- 3 years
- 4 years with foundation year
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 apply and be interviewed for the full BSc (Hons) Mental Health Nursing degree.
Solent's BSc (Hons) Mental Health Nursing degree 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.
This video 'Why study BSc (Hons) Mental Health Nursing' is available as a text transcript, with a description of visuals.
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.
Accredited by:
Why choose this course?
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
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.
Come to an open day
Fancy a sneak peek? Take a look around!
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
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.
Access Solent 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 the industry?
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.
Tuition fees
The 2022/23 tuition fees are not yet available. For guidance, the 2021/22 fees were:
- UK, EU (settled status) and Channel Island full-time fees: £9,250 per year
- International full-time fees: £14,250 per year
For further information, please visit our tuition fees page.
Extra course costs
The 2022/23 other costs are not yet available. For guidance, previous other costs have been:
Since September 2020, annual payments of at least £5,000 are available for all undergraduate and postgraduate students from eligible nursing, midwifery and allied health courses. The funding has been confirmed by the UK Government as part of its pledge to increase nurse numbers by 50,000 over the next five years. Find out more information about the funding in the gov.uk website.
Compulsory 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 (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
Optional costs
- 2-3 week self funding international volunteering trip circa £1,200 (all inclusive based on previous trips organised).
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.
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.
Financial information videos
Student finance in under three minutes Student funding - the essentials
Entry requirements
Please select an option below:
Key entry requirements
48 UCAS tariff points from A-levels or equivalent
- 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 BA (Hons) Social Work 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 refer to our course entry requirement statement.
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.
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 and to take a look at this PDF document which outlines both Solent University and Home Office requirements for a number of language tests.
Any questions?
Contact our admissions team!Call: 023 8201 5066Email: admissions@solent.ac.uk
How to apply
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 26 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.
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
-
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.
Pre-Sessional English programme
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.
We will prepare you for your future
Suitable roles for graduates include
- Band 5 mental health nurse
- Supervisor for student nurses
- Postgraduate study
We will help you start your career
The Solent Futures 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.
Find out more
Support at Solent
All students at Solent University have access to a range of specialist support services. Whether you are having financial difficulty, need additional help with academic skills or want advice on setting up your own business you'll find that help is always on hand.
Most of our specialist support services are based around the Student Hub, a central space where you can access all the information and support you may need during your time at University. The Student Hub is the first point of contact if you have any queries relating to your course, including questions about your timetable, options, and assessments and extenuating circumstances.
We work in partnership with the University to build a sense of pride and confidence in your Union, University and student experience.
Find out moreMake your application
- 3 years
- 4 years with foundation year