Typical offer

UCAS points:

112

A Level:

BBC

from two or more A levels, including at least two subjects at C or above. We do not accept an A Level in General Studies in your top three grades.

BTEC:

DMM

normally in Health and Social Care or Applied Science

Contextual Offer:

Minimum of one to two grade reduction from our typical offer. Full details at dmu.ac.uk/contextual

Key facts

Duration:

3 yrs full-time

Study mode:

Full-time

UCAS code:

B701

Institution code:

D26

See all the key facts and full entry requirements

Typical offer

UCAS points:

112

A Level:

BBC

from two or more A levels, including at least two subjects at C or above. We do not accept an A Level in General Studies in your top three grades.

BTEC:

DMM

normally in Health and Social Care or Applied Science

Contextual Offer:

Minimum of one to two grade reduction from our typical offer. Full details at dmu.ac.uk/contextual

UCAS code

B701

Duration

Three years full-time (45 week year)

Study mode

Full-time

See all the key facts and full entry requirements

The Mental Health Nursing course is accredited by the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) and upon graduation of the programme, you will be eligible to register with the NMC.

Overview

Mental health nurses have a key role to play in healthcare by supporting and managing mental health, wellbeing and recovery. Mental health nurses work within diverse communities to provide evidence-based healthcare to people who are experiencing acute or chronic presentations, along with supporting their families.

Students will have the opportunity to care for people across the lifespan in a range of settings, such as acute, community and specialist mental health teams.

During this course – thanks to strong links with service providers across the region – we can offer a range of placement opportunities embedded within all three years of the course. Opportunities within this specific field include acute mental health wards, community mental health teams and more specialist placements such as; HMP Leicester, Perinatal Mental Health Team, Crisis Service, Child and Adolescents Mental Health Services (CAMHS) and Older Adult Services.

Placements are typically provided across the East Midlands, in Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland and sometimes in surrounding counties. In your placement, you will work alongside practice supervisors and practice assessors to learn the practical application of nursing relevant to mental health nursing. During the course, students also have access to updated facilities, utilising simulation suites, Virtual Reality technology and LearningSpace software.

Our mental health nursing degree is NMC accredited and you will engage in field of practice specific learning opportunities throughout the programme, to support your developing identity as a mental health nurse, knowledge, and skills. The course also includes opportunities for interprofessional learning with other health and care students, as well as benefitting from shared learning opportunities with all nursing students.

For further details please contact:

Sam Humphrey

Programme Leader BSc Nursing (hons) with NMC registration

bscnursing@dmu.ac.uk

Key Features

4,000 work placement opportunities: Our faculty of Health and Life Sciences courses offer more than 4,000 work placements to students, giving you real industry experience.
Authentic facilities: Study in our purpose-built facilities which comprise clinical skills suites, a moving and handling area, and a cardiopulmonary resuscitation room– allowing you to apply theory to practice in a safe environment.
Graduate destinations: Recent graduates have secured roles in diverse mental health settings, including acute care, community services, and specialist trusts such as Coventry and Warwickshire Partnership Trust, Leicestershire Partnership NHS Trust, and Midlands Partnership NHS Foundation Trust.
Become career ready: Our strong links with local NHS trusts, private healthcare providers and charity organisations allow our you to gain practical experience in a range of placement settings throughout all three years of the course.
Global experience: You can gain valuable international experience as part of their studies through our 羞羞视频 Global programme.

Block teaching designed around you

You deserve a positive teaching and learning experience, where you feel part of a supportive and nurturing community. That’s why most students will enjoy an innovative approach to learning using block teaching, where you will study one module at a time. You’ll benefit from regular assessments – rather than lots of exams at the end of the year – and a simple timetable that allows you to engage with your subject and enjoy other aspects of university life such as sports, societies, meeting friends and discovering your new city. By studying with the same peers and tutor for each block, you’ll build friendships and a sense of belonging. Read more about block teaching.

Financial support

The NHS Learning Support Fund provides eligible students with additional financial support whilst studying for their degree:

training grant of 拢5,000 per year
parental support payment of 拢2,000 per year to help with childcare
help towards additional travel and accommodation costs to clinical placements over your normal daily travel costs

Students must be eligible for tuition fees and maintenance support from the Student Loans Company (including certain residency criteria) to be eligible. Read more about the .

