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How do you help a woman distressed by paranoid thoughts? Safeguard a vulnerable man who is confused and wandering outside at night? Support a young person who has self-harmed?
The MSc Mental Health Nursing (Pre-registration) has been designed with graduates in mind, building upon the existing skills you achieved through your undergraduate degree, and applying them at masters level.
One in every eight people in the world live with a mental disorder. This is often characterised by a clinically signifi...
2 years full-time
Rachel Price“Mental health nursing is such a rewarding career choice, every day is different, the skills you develop are unique and who would not want to be part of a profession that can instil hope for people in the most challenging of circumstances. Being a mental health nurse is something that has always filled me with pride, and I want to ensure the nurses of the future have the same passion and commitment as I have had throughout my career to deliver exceptional care to those in need"
Programme Lead MSc Mental Health Nursing
We’ve designed our two-year course around the core values of the NHS constitution so that you understand what’s required in caring for and supporting vulnerable patients.
On this two-year full-time course you'll spend 42 weeks per year at University or on placement/simulated placement, with 10 weeks holiday per year. This is to ensure you’re able to complete the required hours set by the NMC to be able to register at the end of your two years.
Your time will be split equally between practical and theory, with half of your time in clinical/simulated practice which includes placements in a variety of settings.
We deliver the course in blocks of teaching weeks where you’ll spend full weeks either learning theory or out in practice/simulated practice. Nursing is a challenging profession, both mentally and physically, which carries a great deal of responsibility. Mental health nurses care for people across the lifespan including young adults and others with acute and long-term illnesses in a range of settings both NHS and non-NHS. They work as part of a wider multi-agency team including police and the justice system, social work, social care and a range of other support services providing a range of opportunities for employment.
This course specialises in the assessment, treatment and support of individuals with a range of complex mental health needs. You’ll gain experience working as a student nurse in a variety of settings, these may include acute inpatient facilities and specialist hospitals, home treatment and crisis teams in the community, outpatient clinics, prison services and private organisations. During your placement, you will be assigned a Practice Assessor and Practice Supervisor(s) and an Academic Assessor from Manchester Met. Our aim is to provide robust support for your practice and educational needs.
Whether you've already made your decision about what you want to study, or you're just considering whether postgraduate study is right for you, there are lots of ways you can meet us and find out more about postgraduate student life at Manchester Met.
We offer:
Your studies are supported by a department of committed and enthusiastic teachers and researchers, experts in their chosen field.
We often link up with external professionals too, helping to enhance your learning and build valuable connections to the working world.
All applicants must have achieved a minimum of a first degree (2:2 or above) and should have a minimum of five GCSEs at grade C/4 or above, including Mathematics, English Language, and Science, and provide evidence of IT skills through a formal qualification or the completion of a self-assessment questionnaire.
We will accept GCSE Science, Biology, Additional Science, Applied Science, Physics or Chemistry. BTEC Level 2 Science (Pass) as an acceptable equivalent.
If you don't currently have your Mathematics or Science GCSE, there may be an opportunity to complete one of the approved equivalency testing courses before enrolling, to help secure your place. Please contact Admissions for more information.
Applicants must evidence recent study within the last five years. Plus, evidence of relevant, practice-related experience through the pre-entry portfolio (detailed below).
International applicants must have achieved an overall score of 6.5 in the academic version of IELTS. You should not achieve less than the equivalent of an IELTS academic score of 6.5 in each of the sections of Reading, Listening and Speaking and 6.0 in the section of Writing as an alternative to GCSE English Language.
A satisfactory Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check is required for this programme. In addition, students who have resided outside the UK will be required to provide evidence of a satisfactory overseas police check. Instructions on how to complete these checks will be provided once you hold a firm offer for this course.
Satisfactory occupational health clearance is also required to participate in this course.
Interview attendance
All applications are considered by the admissions team on an individual basis; consideration throughout the application process and during interview is also given to relevant additional educational achievements, life experience and transferable skills, alongside references, personal statements (utilising values-based recruitment criteria set by the NHS) and the overall interview score.
All shortlisted candidates are required to attend a group interview remotely.
Personal statement
Your personal statement is expected to demonstrate an insight into your chosen field of nursing, including an understanding of care environments and current issues in contemporary nursing or health care. It should include an understanding of the NHS core values.
You should describe the concept of a professional attitude, effective communication skills, good time-management skills, and an awareness of your own strengths and weaknesses. An awareness of the NMC code and the vision for the training of the future nurse and how this can support the delivery of high-quality person-centered care should be included. You should convey your ability to work both independently and as part of a team and demonstrate motivation and a commitment to preparing to study as a nurse, demonstrating an ability to solve problems and to think creatively in conveying a leadership capacity and how this is important in the nursing profession.
