Overview

Mental health nurses have the skills to make a huge difference to people’s lives. They offer compassion, care and support to those finding it difficult to cope with aspects of their life. They promote individual strengths, wellbeing and independence to empower people throughout their recovery.

The BSc Nursing Studies (Mental Health) programme will inspire and equip you to make a lasting impact as a mental health nurse. You’ll explore the causes, symptoms and treatments for conditions like depression, addiction, eating disorders and dementia. Your focus throughout will be on the individual, learning how to apply different techniques and approaches when supporting a person in a way that suits them.

Half of your learning will take place in clinical placements. You’ll build confidence caring for mental health patients in the community, in hospital, and across a range of specialist settings. Meeting real people and engaging with real mental health challenges will teach you important skills like empathy, flexibility and communication.

As Scotland’s largest single-campus provider of pre-registration nursing education, you’ll train in our state-of-the-art Interprofessional Simulation Centre. Here, you will practise in realistic hospital wards and home environments using real equipment and advanced patient manikins. You will work alongside health and social care students from other disciplines, building the teamwork and leadership skills employers value. It will support you to become a confident and competent nurse, delivering person-centred care, safely and effectively.

You will graduate ready to register with the Nursing and Midwifery Council as a Registered Nurse. You’ll be ready to begin a rewarding career in individualised, recovery-focused mental health care, making a real difference every day by supporting people to live happier, healthier lives.

Please note:

The BSc Nursing (Mental Health) and BSc (Hons) Nursing (Mental Health) follow the same structure in the first 3 years.

The BSc focuses on the core knowledge and clinical skills needed to become a Registered Nurse. The BSc (Hons) provides an additional fourth year of specialist study and an academic dissertation. Both the BSc and BSc (Hons) lead to registration with the Nursing and Midwifery Council as a Registered Nurse following completion of the first 3 years.

Important: You must apply for your preferred route. Opportunities to transfer between the BSc and BSc (Hons) once you accept your offer are very limited and will not be considered until Year 3.

Why study Nursing Studies (Mental Health) at GCU?

Build an understanding of a wide range of complex mental health problems. Learn how to support people through difficult times and give them individualised tools to help them cope.
Study at the largest single-campus provider of pre-registration nursing education in Scotland.
Practise clinical skills in lifelike hospital wards and community settings. Build confidence with real equipment and advanced patient manikins at our Interprofessional Simulation Centre.
Set yourself up to thrive as part of a dynamic multi-agency team, working regularly with students from other health and social care courses.
50% of the course is dedicated to clinical placements. Engage with patients face-to-face and get hands-on experience of real-life settings.

Nursing and Midwifery Council

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What you will study

Please note that full module information is in the process of being finalised for publication and will be made available here shortly.

In the meantime, you can view and download the Programme Specification at the bottom of this page. This document provides an overview of the course structure, including indicative modules, learning content and further key information. The modules listed on the Programme Specification are for the current academic year and are intended to give you an idea of what you may be able to study on this course.

Careers

When you complete this course, you will be eligible for registration with the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) as a Registered Nurse.

You will be ready to apply for a wide range of positions in the NHS and other sectors, working closely with patients, clients, service users and carers, or in management or research.

You’ll benefit from great employment opportunities through our practice partners. These currently include a number of NHS Boards, including NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, and NHS Lanarkshire, as well as private and third sector agencies.

Some graduates have also sought employment in other countries such as Australia, New Zealand, Canada and the USA.

Course information

Award	Mode of study	Duration	Start date	Location	UCAS
BSc	Full time	3 years	Sep 27	Glasgow	B760	Enquire Apply
Award	Mode of study	Duration	Start date	Location	UCAS
BSc	Full Time	3 Years	Sep 26	Glasgow	B760	Enquire Apply

Please note that admission to GCU is considered on a competitive basis, and the academic entry requirements stated here may be the minimum required to be eligible for an offer.

International students can get information on entry requirements specific to their country in our International Study section.

Please note: All offers for pre-registration nursing are subject to satisfactory Occupational Health and Protection of Vulnerable Groups (PVG) screenings.

