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If you are applying for this course from within the UK/EU, click apply now.
Course starts: 20 September 2021Apply now
If you are applying for this course from outside the UK/EU, click apply now. (Please note you must have an IELTS 7.0 with 6.5 in each element before applying)
Course starts: 25 April 2022Apply now
If you are applying for this course from within the UK/EU, click apply now.
Course starts: 25 April 2022Apply now
Deliver restorative interventions to those experiencing mental distress and illness. Develop interpersonal therapeutic skills to promote recovery and positive mental wellbeing. Graduate ready to deliver effective and sincere person-centred care.
Watch our Nursing webcastBSc (Hons) Mental Health Nursing Practice will lead to registration as a qualified nurse in mental health. You will graduate ready to actively participate and engage with a cutting-edge workforce delivering caring, compassionate and restorative interventions to those experiencing mental distress and illness. As a critical thinker, you will deliver effective and sincere person-centred care based upon a contemporary evidence-base, which will be administered and applied within a spectrum of clinical skills to include physical health monitoring and promotion, and interpersonal therapeutic skills to promote recovery and positive mental wellbeing.
You will be competent and confident in working with and supporting a ‘whole-systems’ approach in diverse settings, ensuring the mental well-being of families and carers with a relative experiencing mental distress. Partnership working with multi-professionals and services will ensure the very best care and outcomes for those experiencing mental illness.
| Upcoming start dates |
|---|
| 20 September 2021 |
| 25 April 2022 |
We use various methods of teaching including:
Assessment methods include written reports, essays, examinations, oral presentations, portfolios, clinical reflection diary, competency log, patient care plan and case studies.
Our typical offer is:
| Qualification | Minimum grade |
|---|---|
| High School Diploma along with one of the following at the required grade: SAT I and SAT II, ACT or Advanced Placement | GPA 3.0 or above and: Sat score of 1100/1600 from SATs AP (Grades 3+ in at least 2 subjects) ACT (score of 26+) |
If you don't meet our standard entry requirements, you can take one of the foundation pathways at our partners ONCAMPUS Sunderland. Find out more information and whether your course is eligible on our ONCAMPUS page.
If your qualification is not listed above, please contact the Student Administration team at studentadmin@sunderland.ac.uk for further advice.
Your completed application form will be reviewed by our Admissions Team to ensure that you have the required entry qualifications. If you meet these requirements, then your application will be individually assessed by the Mental Health Nursing Practice Admissions Tutor and if successful you will be shortlisted for interview.
The selection process will include an individual interview and a group activity which will assess you on your values, problem solving and communication skills.
Accreditation of Prior Learning (APL)
This is available to applicants who meet the course-specific APL requirements. It may apply to applicants who wish to transfer their NMC approved nursing studies from another university where they have achieved 120 credits at Level 4.
Access
We would be looking for a combination of merit and distinctions in your level 3 units which should preferably include some units in a Health or a Science related subject. We also require a minimum of grade C in maths and English language or equivalent. If you have studied for a GCSE which has a numerical grade then you will need to achieve a grade 4 or above.
Fitness to practise
Medical assessments of your mental and physical health and disclosure of criminal convictions apply to all nursing courses and are based on current NMC requirements. Nurses are registered health care professionals and the ability to practise safely, effectively and professionally is essential, so all applicants are required to follow our fitness to practise procedures. This means you are required to complete the following:
Instructions on how you complete these checks will be sent to you once you hold a conditional firm offer with us. These forms are then reviewed alongside your application, and you must meet both the academic and fitness to practise requirements before you will be given an unconditional offer. If you are successful, you will also need to complete an annual declaration form to confirm you are fit and there are no changes to your DBS.
We require international applicants to meet the equivalent UK entry requirements and IELTS with a minimum of 6.5 in each element with an overall score of 7. To be eligible for an interview, you must currently have attained an overall IELTS score of at least 7 with 6.5 in each element.
Annual fees for September 2021 intake:
Please note that September entry is not open to international students.
Learn more about settled status, pre-settled status, special discounts, visa requirements and Common Travel Area (CTA) agreements for the Republic of Ireland applicants in our Help and Advice article.
