Nursing at UEA
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Of graduates go on to work and/or study within 15 months after the course
Graduate Outcome Survey 2020Start Your Journey Toward a Fulfilling Career in Mental Health Nursing at UEA
Take the first step toward a rewarding and meaningful profession with UEA’s BSc Mental Health Nursing programme. As one in four people experience mental health challenges during their lifetime, the demand for skilled and compassionate mental health nurses has never been greater. At UEA, we’re dedicated to preparing the next generation of professionals with the knowledge and skills to meet this growing need.
Renowned for excellence in healthcare education, UEA offers state-of-the-art facilities, expert clinical partnerships, and innovative, research-led teaching. Our programme combines academic learning with practical experience, giving you the opportunity to gain hands-on training through placements in a wide range of mental health settings, including NHS hospitals, community mental health teams, crisis services, and rehabilitation centres.
You’ll build a solid foundation in core nursing skills while exploring specialist areas of mental health, from early interventions in childhood through to end-of-life care. The curriculum addresses a wide spectrum of mental health conditions such as eating disorders, psychosis, PTSD, and personality disorders, as well as current issues like digital mental health, the influence of social media, and trauma-informed approaches.
At the heart of our teaching is a commitment to compassionate, person-centred care. You’ll learn to consider psychological, biological, and social factors in treatment and recovery, and benefit from insights shared by individuals with lived experience of mental health challenges. Our inclusive approach aims to break down stigma and foster holistic, long-term well-being.
Throughout your time at UEA, you'll be supported by small class sizes, dedicated tutors, and a close-knit learning community where you’re more than just a number.
Graduates of our programme are in high demand, with strong links to the NHS and private healthcare providers. Whether you envision a career in hospitals, the community, or specialist mental health services, UEA equips you with the tools, confidence, and connections to make a lasting impact.
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Find out more about studying Nursing at UEA, and browse our other courses.
Find out moreThe course is approved by the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC).
The course follows a traditional degree structure and is spread over three years. You’ll study alongside students from child and adult nursing, allowing you to benefit from interprofessional collaboration and the sharing of knowledge and clinical expertise.
In each year of the mental health nursing degree, you’ll engage with both theory and practice learning. The degree alternates between academic terms and blocks of clinical practice.
In your first year, you’ll explore the nature of nursing and develop your clinical and communication skills, which will be assessed in both the university and practice settings. You’ll also study the biological and behavioural sciences that inform nursing practice. As well as drawing on psychiatric literature, you’ll look at mental illness as a social construct, and learn about mental wellbeing as well as mental ill health.
Whilst the University will make every effort to offer the modules listed, changes may sometimes be made arising from the annual monitoring, review and update of modules. Where this activity leads to significant (but not minor) changes to programmes and their constituent modules, the University will endeavour to consult with students and others. It is also possible that 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. In some cases optional modules can have limited places available and so you may be asked to make additional module choices in the event you do not gain a place on your first choice. Where this is the case, the University will inform students.
During your course, you'll come across different ways of learning that connect nursing theory with practice. You'll get better at learning on your own and with others, including bigger healthcare teams. For classes, you'll have small-group sessions, lectures, and time for studying by yourself. When you're out on clinical placements, it's all about getting hands-on experience, with sessions set up to match what a real nurse's day looks like.
Your assessment will cover various methods selected to see how effectively you can put theory into practice. In Year One, this includes a mix of modern approaches such as written assignments, presentations, and posters.
In Year Two you’ll continue to build your skills and knowledge in professional practice. You’ll start to develop the principles of mental health nursing and gain an insight into the clinical settings in which nurses work such as public health, acute services, community, and research. Learning to adapt and respond to changes in society and developments in care, you’ll be able to stay on the front line of contemporary thinking and practice. You’ll also explore therapeutic skills for use in practice with clients.
Whilst the University will make every effort to offer the modules listed, changes may sometimes be made arising from the annual monitoring, review and update of modules. Where this activity leads to significant (but not minor) changes to programmes and their constituent modules, the University will endeavour to consult with students and others. It is also possible that 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. In some cases optional modules can have limited places available and so you may be asked to make additional module choices in the event you do not gain a place on your first choice. Where this is the case, the University will inform students.
You'll have plenty of educational resources at your fingertips, including presentations, workbooks, and posters, as well as online platforms like virtual classrooms and other digital learning tools. You'll also have the chance to learn firsthand from individuals who have experienced healthcare services.
