Intro

Studying mental health nursing at the University of Brighton enables you to work closely with people of all ages and their families as part of a versatile team of health and social care professionals including including doctors, psychologists, physiotherapists and occupational therapists. You will learn how to tailor individual care for people with a range of clinical needs.

We will support you in becoming a caring and compassionate professional who delivers skilled, evidence-based care in partnership with patients,families, and communities. Our focus on interdisciplinary enriches your experience while also preparing you for professional practice. You will also have the opportunity to experience nursing abroad through our international placements.

To ensure you can confidently apply theory to practice, you will spend 50% of your year on placements with local NHS trusts in varied settings, and simulate healthcare situations in our clinical skills and simulation suite.

Your teaching will be based at our Falmer campus in Brighton and there are varied placements across Sussex in both acute and community settings.

The recognition that patients come first in everything the NHS does, and the values of the NHS constitution – respect, dignity, compassion and working together for patients – are embedded in our curriculum.

Successful graduates will be eligible to apply for registration as a nurse with the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) and are entitled to practice anywhere in the UK.

This course starts in September each year.

Key facts

Location Brighton: Falmer

UCAS code B760

Full-time 3 years

This course meets the NMC 2018 education standards and course graduates are eligible for registration

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Course content

Course structure

You’ll share some modules with students on our other nursing courses, allowing you to benefit from interprofessional collaboration, sharing knowledge and expertise. You will also benefit from patients contributing to your learning through shared stories.

In each year of the course you engage with both theory and practice learning. The course alternates between academic terms and blocks of practice. Theory sessions in academic terms take place at the university. You will attend Monday to Friday with independent study days. Practice placement blocks are 32 hours per week and are eight and 10 weeks long.

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Making sure that what you learn with us is relevant, up to date and what employers are looking for is our priority, so courses are reviewed and enhanced on an ongoing basis. When you have applied to us, you’ll be told about any new developments through Student View.

Year 1

In year 1 you will explore the nature of nursing, and develop your clinical and communication skills, which will be assessed in both the university and practice settings. You will also study the biological and behavioural sciences that inform nursing practice.

Modules

  • Nursing Assessment in Partnership with People

    This module will enable you to undertake a holistic nursing assessment of a person in terms of their mental, physical, social and spiritual needs. You’ll learn the importance of completing an assessment in partnership with the person, taking into account their circumstances, characteristics and preferences.

    You will also gain an understanding of the role of the nurse in assessing the person’s needs as a member of the multi-disciplinary team (MDT).

  • Planning Nursing Care in Partnership with People

    This module will enable you to plan nursing care based on the information gained from a holistic nursing assessment. You’ll learn the importance of identifying priorities in the mental, physical, social and spiritual needs of the person and formulating a plan of care in partnership with the person and the multi-disciplinary team (MDT).

  • Human Biology for Nursing

    This module will enable you to explore human biology in relation to the health, well-being and illness of a person across the lifespan. You’ll develop an understanding of how human biology and altered physiology underpins your developing nursing practice.

  • Practice Learning for Nursing Year 1

    This practice assessment of the course is divided into three parts. This module comprises part one, which will enable you to begin developing the knowledge, skills and values required for nursing practice.

    You will integrate learning from your placement and at university in order to meet the Future Nurse: Standards of proficiency for registered nurses (Nursing and Midwifery Council [NMC] 2018).

Nursing student reading a chart

Year 2

You continue to build your skills and knowledge in professional practice. You will start to develop the principles of mental health nursing and gain an insight into the clinical settings in which nurses work such as public health, acute services, community and research.

Modules

  • Quality Improvement Using Evidence-Based Nursing Practice
  • Nursing to Promote Health and Prevent Illness
  • Approaches to Nursing Adults with Long-term Health Conditions
  • Key Theories and Concepts Underpinning Mental Health Nursing
  • Practice Learning for Mental Health Nursing Year 2
Mental health nursing

Final year

In your final year you will continue to specialise in the field of mental health nursing, and will focus on more complex patient and client needs. You will also undertake a dissertation and begin to develop management and leadership skills as you prepare to enter professional practice. 

