Overview

This exciting, two-year pre-registration course is underpinned by master’s level education, enabling you to become a highly educated mental health nurse with longer term potential for management, leadership, consultancy, educational and research roles.

You will critically explore systematic approaches to the delivery of nursing care in response to health improvement and health promotion strategies based on local, national and international targets.

You will also focus on developing communication and interpersonal skills that will enhance your ability to provide values-based, person-centred, compassionate care and develop comprehensive knowledge of mental health nursing and associated current healthcare interventions.

You will undertake a piece of substantive research on a topic of contemporary practice specific to mental health nursing.

Applying to the MSc

You must apply through UCAS for this course as it is classed as an undergraduate Masters course - the UCAS code is BR60 (see Apply section below for more details).

COURSE HIGHLIGHTS

This programme is approved by the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC). Graduates are eligible to apply for professional registration as a Registered Nurse (Mental Health).
You will study at our new £110 million, ultra-modern campus in Lanarkshire, equipped with the latest innovative and collaborative technologies.
Practice-based learning makes up 50% of the course with placements available with NHS Ayrshire and Arran, NHS Dumfries and Galloway, NHS Lanarkshire, NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde (Clyde Area) and NHS Highland (Argyll and Bute) and NHS The State Hospital.
You will utilise our innovative clinical skills suites and develop your nursing skills out in practice in areas such as mental health in-patient settings, the community and in the prison service.

Part 1 - PgCert

The PgCert comprises the following core modules:

Foundations of Nursing (core, 20 credits)
Nursing Values in Practice (core, 20 credits)
The Nursing Profession (core, 20 credits)

In order to meet the NMC standards (NMC, 2010) students must successfully complete all theory and practice elements of Part 1 before progressing to Part 2.

This equates to students having met NMC Progression Point 1 Criteria together with 60 credits at SCQF Level 11. Any student not meeting these requirements will incur a period of programme interruption and will be supported to complete Part 1 in line with the University Assessment Regulations.

Professional Requirements

The NMC has identified skills and professional behaviours that a student must demonstrate by the first progression point. These criteria must normally be achieved during the students Practice Learning Experiences.

These criteria cover:

Safety, safeguarding and protection of people of all ages, their carers and their families
Professional values, expected attitudes and the behaviours that must be shown towards people, their carers, their families, and others

Achievement of Part 1 NMC Progression Point Criteria also include:

Completion of Part 1 NMC practice hours
Completion of safeMedicate™ (100% Pass)
Evidence of progression and achievement of the NMC Essential Skills Clusters
Pass Practice Learning Experience clinical assessments in PLE 1.1, 1.2 and 1.3

Academic Requirements

60 credits at SCQF Level 11

Any student not meeting these requirements will incur a period of programme interruption and will be supported to complete Part 1 in line with the University Assessment Regulations.

Students meeting the academic progression criteria will be entitled to a Post Graduate Certificate in Health Studies if exiting the programme prior to completion. The PgCert Health Studies award is academic and carries no professional recognition from the NMC.

Part 2 - PgDip

Successful completion of the PgCert allows you to proceed to the PgDip, which consists of the additional following core module:

Mental Health Nursing Practice (core, 20 credits)
Contemporary Mental Health (core, 20 credits)
Working with Vulnerability (core, 20 credits)

In order to meet the NMC standards (NMC, 2010), students must successfully complete all theory and practice elements of Part 2 before progressing to Part 3. This equates to students having met the NMC Progression Point 2 Criteria together with 120 academic credits at SCQF Level 11. Any student not meeting these requirements will incur a period of programme interruption and will be supported to complete Part 2 in line with the University Assessment Regulations.

Professional Requirements

The NMC has identified skills and professional behaviours that a student must demonstrate by the second progression point. These criteria must normally be achieved during the students Practice Learning Experiences.