In your clinical practice placements, you'll learn with the support of registered nurses, healthcare team members, and service users. Your theoretical studies will complement your practical learning, enabling you to develop evidence-based practice skills essential for delivering safe and effective nursing care.
In your second year, you'll have a range of interesting assessments, including exams, written tasks, and podcast presentations.
In your final year you’ll continue to specialise in the field of mental health nursing and will focus on more complex patient and client needs. You’ll also complete a dissertation in a topic of your own choosing and begin to develop management and leadership skills as you prepare to enter professional practice.
Throughout the three years you’ll encounter a strong emphasis on recovery and involving people in their care, with the aim of maximising achievements and social integration, positive mental health, values-based care, and reflective practice.
Whilst the University will make every effort to offer the modules listed, changes may sometimes be made arising from the annual monitoring, review and update of modules. Where this activity leads to significant (but not minor) changes to programmes and their constituent modules, the University will endeavour to consult with students and others. It is also possible that 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. In some cases optional modules can have limited places available and so you may be asked to make additional module choices in the event you do not gain a place on your first choice. Where this is the case, the University will inform students.
You'll be closely involved with individuals facing mental health challenges, as well as their families and caregivers. This hands-on experience will give you the confidence needed to start your career as a mental health nurse after graduation. By the end of your studies, you'll have compiled a personal learning profile, demonstrating your fulfillment of the requirements for professional registration with the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC).
One of our primary objectives is to enhance your ability to learn independently and collaboratively with others, including within the broader healthcare team. You'll be encouraged to engage with a wide range of resources to support your learning and develop effective self-directed study techniques.
Additionally, each year you'll complete an online medication calculation exam.
In your final year, you'll engage in a comprehensive capstone project, providing you with an opportunity to delve deeply into a subject area of personal interest. This project encompasses a traditional dissertation alongside a service improvement initiative, highlighting your nuanced understanding of the intersection between nursing theory and practice.
Additionally, your performance during clinical placements will be assessed to evaluate your practical competency.
As a UEA Mental Health Nursing graduate, you’ll be a highly sought-after healthcare professional. Your placements will mean you’ll have accrued enough time in practice to register with the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC). You’ll graduate ready to start your career in any number of demanding yet rewarding environments, such as mental health in-patient areas, child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS), and community mental health teams. You can specialise in areas such as eating disorders, ADHD, substance abuse, or perinatal mental health, or even work in places such as school, prisons, or research environments. Mental health nurses also work in areas where nurses from other fields of practice are based – for example, emergency departments and GP surgeries.
Examples of careers that you could enter include:
Discover more on our Careers webpages.
UK and International fee-paying students. Choose UK or International above to see relevant information. The entry point is in September each year.
We welcome and value a wide range of qualifications, and we recognise that some students might take a mixture of different qualifications. We have listed typical examples that we accept for entry.
You should hold or be working towards the specified English and Mathematics requirements and one of the examples of typical entry qualifications listed below. If your qualifications aren’t listed, or if you are taking a combination of qualifications that isn’t specified, please contact Admissions.
All applicants must hold or be working towards GCSEs in English Language and Mathematics at minimum grade C or grade 4.
In place of Mathematics GCSE we can also consider:
In place of English Language GCSE we can also consider:
We accept a wide range of English Language qualifications, please see our English Language equivalencies page.
UEA are committed to ensuring that Higher Education is accessible to all, regardless of their background or experiences. One of the ways we do this is through our contextual admissions schemes.
BBC
Contextual offer: CCC
Level 3 Extended Diploma: DMM
Contextual offer: MMM
See BTEC / OCR Cambridge Technical Level 3 section below for further information on accepted subjects.
Diploma: DM plus B at A level
Contextual Offer: DM plus C at A Level
Extended Certificate: M plus BB at A level
Contextual Offer: M plus BC at A Level
BTEC in Public Services, Uniformed Services and Business Administration are all excluded from our BTEC offers.
See BTEC / OCR Cambridge Technical Level 3 section below for further information on accepted subjects and combinations.
Pass Access to HE Diploma with Merit in 36 credits at Level 3 and Pass in 9 credits at Level 3.
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, Science.
2.2 or above
Grade requirements:
Subject requirements:
BTEC Public Services, BTEC Uniformed Services and BTEC Business Administration are not accepted to make up any grades.
50% or above
50% or above in Year 2
50% or above in Year 2, in a Health, Care or Science subject
60% or above in a Foundation Year of an undergraduate degree programme at a UK university, in a Health, Care or Science subject.
