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Mental Health Social Work (Taught)
- PgCert
- 12 Months
- Part-time
- 08/2026
- Postgraduate
- University of Strathclyde
Course summary
The course trains social workers for the role of Mental Health Officer (MHO) in which they will be able to contribute positively to the care and treatment of those experiencing mental disorder by ensuring an approach that recognises the impact of social as well as medical circumstances on their lives.
The role of MHO is as defined in Section 32 of the Mental Health (Care and Treatment) (Scotland) Act 2003, and as qualified by the direction of the Scottish Ministers (Requirements for appointment as Mental Health Officers) Direction (January 2009. *Only available to qualified social workers currently employed by local authorities.
In 2007, the Scottish Social Services Council published standards and practice competencies for MHO training. This stated that the certificate must be: provided by a university, within a programme provider partnership, delivered at SCQF Level 11, which equates with Masters level, be approved by the SSSC as a specialist course.
The course has been externally evaluated and assessed as producing MHOs who are competent to practice from the perspective of the local authorities who employ the candidates on completion of the award. Between 85 and 90% of all candidates complete the course within a 12 month period. On completion of the programme, 100% of candidates are appointed as MHO by their local authority.
Modules
Compulsory classes: Mental Disorder, Mental Health Legislation and Human Rights, Capacity, Incapacity and the Law in Scotland, Working with Individuals with a Mental Disorder who are subject to Criminal Proceedings
Work Placement: Two blocks of practice experience - September to December and February to May are undertaken in your employing local authority, supervised by a suitably-qualified member of staff, and supported by the course team.
Assessment method
Each module has three written assessment elements: practice assessment, assessment of knowledge and understanding, critical analysis of practice.
Professional bodies
Professionally accredited courses provide industry-wide recognition of the quality of your qualification.
- Scottish Social Services Council
Entry requirements
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Be nominated by their employing local authority, be supported by their employing local authority and be provided with appropriate learning opportunities.
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Hold a professional social work qualification recognised by SSSC. These include:
BA (Hons) Social Work
Diploma in Social Work (DipSW)
Certificate of Qualification in Social Work (CQSW) together with its predecessor qualifications
Certificate in Social Service (CSS)
If you trained abroad, a letter of comparability with the CQSW or a letter of verification issued by SSSC (or another registering Council in the UK) will be required.
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Normally have a minimum of two years post-qualifying experience. You should be able to demonstrate that you've improved and extended the level of competence acquired when you qualified.
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Satisfy the programme provider that you have the capacity to achieve the Mental Health Officer standards, that you can be competently demonstrated as eligible to be appointed as a Mental Health Officer, and can achieve the award at SCQF Level 11 by:
- critically reviewing your professional development since qualifying as a social worker; this should include issues of effective communication with adults who have individual communication support needs, and working with professional tensions, challenges and conflicts; also included should be evidence from workload of challenging discrimination and demonstrating an understanding of what's meant by this
- analysing interest in, and motivation for, undertaking mental health work including the extensive networking and collaborative practice involved
- showing developed skills in empowering clients; this should be particularly in relation to developing their understanding of their rights to legal support and advocacy, and their views about how their needs may be more effectively met through complex decision making processes
- exploring current awareness of the Mental Health Officer role, the complexity of the power/control issues involved and how you would use Mental Health Officer training in your current work setting
Fees and funding
Tuition fees
| Location | Fee | Year |
|---|---|---|
| Channel Islands | £4500 | Year 1 |
| Republic of Ireland | £4500 | Year 1 |
| EU | £7650 | Year 1 |
| England | £4500 | Year 1 |
| Northern Ireland | £4500 | Year 1 |
| Scotland | £4500 | Year 1 |
| Wales | £4500 | Year 1 |
| International | £7650 | Year 1 |
Tuition fee status depends on a number of criteria and varies according to where in the UK you will study. For further guidance on the criteria for home or overseas tuition fees, please refer to the UKCISA website.
Additional fee information
No additional fees or cost information has been supplied for this course, please contact the provider directly.
Sponsorship information
There are several scholarship opportunities available for students applying for this course. Please see website for further details.
University of Strathclyde
McCance Building
16 Richmond Street
Glasgow
G1 1XQ
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Course contact details
Prospective Student Enquiries - Postgraduate HASS
Email:studywithus-hass@strath.ac.uk
Phone:0141 444 8600
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