Modules

  • Contemporary and Future Nursing Practice
  • Leading and Managing Nursing Care and Effective Teams
  • Therapeutic Interventions in Mental Health Nursing
  • Enhanced Practice in Mental Health Nursing
  • Professional Mental Health Nursing Practice Year 3
Student nurses discussing a patients records in our skills suite

Facilities

Clinical Skills and Simulation Suite

Clinical skills and simulation rooms on both our Brighton: Falmer and Eastbourne campuses provide an invaluable tool for assessment and monitoring students' progress throughout the course.

You will benefit from practising nursing skills in an environment that simulates nurses’ real-life professional experiences. Learning by simulation with state-of-the-art mannequins enables you to practice in a safe environment under supervision, so you can apply your knowledge and skills in professional practice with confidence.

We have skilled technicians on every campus to support you.

nursing suite

Nursing skills zone – practice independently in a safe environment

Located on both our Brighton: Falmer and Eastbourne campuses, the nursing skills zones are fully equipped open access areas where you can practice your skills at a time to suit you.

You can practice skills including ECG electrode application, sterile glove application, nutritional assessment, basic life support, aseptic technique, urinalysis, physical measurements, personal hygiene, catheterisation, peak flow measurement, administration of medicines, A-E assessment and physical assessment.

You can book a nursing PASS leader to help you in the skills zones. Our PASS (peer-assisted study sessions) project is a student-led scheme where you can discuss issues relating to your course material and student life informally with your peers and trained student facilitators.

Nursing skills zone

Flexible Learning Environment 

The Flexible Learning Environment is an adapted home environment in a residential location where you'll be able to practise skills and learn from other students while taking part in realistic training scenarios.

Every room is fitted with cameras and microphones, so that students can be directed and monitored from the control room while the observation room provides the opportunity to review, playback and debrief.

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Placements

Our flexible approach to practice-based learning and excellent links with local healthcare trusts enable us to offer clinical practice in hospital and community settings, working alongside multi-professional teams.

You will spend 50% of the course studying theory which requires attendance in lectures and the other 50% on placement. You must accumulate 4,600 hours in total over the three years before you can register with the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC).

Practice placements are up to 32 hours per week and you will be supported by a mentor. Clinical placements take place across Sussex in locations including Hastings, Eastbourne, Brighton, Haywards Heath and Worthing.

Community placements offer experience in schools, doctors surgeries, with health visitors and community staff.

It is currently possible to claim back excess travel costs, this is reviewed each year by the NHS.

A day on placement can be between 07.00 and 22.00, some weekends and some nights.

Nursing placements map

Supporting you

You will receive lots of support throughout your nursing degree. During your course you'll have access to: 

  • personal tutor
  • practice liaison lecturers
  • mentors in clinical practice
  • PASS (peer-assisted study sessions) nursing student leaders
  • student support and guidance
  • welfare.

Nursing Society
Our student-run Nursing Society provides support for all nursing students at every stage of their degree.

The society facilitates group learning and extracurricular lectures from speakers across the multidisciplinary team.

Study abroad

Within the School of Health Sciences we are committed to providing a global perspective to nursing and midwifery education. As such we offer a range of international English-speaking exchange placements to nursing, midwifery and paramedic science students. All of our international placements are fully supported and academically credited.

International placements are only with partners with which we have an agreement – this ensures a good quality learning opportunity and safe experience.

Europe

Active placement of up to three months in year 2 with one of our partner universities:

  • University College Sjælland, Denmark

Two-week observational placement with one of 25 institutions across 13 European countries in our European Nursing Module Network. For more information on our European partners and network please visit the European Nursing Module Network website.

For an insight into what life is like on a study abroad placement, have a read of Sabrina Barnes' experience in our Student Views below.

