BSc (Hons) MENTAL HEALTH NURSING
BSC (HONS) MENTAL HEALTH NURSING
With one in four people experiencing symptoms of mental health problems during their lifetime and society’s increasing interest in and awareness of mental health and wellbeing, mental health nurses are in huge demand. At UEA, we strive to deliver the best education so that you can go on to deliver the best mental health care. As a mental health nurse, you’ll work alongside individuals and their families, empowering them to manage their conditions and work towards recovery through collaborative, person-centered assessment and care. You’ll work with a range of health and social care professionals to provide evidence-based interventions. This is challenging but important and rewarding work.
Study for your BSc Mental Health Nursing at UEA and you will benefit from service-user contact from the very outset and a personal mentor to guide you throughout.
About
As a student at UEA, you’ll study aspects of mental health nursing which include core nursing skills and those needed in more specialist mental health areas such as working with children and with people who have dementia.
Your studies will be split 50/50 between academic theory and hands-on practice. You’ll undertake a range of placements in the community, hospitals and specialist care units. You will study alongside other healthcare students, giving you a greater insight into the responsibilities and roles of other healthcare professions. You’ll graduate fully equipped with the skills and experience you will need for a career working with people with complex mental health problems.
With the NHS Constitution at its core, our Mental Health Nursing degree provides rigorous training, fantastic placement opportunities and is fully approved by the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC).
Highlights of Mental Health Nursing at UEA:
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A wide range of placements including community settings, hospitals and specialist care units
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Regular group work with other healthcare students.
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Excellent facilities including skills and simulation laboratories
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Research led teaching.
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Exploration of contemporary practice in small seminar groups
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Highly motivated students and support from student representatives.
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A highly supportive culture
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A passionate teaching team with a rich and varied range of practice experience.
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Important Information
Whilst the University will make every effort to offer the courses listed, changes may sometimes be made arising from the regular review of course programmes. Where this activity leads to significant (but not minor) changes to programmes, there will normally be prior consultation of students and others. Changes may for example consist of variations to the content and method of delivery of programmes, courses and other services, to discontinue programmes, courses and other services and to merge or combine programmes or courses. The University will endeavour to keep such changes to a minimum, and will inform students.After the Course
As a UEA Mental Health Nursing graduate, you’ll be a highly sought-after healthcare professional. Your placements will mean you will have accrued enough time in practice to register with the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC). You’ll graduate ready to start your career in a demanding yet rewarding environment such as:
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Mental health in-patient areas
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CAMHS Teams
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Dementia care services
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Perinatal mental health services
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Community Mental Health Teams
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ADHD Teams
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Eating Disorder Services
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Liaison Teams
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Mental health services in prisons
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Substance misuse services
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Research teams
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Education & Training
Mental health nurses also work in areas where nurses from other fields of practice are based – for example, emergency departments and GP surgeries.
Career destinations
A degree at UEA will prepare you for a wide variety of careers. We've been ranked 1st for Job Prospects by StudentCrowd in 2022.
Example of careers that you could enter include:
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UK NHS Health care providers
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Private organisations
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The voluntary sector
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International nursing opportunities
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Research institute
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Higher Education Institute
Discover more on our Careers webpages.
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Assessment for Year 1
You’ll be assessed using a range of methods, carefully chosen to reflect your ability to apply the relevant theory to practice.
Year One assessment includes a range of contemporary approaches including written assignments, presentations and posters.
Assessment for Year 2
In Year Two, the assessments will include a variety of interesting assessments including examinations, written assessments and podcast presentations.
Assessment for Year 3
In the final year, you will complete a project, which will illustrate your deeper understanding of the relationship between the theory and practice of nursing.
You’ll also be assessed in practice during your practice placements.
Assessment for Year 1
You’ll be assessed using a range of methods, carefully chosen to reflect your ability to apply the relevant theory to practice.
Year One assessment includes a range of contemporary approaches including written assignments, presentations and posters.
Important Information
Whilst the University will make every effort to offer the modules listed, changes may sometimes be made arising from the annual monitoring and review of modules. Where this activity leads to significant change to a programme and modules, the University will endeavour to consult with affected students. The University may not be able to offer a module for reasons outside of its control, such as the illness of a member of staff. Availability of optional modules may be restricted owing to timetabling, lack of demand, or limited places. Where this is the case, you will be asked to make alternative module choices and you will be supported during this process.Assessment for Year 2
In Year Two, the assessments will include a variety of interesting assessments including examinations, written assessments and podcast presentations.
Important Information
Whilst the University will make every effort to offer the modules listed, changes may sometimes be made arising from the annual monitoring and review of modules. Where this activity leads to significant change to a programme and modules, the University will endeavour to consult with affected students. The University may not be able to offer a module for reasons outside of its control, such as the illness of a member of staff. Availability of optional modules may be restricted owing to timetabling, lack of demand, or limited places. Where this is the case, you will be asked to make alternative module choices and you will be supported during this process.Students are required to take 100 credits of core modules and a further 20 credits of core modules from option range A
Assessment for Year 3
In the final year, you will complete a project, which will illustrate your deeper understanding of the relationship between the theory and practice of nursing.
