Psychiatry Certificate
Increase access to high quality mental healthcare as a fully trained psychiatric Physician Assistant.Online | 3-5 Semesters | 12-20 Months
%
Online
Credits
Courses
Clinical Hours
Psychiatry Certificate Highlights
Prepare for the NCCPA Exam
Demonstrate your qualifications as a PA specializing in psychiatry. Our curriculum is specifically designed to prepare you to pass the NCCPA Psychiatry CAQ exam. Our certificate curriculum includes 1600 hours of high quality didactic content, taught by experienced psychiatric PAs.
1000 Supervised Clinical Hours
Receive dedicated online supervision in psychotherapy while you continue to practice clinically full-time. You’ll complete a total of 1000 guided clinical hours over the course of two semesters, which count toward the two required practicum courses. Doctorate-prepared psychotherapists and clinical psychologists, specially trained in virtual clinical supervision, will serve in this supportive role. You can complete these supervised clinical hours no matter your current clinical specialty or geographic location.
Transfer Into Our DMSc Program
Take the first step towards earning your Doctor of Medical Science (DMSc), the clinical doctorate for PAs. Credits from our Psychiatry Certificate transfer directly into our DMSc program). Our certificate program is a great option for PAs with an interest in specializing in psychiatry who aren’t interested in earning their doctorate, who aren’t ready to begin earning their doctorate yet, or who have already earned their doctorate and want to specialize further.
Learn while you continue working. Our certificate program is completely online; the structure and pace is designed specifically with busy professionals in mind. Practice what you learn at your own place of employment with feedback and guidance from our student-centered faculty.
Designed for Working PAs
Continue your education and advance your credentials while you continue working as a physician assistant; specialize in psychiatry while you continue practicing as a PA. This certificate is designed for the busy schedule of a PA, and is completely online and mostly asynchronous.
Psychiatry Certificate Curriculum

Psychotherapy Practicum
During the two practicum courses, you will carry out supervised psychotherapy while engaging in full-time clinical practice for a total of 1000 hours over two semesters. You’ll learn motivational interviewing and cognitive-behavior therapy from master practitioners, and increase your knowledge of psychotherapeutic methods and procedures. Our specialized instructors will provide instructive, evidence-based feedback that will increase your proficiency in clinical case formulation and expose you to therapeutic applications of cognitive-behavior therapy.
Psychiatry Diagnostics
Focus on the psychiatric interview for the accurate diagnosis of psychiatric conditions. Learn more about the ethical and legal issues associated with the diagnosis of psychiatric disorders. Dive into the diagnosis of neurodevelopmental, psychotic, trauma-related, eating, substance-related disorders and more.
Psychiatry Therapeutics
Learn how to implement comprehensive treatment plans for psychiatric conditions. Deepen your knowledge of psychiatric pharmacology, crisis intervention, and risk management. Broaden your knowledge of treatments for a wide range of psychiatric conditions.
Semester Starts
Winter 2024
Priority Application Deadline
Final Application Deadline
Semester Start
Summer 2024
Priority Application Deadline
Final Application Deadline
Semester Start
Fall 2024
Priority Application Deadline
Final Application Deadline
Semester Start
ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS
- A bachelor’s or master’s degree from a Physician Assistant (PA) program at a regionally accredited institution, or from a foreign university based on a transcript evaluation completed by an agency from the NACES website,www.naces.org.
- Proof of unencumbered licensure and/or certification as a physician assistant (PA), or for new graduates, certification or licensure must be obtained during the first semester of the Psychiatry Certificate program.
- Current full-time clinical practice.
Clinical Rotation Requirements including required vaccinations: Admitted students to Rocky Mountain University who will be completing a clinical rotation will receive vaccination forms regarding required vaccinations. Not all vaccinations or proof of immunity are required at the beginning of the program but will be prior to the first clinical rotation. The University allows for vaccination exemptions and more information about the University’s position on vaccination can be reviewed at https://rm.edu/vaccination-statement/
RMU requires the following items prior to starting any clinical rotations (these are subject to change depending upon public health concerns and specific clinic requirements):
- MMR
- Varicella
- Hepatitis B
- TB
- Tdap
- Annual Influenza
- COVID 19
- HIPAA certification
- OSHA certification
- CPR certification
Tuition & Fees
Cost of Attendance
UNIVERSITY ACCREDITATION
Rocky Mountain University of Health Professions is accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (8060 165th Avenue NE Ste 100, Redmond, WA 98052-3981), an institutional accrediting body recognized by the Secretary of the US Department of Education.
Financial Aid
There are many ways you can pay for your education and receive aid. See how our Financial Aid Office can help you fund your education.