Annual fees for April 2022 intake:
*European Union (EU), EEA (European Economic Area) and Swiss nationals are classed as international, however 21/22 entrants will receive a European student fee scholarship and will pay the (undergraduate) home tuition fee rate of £9,250 for the duration of their studies. The discounted fee will be reflected in your offer letter. Learn more in our .
A non-repayable grant of £5,000 and extra payments worth up to £3,000 is available to eligible home students for each year of study. Read more about the Training Grant on The NHS Business Services Authority website.
If you currently serve (or have recently served) within the Armed Forces, then the Ministry of Defence's ELCAS scheme may be able to help cover your funding for this course. For more information, see our Funding for Armed Forces personnel page.
Take a look at the Your Finances area to find out about the scholarships and bursaries that may be available to you.
This information was correct at the time of publication.
Successful completion of the course will lead to registration with the NMC as a qualified mental health nurse, enabling you to apply for graduate mental health nursing posts available within the NHS, voluntary and private sector services in the UK.
One in four people will suffer from a mental illness at some point in their lives. Mental health nurses are the largest professional group providing care in a variety of settings. As a key worker mental health nurses work in a range of complex and rewarding roles such as crisis teams, street triage, community mental health teams, psychological therapies and specialist treatment teams.
Upon qualifying, mental health nurses can start on an NHS Band 5 (£24,907) and have the opportunity for career progression to more advanced roles such as an Approved Clinician which can attract Band 8b/8c bands (£53,168 - £63,751).
At all levels of the course, you will undertake unpaid clinical placements in hospitals and the community. The placements occur in blocks of varying duration:
Your first placement will take place in the first term, after ten weeks of teaching.
You will undertake your placements at one of our partner trusts: Cumbria, Northumberland, Tyne and Wear Foundation Trust and Tees, Esk and Wear Valleys Foundation Trust. During your placements, you will be assigned Practice Assessors and Practice Supervisors who will directly assess and supervise you as well as acting as a means of support and guidance.
As you may be expected to travel long distances, start your shift in the early hours, or finish your shift late at night, you could be entitled to Travel and Dual Accommodation Expenses (TDAE) which allows you to make a retrospective claim for excess travel costs and/or expenses for temporary accommodation near to the location of your placement. Find out more about the NHS Learning Support Fund.
The facilities are very good, so it is the perfect learning environment.
Do I need work experience?
Given the current Covid-19 pandemic we appreciate that it is not possible to obtain work experience in the health or caring environment. As an alternative we would recommend that you investigate the field of nursing you are interested in through online resources, professional body websites and healthcare organisations so you can demonstrate a clear understanding of the role.
What should I include in my personal statement?
Your personal statement provides a unique opportunity to express your personal qualities and attributes related to a rewarding career in nursing. The statement should include a clear articulation of:
For more advice on your personal statement please read our article on how to write a personal statement when you have no work experience.
What does a nursing interview involve?
Our interviews are currently taking place online via Microsoft Teams. They will consist of an individual interview and group activity. For advice on how to prepare please read our article on how to prepare for online interviews for healthcare degrees.
Interviews start in late November and will run until the summer.
How many weeks holiday is there each year?
You will have seven weeks of holiday a year, with two weeks at Christmas. The remaining five weeks is spread across the rest of the academic year. The timings of the holidays will vary over the three years and we do try where possible to align some of these to the school holidays. You are unable to take holiday outside of these set times, but you will be provided with a three year plan on enrolment.
How far will I have to travel for my placements?
As part of the interview you will be asked to rank your preferred Trusts. Your Trust will be confirmed once you start the course. Please note it is not possible to guarantee your first choice. We would recommend that prior to your interview you consider your preferred Trust. During the three years all your placements will then take place in various locations within that Trust so the travel distance will vary.
How long are the placement shifts?
Your standard working week will be around 37.5 hours on a shift pattern which can include nights, early starts, evenings, weekends and bank holidays. Shifts can be between 7- 12 hours and the shift pattern can vary between Trusts. Your shifts will be confirmed four weeks prior to starting your placement. It is not possible to fit placements around school hours and holidays.
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