Students on certain courses can get a Special Subject Payment, which is an additional 拢1,000.

Scholarships

The Waymade Scholarship, funded by the Shanta Foundation, offers 拢3,000 per year for three years to five BSc undergraduate Nursing or Midwifery students at 羞羞视频. This award supports students demonstrating financial need, and a strong commitment to their studies, with eligibility based on household income and other criteria. Applicants must have their household income assessed by Student Finance England. The scholarship also requires a personal statement and an annual progress report. Check your eligibility and apply now.

Accreditation

Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC)

This programme is accredited by the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC), and has been developed to reflect the requirements of the NMC (2018) Future Nurse proficiencies standards of Nursing Education.

In first year, students will engage in 917 hours of theory and 720 hours of practice (56% theory and 44% practice).

Practice experience 1

This module is used as a vehicle to monitor NMC requirements, professional practice outcomes, professional conduct in practice and student attendance in practice. Students will have three placement blocks in year one in which the foundational skills required by a mental health nurse will be developed.

Foundations of Anatomy, Physiology and Pharmacology in Nursing

This module explores human anatomy and physiology with an emphasis on pharmacology. Students will explore the main body systems and changes that occur through the aging process. Students will have opportunity to learn foundational knowledge about pharmacology including pharmakinestics and pharmacodynamics.

Influences on Wellbeing

This module will support students to develop understanding of the influences on wellbeing and health and how this can impact on individuals and groups throughout the lifespan. Students will develop fundamental knowledge regarding the mental health nurses’ role on the promotion of wellbeing and skills to support the wellbeing of the mental health patient.

Foundations of Field of Practise

This module will enable students to adopt an enquiring approach to the assessment, planning and delivery of safe and effective practice within their relevant field of practice. Students will explore foundational pathophysiology, including mental health field of practice specific pathophysiology, assessment and identification of immediate and essential care needs for patients/clients within the mental health field of practice.

In second year, students will engage in 848 hours of theory and 840hours of practice (50% theory and 50% practice).

Practice experience 2

This module is used as a vehicle to monitor NMC requirements, professional practice outcomes, professional conduct in practice and student attendance in practice. Students will have two placement blocks in year two in which they will continue to develop the skills required by a mental health nurse.

Evidence Based Practice and Research

The module will examine a range of research paradigms and will provide students with skills and understanding involved in planning, designing, contextualising and thinking critically about evidence-based research, which underpins nursing and health care practice.

Primary Care 鈥� Patient Journey 1

This module will enable students to develop their knowledge regarding the patient’s first point of contact with health care services through involvement with primary care services. You will learn about the context of factors that influence patient behaviour and their decision-making processes. You will examine common illnesses and experiences alongside some long-term health conditions utilising a holistic perspective and the importance of health promotion.

Acute Care 鈥� Patient Journey 2

This module explores acute nursing care (in secondary care). Students will develop skills in working with commonly encountered mental, physical, behavioural and cognitive health conditions, recognizing and responding to the deteriorating patient and the utilization of safe interventions to support patient care in the acute nursing care context. You will learn how to recognize and respond to deteriorating patients, using appropriate interventions to ensure evidence-based mental health nursing care.

In third year, students will engage in 769 hours of theory and 920 hours of practice (45.5% theory and 54.5% practice).

Practice experience 3

This module is used as a vehicle to monitor NMC requirements, professional practice outcomes, professional conduct in practice and student attendance in practice. Students will have two placement blocks in year three in which they will continue to develop and begin to consolidate the skills required by a mental health nurse.

Critical Inquiry and Research proposal

Students will be supported to complete a critical inquiry and research proposal based on a subject relevant to the mental health field of nursing practice. This will enable you to critically evaluate sources of evidence and support you to become an independent, accountable practitioner, ensuring that your practise as a future mental health nurse, is based on the best available evidence.

Leadership and Service Improvement

This module will develop students’ knowledge in understanding accountability and skills in relation to nursing leadership, and of the leadership roles and responsibilities of a registered mental health nurse.

