Intro

As a mental health nurse you'll work with people experiencing a wide range of mental experiences and distress. You'll build effective relationships with both service users and their relatives and carers.

On our mental health nursing degree you'll have placements in a variety of settings, and simulation at university to ensure you can confidently apply theory to practice.

You’ll share at least one module with students from other nursing fields, and some sessions with other disciplines. 

Graduates are eligible to apply for registration as a nurse with the NMC and are guaranteed a job with Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust.

Key facts

Location 91快活林: Falmer

UCAS code B760

Full-time 3 years

This course meets the NMC 2018 education standards and course graduates are eligible for registration

Successful graduates from this course are guaranteed a job with Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust.

This course is open to UK applicants only

What are my next steps?

Entry criteria

Entry requirements

UCAS tariff
112 points.

A-levels
BBC, must include a science or social science subject at grade B.

BTEC
DMM in a health or science subject. 

International Baccalaureate
28 overall with three subjects at Higher level.

Access to HE Diploma
pass with 60 credits overall. Health studies, nursing or science. At least 45 credits at level 3, with 18 credits at distinction and 27 credits at merit or above.

T-level
Merit in the Health, Healthcare Science or Science T-level. Other T-levels are not accepted.

GCSE (minimum grade C or grade 4)

  • with Access course – maths and English.
  • with A-levels, BTEC or K101 – at least three GCSEs including maths and English.

Functional Skills 2 will be accepted in lieu of GCSE English and maths.

If you do not have the required GCSEs, find out which equivalent qualifications we accept instead.

A wide range of other qualifications will be considered on an individual basis, eg Open University K101 and K102.

For all nursing courses leading to registration with the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) as a nurse, you must demonstrate the following:

  • completion of 10 years' general education
  • successful completion of literacy and numeracy assessments during the interview process
  • evidence of study within the last five years is desirable
  • evidence of commitment to the profession
  • passing of occupational health and Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) checks
  • ability to meet travel requirements to attend placements
  • ability to follow a shift pattern that could cover any part of a 24-hour 7-day cycle.

Foundation degree 
Successful completion of our  Health and Social Care Practice foundation degree with 120 credits at level 5 may enable you to start in year 2 of Nursing (Mental Health) degree.

Age requirement
Applicants must be aged 18 or over on the day the course begins.

Studied before or got relevant experience?
A qualification, HE credits or relevant experience may count towards your course at 91快活林, and could mean that you do not have to take some elements of the course or can start in year 2.

Candidates are advised that places for entry into year 2 of this course are very limited. We normally welcome these applications but high demand for all nursing courses will restrict availability. 

Interviews
Students successful at the application stage will be invited to attend an online interview. We hold several interview days each year - our next available interview dates are:

  • 16 May 2024
  • 26 June 2024

We embrace diversity and welcome applicants from all backgrounds, including those who form part of minority groups.

Contextual admissions

When you apply to 91快活林 we want to hear about who you are. Grades are never the whole picture; we're interested in things like creativity, resourcefulness, persistence and the capacity to think big and find new ways of doing things. And we recognise that not everyone has the same background. That's why we treat everyone who applies as an individual. We recognise many qualifications and we care about all of your achievements and the experiences you've had that set you apart.

Find out more about contextual admissions.

Graphic with the text 'Potential + possibility'

Course content

Top reasons to choose this course

  • Accredited by the Nursing and Midwifery Council.

  • A guaranteed job with Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust at graduation.

  • You’ll share some learning with other nursing fields and other disciplines, allowing you to benefit from intraprofessional collaboration.

  • Benefit from practising nursing skills under supervision in an environment that simulates nurses’ real-life professional experiences.

  • 100% of graduates in work or further study 15 months after their degree, 100% of working graduates in highly skilled work as nursing professionals – Graduate Outcomes Survey.

  • Non-repayable grant of at least £6,000 each academic year.

  • 91快活林 is in the UK top 25% for graduate earnings in nursing and midwifery, three years after graduating – Longitudinal Education Outcomes 2022.

