Nursing Studies (Registered Nurse Mental Health Nursing)

This course has been approved by the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC)

Do you have the passion and empathy to care for adults, children and young people in a variety of settings? Working as a mental health nurse is an incredibly rewarding career. No two days are the same – it's one of the most rewarding roles in health and social care. The field of mental health nursing is very diverse so there’s a wide range of career paths on offer following graduation.

Our BSc (Hons) Nursing Studies (Registered Nurse Mental Health Nursing) course aligns to the key principles of the NHS Constitution, derived from extensive discussions with staff, patients, carers and the public. These principles inspire passion in the NHS and provide a common ground for cooperation in achieving shared aspirations, at all levels of the NHS, supporting health and promoting recovery.

Our BSc (Hons) Nursing Studies (Registered Nurse Mental Health Nursing) degree at Aston will equip you with the skills, insights, and confidence required to become an outstanding and compassionate mental health nurse, well-equipped to be able to keep our communities and people physically and mentally healthy, supporting nursing care, recovery, and the promotion of good mental health. Working as a mental health nurse is a truly rewarding career.
At Aston you’ll learn in an inter-professional way, developing the theoretical, practical, and interpersonal skills you'll need to be able to register as a nurse specialising in mental health. When you successfully complete the course, you will be eligible to register as a mental health nurse with the NMC (Nursing and Midwifery Council). This is the governing body that nurses must register with to work clinically as a nurse within the UK.

Why study Nursing at Aston?

• NMC approval – the programme is accredited by the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC).

• Triple Gold TEF rating - Aston University received the highest rating for teaching quality (TEF 2023).

• Extensive patient contact – Benefit from extensive patient contact throughout the course through integrated clinical and community placements.

• Cutting-edge facilities - Train in our state-of-the-art clinical skills centre, complete with our new £1.5m hospital simulation suite wards and the latest medical equipment.

Integrated placements

You will benefit from extensive patient contact throughout the course with practice learning placements forming a large part of your study experience. You will spend approx 50% of your study time in practice, which will be undertaken in various clinical and community environments. There is opportunity for a negotiated placement in year 2 where you can experience nursing in an alternative setting in the UK, or abroad.

Career prospects
The field of mental health nursing is very diverse so there’s a wide range of career paths, and our programme will provide you with the academic requirements needed to register to work as a mental health nurse upon graduation. The field of mental health nursing is very diverse so there’s a range of career paths. Mental health nurses play a vital role in providing, leading and coordinating care for a variety of people in different healthcare settings such as in people’s homes, the community, a wide variety of mental health hospitals including acute wards, psychiatric intensive care wards, specialist services and rehabilitation.

You can also use your qualifications to work outside the UK.

For a full list of modules and course objectives, visit the course page on Aston University's website: https://www.aston.ac.uk/study/courses/nursing-studies-registered-nurse-mental-health-nursing-bsc/

You will be assessed through a combination of written and oral examinations, class tests, presentations, essays and practical assessments. Across the three years a professionalism assessment prepares you for a professional qualification and assessors engagement, attendance, and professional conduct.

The assessment strategy is designed to match the module aims and learning outcomes and will provide you with the opportunity to demonstrate practical skills, knowledge, written and verbal communication skills.

Assessments follow the same approach in years 1, 2 and 3 so that you can understand what assessment to expect and be able to prepare accordingly.
Our approach to assessments increases opportunities for employability, as it maximises the opportunity to practise skills that are expected in the working environment, such as presenting information and performing clinical skills competently.

Academic assessment will be completed alongside practice-based proficiencies, in order to achieve the criteria set by the Nursing and Midwifery Council, (NMC 2018). Progression will be confirmed by the practice assessor and the assigned academic assessor.
Students must pass all summative assessments and professionalism to pass the course. Professionalism will include assessment of attendance, engagement and professional conduct.

On successful completion of the programme, you will be able to apply for registration with The Nursing and Midwifery Council as a Registered Nurse (Mental Health). We prepare you to be a confident, autonomous practitioner, driven and committed to advocating and meeting the needs of patients and their families.

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

• Nursing and Midwifery Council

To work as a teacher at a state school in England or Wales, you will need to achieve qualified teacher status (QTS). This is offered on this course for the following level:

• Course does not award QTS