These criteria cover:

Working more independently, with less direct supervision, in a safe and increasingly confident manner
Demonstrating potential to work autonomously, making the most of opportunities to extend knowledge, skills and practice

Achievement of Part 2 NMC Progression Point Criteria also include:

Completion of Part 2 NMC practice hours
Ongoing evidence of progression and achievement of the NMC Essential Skills Clusters
Pass Practice Learning Experience clinical assessments in PLE 2.1, 2.2 and 2.3

Academic Requirements

120 credits at SCQF Level 11

Any student not meeting these requirements will incur a period of programme interruption and will be supported to complete Part 2 in line with the University Assessment Regulations.

Students meeting the academic progression criteria will be entitled to a Postgraduate Diploma (PgDip) Health Studies if exiting the programme prior to completion. The PgDip Health Studies award is academic and carries no professional recognition from the NMC.

Part 3 - MSc

Successful completion of the PgDip allows you to proceed to the master's module:

Research in Practice

Award of MSc Adult Nursing

Students who have met the NMC Standards (NMC, 2010) and 180 credits at SCQF Level 11 will progress to Award of MSc Adult Nursing and be eligible to enter the NMC Register as an adult nurse.

Any student not meeting these requirements will incur a period of programme interruption and will be supported to complete Part 3 in line with the University Assessment Regulations.

Professional Requirements

Achievement of NMC Standards for Part 3 and includes:

Completion of Part 3 NMC practice hours
Evidence of achievement of the NMC Essential Skills Clusters
Pass Practice Learning Experience clinical assessments in PLE 3.1 and PLE 3.2

Sign Off Mentor has declared achievement of the required NMC Standards of Competence (NMC, 2010)

Academic Requirements

180 credits at SCQF Level 11

Award of Postgraduate Diploma (PgDip) Mental Health Nursing

Students who have met the NMC Standards (NMC, 2010) and 120 credits at SCQF Level 11 will progress to the Award of Post Graduate Diploma Mental Health Nursing and be eligible to enter the NMC Register as a mental health nurse. Any student not meeting these requirements will incur a period of programme interruption and will be supported to complete Part 3 in line with the University Assessment Regulations.

Professional Requirements

Achievement of NMC Standards for Part 3 and includes:

Completion of Part 3 NMC practice hours
Evidence of achievement of the NMC Essential Skills Clusters
Pass Practice Learning Experience clinical assessments in PLE 3.1 and PLE 3.2
Sign Off Mentor has declared achievement of the required NMC Standards of Competence (NMC, 2010)

Academic Requirements

120 credits at SCQF Level 11

Award of MSc Health

Students who accrue 180 credits at SCQF Level 11 but do not achieve the NMC Standards for Part 3 will be entitled to the award of MSc Health. The award is academic and carries no professional recognition from the NMC.

Award of Postgraduate Diploma (PgDip) Health Studies

Students who accrue 120 credits at SCQF Level 11 and either do not achieve the NMC Standards for Part 3 or do not complete the programme will be entitled to a Post Graduate Diploma in Health Studies. The award is academic and carries no professional recognition from the NMC.

Teaching & Assessment

Our ongoing assessment strategy aims to support learning and has been designed to assess your knowledge of nursing at SCQF Level 11. The strategy also ensures that the professional requirements for competency to enter the NMC professional register are achieved.

LEARNING AND TEACHING

Scheduled learning: 14%
Independent study: 32%
Placement: 54%

ASSESSMENT

Exam: 11%
Practical: 0%
Coursework: 89% (includes clinical placements for Part 1/Part 2/Part 3)

Course Structure

Find out more about the structure, learning outcomes, compulsory and optional modules in this course.

MSc Mental Health Nursing Course Structure

If UWS is a consideration for you, put it as your first choice. I spoke to staff on the programme and from the feel of the campus, to the outlook of those who will teach you, the passion and drive for you to succeed was ever present at UWS. When you are a student, aim to be inspired by those who teach you so that you can go on to achieve your full potential – I did that thanks to UWS.

Claire Stevenson, MSc Mental Health Nursing graduate

More Information

Professional Approval and Accreditation

Our course is approved by the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC). Upon graduating you will be eligible to apply for professional registration within your specific field.