  • Support throughout your degree from our student-run .

man and woman chatting at a desk

Course structure

You’ll share at least one module with students from other nursing fields, and some sessions with other disciplines, allowing you to benefit from intraprofessional collaboration. You will also benefit from service users contributing to your learning through shared stories and membership of the .

In each year of the degree, you will engage with both theory and practice learning. The degree alternates between academic terms and blocks of practice. Theory sessions in academic terms take place at the university. You will attend Monday to Friday with independent study days. Practice placement blocks are 37.5 hours per week and between five and 14 weeks long.

You will be supported to pro-actively engage with your learning through self-assessment, peer assessment, problem-based approaches, blended learning technologies, practice-based learning, group work and reflective practice groups. The promotion of lifelong learning is a core value of the course with social learning practices are actively encouraged.

As a student on this course you’ll also get to participate in - hour-long sessions where students come together to listen to stories and share reflections in a supportive and confidential environment. The sessions offer the opportunity to reflect on the emotional aspects of clinical practice and are designed to support students and recent graduates working in complex settings.

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Making sure that what you learn with us is relevant, up to date and what employers are looking for is our priority, so courses are reviewed and enhanced on an ongoing basis. When you have applied to us, you’ll be told about any new developments through .

Areas of study

Our mental health nursing students learn to promote personal recovery and physical health using the head (knowledge, critical thought and enquiry), the heart (emotion and attunement) and hand (the practice of nursing) through attention to therapeutic relationship with service users, families and carers.

The course acknowledges the socio-political and cultural context for people and so works to build social capital and towards social justice. Learning is constructed through commitment and attention to scientific endeavour using an evidence base, whilst valuing dialogue, reading, enquiry, curiosity, and critical thinking.

Our course content is co-constructed with service users, our practice partners, other students, lecturers, and the wider academic community.

It is important to nurture an environment where students feel safe to ask questions, safe to contribute and safe to challenge the status quo.

We promote inclusivity and respect diversity through considering mental health and illness across the lifespan and intersections of age, gender, gender assignment, sex, sexual orientation, ethnicity, race, disability, neurodiversity, religious beliefs, spirituality and relationship status.

Using both critical reflection and reflexivity you'll be encouraged to explore a range of theoretical positions such as biomedicine, recovery and trauma informed approaches, anti-oppressive practices, de-colonisation, peer support, service user movement, psychological theories, an inequalities imagination, feminist, poststructuralist and critical social theories.

Recognising that patients come first in everything the NHS does, and the values of the NHS constitution – respect, dignity, compassion and working together for service users – are embedded in our curriculum.

Year 1

In year 1 you will explore the nature of nursing and the understanding of 'self', developing clinical and communication skills which are assessed in both the university and practice settings.

You may also take part in the Alzheimer's Society's award-winning , following a family's dementia journey over an 18-month period.

Modules

  • Nursing Assessment in Partnership with People

    This module will enable you to undertake a holistic nursing assessment of a person in terms of their mental, physical, social and spiritual needs. You’ll learn the importance of completing an assessment in partnership with the person, taking into account their circumstances, characteristics and preferences.

    You will also gain an understanding of the role of the nurse in assessing the person’s needs as a member of the multi-disciplinary team (MDT).

  • Planning Nursing Care in Partnership with People

    This module will enable you to plan nursing care based on the information gained from a holistic nursing assessment. You’ll learn the importance of identifying priorities in the mental, physical, social and spiritual needs of the person and formulating a plan of care in partnership with the person and the multi-disciplinary team (MDT).

  • Human Biology for Nursing

    This module will enable you to explore human biology in relation to the health, well-being and illness of a person across the lifespan. You’ll develop an understanding of how human biology and altered physiology underpins your developing nursing practice.

  • Practice Learning for Nursing Year 1

    This practice assessment of the course is divided into three parts. This module comprises part one, which will enable you to begin developing the knowledge, skills and values required for nursing practice.

