment Program
  Provides for the repayment of educational loans for APRN & DNP students made in exchange for a commitment to work in a medically underserved area.
• Health Resources and Service Administration (HRSA)
  Health professions faculty from disadvantaged backgrounds can receive repayment of their student loans in exchange for educating tomorrow’s clinicians.
• Hospital system education repayment – check with your employer human resource department on tuition reimbursement opportunities.

Otterbein Financial Aid

For information about financial aid available from Otterbein, see the Office of Student Financial Services site.