Program Overview

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Social, Emotional and Mental Health Difficulties

Overview

The PG Diploma in Social Emotional and Mental Health (SEMH) Difficulties is delivered by Oxford Brookes University in partnership with the mental health charity SEBDA. This two-year, part-time online Diploma generates 120 master's level credits. You can exit the Diploma after one year with a Post Graduate Certificate in SEMH (60 credits) or go on to study a full master's degree.

Our team includes specialist teachers, authors, psychologists, behaviour support professionals, and SEN advisers - all with expertise in supporting children and young people with mental health needs. The Diploma will enhance your understanding, skills, and expertise of children and young people with social, emotional, and mental health difficulties. You will learn practical, theoretical, and research issues relating to SEMH, which you will relate to your own professional context and practice.

Please note, it is important that you are working with children and/or young people in a professional setting when you undertake the Diploma.

Course Details

Course Structure

Our distance learning Diploma is challenging, interactive, and focused on the effective support for children and young people with SEMH needs. The Diploma is completed across two academic years. A key theme involves the contrast between the ‘social model’ and the ‘medical model’ of understanding SEMH needs. You will be encouraged to reflect on the context in which SEMH needs first emerge within individuals.

After year 1, you can exit the course with the award of PG Cert: Social Emotional Mental Health Difficulties. Most students continue into year 2 where you will reflect on the ecology of SEMH difficulties and begin a critical exploration of complex SEMH needs including childhood trauma, anger management, self-harm, eating disorders, anxiety, and depression.

A research methods module is also included in Year 2 to ensure that you are in a position to access a dissertation year following the Diploma to complete a full MA Education (SEND).

Learning and Teaching

You will study the course online over 2 years part-time.

You'll receive:

• A comprehensive induction programme
• Two and a half virtual study days per year
• A minimum of 2 small group or individual tutorials per semester
• Support from tutors who are experienced practitioners in the field of SEMH.
• Fortnightly structured units of study which include:
  • Guided independent study tasks
  • Audio and video presentations
  • Interactive activities
  • Collaborative working via online discussions
  • Critical reflection.

The course will mostly be delivered asynchronously. This means that you can access the course irrespective of your personal responsibilities, work commitments, learning preferences, or geographical time zone.

Synchronous activities are arranged at times agreed by the students involved or recorded and posted online.

At the end of the first year, you may choose to exit the course with the award of Postgraduate Certificate: Social Emotional Mental Health Difficulties (60 credits).

Assessment

Your assessment for the majority of modules will be a single 4,000-word submission at the end of the Module that will include:

• A written summative assignment (3,000 words)
• A summary of your reflective journal (500 words) and a summary of the online discussion (500 words)

Your assessment will also include your contributions to online discussions with your peers throughout the module and your contributions to your personal reflective journal. Your assessment for the Research Methods and SEMH Module 5, will be a report on the focus group research activity you will have undertaken with adults during the module.

Study Modules

You will study one module per semester.

Taught Modules

Compulsory Modules

• Understanding SEMH Difficulties
• Managing SEMH Difficulties
• Neuroscience and SEMH Difficulties
• Complex Social Emotional and Mental Health Difficulties
• Research Methods and SEMH
• Advanced Intervention Social Emotional and Mental Health Difficulties

Research

The School of Education, Humanities and Languages is a thriving centre for educational research and teacher professional development.

We hold two major research conferences each year - the School of Education Research Conference and the EdD Colloquium. All students are invited to attend our annual Research Seminar Series (which attracts both internal and external speakers).

The School’s six research groups exist to encourage engagement in research, publication, conference presentations, seminars, and workshops:

• Inclusion and Wellbeing
• Policy, Partnership and Leadership
• STEAM pedagogy and learning
• Humanistic Perspectives on Education
• Early Years
• Applied Linguistics

Careers

By completing this course, you will have demonstrated a professional interest and commitment to this important area of Social Emotional and Mental Health difficulties (SEMH). You will have gained a qualification that builds your expertise and professional knowledge. It will support your career progression in the field of SEMH and it may also open up new opportunities for you to explore.

Below are graduate examples of career advancement in the field of SEMH needs:

• Support staff participating in strategic development groups
• Promotion of mainstream staff to SEMH roles within mainstream settings
• Mainstream staff securing posts in specialist provision
• Promotion of course graduates to headships of specialist provisions
• Graduates have secured roles in advisory services or gained promotion to advisory services.

Entry Requirements

Specific Entry Requirements

Students must normally hold a degree qualification at 2.2 or above and must be working in a relevant setting where they will be working with children and/or young people with SEMH difficulties as part of their practice.

Students who do not hold a 2.2 degree may be accepted on the course following an assessment of prior experiential learning.

English Language Requirements

Please see the University's standard English language requirements.

Tuition Fees

2025/26

• Home (UK) distance learning: £1,200 per single module
• International distance learning: £1,200 per single module

2026/27

• Home (UK) distance learning: £1,235 per single module
• International distance learning: £1,235 per single module

Funding Your Studies

Financial Support and Scholarships

Featured funding opportunities available for this course.

All Financial Support and Scholarships

View all funding opportunities for this course

Additional Costs

Please be aware that some courses will involve some additional costs that are not covered by your fees. Specific additional costs for this course are detailed below.

Optional Costs

• It’s your responsibility to cover print/binding costs where coursework submission is required. Please note that a lot of the coursework is now submitted online. (£30)
• You may choose to purchase books to support your studies. Many books on our reading lists are available via the Library, or can be purchased second-hand. (£20-60 per book)
• Accommodation fees in Brookes Letting (most do not include bills) (£94-265 per week)
• Accommodation fees in university halls (bills included, excluding laundry costs) (£122-180 per week)
• Graduation costs include tickets, gowning, and photography. Gowns are not compulsory but typically students do hire robes, starting at £41. (£0-200)
• Students are responsible for their own travel to and from university for classes. For the 2025/26 academic year, the University is introducing an alternative subsidised travel offer for all students with further information on our Travel webpages. (From £10)