    You will integrate learning from your placement and at university in order to meet the Future Nurse: Standards of proficiency for registered nurses (Nursing and Midwifery Council [NMC] 2018).

mental health nursing student in a simulation exercise

Year 2

You will continue to build your professional practice skills and knowledge of 'self' in relation to others across different mental health settings.

Year 2 explores different theories and concepts that underpin mental health nursing practice that include biological, humanistic approaches, social and psychological theories and their impact on the service user and carer experience. The contribution of theories and concepts to Future Nurse (NMC 2018) standards and current mental health nursing practice is also explored.

Study will also look at long-term conditions, mental health and health promotion with a practice module offering opportunities for service user-led sessions, mental health care planning and safety planning simulations.

Modules

  • Quality Improvement Using Evidence-Based Nursing Practice
  • Nursing to Promote Health and Prevent Illness
  • Approaches to Nursing Adults with Long-term Health Conditions
  • Key Theories and Concepts Underpinning Mental Health Nursing
  • Practice Learning for Mental Health Nursing Year 2
Nursing students with lecturer

Final year

In the final year you will continue to specialise in the field of mental health nursing and will focus on the ‘self’ in relation to supporting more complex service user needs, as well as gaining an understanding of clinical supervision, working in groups and organisational cultures.

You will explore and apply a range of therapeutic approaches and undertake experiential learning in mindfulness, compassionate mind training, motivational interviewing, immersive dementia simulations, working with distressed behaviours, advanced care planning and safety planning. You will also build on management and leadership skills as you prepare to enter professional practice.

Modules

  • Contemporary and Future Nursing Practice
  • Leading and Managing Nursing Care and Effective Teams
  • Therapeutic Interventions in Mental Health Nursing
  • Enhanced Practice in Mental Health Nursing
  • Practice Learning for Mental Health Nursing Year 3
lecturer chatting with student

Facilities

The course compliments theoretical learning with simulated mental health practices and our clinical skills and simulation rooms provide an invaluable tool for assessment and monitoring your progress throughout your studies.

You will benefit from practising nursing skills in an environment that simulates nurses’ real-life professional experiences under supervision, so you can apply your knowledge and skills in professional practice with confidence.

Mental health nursing specific simulation experiences include:

  • medicines management
  • injection technique
  • physical measurement
  • assessment and care planning
  • integrated approach to counselling
  • compassionate mind training (experiential learning)
  • mental health safety planning / risk assessment
  • immersive dementia experience
  • working with distressed behaviours
  • advanced interpersonal skills
  • group projects (simulation of developing nurse led interventions)
  • choice of therapeutic approaches including motivational interviewing, solution focused, cognitive and behavioural interventions simulations.

Placements and practice learning

Our flexible approach to practice-based learning, and excellent links with local healthcare Trusts, enable us to offer clinical practice in hospital and community settings, working alongside multi-professional teams.

You will complete 2,300 hours of practice-related activities over the course of your degree which includes approximately 20 weeks each year in practice placements across Surrey, Sussex and Kent.

Practice placements are 37.5 hours per week, and you will be supported by a Practice Supervisor and Practice Assessor. 

Clinical placements include community teams who work with mental health recovery, in-patient mental health services, older adults both in the community and on inpatient wards and in Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS).

You may also gain some placement experiences in other services such as substance misuse, forensic services, police liaison and diversion, A+E liaison and prison healthcare. There is also the possibility of a quality improvement/ research placement and a two to four week international placement.

It is currently possible to claim back excess travel costs - this is reviewed each year by the NHS.

A day on placement can be between 07:00 and 22:00, and includes some weekends and some nights.

Nursing placements map

Supporting you

You will receive lots of support throughout your mental health nursing degree. During your degree you'll have access to: 

  • academic assessor
  • personal tutor
  • practice liaison lecturers
  • practice supervisors and practice assessors in clinical practice
  • academic assessors 
  • peer learning
  • student support and guidance
  • welfare.

Nursing Society
Our student-run provides support for all nursing students at every stage of their degree.

