Program Overview

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Nursing Mental Health BN (Hons)

Overview

Empathy, compassion, commitment – become a Mental Health Nurse with our BN (Hons) Nursing (Mental Health) degree and make a positive difference to people’s lives every day.

On this course developed and delivered with local NHS partners, you’ll benefit from extensive time spent working with patients in real healthcare settings, building key skills in mental health assessment and care.

Key Information

UCAS Code:

B760/Non-UCAS

Typical Offer:

112-120 UCAS points to include a minimum of 2 A levels, or equivalent, with 32 UCAS points from a Science or Social Science subject

Study Mode and Duration:

• 3 years full-time

Start Date:

• September 2025

Course Information

Overview

Become a registered mental health nurse through simulated practice and clinical placements with patients on this NMC-approved degree.

Course Highlights

• Explore what mental health nurses do and work on communication with simulated patients in our Centre for Simulation in Health and Care, one of the country’s leading teaching healthcare environments
• Observe, assess and engage with patients in professional and local community environments
• Study a nursing course approved by the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC)
• Be eligible to register with the NMC as a mental health nurse on graduation

Access Extra Funding for Your Nursing Degree

Receive additional funding through the NHS Learning Support Fund bursary.

UK students on this course may be eligible for additional funding of at least £5,000 a year.

Approved by:

This course has been approved by the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC), meaning the course meets the standards of education, training, conduct and performance required for nurses in the UK.

Entry Requirements

BN (Hons) Nursing Mental Health Entry Requirements

• A levels - BBB-BBC
• UCAS points - 112-120 points to include a minimum of 2 A levels, or equivalent, with 32 points from a Science or Social Science subject.
• T-levels - Merit. Acceptable T Level Subjects: T Level in Health (Acceptable Occupational Specialisms: Supporting the adult nursing team, Supporting the mental health team), T Level in Healthcare Science (Acceptable Occupational Specialisms: Assisting with healthcare science), T Level in Science (Acceptable Occupational Specialisms: Laboratory sciences, Metrology sciences)
• BTECs (Extended Diplomas) - DDM-DMM
• International Baccalaureate - 25

You may need to have studied specific subjects – find full entry requirements and other qualifications we accept.

Selection Process

• All shortlisted applicants will be invited to attend an interview in support of their application.
• If successful, applicants will be required to declare if they have been subject to any disciplinary procedures of fitness to practice by any other regulator, professional body, employer or educational establishment.
• Applicants must pass Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) and Occupational Health checks before starting the course.

English Language Requirements

• English language proficiency at a minimum of IELTS band 7.0 with a minimum component score of 7.0 in reading, listening and speaking, and 6.5 in writing.

See alternative English language qualifications.

We also accept other standard English tests and qualifications, as long as they meet the minimum requirements of your course.

If you don't meet the English language requirements yet, you can achieve the level you need by successfully completing a pre-sessional English programme before you start your course.

Careers and Opportunities

Mental Health Nursing plays an important role in healthcare and the need for mental health services is growing.

The NHS is seeking 27,000 people to join the mental health sector by 2023/24, and the coronavirus pandemic is likely to mean even more people need mental health support moving forward.

Providing Care That Changes Lives

On this Mental Health Nursing degree, you'll discover how to become an effective mental health nurse and develop the skills, confidence and understanding to support people in need. You'll learn how to make difficult decisions based on evidence and build the fundamental skills needed for personal nursing care.

You'll be ready to start a challenging yet hugely rewarding career by becoming a mental health nurse, and you can choose to work with people from certain age and vulnerability groups, such as Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS), or Older People’s Mental Health (OPMH). With experience, you could work in GP liaison, nurse education, or leadership and management.

NMC Registration

When you graduate, you'll be eligible to apply for registration with the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC), which allows you to work as a Registered Nurse in the UK.

Potential Salary

As an NHS nurse in 2021, you could expect a starting salary of £25,655 moving up to £31,534 (Band 5).

With more experience as a senior mental health nurse, you could earn from £32,306 to £39,027 (Band 6) and with a role in management or consultancy, you could make up to £90,387 (Band 8d).

What Jobs Can You Do With a Nursing (Mental Health) Degree?

Once you graduate, you'll be ready to start your mental health nursing career and take on a mental health nurse role within a variety of settings, including:

• Adult Mental Health (AMH)
• Older People's Mental Health (OPMH)
• Community Mental Health
• Crisis Mental Health
• Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS)
• Assessment and Recovery

With more experience, you could then develop your mental health nursing career further and move into roles such as:

• Practice educator
• Specialist practitioner
• Advanced clinical practitioner
• Crisis team leader
• Clinical researcher
• Leadership and management
• Nurse education
• Nurse prescriber
• GP liaison

Clinical Placements

You'll spend a large amount of time on this course in clinical practice placements. These placements give you practical experience in caring for people with acute and long-term physical and mental health conditions of all kinds, in many settings. Together with our partner trusts, we'll develop you into a confident, independent, adaptable and professional Mental Health Nurse.