Placement Opportunities

Practice learning experiences are available in one of five West of Scotland health boards:

NHS Ayrshire and Arran
NHS Dumfries and Galloway
NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde
NHS Lanarkshire
NHS Highland (Argyle & Bute)

as well as The State Hospital.

You will experience the 24*7 continuum of care which represents contemporary healthcare delivery, enhancing your clinical skills and integrating theory with practice.

Top 10

in UK for Teaching Quality for Nursing (The Times / The Sunday Times Good University Guide 2019)

90%

Overall student satisfaction amongst UWS postgraduate students (iGraduate Student Barometer 2017-18)

86%

Overall Satisfaction of UWS Pre-registration Mental Health Nursing students (National Student Survey 2018)

The Future of Dementia Care

Here at UWS our nursing students and staff are playing a key role in developing the future of dementia care.

There are currently 850,000 people in the UK living with dementia and this figure is expected to rise to over 1 million by 2025.

By focusing on experimental learning, we make sure that you will be rights focused, confident and compassionate when dealing with this condition.

Entry Requirements

What qualifications do you need?

We welcome Scottish, UK and international students and consider all applicants on an individual basis.

Don’t worry if your qualifications are not listed here, we take a range of factors into account when assessing your application and are happy to consider other alternative combinations of qualifications and experience

If you are applying with an EU or non-EU qualification, please check our Postgraduate & Post-experience Entry Requirements page which gives more information about country-specific entry requirements.

Academic Requirements

You must:

possess an appropriate Ordinary bachelor's degree in biological, health, social science, nursing or related subject obtained within five years
be able to provide an academic reference, as well as copies of your formal university transcript and award certificate

You should also demonstrate competency in literacy and numeracy*; In terms of Scottish qualifications, Maths* should be at least:

SQA National 5 (Grade C, or above) or
SQA Intermediate 2 (Grade C, or above) or
SQA Standard Grade (Credit) or

Alternative, equivalent qualifications will be accepted. Otherwise Numeracy testing will be required.

* for Scottish applicants, Life Skill Mathematics / Application of Mathematics are acceptable alternatives to SQA National 5 Maths, if they have been awarded at National 5 level. For all applicants, the Open University module, MU123 Discovering Maths, is also accepted. Functional Skills Level 2 English and Maths is equivalent to GCSE Grade C/4.

IMPORTANT NOTE

An offer to study is also dependent on the outcome of the selection process and background checks:

personal interview
health screening
membership of the Protection of Vulnerable Groups (PVG) scheme

English Language Requirements

ENGLISH LANGUAGE REQUIREMENTS FOR MOST COURSES

For applicants whose first language is not English, the University sets a minimum English Language proficiency level. The qualifications below must have been gained within two years of the start of your course.

General English language requirements at UWS: International English Language Testing System (IELTS) Academic module (not General Training)

overall score 6.0
no sub-test less than 5.5

Exceptions to this level of IELTS scoring exist for some accredited or professionally-recognised courses (see section below for more details).

SOCIAL WORK DEGREES

For our BA (Hons) Social Work and MSc Social Work programmes, applicants are required to have an IELTS score as follows:

overall score of 7.0
no sub-test less than 7.0

COMMON EQUIVALENT ENGLISH LANGUAGE QUALIFICATIONS

All stated English tests are acceptable for admission for both home/EU and international students for this programme:

CAE (Cambridge Certificate of Advanced English): 176 overall; no sub-test less than 169
CPE (Cambridge Certificate of Proficiency in English): 176 overall; no sub-test less than 169
Trinity College London Integrated Skills in English: ISEII with the minimum of a Pass in all sub-tests
PTE Pearson Academic English: An overall score of 59 to 64 with no element below 59 (for programmes that require IELTS 6.0 with no element below 5.5). An overall score 65 to 75 with no element below 65 (for programmes that require IELTS 6.5 with no element below 6.0)

IELTS SCORE EXCEPTIONS (RESEARCH DEGREES, BIOMEDICAL SCIENCE DEGREES, NURSING & MIDWIFERY DEGREES WITH NMC REGISTRATION, CERTIFICATE OF HIGHER EDUCATION, ETC.)

