Mental Health Nursing

Our Mental Health Nursing courses rank UK 1st overall in their subject field (The Guardian University Guide, 2026).

The relationship between a person with a mental illness and their nurse is central to helping them back to mental health. On this course, you learn safe, effective nursing care that meets the needs of those with a mental health problem. It also teaches you to adapt your skills to individual situations, keeping the service user and their family at the centre of your care. Your learning is practice based, with 50% of your time in settings such as hospitals, prisons, residential centres and service users’ homes.

Course accreditation

All our Nursing 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 the latest medical/health equipment and facilities at regional hospitals and community health settings during placements

• At our Luton campus, a new, fully immersive simulation floor situated in our modern STEM building, taking you from mock home and hospital for hands-on experience of a range of settings

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

• For students based with Oxford Health Foundation Trust in Aylesbury, we have a three-storey building with simulation ward; classrooms; library; social learning spaces; and computer study facilities

Career-powered links

To ensure your learning meets the benchmark set for care providers, our healthcare courses have been developed in collaboration with our regional healthcare providers and health authorities, particularly with our formal partner, Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.

Our partnership with the Trust creates new opportunities for students to learn in real healthcare settings, alongside NHS professionals. There will also be opportunities for work experience and placements on campus in Luton once the Trust's new Community Diagnostic Centre opens within the University, in 2027.

Your student experience

Our nursing hub at Aylesbury is situated on site at Stoke Mandeville Hospital so you can fully immerse yourself in the hospital environment.

All academic staff are active in research or practice and offer specialist expertise in their field, ensuring the lectures they deliver are up to date and prepare you for the realities of the workplace.

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.

Our strong links with regional healthcare providers mean you can secure a local practice placement anywhere where our Trust partners have services in Bedfordshire and Buckinghamshire.

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

On placement, you undertake a mix of early, late, long-day and night shifts to ensure you experience typical shift patterns for a healthcare professional.

Course modules

Year 1
Care across the lifespan in mental health nursing – Develop your awareness of the factors influencing mental health and the skills needed for person-centred care. Exploring health and primary care services in the community – Understand local health service provision, policy and health needs; plan and complete a related project. Introduction to nursing interventions – Build your confidence in performing a range of basic nursing skills and interventions. Understanding health – Explore life sciences, psychology and sociology to understand what constitutes a healthy body and mind. Academic skills development for nursing – Become a confident, independent learner with the skills needed to study at higher-educational level.

Year 2
Assessment and interventions in mental health nursing practice – Learn to assess patients with mental health problems and develop person-centred plans. Multi-professional care for mental health problems – Understand the role of related professionals in the delivery of care as well as the influence of policies and legislation. Planning, delivering and coordinating care across agencies for people with mental health problems – Work closely with other professionals to plan, deliver and coordinate care in a variety of settings. Introduction to public health – Study public health principles, approaches and impact, and apply them to adult nursing. Exploring evidence – Be able to assess the research evidence underpinning nursing practice, draw your own conclusions and apply your learning to your own practice.

Year 3
Leading complex care in mental health nursing – Understand the principles of leadership risk management and be able to apply them in leading complex care. Supporting learning – Develop teaching skills to support learning in clinical environments, beginning to prepare you for the role of practice supervisor. Advocacy, empowerment and protection – The role and responsibilities of the nurse in safeguarding people, whatever their age. Law and decision making in medicines management – Gain the knowledge and skills to safely administer medicines in accordance with professional standards and legislation. Transforming care – Acquire the skills to think critically about service delivery and propose ideas for change.

We make every effort to ensure the information here is accurate; however, for the most up-to-date information, visit our website.

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

• Nursing and Midwifery Council