At this time, our DNP in Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner degree is limited in certain states. Please view the licensure/certification requirements for your state. International students can contact the School of Nursing for questions about admission to their specific degree of interest.

Disclosure Statement

Enrollment in one of Liberty University’s licensure programs does not guarantee a degree from Liberty or qualification for licensure. Students are responsible for meeting all academic and professional requirements for graduation. More information about academic and professional requirements can be found below. Students enrolled in a licensure program are responsible for knowing the material outlined for their program. Further, it is the sole responsibility of the student, not Liberty University, to obtain information regarding prerequisites for licensure as outlined by their particular state Board of Nursing.

Licensure requirements for any state are subject to change without notice. Liberty University is not responsible for knowing when changes occur. Additionally, there might be other states with unique licensure requirements. Please reference our State Requirements for NP and APRN Licensure page for further information.

1. Apply online or over the phone with an admissions counselor by calling (800) 424-9596.
   • A non-refundable, non-transferable $50 application fee will be posted on the current application upon enrollment (waived for qualifying service members, veterans, and military spouses – documentation verifying military status is required).
2. Send official college transcripts (mailed as sealed, unopened copies or sent via a direct electronic transcript system). A regionally or nationally accredited Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree or a Master of Science in Nursing degree accredited by either the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN) or the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) with at least a 3.0 GPA is required for admission in good standing.
3. Admission to this program requires the following additional items to be submitted:
   • Current and Active RN License Issued in an Approved State. (If a past sanction or disciplinary action exists on a professional license, the applicant may be contacted by the Nursing Admissions Review Committee for further explanation.)
   • Documentation of Active APRN License and Active National Certification for Nurse Practitioner (if applicable). Note: APRN licensure is not required for the DNP-PMHNP program; however, if an applicant is currently licensed in another advanced practice nursing specialty (i.e., Clinical Nurse Specialist), applicants must submit an APRN license and certification.
   • Clinical Education Prerequisites: Must have bachelor’s-level courses in statistics, research methods, and health assessment.
   • Consent to contact recent employers to verify 1 year of professional nursing experience. This form is part of the CV template.
   • Curriculum Vitae
   • American Heart Association BLS CPR Card for Healthcare Providers with AED
   • 1 Academic, 1 Professional, and 1 Personal Reference: Your references should be able to speak to your work ethic and academic abilities. They should also be able to be reached via phone or email.
   • Writing Sample
     • Answer the following prompts using APA rules of grammar. First person is permitted; APA formatting (i.e. title page, headers) is not needed. Return completed writing sample to luoverify@liberty.edu.
     • Part I: In 1,000 words or fewer, please describe your professional nursing career. In addition, please include how you incorporate your worldview in your current profession.
     • Part II: Please describe your vision for your scholarly project and post-doctoral practice in 1,000 words or fewer.
     • Please also provide the following:
       • Name of present or most recent employment and position
       • Length of Employment (Indicate in MM/DD/YY to MM/DD/YY. If still employed, write ‘current’ as the end date)
4. Applicants whose native language is other than English must submit official scores for the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or an approved alternative assessment. For information on alternative assessments or TOEFL waivers, please call Admissions or view the official International Admissions policy.

Students must have bachelor’s-level courses in statistics, research, and health assessment. A graduate-level biostatistics course is also required as a prerequisite to NURS 832, but this course may be completed after acceptance into the program.

Supplemental Acceptance Steps

After reviewing applications, the School of Nursing will contact selected applicants for an interview. Please note that not all applicants will be requested to interview with the School of Nursing. Interviews can be conducted remotely as needed. If an acceptance offer is extended to an applicant, there will be additional application steps needed before attending courses.

Included in these steps is the purchase of a standardized background check and submission of immunization records. More information will be provided to selected applicants.

Additional Requirements

Students who are accepted and offered a seat each semester will be required to submit a $500 deposit,* which will be applied to your student account to be used towards tuition, fees, etc. If accepted to our program, you will receive additional information via your Liberty email regarding your next steps and payment of the deposit.

If you have any questions, you may reach the School of Nursing at DNP@Liberty.edu or by calling (434) 592-6505.

*Deposit refund deadlines apply. Contact the School of Nursing for specific semester refund dates.

If you are sending in a preliminary transcript for acceptance, you must:

• Be in your final term and planning to start your doctoral degree after the last day of class for your BSN or master’s degree.
• Complete a Master’s or Bachelor’s Self-Certification Form confirming your completion date. You may download the form from the Forms and Downloads page or contact an admissions counselor to submit the form on your behalf.
• Submit an official/unofficial transcript to confirm that you are in your final term.The preliminary transcript must show that you are within 6 credit hours of completion for a 30-48 credit hour master’s degree, within 9 credit hours of completion for a 49+ credit hour master’s degree, or show a minimum of 105 completed credit hours for a bachelor’s degree.
• Send in an additional, final official transcript with a conferral date on it by the end of your first semester of enrollment in the new doctoral degree.

Official College Transcript Policy

An acceptable official college transcript is one that has been issued directly from the institution and is in a sealed envelope. If you have one in your possession, it must meet the same requirements. If your previous institution offers electronic official transcript processing, they can send the document directly to luoverify@liberty.edu.