Nursing (Mental Health)

Mental health problems currently affect one in four of the UK population. If you’re caring and compassionate, with exceptional communication skills and a real passion for helping people, this degree is for you.

The course prepares you for registration as a mental health nurse, enabling you to work with a range of client groups with acute, diverse and long-term conditions

This programme is a holistic learning experience, enabling students to become emotionally resilient and transformational Registered Nurses of the future. This is a full-time 3 -year course and students will complete a range of modules to develop the fundamental knowledge and skills for safe effective nursing practice where the interests of people using or needing nursing services are put first.

Students develop an in-depth and comprehensive understanding about their chosen field of practice and recognise the principles of nursing across all fields and across the lifespan. Modules provide the foundation for students to develop a compassionate professionalism whereby they are trusted in the care they provide. Learning will be facilitated through a range of classroom-based activities, skills laboratories and by electronic means such as online learning, web-based training and technology-delivered instruction.  

Mental Health Nursing - your questions answered!

In the below video, Senior Lecturer, Angela Pereira, answers some of the most frequently asked questions about Mental Health Nursing at the University of Derby. 

If you already hold a degree and are looking to qualify as a mental health nurse, find out more about our MSc Nursing (Mental Health).

If you are a registered Nursing Associate and hold a FdSc and are looking to qualify as a mental health nurse, find out more about our BSc Direct Entry programme.

A highly rewarding career choice

Mental health nurses support people with depression, anxiety, dementia, bulimia nervosa, post-natal depression and a whole range of other conditions that can lead to unhelpful thoughts and ideas. They focus on people’s strengths and resources – helping them to overcome and cope with their problems and maximising their life potential.

This course is built around the ethos that everyone has a right to evidence-based care, whatever their background and circumstances. It equips you to excel as a confident, versatile and capable mental health nurse.  

Expertise to inspire you

You'll be supported by enthusiastic and dedicated academic staff who are immersed in their areas of practice and committed to supporting you at every stage of your studies. All academic staff are current NMC registered professionals with some continuing to work in clinical practice alongside their teaching role.  The academic team includes renowned professionals whose work features regularly in leading journals and books and who help shape national policies.

This course is mapped against the NMC standards to ensure that your learning is up to date and relevant. In delivering the programme, we respond to national changes such as the latest government policies. As a result, some of the information about the course may change.

Wide-ranging placement experience

A compulsory part of the course is practice learning which equates to 50% of the overall programme in line with the NMC standards (NMC, 2018). Students must complete at least 2300 hours of practice learning to support the application of theory to practice. 

Practice learning is achieved through a variety of placement experiences to enable you to gain essential practical experience by participating in 24-hour care. Throughout, you'll benefit from the support of Practice Assessors and Practice Supervisors who will help you get as much out of the experience as possible. 

Students experience a wide variety of simulated learning activities throughout the programme to prepare for the real world of nursing. This also ensures students continually link theory to practice and feel supported for entering the clinical environment.

First class facilities in Derby and Chesterfield

You can take this course at our Derby Campus or our Chesterfield site. Both offer outstanding facilities, including clinical skills suites built to professional standards, with replica wards, counselling rooms and treatment rooms fully equipped with the latest resources.

As health care is increasingly delivered by multi-professional teams, we offer opportunities for you to learn with, and from, students from other disciplines. This is really important in preparing you to work in more flexible ways after graduation. By learning to work together, you can help achieve the best outcomes for patients and service users.

Students also participate in learning that is specific to their field but is also co-taught across the four fields of nursing. There is opportunity for students studying at different academic levels to learn with, and from each other. This provides the opportunity to meet NMC standards whilst replicating professional relationships that students encounter in clinical practice.  

Please note that our modules are subject to change - we review the content of our courses regularly, making changes where necessary to improve your experience and graduate prospects.

So that you are fully prepared for your career, we ensure that your skills and knowledge match current working practices in health and social care. The practical abilities you develop on placement will be underpinned and extended by the knowledge you gain through lectures, tutorials, workshops and activities in the University’s own high-quality training facilities.

We harness latest technology in all aspects of the course. Modules are linked to the University’s Virtual Learning Environment (VLE), so that you have 24-hour access to relevant resources both on and off campus. We also capture ‘live’ lectures via Panopto which you can view at times that suit you via the VLE.

In addition, our students benefit from access to Clinical Skills Net, an online resource offering video tutorials in essential clinical skills. The anatomy and physiology content of the programme is supported in a similar way. In a new development, we are also introducing the Values Exchange, a global discussion forum on ethical issues relating to health and social care.

How you’re assessed

Our assessment approaches include assignments, exams, online activities, problem-based learning, and viva voce (oral) examinations. You’ll also produce a professional portfolio, which will support your Continuing Professional Development (CPD) as well as your lifelong learning.