RESEARCH DEGREES

For our research degrees (MRes, MPhil, PhD, DBA, DProf) applicants are required to have an IELTS score as follows:

overall score of 6.5
no sub-test less than 6.0

HEALTH & MIDWIFERY AWARDS

For Health, Nursing & Midwifery courses that lead to, or require professional registration with the Nursing & Midwifery Council, applicants are required to have an IELTS or Occupational English Test (OET)*.

For such courses, the IELTS score is as follows:

overall score of 7.0
score of at least 7.0 in reading, listening and speaking and no less than 6.5 in writing

* Note that the Occupational English Test (OET) will now be accepted in addition to IELTS as proof of a Nurse's English Language Competence (Nursing & Midwifery Council, 2019).

BIOMEDICAL DEGREES

For our BSc (Hons) Applied Biomedical Science, BSc (Hons) Biomedical Science and MSc Advanced Biomedical Science programmes, applicants are required to have an IELTS score as follows:

overall score of 7.0
no sub-test less than 6.5

CERTIFICATE OF HIGHER EDUCATION

For our Certificate of Higher Education courses, applicants are required to have an IELTS score as follows:

overall score of 5.0
no sub-test less than 4.5

TOEFL IBT

TOEFL IBT*: 78; no sub-test less than:

Reading: 17;
Listening: 17;
Speaking: 17;
Writing: 17

* Please note that TOEFL is still acceptable for admission to this programme for both home/EU and international students.
For international students, the Home Office has confirmed that the University can choose to use TOEFL to make its own assessment of English language ability for visa applications to degree level courses. We therefore still accept TOEFL tests taken in the last two years for admission to this programme.

WEST AFRICAN SENIOR SCHOOL CERTIFICATE OF EDUCATION (WASSCE)

West African Senior School Certificate of Education (WASSCE) including acceptance of WAEC Scratchcard*

C6 or above in English

*UWS will accept a WAEC scratchcard confirming that an applicant has achieved C6 or above as evidence of meeting English language requirement from Nigeria if the student graduated within the last 5 years. After 5 years applicants would be required to provide the WAEC Certificate.

PRE-SESSIONAL COURSES

Applicants who do not meet the minimum English language requirements have the option to study one of our preparatory and pre-sessional English courses. The UWS courses available are:

10 week pre-sessional - entry criteria UKVI IELTS 5.0 with no element below 4.5.
5 week pre-sessional - entry criteria UKVI IELTS 5.5 with no element below 5.5.
English Language for University Study - entry criteria UKVI IELTS with score of 4.0 in all elements (10 month course), or 4.5 with no score below 4.0 (7 month course).

Find out more about our English language Courses.

Course details

Our MSc Mental Health Nursing course has three parts containing a mixture of theory and practice core modules. There are three 20 credit modules in Part 1, two 30 credit modules in Part 2 with Part 3 consisting of a 60 credit theory/practice dissertation module.

A recognised innovative feature of our course is the approach of clinical simulation used for skills demonstration, practice, and development throughout the course which allows you to practise skills in a safe, realistic environment.

Part 1 - PgCert

Part 1 of the programme comprises the following core modules:

Integrated Human Development (core, 20 credits)
Self, Society and Nursing (core, 20 credits)
Health and Society (core, 20 credits)

In order to meet the NMC standards (NMC, 2010) students must successfully complete all theory and practice elements of Part 1 before progressing to Part 2.

PROFESSIONAL REQUIREMENTS

These criteria cover:

Safety, safeguarding and protection of people of all ages, their carers and their families
Professional values, expected attitudes and the behaviours that must be shown towards people, their carers, their families, and others

Achievement of Part 1 NMC Progression Point Criteria also include:

Completion of safeMedicate™ (100% Pass)
Evidence of progression and achievement of the NMC Platforms and Proficiencies for Part 1
Achievement of Pass in Practice Learning Experiences PLE 1 & 2

ACADEMIC REQUIREMENTS

60 credits at SCQF Level 11

Any student not meeting these requirements will incur a period of programme interruption and will be supported to complete Part 1 in line with the University Assessment Regulations.

