Mental Health Nursing

Our BSc (Hons) Mental Health Nursing ranks UK 1st overall in its subject field (The Guardian University Guide, 2026).

Mental health nursing offers a range of rewarding and exciting career opportunities within the healthcare system. If you have a degree in a health, social care or health science-related subject and have the dedication to study while working full-time, this Master’s degree will enable you to become a registered mental health nurse in two years. Delivered by a team of highly skilled lecturers and practitioners, taught sessions take place in our immersive suites that offer real-world, online mental health-based scenarios.

By taking this course, you may be eligible for NHS funding of at least £5,000.

Course accreditation
All our nursing and midwifery courses are regulated by the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC). On successful completion of your course, you can register with the NMC as a mental health nurse.

Facilities and specialist equipment

• Access to professional medical/health facilities and equipment at placement hospitals and community health settings

• New, fully immersive simulation floor in our modern STEM building which takes you from mock home and hospital, allowing hands-on experience of a range of scenarios

• Simulation wards with a range of medical-grade training mannequins to tackle real-life scenarios in a safe and supported environment

Industry links
To ensure your learning meets the benchmark set for this role, our courses have been developed in collaboration with local healthcare providers and health authorities. We also have strong, collaborative links with healthcare providers across our region, giving you a wide choice of practice placement options.

Your student experience

• We deliver predominantly face-to-face teaching so your tutors are on site to support you while you get to meet and exchange ideas with other healthcare students.

• Clinical specialists from our partnership trusts come to campus to support your learning so your studies are underpinned by the latest research and practice.

• Adult Nursing, Mental Health Nursing and Midwifery students gain a wider range of expertise through general units taught by tutors from all three courses.

• Our Nursing and Midwifery academics keep up to date with current practice through regular link-lecturer visits to our clinical placement settings alongside close links with practice.

• Our academic team are research active and have published widely in their fields, in journals including British Journal of Nursing, Journal of Psychiatric Mental Health, Human Psychopharmacology, Mental Health Practice, International Journal of Mental Health Nursing and Nurse Education Today.

• The School works closely with the University’s Institute of Health Research (IHR), which is renowned for the global impact of its research.

• Our Mental Health Nursing lecturers are involved in international, national and local research projects, working collaboratively to produce impactful research in areas such as the mental health of student nurses and addictions in the community.

Developing Mental Health Nursing Practice (NMH011-3) Compulsory
Introducing Mental Health Nursing Practice (NMH010-3) Compulsory
Preparing For Mental Health Nursing Registration (NMH012-3) Compulsory
Clinical Assessment And Decision Making In Mental Health Nursing (NMH003-6) Compulsory
Clinical Leadership (NUR012-6) Compulsory
Dissertation For Mental Health Nursing Registration (NMH004-6) Compulsory
Fundamentals Of Mental Health Nursing (NMH001-6) Compulsory
Life, Health And Social Sciences For Nursing (NUR009-6) Compulsory
Pharmacology And Medicines Management In Mental Health Nursing (NMH002-6) Compulsory
Research Methods For Nursing (NUR011-6) Compulsory
Values, Policy And Governance In Nursing And Healthcare (NUR010-6) Compulsory

The assessment strategy for this course is closely aligned to the teaching and learning strategy which is designed to have: immediate professional relevance; foster active learning, be leaner-centred in approach and draw on expertise-by-experience. The choice of assessments is determined by their fitness for purpose i.e. to evidence achievement of unit learning outcomes at Masters level (Level 7).

To enhance your understanding and experiences of assessment practices you will encounter a wide range of formative and summative assessment methods including those that enable you to undertake practice-focussed tasks that have the potential to influence care delivery. Many of the assessment tasks are designed so that you can tailor them to your professional interests, experience and development needs. They are also designed so that you can rehearse ways of thinking and acting that are professionally relevant. Examples include: written assignments ranging from reflective pieces to case studies and academic essays as well as assessed practice within your placements. Assessments are also designed to support you integrating learning in theory and practice and in demonstrating that integration. The assessments culminate in a choice of dissertation projects: a service improvement project, a literature review or a research proposal.

Professionally accredited courses provide industry-wide recognition of the quality of your qualification.

• Nursing and Midwifery Council