Click here to edit using the old editor
{"available": "entirely", "availability": {"status": {"Recruiting Status 25/26":"RP 25/26","Recruiting Status 26/27":"RP 26/27","Recruiting Status 24/25":"RP 24/25"}, "dates": [{"name":"September 2025","month":"September","year":2025},{"name":"September 2026","month":"September","year":2026},{"name":"September 2024","month":"September","year":2024}]}}

BSc (Hons) - Mental Health Nursing

Mental health nurses provide support and care for vulnerable individuals across all stages of life. Our Mental Health Nursing degree combines essential nursing values with contemporary knowledge, communication and interpersonal skills to help you start your dream career in mental health nursing.

Upon completing this course, you will be eligible to register with the Nursing and Midwifery Council, enabling you to practise as a mental health nurse. This degree opens doors to diverse career opportunities in settings such as inpatient and community services, and specialist centres of excellence like eating disorders, memory assessment, drug and alcohol, and forensic and prison services.

If you have completed an FdSc Nursing Associate programme, you can enter directly into the second year of this degree, allowing you to qualify as a mental health nurse in just two years.

Apply Register Interest


Accredited by:

Accreditation logo

Nursing & Midwifery Council

NHS trust partners:

Partner 1 logo
Partner 2 logo
Partner 3 logo
Partner 4 logo

Course Overview

You will spend 50% of your time in clinical practice-based placements, working alongside experienced professionals. This hands-on experience will help you develop the skills and confidence to support individuals with a wide variety of mental health conditions. Placements will be across the sector including both NHS and private/voluntary- sector provision.

In your second year, you will have the opportunity to arrange an enrichment placement that provides you with the opportunity to develop your learning which could involve national or international work. For those studying at our Lancaster campus, placements can be arranged with placement providers such as the Lancashire Teaching Hospitals, Blackpool Teaching Hospitals, Lancashire and South Cumbria Foundation Trust, and University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay.

The other 50% of your studies will involve academic learning. You will explore the fundamental principles of nursing, with a particular focus on mental health nursing. This includes understanding the biological, psychological, social, cultural, legal, ethical, and political aspects of 21st-century healthcare.

You'll engage in taught sessions, discussions, lectures, workshops, conferences, and hear from guest speakers and experts by experience. You'll also develop your clinical skills through scenario-based experiences in mock hospital wards, computerised simulations and our interactive immersive room.

On this course you will...

  • Work alongside individuals experiencing mental illness, long-term conditions, and significant psychological wellbeing concerns, providing time and support to help them recover.
  • Use high-quality simulation facilities alongside your practice experience and academic lectures.
  • Undertake placements in a wide variety of settings, covering child, adult and older people nursing, within both inner-city and rural locations.
  • Learn from experienced practitioners with clinical experience in a wide range of clinical backgrounds and academic interests.
  • Hear first-hand accounts of stories in healthcare from individual lived experiences.
  • Achieve a professional qualification as a registered mental health nurse, alongside a varied experience of practice areas with which you can consider your future career options.
Apply

Course Structure

What you will learn

You will spend 50% of the programme in clinical practice being supervised and assessed by clinical staff. The theoretical input is delivered by expert teaching staff and is based on the most up to date contemporary evidence and research, using modern teaching methods and technology. The programme will equip you to deliver safe and effective care to the highest standards and ensure you practice with compassion and confidence. You will be taught to work with clients to make complex decisions regarding their care using evidence of new technology while delivering a wide range of services. We also offer the option to study 1 year of our Health and Social Care IFY before beginning this course. Not only will this prepare you to succeed in your BSc, with key modules in academic and professional skills as well as baseline introductions to mental health and human anatomy, it is also ideal for those applicants who do not hold the required qualifications for direct entry but are passionate about pursuing Mental Health Nursing. You will also be supported by our academic team to make a strong application to your chosen transfer course.

