School of Nursing

BNurs (Hons) Mental Health Nursing with Foundation Year

BNurs (Hons) Full-time 4 years

91% of students were pleased with the teaching on their course (NSS, 2024) and our course ranked 5th in the UK (The Guardian University Guide, 2025). Join us to transform lives across all ages, mastering the skills to support those facing mental health challenges.

91% of students were pleased with the teaching on their course (NSS, 2024) and our course ranked 5th in the UK (The Guardian University Guide, 2025). Join us to transform lives across all ages, mastering the skills to support those facing mental health challenges.

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BNurs (Hons)
Start date(s)
September 2024, September 2025, April 2025
UCAS Code
B762
Course specifications
Course length
Full-time (4 years)
Campus location
University: City Campus,University: Telford Campus
UCAS points calculator

Why choose this course?

91% of students were pleased with the teaching on their course

NSS, 2024

Mental health Nursing at the University of Wolverhampton ranked 5th in the UK (The Guardian University Guide, 2025)

Mental health nurses work with people experiencing mental health difficulties across the lifespan. At the core of a mental health nurse's role is the ability to establish trusting therapeutic relationships with service users and with their families and carers. As a mental health nurse you would care for people affected by a range of mental health difficulties, for example: anxiety; depression; eating disorders; psychological trauma; psychosis; and dementia. Mental health nurses support individuals and their families in a wide variety of settings, including in their own homes; GP practices; primary care facilities; specialist nursing homes; hospitals (both general and mental health); prisons; community mental health nursing; and forensic mental health units. Whatever your client group, you will use professional expertise, skills and knowledge to promote recovery and positive mental health.

WHY CHOOSE THIS COURSE?

Our mental health nursing course adopts a person-centred approach to enable you to develop the knowledge, skills and attitudes required to provide safe and effective care. With this mental health nursing qualification you will, upon successful completion, be able to apply to register with the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) to practise as a registered mental health nurse in a range of diverse health and social care settings. Studying mental health nursing at the University of Wolverhampton is delivered by subject experts with extensive clinical experience and you will be supported to achieve a high clinical, professional and academic standard, we are also proud of our relationships with our partner organisations which were recently commended by the NMC.

Nursing is a demanding vocation which requires compassion, commitment, creativity and resilience, along with an ability to work independently and as part of a multi-disciplinary team. Mental health nursing, especially, requires a warm and empathic approach to help build trusting therapeutic relationships with people who are sometimes reluctant to engage. This course will develop your knowledge, skills and confidence as a practitioner working in partnership with service users and carers in a variety of settings. The course promotes personal resilience and critical thinking, and supports you to advocate on behalf of service users and carers and to provide effective evidence-based interventions and continuous service improvement.

INTAKES: September and April

WHERE: City Campus and Telford Campus

 

What's unique about this course?

  • Top-tier excellence: our course ranks 5th nationwide (The Guardian University Guide, 2025)
  • Outstanding teaching: 91% of students praise the quality of teaching (NSS, 2024)
  • Theory and practice blended: preparing you to provide compassionate care for individuals experiencing a range of mental health challenges
  • A 50-50 split between university study and hands-on practice placements: allowing you to develop the expertise to establish trusting therapeutic relationships and promote recovery
  • You'll be eligible to register with the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) as a mental health nurse: upon successful completion

What happens on the course?

50% of your course will be situated in the University and 50% in a variety of practice areas.

THEORY

You will study a range of academic core (all fields of nursing) and field (mental health focused) modules based on theory and practice experiences. Your practice experiences will assist you in developing practical skills and professional awareness.

Your modules will also contain a range of key skills which are essential for lifelong learning, including numeracy (essential for medicines management), information technology, communication and working with others, problem solving and how to improve your learning.

The course aims to help you prepare yourself to adapt to new roles and the environments you will be working in. You will continuously learn in order to develop your nursing knowledge and skills as the start of career progression. Theoretical material will reflect the requirements of the National Health Service and Social Care Services and the changing needs of today's population.

PRACTICE

We have a dedicated practice team whose role it is to support the quality and variety of learning experiences you will be exposed to within your course that will enable you to meet the competencies required to be a Registered Mental Health Nurse. Placements will be within local NHS providers and in the Independent sector. Travel expenses to University placements will not be funded, however a learning support fund is available, to check whether you are eligible please visit here: https://www.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/student-services

Placements will be undertaken within Black Country Healthcare Foundation NHS Trust, Midlands Partnership Foundation NHS Trust, and in private health organisations.

Generally Mental Health students based at City campus are placed across the Black Country, and Mental Health students based at Telford campus are placed across Shropshire and Staffordshire. However we do not guarantee that your placements will all be within a particular Trust or region, and you will be expected to travel.

