Program Overview

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Introduction to Mental Health Nursing with Registered Nurse Status MSc

The Mental Health Nursing with Registered Nurse Status MSc is a pre-registration master's degree that equips students with the knowledge, skills, and professional attributes needed to become a mental health nurse. This two-year program prepares students to care for individuals across the lifespan, from child and adolescent mental health to conditions such as Alzheimer's.

Course Content

The program covers a range of topics, including:

• Professional standards for nurses, midwives, and nursing associates
• Relevant legal, professional regulatory, and ethical frameworks
• Anatomy, physiology, genomics, and behavioral sciences
• Commonly encountered mental health and physical health conditions
• Local and global determinants of mental health
• How to assess patient needs and plan, provide, and evaluate care
• How to provide compassionate, evidence-based, and person-centered nursing care
• How to recognize deteriorating health needs
• Public health principles, including the promotion of good health and prevention of ill health
• Leadership styles and management skills in mental health nursing
• Care planning, delivery, interventions, and referrals for complex healthcare needs
• Collaborative working practices

Accreditation

On successful completion of the course, students are eligible to apply for professional registration with the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) as a mental health nurse. Registration with the NMC is a prerequisite to practice as a mental health nurse in the UK.

Course Structure

The program consists of two years of study, with the following modules:

Year One

• PRINCIPLES OF MENTAL HEALTH NURSING PRACTICE (MNUR700) - 20 credits
• DEVELOPING AND ENHANCING SKILLS FOR PRACTICE (MNUR701) - 20 credits
• LOCAL AND GLOBAL DETERMINANTS OF MENTAL HEALTH (MNUR702) - 20 credits
• RESEARCH FOR PROFESSIONAL PRACTICE (MNUR703) - 20 credits

Year Two

• SKILLS FOR REGISTRATION (MNUR704) - 20 credits
• LEADING IN MENTAL HEALTH NURSING (MNUR705) - 20 credits
• DISSERTATION (MNUR706) - 60 credits

Teaching and Assessment

Students learn through a blend of timetabled lectures, seminars, skills and simulation sessions, individual and group tutorials, and directed study time. Clinical placements complement theoretical study across both years of the course. Assessments include written and numeracy exams, a dissertation, observed practical exams, and assessments on clinical placements.

Career Opportunities

There are many reasons to consider a career in mental health nursing. It offers the chance to make a difference to the lives of individuals, their families, and their carers, and play a vital role in modern healthcare. Graduates can pursue careers in:

• Children and young people's mental health
• Dementia care
• Forensic mental health services
• Substance misuse
• Advanced roles with greater responsibility, such as lecturer practitioner, specialist practitioner, advanced nurse practitioner, consultant nurse, academic lecturer, or academic researcher
• Leadership and management
• PhD-level studies

Fees and Funding

Tuition fees for the academic year 2026/27 are:

• UK fees: ｣9,790 per year (full-time)
• International fees: ｣32,000 per year (full-time) Tuition fees cover the cost of teaching and assessment, operating facilities, and access to academic and personal support.

Scholarships and Bursaries

The University of Liverpool offers a range of scholarships and bursaries to help pay tuition and living expenses, including:

• Graduate Loyalty Scholarship UK: ｣1,500 tuition fee discount
• Bracken Scholarship: ｣5,000 (two awards available per academic year)
• John Lennon Memorial Scholarship: fee discount of up to ｣4,500
• Postgraduate Opportunity Bursary: ｣3,000 off tuition fees
• Sport Liverpool Performance Programme: tailored training support

Entry Requirements

To apply for this course, students should:

• Include a personal statement of no more than 700 words in support of their application
• Have an honors degree in any subject
• Have GCSE English and Mathematics at grade C (4) or equivalent
• Pass an interview, which follows the values-based recruitment (VBR) process
• Pass literacy and mathematics tests, in line with Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) requirements
• Demonstrate competence in the use of English language, unless from a majority English-speaking country
• Meet the recognition of prior (experiential) learning (RP(E)L) requirements, which include 620 theory hours and 570 practice hours

International Qualifications

International students should select their country or region to view specific entry requirements. If they hold a bachelor's degree or equivalent but don't meet the entry requirements, a Pre-Master's can help them gain a place.

English Language Requirements

Students should demonstrate competence in the use of English language, unless they are from a majority English-speaking country. The University of Liverpool accepts a variety of international language tests and country-specific qualifications, including IELTS 7.0 overall, with listening, reading, and speaking at 7.0, and writing at 6.5.