Year one
  • Applied Biological Sciences for Health
    This module provides a comprehensive introduction to the fundamental concepts of anatomy and physiology essential for clinical practice. You will explore key homeostatic mechanisms and the anatomical and physiological aspects of human body systems, including cardiovascular, respiratory, gastrointestinal and more. The module emphasises how biological sciences underpin clinical decision-making and practice. Upon completion, you will be able to effectively describe body system regulation, identify anatomical structures, and demonstrate the application of biological knowledge in clinical settings, enhancing your capability to inform and support health-related decision-making.
  • Professional Practice and Accountability
    This module explores the legal, ethical and professional principles essential for effective decision-making in health and social care. You will examine relevant legislation, ethical frameworks and the complexities of professional accountability. Key topics include legal duty of care, safeguarding and the role of professional regulatory bodies. By completing this module, you'll be equipped to apply legal and ethical standards to practice, navigate professional responsibilities, and uphold high standards of accountability and conduct within health and social care settings.
  • Developing Evidence-Based Practice
    This module focuses on honing your skills for critically evaluating the evidence that underpins nursing practice. You will learn to identify and utilise a range of information sources, appreciate various research methodologies, and apply these to clinical practice. By the end of the module, you'll be able to integrate research into practice, promoting informed decision-making and enhancing professional practice.
  • Introduction to Communication and Interpersonal Skills
    In this module, you will develop essential communication and interpersonal skills crucial for delivering culturally sensitive and compassionate nursing care. You will learn techniques for effective conversations, gather and convey sensitive information accurately, and enhance self-awareness in dynamic healthcare environments. By the end of the module, you'll be proficient in using communication strategies to build therapeutic relationships and manage interactions with empathy and professionalism.
  • Concepts of Health and Social Policy
    This module examines the multifaceted determinants of health, including biological, psychological, social, cultural and spiritual factors, and their influence on wellbeing throughout life. You will explore holistic health concepts and apply principles of health promotion and prevention within diverse populations. The module also covers health policy, literacy and economics, offering insights into the social and political contexts of healthcare. By integrating these perspectives, you will develop the skills needed to promote person-centred care and address the complex needs of individuals across different cultural settings.
  • Introduction to Mental Health Nursing
    This module provides an essential foundation in mental health nursing, equipping you with knowledge and understanding of the key principles underpinning the field. By the end of the module, you will be able to discuss different models and philosophies of mental health nursing practice, consider and apply legal and ethical frameworks to assessment and care planning, and explain the values and evidence base essential for working with individuals, families and carers. The module covers theories and approaches, risk assessment, common mental health conditions, person-centred care, ethical and legal considerations, and therapeutic relationships.
Year two
  • Pharmacology and Medicine Therapeutics
    This module focuses on equipping you with the knowledge and skills to effectively manage medication within clinical practice. You will explore pharmacodynamics and pharmacokinetics, understand drug safety and therapeutic monitoring, and apply these principles to diverse health conditions. By the end of the module, you'll be able to apply medicine therapeutics to patient care, ensure safe and effective medication management, and comply with relevant legislation and policies.
  • Living with Long Term Conditions Across the Lifespan
    This module provides a comprehensive understanding of the causes, presentations and management of long-term conditions throughout life. You will examine the pathogenesis of common disorders, explore relevant policy frameworks, and discuss the holistic management of conditions in partnership with patients and their families. By the end of the module, you'll be skilled in recognising and addressing deterioration in mental, physical, cognitive and behavioural health, ensuring effective and empathetic care in diverse settings.
  • Learning from the Lived Experience
    This module immerses you in the analysis of personal narratives to deepen your understanding of health and social care. By engaging with real-life accounts, you will critically examine how individual experiences reflect contemporary policies and care frameworks. You will develop skills in thematic analysis and reflect on how these narratives can shape your future practice and enhance interprofessional collaboration. By the end of the module, you will be skilled in integrating lived experiences into your professional approach, fostering a more empathetic and informed care practice.