Pre-Entry Portfolio: mandatory prior study and relevant experience.
Download the Pre-Entry Portfolio here.
What is the portfolio and why do I need it?
The Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) requires all students on pre-registration nursing programmes to undertake a minimum of 4,600 hours of theory and practice combined to enter the professional register.
This is normally achieved over three years on a BSc pre-registration course. To ensure students on the accelerated two-year MSc programme can meet the NMC requirements for registration, you’ll need to complete 1,000 hours of both theoretical and practice related before entry.
You’ll document and evidence your 1,000 hours in your pre-entry portfolio. We’ve designed the portfolio to assist you with both understanding the pre-entry requirements and compiling the evidence to help prepare you for the programme.
What does the portfolio consist of?
The pre-entry portfolio amounts to 500 hours of practice-related experience (practice) and 500 hours of academic-related study (theory) associated with the programme outcomes.
For your practice-related experience, you can undertake paid or voluntary work experience in a variety of care and health settings. For independent theoretical learning, we will provide candidates with access to online learning resources following your group interview if required.
For full guidance on gaining relevant experience and what evidence you’ll need to provide, please see the Pre-Entry Portfolio here.
How long will it take to complete the portfolio?
If you have existing care experience amounting to the required hours:
- we advise it may take between 4-6 weeks to complete
If you do not have existing care experience amounting to the required care experience hours:
- we advise it may take between 12-14 weeks to obtain the 500 hours and complete the portfolio
When should I complete and submit the portfolio?
You do not need to start your portfolio until after receiving your offer.
You can download the portfolio prior to application but you must have submitted a UCAS application to Manchester Met in order to gain access to the supporting learning resources.
Following your application and successful group interview, you'll receive further guidance on what to include in the portfolio from our admissions tutor. Any offer will be conditional on the completion of the assessed portfolio guidance.
What happens once I have completed the portfolio?
Once you have completed your portfolio and supporting evidence, you’ll submit it by email to the health admissions team.
An academic panel and external examiner for the programme will assess your portfolio and advise if you have met the required criteria. You may be requested to provide further evidence if the panel feel you have not demonstrated sufficient evidence.
You’ll find full guidance on Pre-Entry Portfolio here.
Satisfactory occupational health clearance is required to participate in this course.
Full-time fee: £9,250 for the 2024/25 academic year (subject to Parliamentary approval). Fees for the 2025/26 academic year are due to rise to £9,535 (subject to Parliamentary approval). Fees for subsequent academic years may increase for inflation to reflect increased costs of course delivery (up to a maximum of 10% per academic year) and/or changes in UK government regulation. Inflationary increases will be calculated by reference to RPIx (RPIx is a measure of inflation in the UK). Fee increases are subject to limits imposed by UK government regulation.
Full-time fee: £20,500 per year. Tuition fees will remain the same for each year of your course providing you complete it in the normal timeframe (no repeat years or breaks in study).
A masters qualification typically comprises 180 credits, a PGDip 120 credits, a PGCert 60 credits, and an MFA 300 credits. For courses that offer a placement year option that starts in September 2025, the tuition fee is £1,907 (subject to Parliamentary approval). For courses that offer a study year abroad option that starts in September 2025, the tuition fee is £1,430 (subject to Parliamentary approval). Placement Year fees and study abroad fees for subsequent academic years may increase for inflation to reflect increased costs of course delivery (up to a maximum of 10% each academic year) and/or changes in UK government regulation. Fee increases are subject to limits imposed by UK government regulation.
Footwear suitable for comfortable all-day walking/standing in clinical workplace, approximately £100 or as per individual choice. NHS Trusts require shoes (not trainers) that meet health and safety requirements. Advice will be given on what to purchase.
Full uniform is provided free of charge when the course commences. If you wish to replace or obtain additional items of uniform throughout the course (eg because of damage/no longer fits) then they order and pay for this directly with the supplier. There are certain exceptions to this, eg during pregnancy.
Books and IT: All of the books required for the course are available from the library. The University also has PC labs and a laptop loan service. However, many students choose to buy some core textbooks for the course and/or a laptop campus printing costs from 5p/page; laptop £300 (student choice) and up to £100/year for books/printing.
£2 to £12 a day whilst on placement (costs will vary considerably). We endeavour to allow for a travelling time within 90 minutes each way therefore you will need to budget for travel costs to your placement. Travel costs to placement will vary considerably depending on where you live, the location of your placement and how you choose to travel. Information on public transport costs within Greater Manchester can be found at www.tfgm.com. All NHS Trusts charge for car parking.
You may wish to arrange your elective placement abroad (please note that additional costs are incurred for this option)
Compulsory estimate: £0.00 to £51.00 depending on your status
DBS checks - before starting on your course, you must undergo a satisfactory Disclosure and Barring Service check (Enhanced Disclosure). The University covers the cost of payment for the DBS application and ID verification for new students where the DBS check is a requirement of the course, and where the application is made through the University, using the University’s approved service provider, currently First Advantage Disclosures.