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International

  • Observational placements of up to three weeks in Africa, Asia or South America through the Work the World organisation.

We provide guidance with sourcing accommodation, visas, occupational health checks and insurance. You will be connected with a key personal contact for each partner and have access to online support from the university whilst you are abroad.

All students who take part in a study abroad experience identify its immense value, whether through hosting visiting students or participating in an exchange. We share all students' experiences through our newsletters and through the student ambassador project.

If you wish to learn more about these opportunities you are welcome to discuss this at interview.

How this course is delivered

Our approach

We want you to spend as much time on campus as possible. From semester 1 of the academic year which starts in September, every student will have some face-to-face, on-campus learning in their timetable. Your timetable is being designed to make sure that you can make the most out of your time on campus, and all of the usual campus facilities – libraries, learning spaces, restaurants, gyms and more – will be open. Your timetable will be available in My Studies from late September.

Teaching on your course
In semester 1 practical skills learning activities such as learning in simulated environments and with mannequin patients will take place on campus. You’ll also be on campus for seminars, tutorials and some of your lectures. Your on-campus learning will be supplemented with additional recorded lectures, online content and taught sessions that you'll access on MS Teams.

Placements are a required element of your learning experience and take place in a range of settings. Placement arrangements will be informed by the requirements of the accrediting professional body and the government guidance in operation at that time. We are not currently planning to run activity outside the UK in semester 1 of the 2021–2022 academic year.

COVID-19

Like all universities we will be following government guidance and will be monitoring the pandemic very closely with our local Director of Public Health. Should a worsening of the pandemic occur and Public Health advice require us to make changes, we have robust plans in place for students to continue their studies remotely and for additional safety measures to be introduced on campus.

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Careers

Our nursing and midwifery courses are joint 1st in the UK for career prospects, Guardian University Guide 2022, and joint 1st for graduate prospects, Complete University Guide 2022.

This course provides an excellent foundation for work in numerous healthcare contexts and for further professional development in clinical practice, education, management and research.

Our mental health nursing graduates have developed successful careers in both hospital and community settings. Many of our graduates leave university with a firm offer of employment from their sponsoring trust.

After a period of consolidation and further study you can work as a specialist practitioner in the community in areas such as community mental health nursing. Acute care also offers a range of roles, for example caring for people needing crisis intervention.

Successful completion of the course will enable you to access further academic study at masters and doctoral level.

Mental health nursing

Entry criteria

Entry requirements

UCAS tariff
112 points.

A-levels
BBC, must include a science or social science subject at grade B.

BTEC
DMM in a health or science subject. 

International Baccalaureate
28 overall with three subjects at Higher level.

Access to HE Diploma
pass with 60 credits overall. Health studies, nursing or science. At least 45 credits at level 3, with 18 credits at distinction.

GCSE (minimum grade C or grade 4)

  • with Access course – maths and English.
  • with A-levels, BTEC or K101 – at least three GCSEs including maths and English.

Functional Skills 2 will be accepted in lieu of GCSE English and maths.

A wide range of other qualifications will be considered on an individual basis, eg Open University K101 and K102.

For all nursing courses leading to registration with the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) as a nurse, you must demonstrate the following:

  • completion of 10 years' general education
  • successful completion of literacy and numeracy assessments during the interview process
  • evidence of study within the last five years is desirable
  • evidence of commitment to the profession
  • passing of occupational health and Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) checks
  • ability to meet travel requirements to attend placements
  • ability to follow a shift pattern that could cover any part of a 24-hour 7-day cycle.

Foundation degree 
Successful completion of our  Health and Social Care Practice foundation degree  with 120 credits at level 5 may enable you to start in year 2 of our nursing degrees –  Nursing (Adult),  Nursing (Child) or Nursing (Mental Health).

Studied before or got relevant experience?
A qualification, HE credits or relevant experience may count towards your course at Brighton, and could mean that you do not have to take some elements of the course or can start in year 2.