Managing Complexities in Nursing Practice

This module aims to enable the student to critically analyse their knowledge, skills and decision-making processes relevant to caring for patient/clients within the mental health field of practice. Students will also develop skills in managing complex health presentations within the mental field of practice and have opportunity to further develop skills required to work effectively with the wider inter-disciplinary team.

Note: All modules are indicative and based on the current academic session. Course information is correct at the time of publication and is subject to review. Exact modules may, therefore, vary for your intake in order to keep content current. If there are changes to your course we will, where reasonable, take steps to inform you as appropriate.

Learning is supported by a strong system of personal tutors, teaching teams, academic assessors, practice work placements and enthusiastic practice supervisors and assessors. Teaching methods include:

Lectures (face-to-face and online)
Seminars
Webinars
Workshops
Presentations
Tutorials
Simulation activities
Clinical skills learning
Enquiry-based problem solving
Independent e-learning
Peer learning sets

The programme meets the NMC (2018) requirements for an equal split between both theory and practice and the QAA requirements for a BSc (Hons) Award. The programme provides 2,534 hours of theory and 2,480 hours of practice (50.5% theory and 49.5% practice) across the duration of the three years of the programme. The Nursing and Midwifery Council introduced new national educational standards, Future Nurse Standards of Proficiency for registered Nurses, in 2018. The curriculum from September 2021 onwards is based on these standards for nurse education.

You will complete blocks of clinical placements 40 hours per week and blocks comprised of theory and independent learning hours up to an equivalent of 37.5 hours each week.

Students in practice placements are allocated an academic assessor, practice supervisors and practice assessors to help develop and support learning in the practice context.

Assessment

Assessments fall at the end of each block and are used to assess your theory and practice knowledge. We use a variety of methods that are designed to support you with developing skills vital to a career in nursing. These include:

Examinations – demonstrating resilience and working under pressure

Presentations and Vivas – developing verbal communication skills and the ability to effective communicate complex material

Essays – building strong written skills to support with communicating complex nursing information

Reflective practice – develop skills to engage with written reflection as required by the NMC

Teaching contact hours

Contact hours in a typical week will depend to some extent on the modules you are studying. However, typically you will have up to 16 contact hours of teaching per week.

Related courses

Adult Nursing with NMC registration BSc (Hons)

Child Nursing with NMC registration BSc (Hons)

Learning Disability Nursing with NMC registration BSc (Hons)

Midwifery BSc (Hons)

Open Days at 羞羞视频

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Our facilities

Clinical skills and simulation facilities for Health and Life Sciences

At 羞羞视频 we provide clinical skills and simulation teaching and practice that will enhance your theoretical learning by using a realistic, immersive environment that mimics the practice environments you will encounter during your clinical placements and in your career beyond. This provides our students with opportunities to develop cognitive, practical and interpersonal skills through a comprehensive programme of simulated experiences and clinical skills sessions, allowing you to develop the confidence to perform in the real world.

羞羞视频 have invested in extending and enhancing the range of clinical skills and simulation facilities available for health and life science students. We currently have two dedicated spaces on campus that provide flexible teaching and assessment spaces to meet a wide range of student’s needs.

Hawthorn building houses two ward environments, a dedicated midwifery suite, radiography suite and bespoke manual handling and paramedicine spaces.

Our designated clinical skills teaching hub in Heritage House offers flexible teaching rooms - designed to replicate the changing environments of clinical practice, a soft furnished space, audiology suite and observation rooms. Students benefit from the audio /visual technology that allows sessions to be recorded and live streamed, facilitating remote learning opportunities. This technology also enhances your learning opportunities through the use of meaningful debriefing of teaching and simulation sessions allowing you to reflect on your practice and improve in both ability and confidence before taking your learning into the real world.

Our expertise

Most of our nursing lecturers are registered nurses or other recognised health care professionals and qualified teachers. Many are research active bringing their subject knowledge and research expertise in to their teaching. A number of our lecturers have doctoral level qualifications, with many more currently undertaking academic and professional doctorates.

The Leicester School of Nursing and Midwifery has an excellent reputation and good links with the local NHS trust and other potential employers, which is beneficial when you are applying for jobs.