30 points overall.
1 subjects at H2, 5 subjects at H3.
Grade C or above in Child Care and Education (Early Years Educator).
Grade C or above in one of the following subjects:
60 credits at 50% or above, in a Health, Care or Science subject.
CCD or above.
A combination of Advanced Highers and Highers may be acceptable.
ABBBB or above.
A combination of Advanced Highers and Highers may be acceptable.
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.
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.
Graduates may wish to consider our accelerated Masters programmes.
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. Where applicable, an Overseas Police Check may be required. We will let you know what you need to do (and when) to meet these conditions if you are successful in gaining an offer.
If you have previously studied at degree level in a health based subject, we will want to see that you have passed all of the study that you have undertaken. We’ll 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.
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. For more information on the application process and what to expect at each step, take a look at our handy Applying to HSC infographic, which explains the application journey from start to finish.
Our interviews for 2025 will take place on our campus. The format will match the process outlined in our animation: What to expect from a Health Science interview at UEA, as closely as possible. You will be invited to book your interview for a morning or afternoon session by email. The email will include the arrival time and building location. We use a variety 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. Applicants who are based outside of England at the point of applying will be offered an online interview.
As part of the session, you will take part in ‘multiple mini-interviews’ with academic members of staff from the School of Health Sciences at UEA, clinicians from the profession, service users* and/or current UEA students from the course.
*A ‘service user’ is someone who has access to use health or social care services or could be affected by the services of health and social care professionals.
You will undertake your ‘multiple mini-interview’ alongside 1 or 2 other applicants for the course. Together, you will be taken to your interview room, which will be furnished with three interview stations. You will attend each interview station in turn, rotating with the other applicants you have been grouped with.
Before you visit each interview station, you will be given time to read some information. The information will include the interview questions or topics that you will be asked about. You will then be given a set amount of time with the interviewer(s), who will ask you the questions verbally.
The other applicants who you have been grouped together with will be following the same process as you at the same time. They will be speaking to alternate interviewer(s) to you simultaneously. You will all continue the process above until you have been interviewed at all three interview stations.
As part of your interview day, you will also have an opportunity to join some other sessions, for which you will not be assessed. The sessions are an opportunity for you to learn more about the course, the university, the students that study here, and for you to ask questions of current students and teaching staff. There may be an opportunity to undertake some practical skills during some of these sessions, if possible. There may also be an opportunity to tour the teaching facilities. These parts of your interview day are not compulsory, and do not form part of the assessment.
At each interview station you will be asked questions that focus on a particular domain. The order in which you are asked about these domains will be variable. The domains are:
On all interview stations, interviewers will also consider your ability to clearly present information and communicate your responses effectively.
Take advantage of our free course through Future Learn: Interview Skills for University Nursing Programme Applicants
This free one-week course aims to increase your chances of being accepted onto a UK Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) approved Nursing programme in the UK. You’ll be guided through the interview process to help you understand the purpose of the interviews and how they’re conducted. We introduce a range of resources, which will help you develop your knowledge of the Nursing profession and potential career pathways. Through information, guidance, and activities, you’ll learn how to identify transferable skills and relevant experiences that you can draw upon during your Nursing course interview, giving you the best chance of success.
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.
Clinical work experience will not generally be a requirement for applying to train in healthcare. We will be looking for you to show that you are able to work with people, that you appreciate the health and social care setting, and that you understand what a career in health will involve. 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.
Note that your experiences are only as valuable as the way you talk about them and what understanding you take from them. It is important that you think about how you might be able to demonstrate your understanding of healthcare, that you can relate this to experience or research, and that you can explain what you have learned.
Any activity, life experience or research 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:
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. If volunteer work in the NHS isn’t something that is available to you, think about what else you could explore 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.
Remember: what is important is what you learn about yourself and about other people, and what you learn about how effective care is delivered and received. How you learn these things is only a small part of the story; it is how you communicate what you learnt that matters.
Placement allocation primarily takes place across a variety of settings, which may include hospitals, community services, general practice, social services, and voluntary or private organisations. These placements are located 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.
Please see our guidance on assessing your fitness.
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. You are advised to indicate your reason for wishing to defer entry on your UCAS application.
Our Admissions Policy applies to the admissions of all undergraduate applicants.
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.
Applicants for this course need to be aged 18 or over by 31 December 2025. 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.