Students meeting the academic progression criteria will be entitled to a Post Graduate Certificate in Health Studies if exiting the programme prior to completion. The PgCert Health Studies award is academic and carries no professional recognition from the NMC.

Part 2 - PgDip

Successful completion of Part 1 of the programme allows you to proceed to the Part 2, which consists of the additional following core modules:

Resilience in Health (core, 30 credits)
Managing Mental Health Care (core, 30 credits)

PROFESSIONAL REQUIREMENTS

These criteria cover:

Working more independently, with less direct supervision, in a safe and increasingly confident manner
Demonstrating potential to work autonomously, making the most of opportunities to extend knowledge, skills and practice

Achievement of Part 2 NMC Progression Point Criteria also include:

Ongoing evidence of progression and achievement of the NMC Platforms and Proficiencies
Achievement of Pass in Practice Learning Experiences PLE 3 & 4

ACADEMIC REQUIREMENTS

120 credits at SCQF Level 11

Any student not meeting these requirements will incur a period of programme interruption and will be supported to complete Part 2 in line with the University Assessment Regulations.

Students meeting the academic progression criteria will be entitled to a Postgraduate Diploma (PgDip) Health Studies if exiting the programme prior to completion. The PgDip Health Studies award is academic and carries no professional recognition from the NMC.

Part 3 - MSc

Successful completion of the Part 2 allows you to proceed to the Part 3 of the programme:

Research and Practice (core, 60 credits)

AWARD OF MSc Mental Health Nursing

Students who have met the NMC Standards (NMC, 2010) and 180 credits at SCQF Level 11 will progress to Award of MSc Mental Health Nursing and be eligible to enter the NMC Register as a Mental Health Nurse.

Any student not meeting these requirements will incur a period of programme interruption and will be supported to complete Part 3 in line with the University Assessment Regulations.

PROFESSIONAL REQUIREMENTS

Achievement of NMC Standards for Part 3 and includes:

Completion of all NMC practice hours
Evidence of achievement of the NMC Platforms and Proficiencies
Achievement of Pass in Practice Learning Experiences PLE 5 & 6

Practice Assessors and Academic Assessors have declared achievement of the required NMC Platforms and Proficiencies for Part 3 of the programme (NMC, 2018)

ACADEMIC REQUIREMENTS

180 credits at SCQF Level 11

AWARD OF POSTGRADUATE DIPLOMA (PGDIP) MENTAL HEALTH NURSING

PROFESSIONAL REQUIREMENTS

Achievement of NMC Standards for Part 3 and includes:

Completion of Part 3 NMC practice hours
Evidence of achievement of the NMC Platforms and Proficiencies
Pass Practice Learning Experience clinical assessments in PLE 5 and PLE 6
Practice Assessor and Academic Assessor have declared achievement of the required NMC Platforms and Proficiencies (NMC, 2018)

ACADEMIC REQUIREMENTS

120 credits at SCQF Level 11

AWARD OF POSTGRADUATE DIPLOMA (PGDIP) HEALTH STUDIES

Students who accrue 120 credits at SCQF Level 11 and either do not achieve the NMC Standards for Part 3 or do not complete the programme will be entitled to a Postgraduate Diploma in Health Studies. The award is academic and carries no professional recognition from the NMC.

Teaching & Assessment

The programmes embrace a variety of teaching and learning strategies which include lectures, tutorials, seminars, workshops, self-directed learning, professional development planning and reflection.

