Nursing (Mental Health) BSc

Are you looking for a rewarding career where you can improve the quality of people’s lives? From building therapeutic relationships through to advising patients about relevant therapies or social activities, as a mental health nurse, you’ll have a profound impact on the lives of the people you care for. Nursing is the largest healthcare profession in the country. As a qualified mental health nurse, you’ll be entering a highly respected profession with excellent employment prospects.

Brunel is a renowned research-intensive university with an established and excellent reputation in health sciences so you’ll be learning from the best in the field. On this programme, you’ll gain the clinical and communication skills required to support individuals and their families through their recovery process. You’ll learn about the new and emerging concept of trauma informed care and gain the knowledge and experience to work within community, primary and acute care settings. You’ll be given the skills to work with patients with psychosis, anxiety and conditions such as mood-related, organic and neurodevelopmental disorders. You’ll also learn to support individuals affected by the use of psychoactive substance use. 

At Brunel, you’ll learn through an equal balance of theory and practice. Your placement opportunities will develop your skills and understanding of caring in hospital and community settings. You’ll graduate ready to support patients in gaining the confidence to take the first steps in changing their lives.

Upon graduation, you’ll be eligible to register with the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC).

As a nursing student, you'll receive at least £5,000 a year which you don't need to pay back. See the UK government website for more information.

The NHS Values are shaped by patients, public and staff have helped develop this expression of values that inspire passion in the NHS and that should underpin everything it does. Individual organisations will develop and build upon these values, tailoring them to their local needs. The NHS values provide common ground for co-operation to achieve shared aspirations, at all levels of the NHS.

Through a blended learning approach, your programme combines face-to-face learning with online learning. The programme integrates theory with practice, and your time will be split evenly between periods of campus-based learning and your practice placements.

All modules are compulsory and cover the broad spectrum of mental health nursing.

This course can be studied 3 years full-time, starting in September.

Upon graduating, your employment prospects will be excellent. Mental health nursing involves working with children, young people, adults and older adults who may be affected by a range of mental health conditions. Caring for people with mental health problems is rapidly shifting from hospital to the community, with integrated care being the preferred model. Employment opportunities range from acute inpatient wards, community mental health teams, primary care mental health teams, forensic settings to child and adolescent settings. Supporting people back from the point of mental illness to good mental health is a valuable, satisfying and deeply fulfilling area of nursing practice.

• GCE A Level BBC.
• BTEC Level 3 Extended Diploma DMM in Health & Social Care.
• BTEC Level 3 Diploma DM in Health & Social Care, with an A Level at grade C in any subject .
• BTEC Level 3 Subsidiary Diploma M in Health & Social Care, with two A Levels at grades BB in any subject.
• International Baccalaureate Diploma 30 points.
• Access to Higher Education Diploma Obtain a minimum of 112 UCAS tariff points in the Access to HE Diploma with 45 credits at Level 3. Subjects accepted : Health Science, Health Professions, Health and Social Care, Health Studies, Medicine, Medical Science, Nursing, Occupational Therapy, Physiotherapy, Science, Science in Health Professions
• T levels : Merit overall and grade C in A level Science subject (Health, Healthcare Science and Science)

Five GCSEs at grade C or grade 4 or above are also required, including English Language, Maths and Science.

Please check our Admissions pages for more information on other factors we use to assess applicants as well as our full GCSE requirements and accepted equivalencies in place of GCSEs.

 This programme is currently only open to Home applicants and EU applicants with Settled/Pre-settled status.

You’ll be taught by highly qualified and research-engaged nurse academics who will ensure that everything you learn is up-to-date and relevant to the NHS care setting. You’ll benefit from an innovative teaching approach that incorporates digital technology, team-based learning, face-to-face teaching and online learning.

Your seminars will often include polling apps so you’ll enhance your learning by taking part in quizzes and competitions in a fun, interactive way. Simulation is used to teach concepts relating to the care of patients. You’ll practise your nursing skills through the mock-up of real-world nursing scenarios through simulation learning and working on manikins, so you’ll be confident and skilled when you go on your practice placements to deliver person-centred holistic care.