UK and International fee-paying students. Choose UK or International above to see relevant information. The entry point is in September each year.
We welcome and value a wide range of qualifications, and we recognise that some students might take a mixture of different qualifications. We have listed typical examples that we accept for entry.
You should hold or be working towards the specified English and Mathematics requirements and one of the examples of typical entry qualifications listed below. If your qualifications aren’t listed, or if you are taking a combination of qualifications that isn’t specified, please contact Admissions.
All applicants must hold or be working towards GCSEs in English Language and Mathematics at minimum grade C or grade 4.
In place of Mathematics GCSE we can also consider:
In place of English Language GCSE we can also consider:
We accept a wide range of English Language qualifications, please see our English Language equivalencies page.
BBC.
Not accepted: Critical Thinking and General Studies.
30 points overall.
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 direct entry our partner, INTO UEA offers progression on to this undergraduate degree upon successful completion of a preparation programme.
Applications from students whose first language is not English are welcome. We require evidence of proficiency in English (including writing, speaking, listening and reading):
IELTS: 7.0 overall (minimum 7.0 in reading, speaking and listening and 6.5 in writing)
We also accept a number of other English language tests. Review our English Language Equivalencies for a list of example qualifications that we may accept to meet this requirement.
Test dates should be within two years of the course start date.
If you do not yet meet the English language requirements for this course, INTO UEA offer a variety of English language programmes which are designed to help you develop the English skills necessary for successful undergraduate study:
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. Where applicable, an Overseas Police Check may be required. We will let you know what you need to do (and when) to meet these conditions if you are successful in gaining an offer.
If you have previously studied at degree level in a health based subject, we will want to see that you have passed all of the study that you have undertaken. We’ll 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.
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. For more information on the application process and what to expect at each step, take a look at our handy Applying to HSC infographic, which explains the application journey from start to finish.
Applicants who are based outside of England at the point of applying will be offered an online interview. You will be invited to an online interview by email. These are typically 40 minutes long and the email will include a link to your online interview. This is conducted on Blackboard Collaborate.
The interview will be conducted by one or multiple interviewers including academic members of staff from the School of Health Sciences at UEA, clinicians from the profession, service users* and/or current UEA students from the course.
*A ‘service user’ is someone who has access to use health or social care services or could be affected by the services of health and social care professionals.
After an initial introduction, the lead interviewer will conduct an ID check and then explain how the interview will unfold.
The interview will cover three distinct domains which will be introduced to you by the interviewer at the start of your interview. The interview questions will be shared in the chat with you so you can read them.
The domains are:
During the interview, the interviewer(s) will also consider your ability to clearly present information and communicate your responses effectively.
Take advantage of our free course through Future Learn: Interview Skills for University Nursing Programme Applicants
This free one-week course aims to increase your chances of being accepted onto a UK Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) approved Nursing programme in the UK. You’ll be guided through the interview process to help you understand the purpose of the interviews and how they’re conducted. We introduce a range of resources, which will help you develop your knowledge of the Nursing profession and potential career pathways. Through information, guidance, and activities, you’ll learn how to identify transferable skills and relevant experiences that you can draw upon during your Nursing course interview, giving you the best chance of success.
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.
Clinical work experience will not generally be a requirement for applying to train in healthcare. We will be looking for you to show that you are able to work with people, that you appreciate the health and social care setting, and that you understand what a career in health will involve. 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.
Note that your experiences are only as valuable as the way you talk about them and what understanding you take from them. It is important that you think about how you might be able to demonstrate your understanding of healthcare, that you can relate this to experience or research, and that you can explain what you have learned.
Any activity, life experience or research 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:
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. If volunteer work in the NHS isn’t something that is available to you, think about what else you could explore 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.
Remember: what is important is what you learn about yourself and about other people, and what you learn about how effective care is delivered and received. How you learn these things is only a small part of the story; it is how you communicate what you learnt that matters.
Placement allocation primarily takes place across a variety of settings, which may include hospitals, community services, general practice, social services, and voluntary or private organisations. These placements are located 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.
Please see our guidance on assessing your fitness.
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. You are advised to indicate your reason for wishing to defer entry on your UCAS application.
Our Admissions Policy applies to the admissions of all undergraduate applicants.
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.
Applicants for this course need to be aged 18 or over by 31 December 2025. 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.
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.
You can find information regarding additional costs associated on our Fees and finance webpages.
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:
Mental Health Nursing starting September 2025 for 3 years