Intro

This level 7 course is for social workers, occupational therapists, nurses and psychologists who are working in the mental health services and looking for approval by a local authority to practise as an Approved Mental Health Professional (AMHP).

This is a specific, legally defined role under the Mental Health Act 1983 that qualifies you to assess whether there are grounds to detain mentally disordered individuals, a responsibility that used to be the preserve of social workers but that has since been opened up to other mental health professionals.

The course operates in close partnership with four local authorities: Brighton & Hove City Council, East Sussex County Council, West Sussex County Council and Surrey County Council. Applicants from other local authorities or NHS Mental Health Trusts are also welcome. If you are an independent (ie non-seconded) applicant, you must have a written agreement from a local authority or NHS trust saying that they will provide and assess your AMHP placement.

Since August 2012 AMHP training has been regulated by the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC). This course addresses sections one and two of the HCPC approval criteria for AMHPs and is an approved programme with the HCPC.

Find out about postgraduate events

Key facts

Location Moulsecoomb

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

Approved programme with the Health and Care Professions Council

Course content

Course structure

The course operates on a full-time basis from early January to early June. Your time is divided each week between learning at the university and working in an Approved Mental Health Professional (AMHP) placement, where you are supervised and assessed by a practice supervisor. Your placement is arranged before the course begins by the university and your sponsor.

Areas of study

At level 7, the integration of academic and vocational learning is essential. The course material aims to cover: the ethical dilemmas involved in compulsory admissions; the application of legal and theoretical knowledge to AMHP practice; and the ability to reflect on and critically analyse your work.

Modules

Ethics, Values and Equality in Mental Health [20 credits]
Social and Psychological Contexts of Mental Health [40 credits]
Applied Mental Health Law and Policy [20 credits]
Managing Mental Health Act Assessments and Interventions [40 credits]

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Successful students are eligible to apply for approval as an Approved Mental Health Professional by a local authority.

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 (NMC; HCPC; BPS) as either a social worker, a 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 written agreement before the start of the course of a local authority or health trust who will provide within their organisation 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.

Fees and costs

Course fees

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

20-credit module 758 GBP

40-credit module 1,516 GBP

The fees listed here are for the first year of study if you start your course in the academic year 2023–24.

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 govt 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 you may be expected to pay, and what is included in your fees, 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 halls, Moulsecoomb Place and the new Mithras halls – Brunswick, Goldstone, Hanover, Preston and Regency.

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

Accommodation

Brighton: Moulsecoomb

We guarantee an offer of a place in halls of residence to all eligible students.

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

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 less than 40 minutes to Eastbourne. There are also 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.

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.