Program Overview

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.

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.