Course Overview
This course is delivered through our offer for Higher Education, University Centre Somerset.
This course starts on Monday 7 September 2026.
This is a full-time course. It is recommended that any employment undertaken alongside study amounts to no more than 8-12 hours per week.
Nursing is a challenging but rewarding career that’ll change lives, including your own. As a mental health nurse you’ll play your part in improving access to healthcare, wellbeing, social inclusion and quality of life.
The course will enable students to work in hospital and community settings within the NHS, social care, primary care and private settings. Your studies will look at how to care for people across their lifespan and consider the importance of holistic nursing care.
You’ll learn from a passionate, enthusiastic, skilled and supportive team with a range of experience across the many different aspects of Mental Health nursing. Many are active researchers; your learning will be enriched by the very latest in best practice and clinical understanding.This course has a strong practical focus, allowing you to gain competence carrying out the hands-on tasks you will perform in your career. Half your time will be spent on placements with our established partners. You will also have regular access to outstanding facilities including our Clinical Skills Simulation Centre: virtual wards where you will be able to develop your clinical expertise in a safe, instructive environment.
Based at our Taunton Campus, you will interact with and learn from other students from a range of health and social care courses. You will develop essential people skills as you work with patients and their families, as well as our partners on placements, in class and online.
Content may include:
- Anatomy, Physiology and Pharmacology for Nursing
- Episodes of Care 1-4
- Fundamentals of Nursing Practice
- Principles of Nursing
- Sustainable Global Public Health
- Assessment and Decision Making
- Pharmacology and Medicines Management
- Research Methodologies of Nursing Enquiry
- Supporting People with Complex Needs.
- Leadership and Supervision
- Nursing Final Project
- Transition to Registration.
Plus, an independent study module where you choose the area of focus within your field of nursing.
Find out more here.
Assessment Methods
Our philosophy of nurse education encompasses flexible, progressive, and innovative approaches ensuring you will be a caring, competent, and critically thinking nurse. Some of our approaches include experiential learning, enquiry and action-based learning, group work and face-to-face learning.
You will learn about the importance of your relationship as a nurse with both the service user and their family and friends. We will support you to develop the interpersonal skills you’ll need to build therapeutic relationships with people in diverse cultural contexts.
Develop your expertise in healthcare systems, nursing management, and the sociology of health, wellness, and illness. Explore the latest research and evidence-based practice and learn to adapt and respond to changes in society and developments in care. With a strong focus on building independent learning and research skills, the course also provides an excellent preparation for future professional development. With the help of distance learning and self-directed materials you will be supported to take responsibility for your own learning.
Progression Options
Registered Mental Health nurses are in demand across the UK and our graduates enter careers in a variety of roles for the NHS, private and voluntary sector employers in community and hospital settings.
You could go on to specialise in positions in hospitals, healthcare centres as a community nurse, in GP practices, schools, as a health visitor, or with patients in their own homes.
Once qualified you can also combine clinical practice with study on a post graduate course to specialise in a specific area. Progression could lead to senior positions such as consultant nurse, nurse specialist, researcher, or local or regional services manager.
Frequently Asked Questions
You can apply directly on any of the UCS College Group websites, whether you wish to study at Bridgwater College, Cannington College, Strode College, or Taunton College. Simply use our “Find a Course” feature and follow the on-screen instructions – be sure to have your important information to hand.
We aim to offer a careers service that is accessible to everyone. We will seek to equip all our students with the skills and knowledge that will enable them to operate confidently, effectively, and independently in life and work. All students have the opportunity to meet with a Careers Advisor for 1:1 career support.
The Student Experience Team can mentor and signpost students who are struggling with a range of issues that are negatively impacting their day-to-day life. The Student Experience Team works closely with the Safeguarding & Lifestyle Teams to promote proactive wellbeing enrichment sessions. The team can refer on to counselling when appropriate.
We provide top-quality workshops and teaching areas across our Colleges for subjects such as art, design and media, hair and beauty, catering, automotive engineering and construction. You can review our campus facilities by navigating to the “College Life” section of our websites.
For us, the success of our students always comes first. By investing in our built environment, we are investing in your future.
All of our students will have a personal tutor to support them with their academic progress and personal development. The tutorial programme consists of 1:1 support, group tutorials and guest speakers, plus targeted online resources which complement the UCS College Group Advantage scheme.
The Safeguarding Team can offer advice and guidance on anything that may be affecting your young person and their studies – no problem is too big or too small!
Please email our Safeguarding team at staysafe@ucscollegegroup.ac.uk. If you query is urgent, please come to the College Reception and ask to speak to a Safeguarding Officer.
If you cannot find an answer to your question in this FAQ section, you can ask us a question by visiting our Contact Us page.