  • Communication and Relationship Management in a Therapeutic Context
    This module equips you with the skills to effectively manage communication and build therapeutic relationships within healthcare settings. You will critically evaluate different communication strategies, including motivational interviewing and cognitive behaviour therapy techniques, and apply them to enhance therapeutic interactions. By exploring theoretical concepts and evidence-based approaches, you'll learn to navigate complex communication scenarios, such as delivering difficult news and addressing distress. By the end of the module, you’ll be able to employ appropriate strategies to foster supportive relationships with individuals, families and multidisciplinary teams, ensuring professional and empathetic engagement in therapeutic contexts.
  • Contemporary and Complimentary Approaches to Mental Health
    Explore a diverse range of contemporary therapeutic interventions in mental health nursing with this module. You will critically analyse the principles behind therapies such as cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), mindfulness and ecotherapy. You will evaluate the roles of both therapist and client within these interventions, and investigate the relationship between problem formulation and treatment methods. By the end of the module, you will be equipped to understand and apply different therapeutic approaches, enhancing your ability to provide comprehensive mental health care.
  • Developing Mental Health Nursing Skills
    This module is designed to deepen your understanding of advanced mental health practice and specialised areas within the field. You will explore how the therapeutic relationship supports the assessment, planning and implementation of evidence-based mental health interventions. Psychosocial and cultural factors affecting mental health and well-being will be critically examined. Topics include the social and cultural dimensions of mental health, risk management, self-harm, emergencies, and specialised areas such as substance misuse and perinatal mental health.
Year three
  • Clinical Decision Making and Complex Care
    You will focus on consolidating your professional competence in clinical decision making for managing complex care within contemporary health and social care settings. This module will enhance your understanding of providing integrated care across mental, cognitive, behavioural and physical health. You'll learn to synthesise knowledge for delivering safe, effective and person-centred care for individuals with co-morbidities and complex needs. By the end of the module, you'll be equipped with the skills necessary to address the challenges of pharmacology and prepare for a prescribing qualification following registration.
  • Contemporary Issues and Change Management in Professional Practice
    Consolidate your knowledge to enhance service quality in professional practice. This module enables you to critically examine evidence, synthesise it, and build a case for change in your area of practice. You will justify strategies for change with a critical understanding of theories, models and the psychology of change. Topics include literature search techniques, research methodologies drivers for change, change theories, planning and implementing change, the role of change agents, and evaluation of clinical practice through audits and feedback from service users and staff.
  • Public Health
    Explore and evaluate public health and social care agendas and their impacts on individuals, groups and communities. This module equips you to critically discuss health inequalities, analyse the roles of health professionals in public health, and develop skills in data interpretation to address community health needs. Key topics include health concepts, political influences, community empowerment, digital health technology, public health policies, disaster management, genomics, health metrics, and collaborative public health interventions.
  • Leading and Managing Health and Social Care
    This module prepares you to work professionally within an organisation, enabling you to lead and manage care in a dynamic environment. You will explore organisational cultures, leadership and management models, emotional intelligence, communication and relationship-building. Key areas include coaching, supervision, risk assessment, clinical governance, learning from errors and performance management. This module also covers political awareness and the impact of organisational behaviour on care delivery.
  • The Art of Mental Health Nursing
    On this module, you will critically evaluate the influences on mental health from various perspectives, including individual, family, community and societal levels. You will also learn to demonstrate how mental health promotion can improve well-being by addressing protective and risk factors. Additionally, the module will help you appraise and refine your skills in delivering effective mental health-promotion activities. Through an exploration of policy frameworks, social inclusion, advocacy and resilience, you will develop a comprehensive approach to fostering positive mental health across different settings.

Attend an Open Day at Cumbria

An Open Day is your opportunity to explore one of 5 campuses, meet your lecturers, and find out how the University of Cumbria could become your new home.

Take the next step towards achieving your dreams.
A student stands in front of a wall splattered with paint.