You’ll also be assessed in practice during your practice placements.
Important Information
Whilst the University will make every effort to offer the modules listed, changes may sometimes be made arising from the annual monitoring and review of modules. Where this activity leads to significant change to a programme and modules, the University will endeavour to consult with affected students. The University may not be able to offer a module for reasons outside of its control, such as the illness of a member of staff. Availability of optional modules may be restricted owing to timetabling, lack of demand, or limited places. Where this is the case, you will be asked to make alternative module choices and you will be supported during this process.Entry Requirements
A Levels
BBB. If you are taking an EPQ and three A Levels, we may offer you a one grade reduction on our advertised typical offer if you achieve an A in the EPQ.T Levels
Obtain an overall Pass including a B in the core of the T Level and a Merit in the Occupational Specialism. Acceptable subjects: Health, Healthcare Science, ScienceBTEC
DDM in Health, Care or ScienceAccess course
Pass with Merit in 45 credits at Level 3, in a Health, Care or Science subjectInternational Baccalaureate
31 pointsAdditional entry requirements
Grade B or above in one of the following subjects:
- Children's Care, Learning and Development
- Children and Young People's Workforce
- Health and Social Care (including Technical Level)
CCC or above.
A combination of Advanced Highers and Highers may be acceptable, please contact Admissions for further information.
We welcome and value a wide range of alternative qualifications, and we also recognise that some students might take a mixture of some of the qualifications above. If your qualifications aren’t listed, or if you are taking a combination of qualifications that isn’t specified, please contact Admissions.
UEA are committed to ensuring that Higher Education is accessible to all, regardless of background or experiences. One of the ways we do this is through our contextual admissions schemes.
Please note that we do not consider A Levels in General Studies or Critical Thinking, Apprenticeships, NVQs (any level) or Work-based Level 3 Diplomas (previously NVQs) to meet the minimum academic entry requirements, although these can be used as evidence of recent study. We’ll also be unable to consider you for this course if you’ve obtained an academic fail from a previous health based degree programme, including where an exit award has been achieved.
Graduates may wish to consider our accelerated Masters programmes.
GCSE REQUIREMENTS
Mathematics and English Language at minimum grade C or grade 4 required, alongside all other specified requirements.
In place of English Language GCSE we can also consider:
- Functional Skills Level 2 English
- Essential Skills Wales L2 Communication
- Essential Skills Northern Ireland L2 Communication
In place of Mathematics GCSE we can also consider:
- Functional Skills Level 2 Mathematics
- Essential Skills Wales L2 Application of Number
- Essential Skills Northern Ireland L2 Application of Number
RECENT STUDY
We would prefer you to be able to demonstrate evidence of recent academic study within 5 years of the start of the course. If your last qualification will have been completed more than 5 years ago by the time the course starts, please contact Admissions.
AGE ON ENTRY
Applicants for this course need to be aged 18 or over by 31 December 2023. This is owing to the integrated nature of placements within the first year of the course and safeguarding implications. In view of this, applicants who will not be 18 years old or over by this date, should consider applying for deferred entry.
INTERNATIONAL REQUIREMENTS
We accept many international qualifications for entry to this course. For specific details about your country, view our information for International Students.
If you do not meet the academic and/or English language requirements for this course, entry is available through successful completion of an International Foundation at our partner INTO UEA (as well as a successful interview):
International Foundation in Pharmacy, Health and Life Sciences
Students for whom english is a foreign language
If English is not your first language, we will require evidence of proficiency in English (including reading, writing, speaking and listening) at the level of IELTS 7.0 overall (minimum 7.0 in each component).
Review our English Language Equivalencies for a list of example qualifications that we may accept to meet this requirement.
INTO UEA also offer a variety of English language programmes which are designed to help you develop the English skills necessary for successful undergraduate study:
Interviews
The strongest applicants will be invited to interview. Please note that meeting (or being predicted to meet) the minimum academic entry requirements will not guarantee that you will be selected for interview.
Interview invitations will be sent by email. Please keep a close eye on all emails from UEA after you submit your UCAS application.
Our interviews for 2023 will take place on our campus. You will be invited to a morning or afternoon session by email. The email will include the arrival time and building location. We use a few of the buildings on our campus for interviews, but they will either be on our Main Campus or on our West Campus (which is around a 20-minute walk from the centre of the Main Campus, near the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital). The session will last no longer than 3 hours in total. 
You will take part in ‘multiple mini-interviews’ with academic staff members from the School of Health Sciences, clinicians from the profession you are applying for, 3rd year students from the course, and/or health service users.
Note that we will not disclose interview questions in advance of the interviews, but in general terms the interviews will explore a range of issues, including your suitability for the profession and the NHS values (as reflected in the NHS constitution). We’ll look to consider your motivation to study this course, as well as whether you have an interest in people and a clear understanding of the profession (ideally with relevant voluntary or paid work in healthcare).
