Overview

This new MSc course offers graduates from a range of backgrounds the opportunity to enter the nursing profession in two years. It is intended specifically to prepare you for a rewarding career where you can support people with their mental health.

The Pre-Registration Master of Science (MSc) in Mental Health Nursing is a two-year, full-time postgraduate course which leads to eligibility to register as a Mental Health Nurse with the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC).
The course is aimed at individuals with a prior undergraduate degree and evidence of experience in health and social care. Previous undergraduate degrees may include (but are not limited to) health-related disciplines, psychology, criminology or sociology degrees. Those with non-health-related degrees must demonstrate extensive experience in the clinical health and social care sector. It is also suitable for existing nurses looking for dual qualification.

We all need 'good mental health and wellbeing' (Every Mind Matters 2019), and awareness of the importance of mental health is more prominent than ever before in schools, the workplace and society. The MSc in Mental Health Nursing aims to prepare you for working in a dynamic and fast-changing health and social care system that has an impact on all of us. Mental Health Nurses work with people across the lifespan and within a vast range of services including community, in-patient, primary care and specialist services such as Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) and Forensic Mental Health.

Mental Health Nurses must be competent in the person-centred assessment and treatment of a range of physical and mental health conditions to empower individuals to manage their own lives. This innovative course is designed to enhance your communication skills, and develop a person-centred and empathetic approach to those with healthcare needs.

Practice learning placements with local practice partners are integral to the MSc in Mental Health Nursing course and account for 50% of the course – these are organised by the university. Mental Health Nurses work in collaboration with the individual experiencing mental health issues and with a range of other health professionals to provide a multidisciplinary approach to person-centred care. You will be required to complete placements across four practice modules which may be in a variety of areas across a range of services including: community, in-patient, primary care and specialist services such as Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) and Forensic Mental Health.

This course meets the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC), Realising Professionalism: Standards for Education and Training (NMC, 2018). To be eligible to apply for registration as a Mental Health Nurse with the NMC all modules, all clinical placements and all collaborative capabilities must be passed.

In addition to eligibility for NMC registration, upon successful completion, you will also graduate with a Chartered Management Institute (CMI) accredited qualification in Global Professional Development and have the opportunity apply to become a member of the CMI.*

*Coventry University’s accreditation with CMI is currently ongoing for the relevant modules, but is frequently reviewed and monitored by the CMI through their quality systems. If any changes occur with respect to our accreditation related to these modules, we will seek to notify applicants and students as soon as possible.

Course information

Mental health nursing is a values-based profession working with children, young people and adults of all ages with a variety of mental health problems and from numerous cultures and backgrounds. These specialist nurses are usually based in hospitals or work in the community, for example, in community services, in-patient facilities, specialist forensic mental health services, residential care and patients’ own homes.

This course is designed to help equip you with the hands-on clinical and care skills to prepare you to practise autonomously and compassionately, providing person-centred and compassionate care and support for service users to be physically safe and emotionally secure. A key element of this course is that all your placements will be relevant to mental health, we do not use ‘generic’ placements.

There are eight mandatory theory modules within the programme which define the MSc in Mental Health Nursing.