Intro

This intensive level 7 course is for qualified social workers, mental health and learning disabilities nurses, occupational therapists and psychologists who are currently working in mental health or related services.

If you successfully complete the course, you will be eligible to apply to a local authority for approval to practice as an Approved Mental Health Professional (AMHP). This is a specific role that is legally defined under the Mental Health Act 1983. AMHPs lead on organising statutory mental health assessments under this act, contribute to assessments alongside medical colleagues and are independently responsible for deciding whether to admit an individual for compulsory assessment or hospital treatment.

The course operates in partnership with local authorities including Brighton & Hove, East Sussex, West Sussex, Surrey and Southampton, who support and fund students to attend the course. Applicants from other local authorities or NHS mental health trusts are also welcome. Independent applicants (students who are not funded by their employing body) are welcome to apply but at the point of application you must have a written agreement from a local authority or NHS trust agreeing to provide, support and assess your practice placement.

Find out about postgraduate events

Key facts

Location Moulsecoomb

Full-time 6 months, January to June
Part-time 2 years

This programme is approved by Social Work England

Entry criteria

Entry requirements

Applicants must normally:

have a first degree or demonstrate ability to study at level 7
hold a recognised professional qualification in social work, nursing, occupational therapy or psychology
have current registration with the appropriate professional statutory body (Social Work England, Nursing & Midwifery Council, Health and Care Professions Council) as either a social worker, a mental health and learning disabilities nurse, an occupational therapist or a psychologist
be engaged in complex professional practice in mental health services for a minimum of 15 hours per week
Either be nominated by a local authority or other employer who will facilitate relevant, required practice, supervision and assessment of practice to meet course assessment requirements; or (if an independent practitioner) have a written agreement before the start of the course from a local authority or health trust who, within the organisation, will provide the practice, supervision and assessment of practice by a suitably qualified and experienced person as agreed by the course team.

Please note

All applicants are required to attend an interview as part of the admissions process.
Recognition of prior learning (RPL) will be considered in line with our RPL regulations.

Course content

Course structure

If you are studying full-time, the course runs for approximately six months, from early January to early June. If you are studying part-time, the course is spread over two years. Your time on the course is divided between university-based teaching sessions together with at least 40 days in a practice placement setting.

University teaching typically takes the form of workshop-style lectures which offer you the opportunity to take an active role in your learning whilst working closely with other students. These are facilitated by academic staff or sometimes by practising AMHPs or other professionals. Mental Health Experts by Experience also contribute to the course.

Teaching consists of four mandatory modules. These are designed to equip you with the knowledge necessary for the AMHP role (including legislation, theory and different ways of conceptualising mental distress) and the essential skills required (including criticality, reflection and self-directed practice).

Regular reflective practice groups are built into the timetable in order to support you in making links between your practice placement and your university learning. You will also be assigned a tutor to support you with your development on the course.

Placements

Placements form an important part of the learning and teaching experience. Through these, you will be supported to get hands-on experience of the AMHP role in all its complexity. These placements are based within local authority or NHS mental health trust settings, alongside qualified, practising AMHPs.

They are arranged before the course begins by your employing local authority in partnership with the course team. If you are an independent student (a student who is not funded by their employing body), you must have a written agreement – at the point of application – from a local authority or NHS mental health trust confirming they will provide you with a suitable placement and support and assess your practice.

Placements last for a minimum of 40 days during which time you will have the opportunity to ‘shadow’ and then lead Mental Health Act assessments alongside qualified, practising AMHPs. Regular reflective practice groups will help you reflect on your experiences on placement and integrate theory, knowledge and research.

Areas of study

The Approved Mental Health Practice PGDip course is designed to equip you with the knowledge and skills necessary to carry out the AMHP role in line with the requirements of Education and Training – Approved Mental Professionals (AMHP) Guidance (Social Work England, 2020).

Successful completion of the course is dependent on passing four taught modules designed to equip you with the knowledge and skills necessary for the AMHP role.

The Ethics, Values and Equalities in Mental Health module can also be taken as standalone module – some people do this before applying for the full PG Dip AMHP course.

Modules

Ethics, Values and Equalities in Mental Health

This module explores issues relating to ethics, values and equalities in the field of mental health. The main aim is to help you critically reflect upon the disputed nature of mental health and the ethical and moral debates around the subject. You will explore service users’ experiences of stigma, discrimination and inequality, and examine issues of power in a mental health context.
Applied Mental Health Law and Policy

The use of legislation to compel individuals to undergo assessment and treatment separates mental disorder from other conditions and gives rise to issues of power and oppression. This module prepares you for the challenge of applying the law and evidence-based practice to decision-making in the AMHP role. You will be supported to develop a critical understanding of the knowledge base to be applied to the AMHP role, integrating theory and research and applying this to case material.
Social and Psychological Contexts of Mental Health

In this module you will take a critical approach to the contested nature and origins of mental health, mental illness and mental disorder. By examining a range of models of mental disorder and interventions, you will be encouraged to reflect on diagnosis and treatment. Specifically, you will gain a greater understanding of the implications of mental disorders and treatments for service users, families and carers.
Managing Mental Health Assessments and Interventions

The aim of this module is to prepare you for autonomous and independent practice as an AMHP by promoting critical reflection and evidence-based practice. Central to this is the awareness of service users as unique individuals and the promotion of their rights and self-determination. You will learn the skills to manage risk; plan, negotiate and manage compulsory admission to hospital, guardianship or supervised community treatment; complete required documentation; and appeal detention.