Candidates are advised that places for entry into year 2 of this course for September 2021 are very limited. We normally welcome these applications but high demand for all nursing courses for both 2020 and 2021 entry will restrict availability. 

Interviews
Students successful at the application stage will be invited to attend an interview.

Men are under-represented in many nursing and allied health professions in the UK. We are committed to helping address the balance and particularly welcome applications from male applicants.

Fees

Course fees

UK (full-time) 9,250 GBP


New funding from 2020

The government has announced that from September 2020 new and continuing students studying nursing, midwifery and some allied health subjects will receive a non-repayable grant of at least £5,000.

Shortage specialisms such as mental health nursing will receive an additional £1,000. Find out more on the NHS website.

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 Health Sciences are listed here.

  • Where your course includes a placement, travel costs which are over and above your daily journey to university and dual accommodation costs may be reimbursed by the NHS learning support fund. Paramedic Science students and overseas students are not covered by the NHS scheme and travel costs for this course will be your responsibility. Find out more about the NHS learning support fund.
  • Specialist clothing and uniforms, where required, are included in the course fees.
  • DBS checks, where required, are included in the fees.
  • Course books are available from the university but you may wish to budget up to £100 if buying your own copies.

You can chat with our enquiries team through the Stay in touch panel at the end of this page if you require further 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.

Info

The fees listed here are for full-time courses beginning in the academic year 2021–22.

Further tuition fees are payable for each subsequent year of study and are subject to an annual increase of no more than 5% or RPI (whichever is the greater). The annual increase for UK students, who are subject to regulated fees, will increase no more than the statutory maximum fee.

You can find out more about our fees in the university's student contract and tuition fee policy (pdf).

The tuition fee you have to pay depends on a number of factors including the kind of course you take, and whether you study full-time or part-time. If you are studying part-time you will normally be charged on a pro rata basis depending on the number of modules you take.

Location

Campus where this course is taught

Falmer campus

Set in the South Downs, our Falmer campus is around four miles from Brighton city centre. 7,000 students are based here taking subjects including criminology, English, education, nursing and medicine, paramedic science, psychology and sociology. Brighton and Hove Albion's Amex stadium and beautiful Stanmer Park are right next door.

Specialist learning facilities at Falmer include the curriculum centre used by teaching and education students, which houses over 30,000 teaching resources and clinical skills and simulation suites used by health students. Psychology students learn in our applied cognition and flexible creative method labs.

Falmer campus has two halls of residence on site, as well as a library, restaurant, cafes, and a students' union shop and bar.

The campus sports centre has a fitness suite, activity studios and a sports hall. There is also a floodlit astroturf football pitch, netball and tennis courts.

Cycle lanes link Falmer with our other campuses and the city centre and there is a BTN BikeShare hub on site. There are regular bus services to the city centre and other campuses. Falmer train station is right next to campus and a nine minute journey to central Brighton.

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Newly refurbished atrium in the Checkland Building

Accommodation

Brighton: Falmer

We guarantee an offer of a place in halls of residence to all eligible students who apply by 30 June.

Halls of residence
We have halls of residence across Brighton in the city centre, Moulsecoomb, Varley Park and Falmer.

  • You'll be prioritised for accommodation in the halls that are linked to your teaching base, subject to availability.
  • Falmer campus is linked to the halls on Falmer campus and at Varley Park. All halls are self-catered.
    • Paddock Field and Great Wilkins halls are on Falmer campus and offer a range of rooms
    • Varley Park offers a mix of rooms. It is around two miles from Moulsecoomb campus and four miles from the city centre. Public transport in the city is excellent.

Private renting
There's plenty of support if you opt for private renting. This is an option which offers choice and flexibility – enabling you to choose where you live and who with. We manage our own studenthomes database of properties. This lists accommodation offered by landlords who have signed up to our code of standards. Every summer we provide online events and resources, as well as other advice services, for students looking for a place to live and people to share with.

