BSc (Hons)Mental Health Nursing
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- 3 years
- 4 years with foundation year
Why study mental health nursing with a foundation year
If you want to help others in critical need, you can have a rewarding and fulfilling nursing career in mental health. Learn essential clinical skills on this NMC accredited degree.
- Top0in the UK for assessment and feedback in mental health nursing studies, out of 72 institutions (NSS 2024)
- Top0in the UK for mental wellbeing in mental health nursing studies, out of 72 institutions (NSS 2024)
- 0%positivity score for learning opportunities (NSS 2024)
- If you’re looking to study our mental health nursing degree, but don’t have the relevant qualifications or experience, the foundation year will help you develop the core skills and knowledge to progress.
- Accredited by Nursing and Midwifery Council. On successful completion of the programme, you’ll be entitled to register with the NMC.
- Solent ranked in the UK’s top 15 for Graduate Prospect Outcomes — a key indicator of success in employability or further study for first-degree graduates (out of 68 institutions) (The Times Good University Guide 2025).
- The course will enable achievement of recognised additional qualifications in skills such as mental health, first-aid and suicide prevention.
- Take part in a wide range of clinical placements in all years of study, in a variety of primary and secondary mental healthcare services, such as community and hospital teams, forensics services, specialist providers.
- You will gain excellent career prospects: there is significant local and national demand for nursing graduates.
- Our teaching team have excellent teaching and clinical experiences. They can help you to become a skilled mental health nurse to make a positive difference to people lives.
- Human function and health, one of Solent’s key research areas, embodies research-related activities associated with the investigation and evaluation of human function, health, and the social context – you will learn direct from leading experts in their field.
- You’ll be assigned a personal tutor who can assist you with pastoral support to help you make the most of your learning.
Course overview
If you want to study mental health nursing, but not quite ready to study at degree level, studying the social sciences foundation year will introduce you to a range of topics that are central or highly relevant to the study of the social sciences. You’ll explore areas such as mental health and wellbeing, contemporary issues in social sciences, and professional practice to help prepare for undergraduate study.
The foundation year has an applied focus – students are encouraged and enabled to apply their theoretical knowledge to real world problems, such as mental health, psychological wellbeing and everyday problem-solving. You’ll also begin to develop the academic writing and independent learning skills necessary to study a scientific discipline, as well as learn the basics of thinking and writing in social sciences.
On successful completion of the foundation year, students can progress to the BSc (Hons) Mental Health Nursing degree.
BSc (Hons) Mental Health Nursing has been designed to meet the future nursing proficiencies set out by the Nursing and Midwifery Council (2018) and upon successful completion will allow you to register and work as a graduate mental health nurse.
We aim to develop your knowledge, skills and academic capacities so you can build a meaningful nursing career that balances your own continuous personal growth with doing public good for the varied communities you will care for across your working life.
The course will consider what it means and how to provide mental health care in a contemporary, culturally diverse context, and what is needed for the profession to continuously improve and add value to the lived experiences of the populations we serve.
You will complete a series of theory modules over three parts that analyse and critique modern mental health approaches and treatment modalities, including the medical model, psychotherapeutic approaches, anthropological understanding of health beliefs, public health approaches, and the social determinants of health, among other ideas and concepts.
The clinical practice components of the course will consist of placements in all years of study in a variety of primary and secondary mental healthcare services, such as community and hospital teams, forensics services, specialist providers of mental health care, and every other place where mental health nurses can play a role in the prevention, treatment and recovery of people with mental ill health. Placements are essential and are found and allocated by our dedicated placements team.
In addition to becoming a graduate mental health nurse, the course will enable achievement of recognised additional qualifications in skills such as mental health first aid and in suicide prevention. It is also possible to self-fund short volunteering experiences overseas.
Our overall aim as a nursing lecturing team and as a university is that you have access to the best of teaching, learning and clinical experiences so you can become a skilled, thoughtful and authentic mental health nurse who is confident you are making a positive difference to people lives and the wider communities you work within.
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Course features
Additional qualification
This course offers additional qualifications for you to obtain with your degree
Professional accreditation
This course has been accredited by a professional body
Specialist facilities
This course has access to specialist facilities
Study abroad
You have the opportunity to study abroad in one of our partner universities for a semester on this course
Who is this course for?
Studying the social sciences foundation year can help you on to the path of studying the full mental health nursing undergraduate degree.
Mental health nursing is suitable for people who want a career that has social value and who have a keen interest in caring for others and enabling people to achieve the best outcomes they can.
Mental health nursing students often have, or want to develop, an open mind and be curious about the nature of the human condition and society and to be able to do something real that benefits both.
We welcome applications from people with all kinds of life experiences and at all stages of life.
What does this course lead to?
Registered mental health nurses can work within the National Health Service, private, voluntary and independent sector healthcare providers, education, policy, and government sectors. UK educated and NMC registered nurses also can work globally but may be required to take registration tests for other national nursing bodies.