The opportunity to gain assessment feedback support will encourage dialogue, enabling students to make the most of their feedback, provide action plans and utilise academic, student and practice support staff as required.

Who you'll meet

You will be taught by qualified health professionals with extensive experience of nursing and leadership roles. They have proven, sustained track records in higher education teaching, with most holding Fellowships of the Higher Education Academy.

Our staff keep up to date with latest developments in the sector by undertaking continuing professional development as part of their registration with the Nursing and Midwifery Council. Some hold external examiner posts with other universities and some carry out clinical supervision for professionals working in their area of expertise.

We are committed to supporting you at every stage of the course. We offer enhanced personal tutoring which mirrors the professional relationships you will go on to have in practice with service users and colleagues when you embark on your career.

Research is an integral part of our work and we make key contributions to the University’s Health and Social Care Research Centre. Current initiatives include studies into dementia and a major long-term research project exploring values, compassion and care in undergraduate nursing. There may even be opportunities for you to work alongside our researchers to gain an insight into the value of research.

The teaching team is supported by ‘experts by experience’ – leading practitioners who regularly share their knowledge in teaching sessions at the University, together with clinical staff from our placement providers.

On successful completion of this degree, you’ll be eligible to register with the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) and go into practice as a qualified mental health nurse, as long as you meet the NMC’s requirements.

With a national shortage of nurses nationwide, you will discover a wide range of career opportunities. Many of our students have secured jobs before completing their studies and are increasingly offered positions in the early stages of their third year of training.

We offer full support to help you achieve your career goals, including guidance on applications, CVs and interview techniques. Employers from the NHS, private sector, army, navy and RAF are among the many organisations who attend our annual career fairs as part of their recruitment drives.

Our graduates go into a wide range of health and social care settings, including hospitals, nursing homes, community roles, the voluntary sector, prisons and the armed services, to name but a few. Many take up roles in settings where they gained experience on placement.

Take your studies to the next level

We offer a full range of post-registration courses to help you gain more advanced and specialist skills and take the next step in your career.  Our portfolio includes innovative courses which you can study flexibly to gain a deeper understanding of advanced practice.

You could also explore broader issues such as leadership for healthcare improvement or inter-professional practice. If you would like to conduct independent research into a specialist aspect of health and social care practice, there are opportunities to progress to doctorate level study too.

Many of our post-registration courses and modules can be incorporated into your workplace practice as part of a programme of continuing professional development. Find out more about our Health and Social Care short courses.

2025 entry

These are the typical qualification requirements for September 2025 entry.

Contextual offers may apply to students who meet certain criteria.

If you do not meet the entry requirements for this course, our admissions team may offer you an alternative course that will enable you to continue in your aspirations towards becoming a registered nurse. 

*The University will accept the Senior Healthcare Support Worker Apprenticeship in lieu of UCAS points or level 3 qualification requirements.*

Students should apply for the full degree programme and our admissions team will get in touch with you after the interview stage if this pathway is suitable for you.

Health or care experience that demonstrates insight into the professional values and behaviours associated with health and care environments is desirable. 

Additional entry requirements

• Interview: Yes view interview details
• An Enhanced Disclosure & Barring Service certificate cleared by the University is required for this course. We will contact you with information on how to complete this once you have applied
• An Occupational Health Assessment and Clearance by the University is required for this course. We will contact you with information on how to complete this when required

If you do not meet the entry requirements for this course, our admissions team may offer you an alternative course that will enable you to continue in your aspirations towards becoming a registered nurse.

Students should apply for the full degree programme and our admissions team will get in touch with you after the interview stage if this pathway is suitable for you.

2025/26

Further information about our fees and support you may be entitled to.

Additional costs and optional extras

UK students

If you are in Year 13 and applying for a full-time undergraduate course (including our joint honours courses,) we recommend that you apply through UCAS.

Apply through UCAS

If you already have your qualifications, you should apply directly to the University. Please note, we do not accept applications for year 3 onto this programme.

Apply directly to the University

International students

Find your agentApply through UCAS

Apply directly to the University

Additional information about your studies

Teaching hours

Like most universities, we operate extended teaching hours at the University of Derby, so contact time with your lecturers and tutors could be anytime between 9am and 9pm. Your timetable will usually be available on the website 24 hours after enrolment on to your course.

Course updates

The information provided on this page is correct at the time of publication but course content, costs and other individual course details do change from time to time and are updated as often as possible, so please do check these pages again when making your final decision to apply for a course. Any updated course details will also be confirmed to you at application, enrolment and in your offer letter.

If you are thinking about transferring onto this course (into the second year for example), you should contact the programme leader for the relevant course information as modules may vary from those shown on this page.

Minimum numbers

Please note that this course is subject to minimum numbers in order to run.