Partnerships

We operate in close partnership with local authorities including Brighton & Hove City Council, East Sussex County Council, West Sussex County Council, Surrey County Council and Southampton City Council, who all support and fund students to attend the course.

Applicants from other local authorities or NHS mental health trusts are also welcome.

Independent applicants (students who are not funded by their employing body) are also welcome to apply but – at the point of application – you must have a written agreement from a local authority or NHS trust agreeing to provide, support and assess your practice placement.

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Careers

If you successfully complete the course, you will be eligible to apply to a local authority for approval to practise as an Approved Mental Health Professional.

Some AMHPs work in dedicated AMHP teams; others combine the statutory AMHP role with their day-to-day practice in a mainstream social work, nursing, occupational therapy or psychology role.

Fees and costs

Course fees

The fees for the Approved Mental Health Practice PGDip are charged according to module.

20-credit module 872 GBP

40-credit module to be confirmed GBP

The fees listed here are for the first year of study if you start your course in the academic year 2025–26.

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 (depending on which is higher).

If you have specific queries about the course fee, our fees team will be happy to help. Email them at fees@brighton.ac.uk.

Find out more

Advice and guidance for part-time students.
Fees, bursaries, scholarships and government funding info for UK and international undergraduate and postgraduate students
Student finance and budgeting while studying
About the university’s fees, including fee status and payment, by checking our student contract and tuition fee policy (pdf)

What's included

You may have to pay additional costs during your studies. The cost of optional activities is not included in your tuition fee and you will need to meet this cost in addition to your fees. A summary of the costs that are included and any extras that you may be expected to pay while studying a course in the School of Humanities and Social Science in the 2022–23 academic year are listed here.

For some assessments you may be required to print large format posters for presentations at a cost of £5–£10 per poster.
Most coursework submissions are electronic but you may wish to print notes and should budget up to £100 for printing.
Course books are available from the university but you may wish to budget up to £200 to buy your own copies.
Some courses include an optional placement module for which students will need to cover the costs of travel to and from the placement and DBS checks as required.
For the Humanistic Psychotherapeutic Counselling PGDip and Psychotherapeutic Psychodynamic Counselling PGDip, the following course-related costs are not included in the tuition fee:
- Supervision fees: £1,170 for each full year. Estimated based on £45 per hour with fortnightly meetings. In some agencies, supervision will be provided at no cost. Where students have to pay, the cost will only begin when supervision begins.
- Personal counselling/therapy: £2,000–£2,800 over the course. Estimated based on £40 per hour.
For a number of courses you will have the opportunity to attend field trips and off-site visits. These are optional and are not required to pass your course but under normal circumstances we would expect a budget of approximately £150 per year will cover the costs of particular trips. The amount spent would be based on location and number of trips taken.
You will have access to computers and necessary software, however 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.

You can chat with our enquiries team if you have a question or need more information. Or check our finance pages for advice about funding and scholarships as well as more information about fees and advice on international and island fee-paying status.

Location and student life

Campus where this course is taught

Moulsecoomb campus

Two miles north of Brighton seafront, Moulsecoomb is our largest campus and student village. Moulsecoomb has been transformed by a recent development of our estate. On campus you’ll find new Students’ Union, events venue and sports and fitness facilities, alongside the library and student centre.

Over 900 students live here in our Moulsecoomb Place halls and the new Mithras halls – Brunswick, Goldstone, Hanover, Preston and Regency.

Moulsecoomb has easy access to buses and trains so you can access all the exciting things happening in our home city.

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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.

Brighton: Moulsecoomb

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:

Mithras Halls are stylish new high-rises in the heart of the student village at our revitalised Moulsecoomb campus with ensuite rooms for more than 800 students.
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 Moulsecoomb 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.

Modern accommodation at Moulsecoomb

Relaxing in halls near the campus

Student Union social space at Moulsecoomb

Local area

One of Time Out's 50 best cities in the world

“Brighton has… all the important parts of a sprawling cosmopolitan metropolis (connections to London in under an hour, an array of properly excellent restaurants, energetic late-night spots) … with the easy-breezy beachy attitude to life that makes you feel welcome in an instant.”
Time Out’s 50 Best Cities in the World, 2025

About Brighton

The city of Brighton & Hove is a forward-thinking place which leads the way in the arts, technology, sustainability and creativity. You'll find living here plays a key role in your learning experience.

Brighton is a leading centre for creative media technology, recently named the startup capital of the UK.

The city is home to a national 5G testbed and over 1,000 tech businesses. The digital sector is worth over £1bn a year to the local economy – as much as tourism.

All of our full-time undergraduate courses involve work-based learning - this could be through placements, live briefs and guest lectures. Many of these opportunities are provided by local businesses and organisations.

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

Maps

Moulsecoomb campus map

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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 Brighton 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 Brighton

Sport Brighton

Sport Brighton brings together our sport and recreation services. As a Brighton 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.

Find out more about Sport Brighton.

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.

Brighton Cricket Academy

Develop your cricketing skills in the UK’s largest indoor cricket facility alongside studying for a degree. Whether you can already play or you’re new to the game offers the opportunity to train with top coaches in our world-class training environment.

Find out about the Brighton Cricket Academy.

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Take a tour of sport facilities on our Falmer campus