Meet the team
You will be taught by a friendly and experienced teaching team in excellent teaching and learning facilities.
The University cannot guarantee any particular members of staff will teach specific aspects of the course in the future, but will endeavour to ensure the teaching team maintains their balance of experience and qualifications.
Facilities
Our vibrant campus brings state-of-the-art facilities to enhance your learning and elevate your student experience. Our award-winning teaching building, The Spark is centred around students and offers a stimulating study environment with flexible learning spaces.
Away from studying, why not try out the gyms, fitness studios and sports halls in our £28 million Sports Complex, or watch a blockbuster film at our student-run cinema with Dolby Atmos audio.
International opportunities
Broaden your horizons by adding an international dimension to your CV – essential to achieving success in today’s fast-changing, global environment.
Studying, working or volunteering in another country could be the experience of a lifetime. Enhance your degree by developing important global skills such as knowledge of other countries, language skills, intercultural awareness, adaptability and confidence.
For more information, please email international.mobility@solent.ac.uk.
What you'll study
Core modules
Contemporary Issues in Social Sciences
We use key sociological concepts – such as identity, power and social institutions – to explore a range of topics that shape our society including education, the family and healthcare.
Crime and Risk in Society
During this module, you’ll focus on an area of crime and justice that enables you to examine offending in our communities. Exploring a range of different types of crimes, you’ll use sociological approaches and crime theories to understand criminal behaviour. You’ll consider where and when crime takes place, as well as identify factors that contribute to criminal acts. Drawing on real crime cases, you will use a range of academic and popular sources to understand the complexities of criminal behaviour and the elements within society that work together to maintain social control.
Media Project in Social Sciences
This module invites you to examine and question the ways in which online social media; television; newspapers, and other media sources communicate and represent contemporary topics and issues in the social world.
Investigating in the Social Sciences
The module will introduce you to the methods used by social scientists to carry out research. You will learn about examples of research from different disciplines within the social sciences, such as psychology, sociology and medicine.
Psychological Approaches to Mental Health
This module will introduce the topic of mental health and will explore the different psychological approaches - such as biological, psychological and social - which psychologists use to understand positive and negative aspects of mental health.
How you will learn and be assessed
You will learn by:
You may be assessed by a combination of:
- Essays
- Reflective accounts
- Written assessments
- Case studies
- Individual presentations
Solent’s curriculum framework builds on our unique, creative and applied approach to teaching. The transformation of students’ lives is at the heart of our mission as a university, and our curriculum – informed by the latest theory – reflects this shared educational vision.
Find out more
Study support
The student achievement team are on hand to help you succeed during your studies at Solent. They aim to contact you at key times during your time here with personalised information, advice and guidance, by email or phone.
The disability advice team provides information, advice and guidance for disabled students.
All students can access Succeed@Solent, Solent's online guide to getting better grades. It offers extensive, practical information and advice on topics such as academic writing, research and presentations.
Why choose a career as a mental health nurse?
In the UK there is a national and well documented shortage of nurses and particularly mental health nurses. Since 2011 and the advent of the Government policy documents such as “No Health without Mental Health” a greater emphasis has been placed on developing and expanding mental health provision and education places for nurses.
The Future Nurse standards from the Nursing and Midwifery Council also reflect this and has begun to build greater capacity in the education and practice systems to educate more student nurses year on year to meet the need for qualified nurses across all health sectors.
You could earn:
Mental health nurse
Starting salary: £28,407
For fully-qualified mental health nurses in the NHS - this can rise to £34,581 (Band 5).
The stated salaries are published on prospects.ac.uk. Income figures are intended as a guide only.
Solent Futures
The Solent Careers team is committed to getting students into great careers.
While you are studying, the team can help you with finding work experience or placements, link you with a mentor, check your CV, or offer one-to-one guidance.
If you're in your final year, we also have graduate job opportunities just for Solent graduates.
6th
UK uni for sustained employment
Longitudinal Educational Outcomes, 2022
Accredited by
Accredited by:
Tuition fees
The tuition fees for the 2025/26 academic year are:
- UK, EU (settled status) and Channel Island full-time fees: £9,250 per year
- International full-time fees: £15,050 for foundation level. Fees will increase for year 1.
- International full-time fees: £17,750 per year
For further information, please visit our tuition fees page.
Extra course costs
While most course costs are covered by your tuition fees, some essential resources and optional extras may need to be paid for separately. These additional costs are listed below. For advice on budgeting and managing your money, please contact student.funding@solent.ac.uk.
All nursing students on courses may be eligible for non-repayable government funding of at least £5,000 a year. Further information can be found on the NHS Careers website.
The 2025/26 other costs are not yet available. For guidance, the 2024/25 other costs were:
Essential costs
- Two uniforms will be provided but you are likely to require additional uniforms which cost in the region of £30.