The society facilitates group learning and extracurricular lectures from speakers across the multidisciplinary team.

Study abroad

We are committed to providing a global perspective to nursing and midwifery education.

Nursing students currently have opportunities to participate in an international placement in year 2 or 3. 

The experience is two to four weeks long and is managed by different reputable organisations in collaboration with the student.

International placements are only with partners with which we have an agreement – this ensures a good quality learning opportunity and safe experience.

Meet the team

, Joint Course Leader

John has clinical experience in a variety of mental health settings including psychiatric intensive care (PICU) and older adult in-patient services in London and 91快活林.

Between 2003 and 2014 he worked supporting nurse mentors and students in clinical practice across adult, child and mental health fields. From 2014 he was the Education Lead for a Community NHS Trust providing adult/ child services. John joined the University of 91快活林 in 2016 as a Senior Lecturer.

His main areas of focus in the university are dementia, ethics, psychosocial studies and leadership. He is also the Time for Dementia Lead in year 1 and 2 of the nursing course in partnership with the Alzheimer’s Society, enabling students to gain perspectives of both the person living with ​dementia and their carer​ on the impact the dementia is having on their personal and social wellbeing.

In 2022 he took on the role of Admission Tutor for Mental health student nurse recruitment and has been Joint Course Leader for Mental health nursing since Feb 2024.

, Joint Course Leader

Jamie is a senior lecturer in Mental Health Nursing at the University of 91快活林 and he is a Registered Mental Health Nurse. He trained in Keele University, Stoke-on-Trent and has experience of nearly 18 years working in various roles in the National Health (NHS) Service before becoming a lecturer.

Jamie has experience working in crisis mental health; adult and older people in-patients and mental health liaison and home treatment teams. He has an interest in people development and as a clinician was at the forefront of teaching learners in the clinical area and in the local universities as well as working in partnership with others to identify the most effective and meaningful forms of support.

He promotes innovative and creative way to enhance learning. Jamie has been Joint Course Leader for Mental health nursing since Feb 2024.

John Krohne

More about this subject at 91快活林

Careers

The Nursing (Mental Health) BSc(Hons) degree at 91快活林 comes with a guaranteed offer of NHS employment.

(SPFT) will offer all graduates of the degree a job once registered with the Nursing and Midwifery Council. 

SPFT is the seventh largest health facility in the country and our main local placement provider.  It looks after a population of more than 1.7 million people and offers graduates a . 

 

Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust logo

Your degree will prepare you to tailor individual care for people with a range of mental health and physical health needs which can lead into a variety of specialist and non-specialist mental health careers.

This could include:

  • delivering care for people in crisis and longer-term care through inpatient and community teams
  • working in forensic services such as in police liaison and diversion teams
  • older adult and dementia services
  • working with children and young people
  • substance misuse services
  • supporting those living with eating distress.

Fees and costs

Course fees

UK (full-time) 9,250 GBP

Additional funding support

UK students studying nursing, midwifery and some allied health professions subjects receive a non-repayable grant of at least £5,000 each academic year. Find out more on the .

Fee information for this course for 2025 entry will be updated here no later than December 2024.

The fees listed here are for the first year of full-time study if you start your course in the academic year 2024–25.

You will pay fees for each year of your course. Some fees may increase each year.

UK undergraduate and some postgraduate fees are regulated by the UK government and increases will not be more than the maximum amount allowed. Course fees that are not regulated may increase each year by up to 5% or RPI (whichever is higher).

If you are studying part-time your fee will usually be calculated based on the number of modules that you take.

Find out more

What's included

Here you’ll find details of specific resources and services that are included in the tuition fee for our nursing and midwifery students. To help you to budget for your studies, there is also information on any additional costs that you may have to pay or can choose to pay in addition to your tuition fee.

Find out how tuition fees enable us to support all of our students with important services, facilities and resources across the university and check out our finance pages for info about fees, funding and scholarships along with advice on international and island fee-paying status.

You can chat with our enquiries team if you have a question or need more information.

