Online Psychiatry Schools and Colleges: How to Choose

Psychiatric nurses can pursue an advanced graduate degree to qualify for positions in education and healthcare. Online colleges offer master's and doctoral degree programs in psychiatric nursing. Read on to learn more.

Online Degree in Nursing Psychiatry

Award Levels

Mental health professionals, such as specialized nurses, provide therapy services and prescribe psychiatric medication. These professionals need training in order to conduct physical examinations, interpret complex laboratory tests and provide diagnosis.
Online programs in psychiatry are available for registered nurses (RNs) at the graduate level. In addition to providing medical training that includes clinical hours in a hospital or health clinic, these graduate programs can prepare students for professional certification, such as the Adult Psychiatric & Mental Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP-BC) credential offered by the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC).

Program Type

Students looking for a master's or doctoral online nursing psychiatry program can expect to enroll in a hybrid program. These programs require students to spend at least part of the time on campus. This could be as little as a weekend or as long as a few weeks.
The hybrid program is designed to offer more hands-on and on-site training opportunities than online program, while still providing flexibility. All students in a hybrid program are required to divide their time between studying online and learning hands-on with clinical practice.

Most Popular Online Programs in Psychiatry

Master's Degree of Nursing with a Mental Health Specialization

This degree program is rare and designed for licensed RNs who have completed a diploma, certificate or degree program in nursing. The course of study can take two years to complete and covers the standard of practice for psychiatric and mental health nurses. The curriculum highlights individual and group therapy, ethical, legal and health policy issues, as well as drug therapy and advanced diagnostic practices. The master's degree program can include a requirement of clinical hours that may be fulfilled in a health care facility or hospital close to the student's place of residence.

Doctor of Nursing Practice in Psychiatric Mental Health Nursing

This degree is a practice doctorate intended for advanced nurses who hold a bachelor's or master's degree in nursing. Students in a practice doctorate program focus on a variety of different approaches and applications in their field. They study advanced psychiatric nursing practices by examining practical applications of theoretical concepts within psychiatry.
Students participate in courses that cover the principles of epidemiology, biostatistics, advanced pharmacology and biological treatments for disorders. Students may be expected to complete a research-based scholarly capstone project. The program also requires clinical hours, which students can apply to the requirements for one of the ANCC's psychiatric nursing certifications.