Mental Health Nursing

Join one of Scotland's top nursing degrees solely focused on mental health. This thought-provoking Mental Health Nursing degree is designed to give you all the knowledge, skills and experiences you need to practice as a mental health nurse.

This course is underpinned by a philosophy of values-based and relational nursing practice, with a strong focus on the delivery of research-informed, person-centred care in a mental health setting.

Three year Honours degree

This three year Mental Health Nursing degree is designed to give you all the knowledge, skills and experiences you need to practice as a mental health nurse. Student placements begin in the first term of year one, with 50% of your learning happening in the university, and 50% happening in practice.

Uniquely, you'll graduate with an honours degree after only three years, having explored topics such as psychological interventions, physical and mental health, professional working and leadership in nursing.

Learning: 50% placement & 50% in the classroom

Splitting your time between placements and the classroom means that everything you learn is integrated to aid your development. You'll complete around 2,300 hours of practice-based work by the end of your degree, and have experience of a diverse range of settings and situations.

We actively encourage you to build self-awareness and resilience through our interactive teaching methods, so you'll have space and time for personal and professional reflection. You'll get a consistently high level of support from a team of tutors and lecturers who come from a variety of clinical backgrounds. This is to help prepare you for the challenges of working in this field.

We help you to become a reflective, self-aware and person-centred mental health practitioner.

Recognised by the Nursing and Midwifery Council

This Mental Health Nursing degree is recognised by the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) meaning you can register as a qualified nurse (mental health) when you graduate.

This degree ranked in the UK top 20 for Teaching Satisfaction (2023 Guardian University Guide) and also top in Scotland for Teaching Satisfaction (2023 National Student Survey).

View modules

Teaching is delivered through a variety of lectures, practical classes, tutorials, independent study and online learning. This is combined with clinical practice placements which provide experience and the opportunity to put theory into practice through a process of mentoring, and the development of an ongoing achievement record. Mental health nursing skills are developed on an individual basis as well as through small group work, interactive, and reflective practice. Students benefit from the use of our interpersonal skills and clinical skills training suites. Assessment types are varied to test a breadth of skills. Assessments include reports, reflective portfolios, essays, presentations - both oral and posters - appraisal of research, exams, class tests and case studies. Performance on practice is assessed via placement reports.