What's included in your tuition fee

  • An initial set of specialist uniforms.
  • DBS checks and occupational health checks.
  • Where health course includes a placement: UK students – travel costs which are over and above your daily journey to university and dual accommodation costs may be reimbursed by .
  • Course books, magazines and journals are available in the university libraries. You do not need to have your own copies. See the for an up-to-date list of key subject journals and databases.
  • You will have access to computers and necessary software on campus – and can borrow a laptop from us if yours is broken or you don’t have a computer at home. Specialist equipment is provided to cover essential learning.

Additional course costs

  • Where health course includes a placement: Overseas students are not covered by the NHS learning support fund. This means that any additional travel or accommodation costs for this course will be your responsibility. Travel to placement may be up to 90 mins each way/travel on public transport at peak time cost, and you may incur additional accommodation and living costs if staying away from your usual home base for the length of your placement.
  • You’ll need to budget for printing and stationery for personal study, and books if you decide to buy your own.   
  • In most cases coursework submissions are electronic but you may wish to print notes which would involve an extra cost.   
  • Many students choose to buy their own hardware, software and accessories. The amount spent will depend on your individual choices, but this expenditure is not essential to pass any of our courses.

Location and student life

Campus where this course is taught

Falmer campus

Set in the South Downs, our Falmer campus is around four miles from 91快活林 city centre. Students based here study a range of subjects including education studies, teaching, sport and exercise, nursing and midwifery, allied health professions and medicine. 91快活林 and Hove Albion's Amex stadium and beautiful Stanmer Park are right next door.

Falmer campus has two halls of residence on site, as well as a library, restaurant, cafes and the students' union shop and bar.

The campus has extensive sport and leisure facilities including a fitness suite, swimming pool, outdoor grass football and rugby pitches, sports hall, tennis and badminton courts, and dance and spin studios.

Specialist learning facilities at Falmer include the curriculum centre used by teaching and education students, which houses over 30,000 teaching resources, clinical skills and simulation suites used by health students, and labs and a strength and conditioning suite used by sport students. We’ve recently redeveloped the Falmer campus - learn more about the many facilities our students have access to.

Cycle lanes link Falmer with our other campuses and the city centre. There are regular bus services to the city centre and other campuses. Falmer train station is right next to campus and a nine-minute journey to central 91快活林.

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Accommodation

We guarantee an offer of a place in halls of residence to all eligible students. So if you applied for halls by the deadline you are guaranteed a room in our halls of residence.

91快活林: Falmer

Halls of residence
We have self-catered halls on all our campuses, within minutes of your classes, and other options that are very nearby.

  • You can apply for any of our halls, but the options closest to your study location are:
    • Paddock Field and Great Wilkins halls offer a range of rooms on our Falmer campus, minutes from your classes, and on the edge of the South Downs.
    • Varley Park is a popular dedicated halls site, offering a mix of rooms and bathroom options at different prices. It is around two miles from Falmer campus and four miles from the city centre, and is easy to get to by bus.

Want to live independently? We can help – find out more about private renting.

Outside views at Falmer accommodation

Outside views at Falmer accommodation

student outside the sport and health complex at Falmer

Extensive facilities at Falmer sports centre

Students dining at Westlain

Students dining at Westlain

Local area

About 91快活林

The University of 91快活林 is at the heart of our city's reputation as a welcoming, forward-thinking place which leads the way when it comes to the arts, music, sustainability and creative technology. 91快活林 is home to a thriving creative community and a digital sector worth £1bn a year to the local economy, as much as tourism.

Many of the work-based learning opportunities offered on our courses such as placements and guest lectures are provided by businesses and organisations based in the city.

You can also get involved with city festivals and events such as the 91快活林 Festival, the Fringe, 91快活林 Digital Festival, 91快活林 Science Festival, the London to 91快活林 bike ride, and the Great Escape festival of new music to name but a few. Other annual highlights include Pride, the 91快活林 Marathon, and Burning the Clocks which marks the winter solstice.