Senior Lecturer and Co-programme Lead

Helen is a Senior Lecturer in Adult nursing and is Co-programme Lead for the BSc Nursing with NMC registration Programme. Helen is a District Nurse and has had over 10 years working in the community caring predominantly for people in their own home. Helen has held leadership and management roles within community nursing before moving into higher education.

Senior Lecturer and Programme Lead

Sam is a Senior Lecturer in Learning Disability Nursing, leads the BSc Nursing with NMC registration programme. With experience in community roles, Sam has worked with individuals with profound learning disabilities in residential nursing and as a Primary Care Liaison Nurse before transitioning to teaching at 羞羞视频.

Senior Lecturer

Pippa is a Senior Lecturer in Mental Health Nursing and the Field of Practice Lead for Mental Health Nursing and Mental Health Nursing Simulation. With extensive experience in healthcare services, she has worked across Early Intervention in Psychosis, Adult Community Mental Health, and Acute Settings.

Senior Lecturer

Vikash is a Senior Lecturer in the Mental Health division, specialising in acute, forensic, and intensive care mental health nursing. With over 25 years of experience in clinical practice, he has served as a staff nurse and held multiple leadership positions within the NHS, demonstrating expertise in both patient care and healthcare management.

Senior Lecturer

Hannah Wakefield is a senior lecturer in Mental Health Nursing, she has worked at 羞羞视频 for nearly four years. Before moving to higher education, Hannah was a specialist in Children’s Mental Health, with a career in management within children’s inpatient mental health units and community children’s eating disorder services.

Our students and alumni

Why did you choose to study Mental Health Nursing at 羞羞视频?

I had wanted to become a mental health nurse since finishing my GCSE’s in 2018. This was because of my own personal experiences of the mental health system and wanting to be the change. I had also considered social work, but in the end Mental Health nursing was the only option for me, as I just felt such a connection with the occupation.

I partly chose 羞羞视频, as I needed somewhere close to home as I couldn’t move into student accommodation after having my son whilst at college in 2020. What made 羞羞视频 stand out to me amongst the other options was their communication with me, and the passion I saw from the lecturers and other students when attending open days or events, and in my interview. I also found out I was pregnant not long after accepting my offer and making 羞羞视频 my first choice, and the support from academic staff even before I was officially enrolled was something I’ll appreciate for the rest of my life, they made it possible for me to start late, rather than deferring for a year.

How have you found it studying Mental Health Nursing?

It has definitely been a rollercoaster in the best possible way. I have just finished my third year and I am about to start my first nursing role as soon as we get our pin. I have had so many opportunities to grow and develop, not just as a nurse, but as a person as well. I feel like such a more well-rounded person now than before I started.

What makes us special

Three students working together around a laptop

Block teaching

With block teaching, you’ll learn in a focused format, where you study one subject at a time instead of several at once. As a result, you will receive faster feedback through more regular assessment, have a more simplified timetable, and have a better study-life balance. That means more time to engage with your 羞羞视频 community and other rewarding aspects of university life.

羞羞视频 Global

鈥痠s our innovative international experience programme, which aims to enrich your studies and expand your cultural horizons – helping you to become a global graduate, equipped to meet the needs of employers across the world. Through 羞羞视频 Global, we offer a wide range of opportunities including on-campus and UK activities, overseas study and faculty-led field trips.

Students from the school have recently undertaken 羞羞视频 Global trips to places such as:

Amsterdam鈥痶o study harm reduction strategies

顿耻产补颈鈥�to study chronic kidney disease and renal care

Peru鈥痺here they took part in healthcare programmes

贬别濒蝉颈苍办颈鈥�to compare health education and services

These are examples of some of the overseas experiences that our nursing students have accessed in the past. We may offer alternative trips during your course.

Where we could take you

Placements

As part of this course, you will have the opportunity to complete a number of placements, which offer invaluable professional experience. Placements are typically provided across the East Midlands, in Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland and sometimes in surrounding counties. Students must therefore be prepared to travel to access placement opportunities which are an essential component of the programme.

In your placement, you will work alongside practice supervisors and practice assessors to learn the practical application of nursing relevant to your chosen field. Placements are typically based in a variety of acute and community health environments and social care settings, including caring for individuals in their own homes. This includes a range of different shift patterns across a 24-hour cycle.