Applicants who are based outside of the UK at the point of applying will be offered an online interview. The format will match the process outlined above as closely as possible.
We are aware that it is a difficult time to try to gain relevant experience in healthcare. First time applicants to Nursing, Midwifery and the Allied Health Professions will all be in a similar situation. We will take this into account and will adapt our expectations.
Keep in mind that clinical work experience is not generally a requirement for applying to train in healthcare, but it is important to show that you are able to work with people and appreciate the health and social care setting. It is important to remember why we look for work experience in an application; this in turn can help you think of the numerous ways that you might be able to demonstrate how you have acquired relevant experience.
We will want to see that you understand what a career in Health involves. Work experience, and other related experiences, are only as valuable as the way you talk about them and what understanding you take from them. While we will expect you to show some understanding of what it is like to be the professional of your choice, part of this involves demonstrating that you know what it is like to work in a responsible role, particularly with the public.
Any activity or life experience that helps you to prepare for training to be a healthcare professional will help. This means any activity that allows you to demonstrate that you have:
- Had people-focused experience of providing a service, care, support or help to others, and that you understand the realities of working in a caring profession.
- Developed some of the values, attitudes and behaviours essential to being a Nurse, Midwife or Allied Health professional such as conscientiousness, effective communication and the ability to interact with a wide variety of people. The values that we are looking for are set out in the NHS Constitution.
- A realistic understanding of Health and Social Care and in particular the physical, organisational and emotional demands of the career.
Keep a reflective diary on what is happening in the news and online. Listen to what healthcare professionals have to say and reflect on this. All healthcare professionals can be a valuable source of information and experience, not just those that work in the specific profession that you are applying for. Demonstrating that you have a sense of all healthcare professions (and how they work together) will help you in both your personal statement and interview.
Volunteer in your spare time if you can, all forms of voluntary work can provide helpful work experience. Whilst volunteer work in the NHS might be disrupted at this time, other schemes may still be in operation and worth exploring i.e. working with other people in a caring or service role. Voluntary commitments to community groups (for example groups related to the work of churches, mosques and temples, or other groups such as Scouts or Guides) and online community support groups may also provide valuable experience of taking on responsibility, dealing with people and communicating effectively. It is likely that these sorts of volunteering opportunities will start to run again before healthcare related opportunities are available.
Remember: it is what you learn about yourself, about other people and about how effective care is delivered and received that counts. What you did is only a small part of the story; it is how you communicate what you learnt which matters.
PROGRAMME CONDITIONS
Offers will be made to applicants after completion of successful interviews, and will be subject to a satisfactory occupational health check (including evidence of appropriate immunisations), an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check and two satisfactory references. We will let you know what you need to do (and when) to meet these conditions if you are successful in gaining an offer.
PLACEMENTS
During the course, no less than 50% of your time will be spent on practice placement. This might be in a variety of settings that include hospitals, community services, general practice, social services and voluntary or private organisations. Placement allocation occurs throughout the counties of Norfolk, Suffolk, Essex and Cambridgeshire.
As this course includes patient facing placements in health or social care settings, and these are a mandatory component of the course, you will need to comply with the placement vaccination policy. Failure to meet the placement vaccination policy may prevent you from joining the course or may lead to your withdrawal from the course in the future. Future employment may also be subject to this condition.
Gap year
We welcome applications from students who have already taken or intend to take a gap year. We believe that a year between school and university can be of substantial benefit. If you intend to apply with deferred entry, please let us know about your gap year plans in your UCAS application.
PROGRESSION REQUIREMENTS
Once enrolled onto your course at UEA, your progression and continuation (which may include your eligibility for study abroad, overseas experience, placement or year in industry opportunities) is contingent on meeting the assessment requirements which are relevant to the course on which you are enrolled.
Intakes
This course is open to UK and overseas applicants. The annual intake for this course is in September each year.
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Fees and Funding
Tuition Fees
View our information for Tuition Fees.
Scholarships and Bursaries
We are committed to ensuring that costs do not act as a barrier to those aspiring to come to a world leading university and have developed a funding package to reward those with excellent qualifications and assist those from lower income backgrounds. View our range of Scholarships for eligibility, details of how to apply and closing dates.
NHS Learning Support Fund
If you are eligible for tuition fee and maintenance support from the Student Loans Company, you can apply for additional financial support through the NHS Learning Support Fund when studying this course.
Course related costs
View our information about Additional Course Fees.
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How to Apply
Apply for this course through the Universities and Colleges Admissions Services (UCAS), using UCAS Hub.
UCAS Hub is a secure online application system that allows you to apply for full-time undergraduate courses at universities and colleges in the United Kingdom.
Your application does not have to be completed all at once. Register or sign in to UCAS to get started.
Once you submit your completed application, UCAS will process it and send it to your chosen universities and colleges.
The Institution code for the University of East Anglia is E14.
View our guide to applying through UCAS for useful tips, key dates and further information:
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