A recognised innovative feature of the programmes is the approach of clinical simulation whereby students can practise nursing skills in artificial healthcare environments/community environments (Skills Labs) with patient simulators that are interactive and can replicate human anatomy/physiology and clinical signs of developing illness. The Communication/Multi-sensory Suite and the Domus initiative will also be used for skills demonstration practice and evaluation within the programme. Through clinical simulation, students can practise in a safe, realistic environment. Activities can be recorded and students engage in facilitator debrief, peer review and self-review in order for them to identify their level of competence accurately and most importantly identify errors. This method of learning provides a crucial preparation for PLEs and real patient encounters and consequently students can more readily identify and address learning opportunities that are safe and therapeutic.

Academic staff facilitate learning in the skills laboratories through the use of small group teaching and assist students to develop nursing skills through the simulation of clinical events. Reference material, clinical guidelines and policies/procedures for laboratory-based modules will be delivered via e-learning in conjunction with tutorial support.

Career Prospects

Jobs

Upon graduation you will be fit-for-practice and will contribute to the leadership of a competent, dynamic workforce. You will be suitably equipped to secure employment within a range of healthcare areas.

Further Study

On completion of our course, you may wish to consider further study in a variety of academic and clinical pathways. The following are an example of some further study/progression routes that are available:-

Master Degree by Research (MRes)
Master of Philosophy (MPhil)
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
Professional Doctorate
MSc Advanced Clinical Practitioner
MSc Mental Health & Education
PG Cert Child Protection

Having completed the MSc I am now embarking upon my PhD. This was one of the most rewarding and challenging times of my life, and it opened up a world of opportunities. I graduated not only with mental health nursing registration but additionally with a Masters degree.

Aisling McBride, Mental Health Nursing graduate

For more information on undertaking a career in Mental Health Nursing click here.

Paramedic, Nursing and Midwifery Student Bursary Scheme (PNMSB)

If you are ordinarily resident in Scotland, you may be eligible to receive £10,000 worth of funding in each of the two years of your MSc programme, for tuition and living costs. This funding is available through the Paramedic, Nursing and Midwifery student bursary scheme (PNMSB) which comes from the Scottish Government Health Directorate but is administered by the Student Awards Agency Scotland (SAAS).

You can find out more on the webpages below:

How to apply

Postgraduate courses (MA, MSc, MEd, MBA, DBA, PG Cert, PG Dip, etc.) & some Post-experience courses (CertHE, BA, Grad Cert, Grad Dip, etc.)

All students should apply directly to the University through our online application system. Before you apply, you should check that you meet our entry requirements and you should have all your supporting documents ready.

The first stage of the process is to complete the initial application form. You will then receive a follow-up email with further instructions relating to your application including documents that you will need to forward to support your application, e.g. degree transcripts and certificates etc.

Most courses don't have a formal closing date, but they will close when they are full; apply early to avoid disappointment. There may also be funding deadlines that apply to you.

The Academic Technology Approval Scheme (ATAS) applies to all international students and researchers (apart from exempt nationalities) who are subject to UK immigration control and are intending to study or research at postgraduate level in certain sensitive subjects.

Students and researchers who are nationals of EU countries, the European Economic Area (EEA), Australia, Canada, Japan, New Zealand, Singapore, South Korea, Switzerland or the United States of America do not need an ATAS certificate.

An ATAS certificate may be required for certain taught postgraduate master's degrees for international students at UWS.

For the latest information on ATAS and details of eligibility and how to apply for a certificate check the UK Government's dedicated ATAS web pages.

Get in touch

Do you have a question about applying for this course? Get in touch. We are here to help!

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Tuition Fees 2023-24

Use the Link below to download details of our full-time, part-time tuition fees for Bachelor, Masters, Research, and English Language pre-sessional courses for session 2023-24.

Tuition Fees

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Research at UWS

With cutting edge facilities, specialist knowledge and world-leading and internationally excellent expertise, we aim to develop research outputs that have a tangible, early and positive impact on society across the globe.

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We will always try to make sure that we publish accurate course information but we do not accept responsibility for any mistakes or omissions. We will also try to make sure that we deliver our courses in line with our published information. However, we may not always be able to do so and you can find further information about this in our enrolment terms and conditions.