Further information

All students will be required to adhere to a uniform policy when in practice, in which they must be bare below the elbow. This is non-negotiable as it is an infection prevention requirement to safeguard the health and safety of all students and service users.

Graduate careers

Upon successfully completing the course nursing graduates are eligible to apply for NMC registration and can apply to work on a variety of roles throughout the NHS, charitable and private healthcare sectors. Registered nurses can start on a salary of £29,970 (NHS nurse band 5 pay scale – correct as of May 2025).

You can find employment opportunities in a range of settings such as community mental health nursing teams and in patient services. As you progress through your career you may find employment as a clinical nurse specialist in CAMHS, Primary Care, Psychosis and Mental Health Liaison or you may move into teaching, clinical research or management.

Recent graduates have gone on to work at:

Coventry and Warwickshire Partnership Trust as Registered Mental Health Nurses
Leicestershire Partnership NHS Trust as Mental Health Practitioners
Midlands Partnership NHS Foundation Trust as Trainee High Intensity Cognitive Behavioral Therapists
NHS as Senior Mental Health Nurses

Once qualified, our postgraduate study opportunities can further enhance your knowledge and skills, including鈥�Post Registration Education, professional doctorates and master’s degrees such as鈥�Professional Clinical Practice MSc/PG Cert/PG Dip.

Take your next steps

4 students hanging out on campus in front of some high quality graffiti

Find out about Leicester

We鈥檙e a campus-based university situated in the city centre, with the hub of activity in Leicester right on your doorstep - we鈥檙e one of the few universities in the UK where you鈥檙e getting the best of both worlds.

An open day visitor and a member of staff at an open day.

Open Days - Book your place

We鈥檇 love to welcome you to one of our university Open Days where you can see for yourself what we have to offer.

How to apply

Home/UK students
International students

Save these details for your application.

Programme title:: Mental Health Nursing with NMC registration BSc (Hons)
Programme code:: B701

UCAS applications

Register on UCAS Hub (create an account)
Fill in your UCAS application form:
Personal details (name, contact, residency)
- More about you (any mental health conditions or long-term illnesses, parenting responsibilities, whether you’ve served in the armed forces)
- Education history (qualifications taken or pending)
- Employment history (if applicable)
- Course choice
Write your personal statement (why you want to study the course, skills, achievements, future goals)
Get your reference (usually from a teacher/tutor/employer)
Pay the UCAS fee (single choice or multiple choices)
Submit the UCAS application before the deadline.

Save these details for your application.

Programme title:: Mental Health Nursing with NMC registration BSc (Hons)
Programme code:: B701

Apply directly as an international student

Find out more and apply

Visit 羞羞视频’s international section and select the course you wish to apply for as an undergraduate or postgraduate student.
Prepare your documents - gather the essentials:
- Academic transcripts and certificates
- Personal statement
- English language proficiency evidence (e.g., IELTS)
- Portfolio (if required by the course)
- Copy of your passport
Complete the application - submit via the 羞羞视频 Online Portal
Submit the application and supporting documents - you can still receive a conditional offer even if some documents will follow later
Application review and offer - 羞羞视频’s Admissions team will assess your application and issue:
- A conditional offer (pending remaining docs, test results, etc.)
- Or an unconditional offer, if all requirements are fulfilled

Key facts

Course title

Mental Health Nursing with NMC registration

Award

BSc (Hons)

UCAS code

B701

Institution code

D26

Study level

Undergraduate

Study mode

Full-time

Start date

September

Duration

Three years full-time (45 week year)

Fees

2026/27 UK tuition fees:
£9,535*

2026/27 international tuition:
£17,300

*subject to a compounded annual inflationary increase announced by the government in October 2025, the amount of which is yet to be confirmed for the 2026/27 academic year

Additional costs

Entry requirements

Typical offer

UCAS points:

112

we do not accept UCAS points achieved through music exams

A Level:

BBC

from two or more A levels, including at least two subjects at C or above. We do not accept an A Level in General Studies in your top three grades.

BTEC Extended Diploma:

DMM

normally in Health and Social Care or Applied Science

Contextual Offer:

羞羞视频 operates a generous contextual offer for students from underrepresented backgrounds in Higher Education.