Placement Destinations

Our placement partners include Solent NHS Trust, Southern Health, Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust, Sussex Community NHS Foundation Trust, Inclusion (Sub-Misuse), and Liaison and Diversion (Custody).

Recent students have completed placements that link theory to practice in the following areas:

• community mental health services
• dementia and older persons services
• urgent treatment/care – such as crisis resolution home treatment teams (CRHTT)
• inpatient settings
• acute mental health units
• forensic inpatient units
• children and young people’s mental health services
• early intervention services (EIS)
• perinatal mental health services

Modules

Each module on this course is worth a certain number of credits.

You'll need to study modules worth a total of 120 credits in each year. For example, 4 modules worth 20 credits and 1 module worth 40 credits.

Year 1

• Foundation of Evidence Based Practice - 20 credits
• Foundations of Nursing Professional Practice - 40 credits
• Personalising Nursing Care - 20 credits
• Science Informing Practice - 40 credits

Year 2

• Applied Nursing Professional Practice - 40 credits
• Engaging With Service Improvement - 20 credits
• Essentials of Mental Health Assessment - 20 credits
• Evidence Based Decision Making - 20 credits
• Person Centred Recovery - 20 credits

Year 3

• Collaboration for Mental Health - 20 credits
• Enhancing Professional Nursing Practice - 60 credits
• Leading Safe and Effective Care - 20 credits
• Service Improvement Project - 20 credits

Teaching

Teaching methods on this course include:

• lectures
• independent study
• workplace simulation

How You'll Spend Your Time

One of the main differences between school or college and university is how much control you have over your learning.

We use a blended learning approach to teaching, which means you’ll take part in both face-to-face and online activities during your studies. As well as attending your timetabled classes you'll study independently in your free time, supported by staff and our virtual learning environment, Moodle.

Supporting You

The amount of timetabled teaching you'll get on your degree might be less than what you're used to at school or college, but you'll also get support via video, phone and face-to-face from teaching and support staff to enhance your learning experience and help you succeed. You can build your personalised network of support from the following people and services:

• Personal tutor
• Learning support tutors
• Academic skills support
• Wellbeing and mental health support
• Disability advice and additional support
• Library support
• Support with English

Course Costs and Funding

Tuition Fees

• Full-time UK/Channel Islands and Isle of Man students – £9,535 a year (may be subject to annual increase)

This course isn't currently open to International and EU students.

Additional Funding for Your Nursing Degree – at Least £5,000 a Year

As a student on this course, you may be eligible for extra funding for your nursing degree through the NHS Learning Support Fund. The bursary is non-repayable and is in addition to any other support you are eligible for, including Government student loans.

Additional Course Costs

These course-related costs aren’t included in the tuition fees. So you’ll need to budget for them when you plan your spending.

• Accommodation and living costs
• Recommended reading
• General costs
• Final year project
• Replacement uniforms and footwear
• Clinical items
• Travel costs
• Optional placement

Apply

How to Apply

To start this course full-time in 2025, apply through UCAS. You'll need:

• the UCAS course code – B760
• our institution code – P80

Apply now through UCAS

You can also sign up to an Open Day to:

• Tour our campus, facilities and halls of residence
• Speak with lecturers and chat with our students
• Get information about where to live, how to fund your studies and which clubs and societies to join

If you're new to the application process, read our guide on applying for an undergraduate course.

Common Questions

What is Mental Health Nursing?

Mental health nursing involves working with and supporting people with mental health conditions.

Mental Health Nurses are able to use a wide range of nursing skills in the assessment, care planning and delivery of both physical and mental health care needs.

What Do Mental Health Nurses Do?

The role of a mental health nurse includes caring for and building positive relationships with patients, their families and carers, focusing on recovery and helping patients to live fuller and more independent lives.

Mental Health Nurses work as an integral part of the multi-disciplinary team to provide holistic (biopsychosocial) care for patients and service users within a range of environments and across all age ranges – from pregnancy to end of life care.

How Do I Become a Mental Health Nurse?

The main route to become a Mental Health Nurse is by completing a Mental Health Nursing course at a University.

At Portsmouth, our Nursing courses have been co-created with our NHS Trust partners and service user groups to ensure that your studies reflect the needs of both the community and local employers.