Kingston University

MSc in Mental Health Nursing

Deepen your expertise and open doors to a rewarding career with life-enhancing impact.

One in four people experience mental health problems every year, which means the skills you’ll develop on this course are more important than ever. You’ll learn from a team of expert nurses, lecturers and researchers, preparing to make independent, fulfilling lives possible for service users, their relatives and carers.

A large part of this course will be spent on placement or in our award-winning simulation suites. This offers the perfect blend of learning styles and settings to help you refine your practical and therapeutic skills.

You’ll even receive a £5,000 per year, non-repayable NHS Training Grant to support your studies. Check out the NHS Business Service Authority website to find out more.

During the course, you’ll study the core elements of all fields of nursing, as well as modules specific to mental health. You’ll explore the diverse needs and contexts of mental health service users by analysing and applying research and evidence.

When you graduate, you’ll understand a range of psychological approaches used in clinical practice, and feel prepared to become a registered nurse. Previous students have gone on to secure roles in a range of settings, including hospitals, community teams, prisons, forensics, CAMHS and more.

Why choose this course?

While you study, you’ll benefit from top quality teaching at Kingston University. Not only are we ranked Gold in the Teaching Excellence Framework, we’re also top in London for Nursing (The Times Good University Guide 2025) and Nursing and Midwifery (The Complete University Guide 2026).

We even won Teaching Innovation of the Year for our public health elective placement at the 2023 Student Nursing Times Awards.

A portion of your learning will take place at our award-winning simulation suite, which creates realistic environments to help you develop skills in clinical, community and practice health settings.

You’ll take part in innovative simulations, where role players and full-body manikins will offer unique opportunities to build the knowledge and behaviours needed for safe and effective patient care.

Outside of the University, you’ll spend time on placement. Our placement providers include South West London and St George's Mental Health Trust, Surrey and Borders Partnership Trust, South London and Maudsley (SLAM) NHS Foundation Trust, Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust and independent hospitals, including the Priory Group.

Many of our staff are active in research, often in partnership with NHS trusts. That means they bring the latest thinking and best practice to your studies, with recent themes including integrated working, implementation, emergency, cardiovascular and critical care, and more.

Accreditations

Recognised by the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) for the purpose of registration as a qualified nurse (mental health).