This is a minimum of one to two grade reduction from our typical offer Please note, you will still need to meet your subject specific requirement(s) and full details including eligibility criteria can be found at dmu.ac.uk/contextual

T Levels:

Merit in Health overall

Access to HE:

Pass in Access to HE in either Nursing and Midwifery, Science, or Health Professions with credits totalling a minimum of 112 UCAS Tariff points.

The access course must have a minimum of 12 science credits (biology, chemistry or physics). If not candidates must have GCSE Science at grade C/4 or above.

GCSE English and Maths or functional skills level 2 qualifications in English and Maths are required.

International Baccalaureate (IB):

26+

GCSEs:

5 x GCSEs at grade 4/C or above including English and Maths. Level 2 Functional Skills in Maths and English are accepted.

English language requirements

If English is not your first language, an IELTS score of 7.0 overall and 7.0 in all components except writing which should be 6.5 or higher is required.

English language tuition, delivered by our British Council accredited Centre for English Language Learning (CELL), is available both before and during the course.

Additional application stages

Interview required: Yes

Interviews will take place online via Microsoft Teams. To find out more about interviewing for a course please visit our interview advice page.

Work experience required? Yes

Applicants are required to demonstrate relevant work experience or transferable skills within their interview. This would normally include experience from formal or informal employment, school or college work placements, voluntary work and other relevant life experiences.

Non-academic requirements

Self-Declaration Form clearance: Yes

Enhanced DBS disclosure clearance: Yes

As part of your application process, you will be required to submit an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) application before starting the course.

For overseas applicants, you will also need to submit a criminal records certificate from your home country.

Further details will provided by our Admissions team after you receive an offer to study with us.

Occupational Health clearance: Yes

Additional information:

Availability: This course has a limited number of places so that we can ensure a good quality placement experience. In exceptional circumstances this may result in the course becoming full before you have completed the admissions process. In this situation we will offer you the opportunity to be considered for a place on an alternative course.

You must meet and fulfil all non-academic requirements before 17 July 2026. Failure to meet this deadline may result in your offer being withdrawn.

Mature applicants need academic attainment normally no more than five years of joining the course.

Additional costs

The core textbooks for all modules are available in the Kimberlin Library, and journal articles in your reading lists are also mostly available electronically from your my羞羞视频 login. Some students like to purchase their own text books or print course documents and we suggest allowing approximately £200 per year for this.

All students are required to pay for their DBS check if required for your programme or placement.

In addition students will be required to pay for their travel costs to placements or project locations.

All students are provided the opportunity to participate in 羞羞视频 Global trips. These trips are subsidised by the University, and the cost and subsidy varies by location.

羞羞视频

Key facts

Overview

Key Features

1st for Overall Average Student Satisfaction

An 鈥楨xcellent鈥� Five Star Rated University

The Best Careers Support

The First University to Achieve a Silver Race Equality Charter Award

2nd for Sustainability

The Best University for LGBTQ+ staff

The Best Autism Support

25th Best University

11th Best for Accommodation

Top 20 for Employability

Best for Work Experience

Financial support

Scholarships

Accreditation

Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC)

What you will study

Practice experience 1

Foundations of Anatomy, Physiology and Pharmacology in Nursing

Influences on Wellbeing

Foundations of Field of Practise

Practice experience 2

Evidence Based Practice and Research

Primary Care 鈥� Patient Journey 1

Acute Care 鈥� Patient Journey 2

Practice experience 3

Critical Inquiry and Research proposal

Leadership and Service Improvement

Managing Complexities in Nursing Practice

Assessment

Teaching contact hours

Mental Health Nursing with NMC registration in the spotlight

Related courses

Our facilities

Clinical skills and simulation facilities for Health and Life Sciences

Take a s c r o l l through campus

Our expertise

Helen Layton

Sam Humphrey

Pippa Chillman

Vikash Chooramun

Hannah Wakefield

Our students and alumni

Nicole Woodhouse

What makes us special

Block teaching

羞羞视频 Global

Where we could take you

Placements

Graduate careers

Take your next steps

Find out about Leicester

Open Days - Book your place

How to apply

UCAS applications

Apply directly as an international student

Key facts

Entry requirements

Additional costs