You'll find living in 91快活林 enriches your learning experience and by the end of your course you will still be finding new things to explore and inspire you.

It's only 50 minutes by train from 91快活林 to central London and there are daily direct trains to Bristol, Bedford, Cambridge, Gatwick Airport, Portsmouth and Southampton.

Map showing distance to London from 91快活林
91快活林 Beach sunset

Maps

Falmer campus

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Support and wellbeing

Your course team

Your personal academic tutor, course leader and other tutors are all there to help you with your personal and academic progress. You'll also have a student support and guidance tutor (SSGT) who can help with everything from homesickness, managing stress or accommodation issues.

Your academic skills

Our 91快活林 Student Skills Hub gives you extra support and resources to develop the skills you'll need for university study, whatever your level of experience so far.

Your mental health and wellbeing

As well as being supported to succeed, we want you to feel good too. You'll be part of a community that builds you up, with lots of ways to connect with one another, as well having access to dedicated experts if you need them. Find out more about how we support your wellbeing.

Sport at 91快活林

Sport 91快活林

Sport 91快活林 brings together our sport and recreation services. As a 91快活林 student you'll have use of sport and fitness facilities across all our campuses and there are opportunities to play for fun, fitness or take part in serious competition. 

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Sports scholarships

Our sports scholarship scheme is designed to help students develop their full sporting potential to train and compete at the highest level. We offer scholarships for elite athletes, elite disabled athletes and talented sports performers.

Find out more about sport scholarships.

Students playing frisbee

Meet our students  

Jo Complin

"I had reached a point in my life where I wanted to spend the majority of my time doing something that I felt was worthwhile, something that was people-orientated and not about making money. I also wanted a career with variety, where I would constantly be learning new things and have opportunities for professional progress as well as personal development. Nursing fulfils these criteria and lots more besides.

"I love being on placement, where I can start putting the theory into practice by actually getting involved in procedures and helping the patients; even as a student you can really make a positive difference to someone's day. I have also made some great friends and contacts."

Jo Complin

Sabrina Barnes 

"I was lucky enough to spend two weeks in Kathmandu, Nepal on placement  in three different paediatric wards; general medicine and surgery, neonatal intensive care and paediatric intensive care. In this time, I was able to learn how different the Nepali culture was and both the differences and similarities between nursing in Nepal and the UK.

"I was also able to learn a lot about myself and my own nursing practice and share some of my experiences with the Nepali nurses. I had never travelled alone before so even before I got to Nepal, I had done something new and when I got there, I was able to meet lots of other nurses doing exchange placements from across the world. This enabled me to learn about other people’s experiences of healthcare and I also met friends that I went travelling with recently to Pokhara, Nepal.

"My experience in Nepal taught me a lot about family centred care and I have been able to take this in with my nursing practice as a qualified nurse. In particular my time on the intensive care unit in combination with my second year placement on HDU, inspired the title of my dissertation, which had a focus on supporting family involvement in intensive care environments."

Sabrina Barnes in Nepal

Steve Smith

"Without doubt, I'd say the best aspect of the course has been the university staff – they have been unfailingly helpful, informative and wise.

"I'm truly enjoying the course, although speaking as a very, very mature student, it has been really tough. 

"Throughout much of the second year we received direct input from service users; some of the stories these people brought to us will stay with me forever."

Steve Smith

Stay in touch

Ask a question about this course

If you have a question about this course, our enquiries team will be happy to help.

01273 644644

 

Statistics

Find out more about how the academic year and degree courses are organised, and about learning and assessment activities you might get to grips with at 91快活林. More specific information about this course is detailed in the programme specification (linked below). You can find out also about the support we offer to help you adjust to university life.

Course and module descriptions on this page were accurate when first published and are the basis of the course. Detailed information on any changes we make to modules and learning and assessment activities will be sent to all students by email before enrolment, so that you have all the information before you come to 91快活林.

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Course specification

Course specifications are the approved description of each course. They contain a breakdown of the content and structure of the course, learning outcomes and assessment. Course specs are updated following course changes.

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