Year 1

Standard entry requirement

UCAS Tariff: 69

Scottish Higher: BCC or equivalent including Higher in essay-based subject, plus Nat 5 Maths or Application of Maths

A Level: BC or equivalent including GCSE Maths and English

Minimum entry requirement

UCAS Tariff: 63

Scottish Higher: CCC or equivalent including Higher in Essay-based subject plus Nat 5 Maths or Application of Maths

A Level: CC or equivalent including GCSE Maths and English

Year 2 entry

Standard entry requirement

HNC in Health Care Practice

Interview and specific units required

Please note: All offers for pre-registration nursing are subject to satisfactory Occupational Health and Protection of Vulnerable Groups (PVG) screenings.

Minimum age restrictions

A student shall not normally be admitted unless he or she will have attained the age of 17 years by the first January after their programme begins.

Additional requirements

Applicants are expected to have evidence of assessed study within the last five years. Selected applicants will be invited to attend one of our Applicant Days as part of the admissions process.

Additional information for international applicants

Entry requirements by country
Application deadlines
English language tests
Knowledge of English - Applicants from a majority English speaking country may not be required to provide further proof of your English language proficiency. Information about this requirement is available on the Student Visa section of the gov.uk website.

Additional information for all applicants

Relevant experience (Recognition of Prior Learning)

GCU's flexible entry policies exist to allow relevant work experience and prior learning to be considered towards standard entry or advanced entry into a course.

If you do not have the typical academic entry qualifications, but can demonstrate relevant work experience and/or credits from recognised professional bodies, you may be eligible to enter this course via the University's Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) scheme.

Minimum entry requirements

Minimum entry requirements are for widening access students only. If you are from a group that is not currently well-represented in higher education you may qualify as a widening access student. This includes living in a target postcode area, attending a target school or college, attending SWAP, are care-experienced or provide care for someone else, have refugee status or are an asylum seeker.

Teaching methods

Our learning and teaching methods ensure the course is vocationally relevant and academically challenging. Our student-centred approach is practical, collaborative and relevant to employers.

We encourage you to think independently and develop critical thinking skills.

Each module uses a different learning, teaching and assessment strategy to make sure you build a comprehensive understanding of adult nursing and achieve the necessary learning outcomes.

Our learning and teaching methods include:

lectures
seminars
guided study
simulation
group work.

Assessment methods

Assessment methods include:

examinations
class tests
essays
coursework
presentations
academic posters
group work.

Work placements

This course is 50% theory and 50% practice. You’ll get experience in community and acute placement settings within NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, NHS Lanarkshire and NHS Ayrshire and Arran as well as private and third sector agencies. You will undertake eight placements during the BSc (Hons). This requires 2,300 hours of clinical experience across the course.

You must work alongside your practice supervisor. This means you will need to follow established shift patterns, day and night, and contribute to continuous provision of care.

Interprofessional Simulation Centre

Our Interprofessional Simulation Centre is a state-of-the-art teaching facility where health and social care students learn through realistic, hands-on experience. It includes lifelike hospital wards, simulated home and care environments, an ambulance and specialist spaces such as X‑ray, radiotherapy and physiotherapy clinics.

Using real healthcare equipment, advanced patient manikins and video recording, you can practise real-life situations safely and review your learning. The Centre supports nursing, paramedic, allied health and social care training. It helps you learn how to work across specialties while building your confidence and practical skills before working with real patients.

ISC Recording

We use video and audio recordings of students during practical exercises in our teaching and assessment. If you’re applying to study a health-related course, you should be aware that you may be recorded. These recordings may be viewed by staff, students and external examiners for learning and assessment. This is not an optional component of the course.

Professional accreditation

When you complete Year 3 of this course, you will be eligible for registration as a Registered Nurse with the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) as an Adult Registered Nurse (RN1).

Visit the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) website.

Download the programme specification

In addition to the core modules that all students must undertake, some courses offer students a choice from a selection of optional modules to shape the focus their degree. Optional modules where available, form part of the overall credit structure of the course.

Download the programme specification for a detailed breakdown of the course structure, including modules, what you'll learn and other useful information.

Terms and Conditions

Details of the University’s terms and conditions are available here.

Overview

Why study Nursing Studies (Mental Health) at GCU?

Accreditations

What you will study

Careers

Course information