Nursing (Mental Health)

Could you make a meaningful impact in the field of mental health nursing? Would you like to unlock the door to a fulfilling career that offers multiple possibilities? Modern society understands that our mental health is as important as our physical health; throughout our Nursing (Mental Health) BSc you will acquire the knowledge, skills and empathy to develop into a competent mental health nurse. You will study essential nursing theory and gain practical experience in our excellent clinical simulation facilities and out on placement, so you can confidently work in partnership with service users, their families and the wider community.

Why choose this course?

• Eligible students can apply for a non-repayable £5,000 NHS grant per academic year

• Nursing and Midwifery Council approved programme

• Top 10 in the UK for Nursing (The Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide, 2026)

• No.1 in the West Midlands and Top 10 in England for Nursing and Midwifery (Complete University Guide, 2026)

• Top 10 in England for Nursing and Midwifery (Daily Mail University Guide, 2026)

Mental health nurses support and care for individuals experiencing mental ill health and play a crucial role in positively impacting and influencing outcomes. Person- centred care is at the heart of our programme, which acknowledges that all people are individuals with physical, emotional, social, and cultural needs. Severe and enduring mental illness can adversely affect someone’s physical health, so health promotion and education will be key aspects of your role as a mental health nurse.

Our mental health nursing programme aims to produce nurses who are self-aware, reflective and are a positive role model for the people in their care, displaying resilience and compassion. You will apply your skills, identifying opportunities to educate and support people at every stage of their lives. Underpinning this will be early intervention in children and young people’s mental health, recognising the impact of adverse childhood experiences on mental health across the lifespan. It is also recognised that by 2025, over a million people in the UK will be diagnosed with dementia (Alzheimer’s’ Society 2019) and mental health nurses will be pivotal in prevention, early identification, assessment, and intervention for cognitive impairment.

As a future nurse you will require strong communication skills, facilitating positive therapeutic engagement with service users, their families, and other professionals as you manage complex care with service users in your care. You will develop high level interpersonal and clinical skills that will enable you to work within an evidence-based framework delivering complex therapeutic interventions such as motivational interviewing and cognitive behaviour therapy.

You will gain the theoretical knowledge required to be able to practice confidently and competently, whilst also giving you the opportunity to develop and refine your clinical skills in a safe and controlled setting before going onto clinical placement.

About Keele
Keele University was established in 1949 by the former Vice-Chancellor of Oxford University. Founded to meet the needs of a changing world, Keele has always had a pioneering vision to be a different kind of university. We excel in both teaching and research, with some of the most satisfied students in England, and research that is changing lives for the better at a regional, national and global level.

Our beautiful 600-acre campus is one of the biggest in Britain – but all the most important services and facilities are on your doorstep, with accommodation, teaching spaces, facilities including a medical centre, sports centre and pharmacy, and a range of shops, eateries and entertainment venues – including the Students’ Union – clustered around the centre.

Course Modules

For a list of indicative modules please visit the course page on the Keele University website.