For more information on placements and locations, visit: https://wlv.ac.uk/schools-and-institutes/faculty-of-education-health-and-wellbeing/nursing/nursing-placement/

Placements make up a large part of your course and shifts can be early mornings, evenings, overnights, weekends and Bank Holidays so it is essential that you have considered how you will travel to your placements before applying.

Course Modules

Potential Career Paths

Successful completion of the BNurs (Hons) Mental Health Nursing will lead to the right to apply for registration with the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) and will then open up the prospect of many jobs in clinical practice, hospital or community settings, research, teaching or managerial roles.

Mental health nurses work in a variety of diverse settings caring for children, adolescents, adults of working age and older people who are experiencing mental health problems. Mental health nurses work alongside many other professionals including social workers, psychiatrists, psychologists, occupational therapists, and GPs to plan and deliver person–centred care. Registered nurses continue to study after they have qualified, often in a specialist area, as they develop their career path within the UK or working abroad.

Additional Information

Everything you need to know about this course!

Location Mode Fee Year
Home Full-time £9250 per year 2022-23
Home Full-time £9250 per year 2023-24
Home Full-time £9250 per year 2024-25
International Full-time £13450 per year 2022-23
International Full-time £14450 per year 2023-24
International Full-time £14950 per year 2024-25

The University is committed to a transparent fee structure, with no hidden costs, to help you make an informed decision. This includes information on what is included in the fee and how fees are calculated and reviewed

Prepare for foundation pathway: 

Applicants who wish to access this course will be required to attend and pass a compulsory one day Prepare for foundation programme. This programme is where you will be able to showcase your keen interest or recent experience in the subject. As well as come to visit the university and meet the staff involved in the programme.

This compulsory programme is designed to introduce you to studying a health professional course, answer your questions, meet staff and fellow students. You will take part in a variety of exciting subject related activities that will prepare you to kick start your academic experience with us, should you secure an offer. 

Before attending the Prepare for foundation programme, we wish to make you aware that you will be asked to complete an assessment task which will be used as part of the event. Further information on the requirements of this task will be provided to applicants who have been shortlisted for this course.

Interview: 

If you are successful in passing this programme, you will be required to attend an interview with faculty staff.

GCSE requirements:

You are required to hold GCSE English language and maths grades 9-4/A*-C or equivalent. Equivalent qualifications include the following at Level 2: Functional Skills, Key Skills, Learn direct.

Equivalency Test:

If you have not achieved your Level 2 qualifications, you are eligible to take our University equivalency course. The course for this programme are free of charge and can be taken completely online. Our Admissions team will confirm in your offer if you are required to take one of these assessments.

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Further Information

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Please note that although you will apply for your preferred start date due to placement capacity you are not guaranteed the date you select. We would place successful applicants on the earliest start date we have available at that time. Applicants have the opportunity to be placed on a waiting list to be pulled forward as places become available.

Free Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) and Occupational Health Check:

Due to the professional nature of some of our courses you may also be required to complete a Declaration of Health and Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) Check.  We will coordinate both of these non-academic conditions with you should your course require this and you receive an offer from us

There will be no cost for the DBS this is free to applicants who have secured an offer and have chosen to study at the University of Wolverhampton.

Student Visa Requirements:

Applicants who require a student visa to enter the UK are not eligible to be considered for this course. 

Skilled Worker Visa Requirements:

Applicants who are in the UK on a Skilled Worker Visa or are a dependent of a Skilled worker are not eligible to be considered for this course. 

Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC)

Recognised by the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) for the purpose of registration as a qualified nurse (mental health).

Tuition Fees Loan (Home Fee Status):

By studying an undergraduate or postgraduate pre-registration 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.


Changes for EU students:

The UK government has confirmed that EU students starting courses from 1 August 2021 will normally be classified as Overseas (International) students for fee purposes. More information about the change is available at UKCISA:

EU citizens living in the UK with 'settled' status, and Irish nationals living in the UK or Ireland, will still be classified as Home students, providing they meet the usual residency requirements, for more information about EU Settlement Scheme (EUSS) click here.


NHS Learning Support Fund

All eligible nursing , midwifery and most allied health professionals' students on pre-registration courses will also receive a Training Grant of at least £5,000 per year that is not means-tested and will not have to be repaid.

An additional payment of up to £3,000 per academic year will be available to eligible students;

• £2,000 for students with children towards childcare costs

• £1,000 Special Subject Payment on certain shortage specialism courses

Among others, the shortage specialisms have been confirmed to include:

• Mental health nursing

• Learning disability nursing

• Podiatry

Please note that this additional NHS funding is not available for students on the Foundation Year of a 4-year degree


Additional funding:

The Learning Support Fund also offers students additional support while studying for their degree. This includes:

• Additional travel and accommodation costs to clinical placements over their normal daily travel costs

• An exceptional hardship fund of up to £3,000 per student per academic year


You can find more information on the NHS Business Services pages.

Telephone

01902 32 22 22

Email

enquiries@wlv.ac.uk

Online

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How We Compare

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