BSc (Hons) Nursing (Mental Health) with Foundation Year

4 Years On Campus Bachelors Program

University of Derby

Program Overview

This four-year programme, including a foundation year, is designed to help you become a confident and compassionate mental health nurse, ready to support people with a variety of needs. It’s perfect if you’re passionate about helping others, enjoy working with people, and want a balance of practical experience and theory to kickstart your professional nursing career.

Curriculum Structure

Foundation Year (Year 0): You’ll start by building essential study skills and learning the basics of health and social care. This year gives you the confidence and foundation you need to move into the honours degree and begin your journey in nursing.
Year 1: The first year of the honours degree focuses on the fundamentals of nursing, including anatomy and physiology, professional values, communication skills, and initial exposure to mental health care. Key modules include Being an Accountable Professional in the Four Fields of Nursing and Assessing Needs and Planning Care.
Year 2: You’ll build on your first-year learning with more specialist mental health modules, such as Practice Assessment Part 1 (Mental Health) and Future Nurse. This year helps you apply theory to real-life scenarios, develop clinical decision-making skills, and gain confidence in your practice.
Year 3: In your final year, you’ll prepare for full professional practice. You’ll work with complex mental health conditions, take on leadership in care delivery, and refine your skills to ensure a smooth transition into your first registered nurse role.

Focus areas: Mental health nursing across the lifespan, assessment and care planning, professional accountability
Learning outcomes: Deliver safe and effective mental health nursing care, apply evidence-based practice, work confidently in multidisciplinary teams, and transition into registered nurse status
Professional alignment (accreditation): Approved by the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC), so you’ll be eligible to register as a mental health nurse after graduation

Experiential Learning (Research, Projects, Internships etc.)

At Derby, you won’t just learn about mental health nursing in lectures — you’ll actively practise it from day one. You’ll get hands-on experience in lifelike simulation labs, take part in hospital and community placements, and use digital tools that mirror real-world mental health care. This approach helps you build the confidence and skills to step into professional practice ready and capable:

Here’s how your practical learning comes to life:

Clinical Skills Suite: Practise essential nursing procedures on realistic mannequins and simulation equipment, in a safe environment where you can learn from experience.
Immersive Interactive Simulation Suite: Explore virtual reality and interactive 3D scenarios that replicate real mental health care settings.
Mock Hospital Ward: Train in a full-scale ward complete with treatment rooms and nurses’ stations, giving you a feel for what clinical practice is really like.
Placement Learning: Spend significant time in hospitals, clinics, and community mental health settings, applying your learning under the guidance of experienced supervisors.
Digital Learning Tools: Access online resources like the Virtual Learning Environment (VLE), Clinical Skills Net, and recorded lectures to support anatomy, simulation, and decision-making skills.
Inter-professional & Collaborative Learning: Work alongside students from other nursing and healthcare disciplines, developing teamwork skills and understanding multi-disciplinary care in mental health practice.

Progression & Future Opportunities

Completing Derby’s Mental Health Nursing programme sets you up for a rewarding career where you can make a real difference in people’s lives. You’ll leave ready to register as a mental health nurse and step into roles such as Mental Health Nurse, Community Mental Health Practitioner, Specialist Liaison Nurse, Psychiatric Rehabilitation Nurse, Crisis Intervention Nurse, or Mental Health Team Leader:

Here’s how Derby helps you succeed:

Careers & Employability Support: One-to-one coaching, CV and interview workshops, and employer recruitment fairs — including NHS trusts and community mental health providers — help you launch your career.
Employment and Salary: Around 95% of graduates go on to work or further study within 15 months, with average salaries around £30,000 for mental health nursing graduates.
Industry Partnerships: Extensive placements in hospitals, clinics, and community mental health settings build real-world experience and professional networks.
Professional Accreditation: Approved by the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC), so you’re eligible to register as a qualified mental health nurse upon graduation.
Graduate Outcomes: Many students secure job offers during their third year thanks to the practical focus and high demand in the mental health sector.

Further Academic Progression:
After your degree, you can continue to specialise and advance your career. Options include a Master’s in Mental Health Nursing, Health Leadership, or Advanced Clinical Practice, or pursuing a PhD in mental health nursing research, service innovation, or leadership. Many graduates also stay at Derby for postgraduate study or continuing professional development (CPD) to further enhance their skills.