Nursing (Mental Health) with Foundation Year

Please check the Sheffield Hallam University website for the latest information.

Course summary

• Gain the skills to join the rewarding and in-demand field of mental health nursing.

• Develop professional skills for leadership roles in clinical or academic settings.

• Broaden your knowledge alongside other health and social care professionals.

• Learn from enthusiastic experts with a variety of clinical experience.

• Benefit from real-world experience with placements and hands-on practicals.

This unique course offers you an exciting opportunity to become a fully qualified nurse, providing compassionate nursing care in mental health. You’ll consider the changing nature of health, illness and recovery – as well as the relationship between healthcare professionals and service users. You’ll graduate as a reflective, competent and employable professional.

How you learn

On this course you’ll learn from academic staff who have a variety of clinical expertise and experience. You’ll apply your theoretical study directly to your practice setting, using the knowledge, skills and attributes you’ve gained. The course is a blend of theory and hands-on practical work, giving you the opportunity to practise what you learn in both simulated and real-world settings.

Nurses are an integral part of a multidisciplinary team. You’ll have the chance to learn and collaborate with students from other health and social care courses, helping you to deliver person-centred care, with an understanding of how other professionals contribute to the person's journey through health and social care services.

Key Themes

You’ll learn how nurses who specialise in mental health help people. They assist with various challenges – from depression, anxiety and dementia to bulimia nervosa, post-natal depression, and other conditions that may trigger unconstructive thoughts and beliefs. You’ll then learn theoretical underpinnings, such as recovery-based practice, DSM-V criteria and psycho-social interventions.

You’ll explore the various settings mental health nurses work in – from acute inpatients to accident & emergency to community treatment teams. You’ll also discover the areas of practice that mental health nurses often specialise in, such as child and adolescent mental health.

Applied learning

Live Projects

Applied learning takes place in our specialist labs, practice facilities, simulation environments and workshops – as well externally through field trips, educational visits, digital technologies, and even by loan access to specialist equipment so you can work on or off-campus. These activities are directed or supported by lecturers or technical experts, providing you with opportunities to practise and apply your learning.

Practice learning takes place in a range of settings where nurses care for adults, children, and young people. You’ll participate in activities that contribute to your training and demonstrate the responsibilities involved.

Work Placements

You’ll apply your learning through real-world placements, projects, internships and voluntary activities. These take place in work settings, through online interfaces and within the university.

There’s also an optional placement – where you can arrange an experience nationally or internationally to meet your personal professional development needs and support your employability.

You’ll be supervised and supported by practice supervisors, practice assessors, link lecturers and academic assessors – enabling you to learn and safely achieve proficiency and autonomy in your professional role.

Important notice: The structure of this course is periodically reviewed and enhanced to provide the best possible learning experience for our students and ensure ongoing compliance with any professional, statutory and regulatory body standards. Module structure, content, delivery and assessment may change, but we expect the focus of the course and the learning outcomes to remain as described above. Following any changes, updated module information will be published on this page.

Year 1
Compulsory modules

Developing The Fundamentals Of A Healthcare Professional | Coursework (60%) , Exam (40%)
Promotion Of Contemporary Issues In Healthcare | Coursework (100%)

Year 2
Compulsory modules

Collaboration For Individual And Community Wellbeing | Practical (100%)
Fundamentals Of Nursing Practice | Coursework (100%)
Part 1 Placement
Personal And Professional Development | Coursework (100%)
Sciences For Nursing Practice | Practical (100%)

Year 3
Compulsory modules

Applied Sciences For Nursing Practice | Coursework (100%)
Assessing And Addressing Complexity In Practice | Practical (100%)
Developing Nursing Practice | Coursework (100%)
Evidence And Enquiry For Practice | Coursework (100%)
Part 2 Placement | Exam (100%)

Final Year
Compulsory modules

Complexity & Leadership In Professional Practice | Coursework (100%)
Consolidating Sciences For Nursing Practice | Coursework (100%)
One Credit Module – Bsc (Hons) Nursing
Part 3 Placement | Exam (100%)
The Advancing Professional | Coursework (100%)
Transition To Registration In Mental Health Nursing Practice | Coursework (100%)

Coursework | Exam | Practical