Mental health problems currently affect one in four of the UK population. If you’re caring and compassionate, with exceptional communication skills and a real passion for helping people, a Mental Health Nursing degree is for you.
- A good application/performance will be taken into account if you do not meet the criteria/offer conditions
- Benefit from some of the best university facilities of their kind, including our clinical skills suite and our state-of-the-art immersive suite
- Learn from a highly experienced, enthusiastic and research-active team who provide full support to help you achieve your ambitions
- The Foundation Year course leads on to the full Mental Health Nursing degree that is accredited by the Nursing and Midwifery Council meaning when you graduate, you’ll be eligible to register and practise as a nurse, as long as you meet the NMC’s requirements.
If you already hold a degree and are looking to qualify as a mental health nurse, find out more about our MSc Nursing (Mental Health).
Beginning with a foundation year
Studying BSc (Hons) Nursing (Mental Health) with a Foundation Year is for you if you have the ability to study for a degree, but don’t have the necessary formal qualifications to enter directly on to the honours degree programme. It provides you with a firm grounding in the skills and knowledge you need and introduces you to the subject area, enabling you to achieve your full honours degree in four years.
On completion of the Foundation Year you will then commence study on the full Mental Health Nursing degree.
Foundation Year - helping you to achieve more
Including a foundation year as part of your four-year study programme will give you a head start in your academic and professional life. The foundation year offers the chance to strengthen your skills, knowledge and confidence – with extensive support from our expert staff – before you advance to stage one of your honours degree. It could also be beneficial if you are planning a career change and want to get to grips with aspects of subjects which are new to you.
Our degrees with a foundation year are continuous, meaning that you won’t need to apply again once you have successfully completed the first year.
Please note that our modules are subject to change - we review the content of our courses regularly, making changes where necessary to improve your experience and graduate prospects.
From day one you’ll be part of the University of Derby Nursing community and receive the same student experience, plus extra support to help you build your knowledge, skills and confidence.
You will be taught by qualified health professionals with extensive experience of nursing and leadership roles. They have proven, sustained track records in higher education teaching, with most holding Fellowships of the Higher Education Academy.
Our staff keep up to date with latest developments in the sector by undertaking continuing professional development as part of their registration with the Nursing and Midwifery Council. Some hold external examiner posts with other universities and some carry out clinical supervision for professionals working in their area of expertise.
We are committed to supporting you at every stage of the course. We offer enhanced personal tutoring which mirrors the professional relationships you will go on to have in practice with service users and colleagues when you embark on your career.
Research is an integral part of our work and we make key contributions to the University’s Health and Social Care Research Centre. Current initiatives include studies into dementia and a major long-term research project exploring values, compassion and care in undergraduate nursing. There may even be opportunities for you to work alongside our researchers to gain an insight into the value of research.
The teaching team is supported by ‘experts by experience’ – leading practitioners who regularly share their knowledge in teaching sessions at the University, together with clinical staff from our placement providers.
How you’re assessed
There is a diverse range of authentic assessments within the programme. Assessments are aligned to module learning outcomes and support students to build academic skill and professional development.
Assessment feedback and feedforward mechanisms encourage dialogue, provide action plans, and utilise academic, student, and practice support staff where required. This ensures that students are fit for practice, purpose, award, and professional standing on completion of the award.
Each assessment within the programme has the following underpinning characteristics:
- Each assessment has value and distinct relevance to professional nursing practice.
- They support development and progression through the programme.
- Each assessment focuses on supporting students to meet the NMC standards for registration.
- They support the application of theory to practice.
The assessment process is transparent, and students receive timely and constructive feedback to support their success.
Assessment of practice learning is recorded in the Practice Assessment Document (MYEPAD), which is designed to support and guide students towards successfully achieving the criteria set out in the Future nurse: Standards of Proficiency for Registered Nurses and Standards for Education and Training (NMC 2018). The MYEPAD is a regionally validated document developed collaboratively with other local universities. The University of Derby continues to work in partnership to support a consistent approach to student supervision and assessment.