- The University will pay for an occupational health assessment, however you may need to pay for immunisations if they are not covered by your GP.
- You will need a pair of suitable comfortable shoes while on clinical placement and studying in our simulation settings (estimated cost £40-£60).
- You will need to purchase some of your own clinical items, for instance a stethoscope and fob watch (estimated cost £30).
- You will need to be able to travel to study at our partner NHS trusts and to your placement - travel costs will be associated with this.
Bursaries, scholarships and financial support
Solent University offers a range of bursaries and scholarships that provide financial assistance or waive fees for tuition or accommodation. Each bursary or scholarship has specific eligibility criteria. Check out our bursaries and scholarships pages to find out more.
Solent EU Welcome Scholarship (Fee Discount)
This scholarship is available to students from an EU country, with EU nationality, who are applying for an undergraduate course starting in September 2025. The scholarship will reduce your tuition fees to £10,500.
Find out more about the scholarship
Cost of living support
At Solent, we understand that the cost of living crisis may be of some concern. To help, we've put together some detailed information to show what support is available and how to make your money go further.
Graduation costs
There is no charge to attend graduation, but you will be required to pay for the rental of your academic gown (approximately £45 per graduate, depending on your award). You may also wish to purchase official photography packages, which range in price from £15 to £200+. Graduation is not compulsory, so if you prefer to have your award sent to you, there is no cost. Extra guest tickets will go on sale after results publication and will be sold on a first-come-first-served basis. The cost per ticket is currently £15. Please note, we do not guarantee there will be any extra tickets available to purchase.
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Entry requirements
Please select an option below:
Key entry requirements
48 UCAS tariff points
- A minimum of two completed A-levels, a BTEC Extended Diploma at PPP or BTEC Diploma at MP, a T-Level Pass (D or E), or equivalent.
- Those wishing to progress on to BSc (Hons) Mental Health Nursing must also have GCSE Maths and English grade 4/C.
- If you would like to be considered for Social Sciences Foundation Year entry, please contact Admissions either by telephone: 023 8201 5066 or by email for further information.
- We will consider mature students who have not recently undertaken a formal course of study at A-level, or equivalent, but can demonstrate relevant work or voluntary experience, that's indicative of their ability to complete the course successfully.
Key entry requirements
As a general guide, we look for qualifications that are equivalent to the British high school A-levels.
We will also consider overseas applicants in an equivalent situation to UK students as outlined above, and who have been taught in English or have IELTS 5.5, or equivalent.
If you are applying from outside the UK, find information about entry requirements, visas and agents for your country here.
For further information about UK, EU and international qualifications, please see our course entry requirements document.
Key entry requirements
As a general guide, we look for qualifications that are equivalent to the British high school A-levels.
We will also consider overseas applicants in an equivalent situation to UK students as outlined above, and who have been taught in English or have IELTS 5.5, or equivalent.
If you are applying from outside the UK, find information about entry requirements, visas and agents for your country here.
For more information about qualifications, please see our course entry requirements document.
Note to all international students requiring a visa
All international applicants need to be aware that the English language requirements to attend Solent University, and the English language requirements to obtain a visa from the Home Office, may be different. This means that if you meet the Solent University language requirement to gain a place on the course, you may still have to meet additional requirements to be granted with a visa by the Home Office.
We strongly advise all applicants to visit the Home Office website which outlines all the requirements for a successful visa application.
Any questions?
Contact international admissions
Email: Call:How to apply
Full-time
Any student applying for the first year of a full-time/sandwich undergraduate course must apply through UCAS (University and Colleges Admissions Service). This includes mature, overseas and EU students.
Nearly all schools and colleges offer their students the facility of applying electronically through the UCAS website using 'Apply'; it may also be used by those applying independently in the UK and overseas. This facility and all course information can be found on the UCAS website: www.ucas.com.
Your application should reach UCAS by 31 January if you hope to enter a course the following autumn. Early application is advised for the most popular subject areas. Late applications may be made until the end of June. The UCAS Code for the University is S30, code name SOLNT.
Find out what happens after you apply
Contextual offers
Solent endeavours to offer learning opportunities to students from all backgrounds. When we receive and review an application, we take into consideration the context and personal circumstances of applicants when making a decision, which means our advertised entry tariff could be reduced.
Language requirements
Applicants who do not have English as their first language will be required to demonstrate an approved level of proficiency in the use of the English language. The agreed minimum requirements for this course are:
-
IELTS 6.0 overall with a minimum of 5.5 in each individual component
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or equivalent.
Qualifications are checked before enrolment, and international students must bring their original certificates or certified copies when coming to study at the University.
The University also offers a pre-sessional English programme for international students who wish to improve their level of English before starting a degree course.
Make your application
- 3 years
- 4 years with foundation year