Outside views at Falmer accommodation

Outside views at Falmer accommodation

Extensive facilities at Falmer sports centre

Extensive facilities at Falmer sports centre

Students dining at Westlain

Students dining at Westlain

Local area

About Brighton

The University of Brighton is at the heart of our city's reputation as a welcoming, forward-thinking place which leads the way when it comes to the arts, music, sustainability and creative technology. Brighton is home to a thriving creative community and a digital sector worth £1bn a year to the local economy, as much as tourism.

Many of the work-based learning opportunities offered on our courses such as placements and guest lectures are provided by businesses and organisations based in the city.

You can also get involved with city festivals and events such as the Brighton Festival, the Fringe, Brighton Digital Festival, Brighton Science Festival, the London to Brighton bike ride, and the Great Escape festival of new music to name but a few. Other annual highlights include Pride, the Brighton Marathon, and Burning the Clocks which marks the winter solstice.

You'll find living in Brighton enriches your learning experience and by the end of your course you will still be finding new things to explore and inspire you.

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.

Map showing distance to London from Brighton
Brighton Beach sunset

Maps

Falmer campus

Meet our students  

Jo Complin

"I had reached a point in my life where I wanted to spend the majority of my time doing something that I felt was worthwhile, something that was people-orientated and not about making money. I also wanted a career with variety, where I would constantly be learning new things and have opportunities for professional progress as well as personal development. Nursing fulfils these criteria and lots more besides.

"I love being on placement, where I can start putting the theory into practice by actually getting involved in procedures and helping the patients; even as a student you can really make a positive difference to someone's day. I have also made some great friends and contacts."

Jo Complin

Sabrina Barnes 

"In May 2017, I was lucky enough to spend two weeks in Kathmandu, Nepal on placement  in three different paediatric wards; general medicine and surgery, neonatal intensive care and paediatric intensive care. In this time, I was able to learn how different the Nepali culture was and both the differences and similarities between nursing in Nepal and the UK.

"I was also able to learn a lot about myself and my own nursing practice and share some of my experiences with the Nepali nurses. I had never travelled alone before so even before I got to Nepal, I had done something new and when I got there, I was able to meet lots of other nurses doing exchange placements from across the world. This enabled me to learn about other people’s experiences of healthcare and I also met friends that I went travelling with recently to Pokhara, Nepal.

"My experience in Nepal taught me a lot about family centred care and I have been able to take this in with my nursing practice as a qualified nurse. In particular my time on the intensive care unit in combination with my second year placement on HDU, inspired the title of my dissertation, which had a focus on supporting family involvement in intensive care environments."

Sabrina Barnes in Nepal

Steve Smith

"Without doubt, I'd say the best aspect of the course has been the university staff – they have been unfailingly helpful, informative and wise.

"I'm truly enjoying the course, although speaking as a very, very mature student, it has been really tough. 

"Throughout much of the second year we received direct input from service users; some of the stories these people brought to us will stay with me forever."

Steve Smith

Stay in touch

Book onto an online open day

See all of our online events

Ask a question about this course

If you have a question about this course, our enquiries team will be happy to help.

01273 644644


Keep up to date at the School of Health Sciences blog. 

Statistics

Find out more about how the academic year and degree courses are organised, and about learning and assessment activities you might get to grips with at Brighton. More specific information about this course is detailed in the programme specification (linked below). You can find out also about the range of support we offer to help you adjust to university life.

Course and module descriptions on this page were accurate when first published and are the basis of the course. Since this information was published we have made some changes in response to government guidance and social distancing requirements. We are looking forward to being on campus in the autumn, however if government advice changes we may need to make some adjustments to our plans. Find out the latest news on our FAQ for students starting in 2021. Detailed information on any changes we make to modules and learning and assessment activities will be sent to all students by email before enrolment, so that you have all the information before you come to Brighton.

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Programme specification

The programme specification is the approved description of each course. They give a detailed breakdown of the content and structure of the course, and are updated following course changes.

Programme specification

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