2025 entry
These are the typical qualification requirements for September 2025 entry.
may apply to students who meet certain criteria.
| Requirement | What we're looking for | | UCAS points | 80 |
| A Level | CDD |
| T Level | Pass (C or above in the core) |
| BTEC | MMP |
| GCSE | GCSE Maths and English are preferred, however, if you don't have these qualifications you will be able to undertake Maths and English at Level 2 as part of your course of study |
| Access to HE | Pass Access to HE Diploma with 60 credits: 45 at Level 3 with a minimum of Distinction: 0, Merit: 30, Pass: 15 |
Additional entry requirements
English language requirements
IELTS: 6.5 (with at least 6.0 in each skills area)
2024/25
| | Full-time | Part-time |
|---|
| UK | £9,250 per year | N/A |
| International | £14,900 per year | N/A |
Funding for Nursing and Allied Health courses
By studying on this programme, you are eligible for a Tuition Fee Loan of up to £9,250. The loan will support your studies and enable you to start a rewarding career in healthcare.
All new and continuing nursing and allied health students on pre-registration courses will also receive a grant of at least £5,000 per year that is not means-tested and will not have to be repaid. This is provided through the NHS Learning Support Fund (LSF) and is not managed by the University. Please check with the LSF for residency requirements and eligibility criteria.
If you're eligible, you can get:
- A training grant of £5,000 per academic year
- Parental support of £2,000 if you have at least one dependent child under 15 years or under 17 years if registered with special educational needs
- Money back for excess travel and temporary accommodation costs while you're on your placement
- £1,000 if studying a shortage specialism
Among others, the shortage specialisms have been confirmed to include:
- Mental health nursing
- Learning disability nursing
- Diagnostic radiography
In addition to this non-repayable grant, you are also able to access a maintenance loan of up to £9,488 per year to support your studies, giving you access to over £17,000 per year of funding. Training grant payments will be paid in three instalments over the academic year. This is to provide you with a consistent flow of funding throughout the academic year as far as possible.
All NHS LSF applications must be submitted within six months of the start of the academic year and you will need confirmation of your Student Finance in order to complete your application. You need to set up an NHS Learning Support Fund online account to apply.
Further information about our fees and support you may be entitled to.
2025/26
| | Full-time | Part-time |
|---|
| UK | £9,250 per year | N/A |
| International | £16,900 per year | N/A |
Further information about our fees and support you may be entitled to.
How to apply
Please look at our before you apply.
We offer full support to help you achieve your career goals, including guidance on applications, CVs and interview techniques. Employers from the NHS, private sector, army, navy and RAF are among the many organisations who attend our annual career fairs as part of their recruitment drives.
Our graduates go into a wide range of health and social care settings, including hospitals, nursing homes, community roles, the voluntary sector, prisons and the armed services, to name but a few. Many take up roles in settings where they gained experience on placement.
Take your studies to the next level
We offer a full range of post-registration courses to help you gain more advanced and specialist skills and take the next step in your career. Our portfolio includes, for instance, an innovative MSc Mental Health and Wellbeing which you can study flexibly to gain a deeper understanding of advanced practice.
You could also explore broader issues such as leadership for healthcare improvement or inter-professional practice. If you would like to conduct independent research into a specialist aspect of health and social care practice, there are opportunities to progress to doctorate level study too.
Many of our post-registration courses and modules can be incorporated into your workplace practice as part of a programme of continuing professional development.
If you need any more information from us, eg on courses, accommodation, applying, car parking, fees or funding, please contact us and we will do everything we can to help you.
Contact us Contact us September 2023 entry is only available to students who have applied for the equivalent three-year degree and have been offered this as a more suitable alternative by our Admissions Team. We are not currently accepting applications for September 2023.
Teaching hours
Like most universities, we operate extended teaching hours at the University of Derby, so contact time with your lecturers and tutors could be anytime between 9am and 9pm. Your timetable will usually be available on the website 24 hours after enrolment on to your course.
Course updates
The information provided on this page is correct at the time of publication but course content, costs and other individual course details do change from time to time and are updated as often as possible, so please do check these pages again when making your final decision to apply for a course. Any updated course details will also be confirmed to you at application, enrolment and in your offer letter.
If you are thinking about transferring onto this course (into the second year for example), you should contact the programme leader for the relevant course information as modules may vary from those shown on this page.
Minimum numbers
Please note that this course is subject to minimum numbers in order to run.
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