Responsibility for DBS clearance on employment-based and CPD programmes normally lies with the employer, not the University. Where a DBS check is required for placement but not supported by your employer, the University will cover the cost of the first check when completed through the University, using the University’s approved provider, currently First Advantage Disclosures, as above.
Upon completion of the DBS check on whichever course, students have the option to subscribe to the DBS Update Service. The Update Service allows individuals to keep their DBS certificates up to date, and allows employers or education providers to check a current certificate, without the need to request a new certificate. At April 2022, the cost of subscription to the DBS Update Service is £13.00 per year, to be paid by the student. Subscription is strongly encouraged for students embarking on programmes, where DBS clearance will be an ongoing requirement for placements and professional practice.
Students who have resided outside the UK continuously for a period of twelve months or more in the last ten years, while over the age of 18, will also be required to provide evidence of a satisfactory overseas police check, and to meet any associated costs, including the cost of a certified translation if required.
Returning students who have previously obtained DBS clearance but who require a new check, for example, due to a suspension of study, are required to pay the DBS application fee of £38.00 (accurate at 6th April 2022) and any associated costs, including the cost of ID verification through the Post Office Certification Service, which is approximately £13.00 but subject to the relevant cost at the time of application.
You may also need to budget for student membership of professional bodies.
NMC registration is currently £120, paid at the end of the course to the NMC subject to successful completion and eligibility for registration. See www.nmc.org.uk for current registration rates.
£7.75 for a manual for the Acute Illness Management Course as these are from an external provider. Occasionally there are extra opportunities to attend optional events or community engagement activities this may incur costs for travel or parking.
When you graduate, you’ll gain a masters degree (MSc) and eligibility to register as a mental health nurse with the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC).
The roles and opportunities within mental health nursing have expanded significantly in recent years. You may choose to follow a clinical career pathway towards advanced skills, such as prescribing for nurses, or specialist psychological therapies training.
Maybe you’re one of our future educators? Alternatively, you may want to develop your skills in the pursuit of a career in leadership and management within either the NHS or the private sector.
Mental health nurses work across a vast range of settings and with patients across the lifespan. You could work as part of a specialist eating disorder unit, or alcohol and substance use services. You may choose to work with mentally disordered offenders in secure/forensic services, or apply your skills within a care home setting or outpatient clinic for individuals affected by dementia.
You could also choose to be based in crisis services, A&E liaison or acute hospital wards, where mental health nurses have an important role in assessing and managing patients with acute deterioration or first episode presentations. You may also decide that a community mental health or home treatment team is your calling, if your aim is to improve the lives of individuals with complex needs.
Applications for this course must be received by 11th July to be considered for an interview before the summer. The course will close after the 12th July to applications until 3rd September 2024.
If you have any queries in the meantime, our Course Enquiries team are happy to help.
This course will start in February 2025. All conditions for entry must be met in the timescales provided within your offer on UCAS, this includes pre-entry portfolio approval. We advise that you submit your application as early as possible to allow time for your group interview and completing your portfolio to an appropriate standard.
Shortlisted applicants will be invited to a group interview on a specified date. Due to the demand for places on this course, we may not be able to offer an alternative date, therefore it is really important that you make arrangements to attend on the interview date you are given.
Get advice and support on making a successful application.
You can review our current Terms and Conditions before you make your application. If you are successful with your application, we will send you up to date information alongside your offer letter.
As this course is pre-registration, you'll find it listed in undergraduate courses on UCAS, not postgraduate.
UCAS code: B743
Manchester Metropolitan University institution code: M40
Get advice and support on making a successful application.
You can review our current terms and conditions before you make your application. If you are successful with your application, we will send you up to date information alongside your offer letter.
Programme review
Our programmes undergo an annual review and major review (normally
at 6 year intervals) to ensure an up-to-date curriculum supported by the
latest online learning technology. For further information on when we
may make changes to our programmes, please see the changes section of our
terms and conditions.
Important notice
This online prospectus provides an overview of our programmes of study
and the University. We regularly update our online prospectus so that
our published course information is accurate. Please check back to the
online prospectus before making an application to us to access the most
up to date information for your chosen course of study.
Confirmation of regulator
The Manchester Metropolitan University is regulated by the Office for
Students (OfS). The OfS is the independent regulator of higher education
in England. More information on the role of the OfS and its regulatory
framework can be found at
officeforstudents.org.uk.
All higher education providers registered with the OfS must have a student protection plan in place. The student protection plan sets out what students can expect to happen should a course, campus, or institution close. Access our current student protection plan.