Curious about studying Mental Health and Learning Disabilities Nursing (Dual Award) - MSciat Birmingham City University? We've gathered all the key details—entry requirements, modules, fees, and more. Hear from real students by checking out reviews, or take the next step by booking an open day to explore it for yourself.
Integrated Master of Science - MSci
City South Campus, Edgbaston
Full Time
Sep 2027
4 Year
Your journey to becoming a confident, compassionate, and future focused nurse starts here. The MSci Nursing Course- Dual Award in all combination of fields has been designed to enable you to meet the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) Standards of Proficiency for Registered Nurses in two fields of nursing. The course is approved by the NMC, and on completion you will be able to apply for Registered Nurse status in two fields of nursing. Holding a dual award offers more employment options. Choosing either to specialise in one field of practice or work towards specialising in clinical roles where being qualified in two fields of practice is required for specialist roles in emergency care, primary care and clinical liaison roles in large hospitals. This MSci is an integrated degree, meaning that you complete both undergraduate and postgraduate-level study, and it runs alongside our BSc (Hons) Nursing Course. You will learn together with students from different fields of nursing (Adult, Mental Health, Learning Disabilities and Child) and have tailored support to help you achieve the Level 7 elements of the course in year four. The course integrates evidence-informed education and high-quality practice learning environments to shape nurses who will lead, advocate, and innovate within diverse health and social care environments whilst meeting the complex needs of people, families, and communities across the lifespan. The course will equip you with the practical skills, knowledge and experience you need to become a confident professional nurse. Your time is evenly balanced between campus based learning and practice learning experiences, ensuring strong confident integration of theory to practice.
Integrated, multi-professional and field learningThrough examining the holistic nature of health and illness, you will understand how the four fields of nursing are integrated within core modules, as well as having opportunities to learn from and about other health and social care professionals. You will study field specific modules from year one, ensuring you develop a strong foundation for your own field and have the specialist knowledge required at the point of registration.
What's covered in this course?Mental Health Nursing
On the mental health nursing course, you will develop the knowledge, skills and values you will need to meet the mental health and physical needs of a diverse population. Once registered as a nurse with the NMC, you could choose to work with people in hospital and community settings as well as in their own homes across a variety of specialisms, including child and adolescent services, mental health services for adults or older people, forensic settings for offenders with mental health problems, or perinatal services.
Learning Disabilities NursingAs a learning disability nursing student, you will make a real difference to people with learning disabilities and their families. People with learning disabilities are unique and you will develop knowledge, skills and experience to provide a holistic care approach to enable them to live fulfilling lives by improving their health, promoting inclusion, and advocating for their needs. You will be working across community, hospital, and social care settings with multi-disciplinary teams to address health inequalities and complex needs. This will involve helping with daily living, access to services, mental/physical health, and empowering individuals to gain independence across the life span and a range of healthcare environments. After studying this route, you could go on to a variety of different roles, including working in specialist residential support units, forensic settings or as a hospital liaison.
Practice learning experiences (placement)Your practice learning experiences will be based in a variety of settings such as in the community; primary care; social care settings; hospital or in home environments.
Distinctive Feature of this module: A comprehensive introduction that combines academic preparation with early professional identity development, giving you the confidence to begin your nursing journey. This module will provide you with the foundational knowledge of the art and science of nursing plus academic skills, to start developing your career as a nurse. You will learn how to learn at university where the development of knowledge is personally driven, and opportunities are provided for you to stretch and challenge yourselves. It is your gateway into nursing, preparing you for the transition into higher education and clinical practice. It builds your core academic, professional, communication, and evidence-based practice skills, laying a strong foundation for all future learning by providing you with the mindset and skills to remain up to date in the ever changing, developing world of healthcare. The module content and delivery will support your orientation into university and help you plan your studies and identify where to find support. It runs throughout level 4, providing you with opportunities to directly integrate what you are learning into other modules, placements and academic assessments. You will explore the professional values that will be expected of you throughout your nursing studies, being provided with an introduction to the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) and an overview of the NMC Code of Conduct.
Distinctive Feature of this module: Connects evidence informed knowledge directly to patient assessment and care, helping you translate theory into the practical skills required for early placement experiences. This module equips you with the foundations of anatomy and physiology (A&P) to support nursing assessments and practical skills. You will have the opportunity to review, refresh and extend any previous learning you may have on A&P. You will draw upon knowledge gained from module 1 and consider how this can be applied to understanding of A&P. You will explore how healthy body systems function and how illness impacts vital signs and homeostasis. In addition, you will examine physical and cognitive development across the lifespan, from foetus to older adult, considering how life stages influence physical and mental health. Setting the foundations required for future bioscience knowledge acquisition and application. The core content for this module is Anatomy and Physiology (A&P), which will underpin practical skills such as assessment, documentation, communication and professional standards. Learning connects A&P to nursing skills through theory and practice, emphasising the links between scientific knowledge, vital signs and the nursing process whilst ensuring incorporation of cultural awareness (e.g., skin tones, body types, cultural contexts). You will consider how cultural beliefs influence assessment and bias (e.g., pain scales, cognitive tests).
Distinctive Feature of this module: Your first field module emphasises the integration of theory and practice, helping you to build the confidence to navigate care scenarios while developing decision making skills and judgments. In this module you will be supported to apply your academic, professional and nursing care theory to placement experiences whilst also learning new skills and knowledge. Through building on your academic skills, you will develop the foundations for decision-making in practice. You will combine evidence-informed practice and learn how to evaluate information which in turn will enhance your ability to provide safe and effective care. Person and Family Centred care are a strong emphasis on this module whilst you consider how care is tailored to the specific needs of an individual and their family. As a mental health nursing student, this module will help you contextualise the biopsychosocial model of health so that you can begin to understand common mental health conditions in a holistic way. You will develop your understanding of relevant anatomical systems and how their altered function may lead to mental ill-health. You will also examine the key psychological and sociological determinants of health and how these can impact on mental well-being. You will look at the relationship between good physical and mental health and start developing the key therapeutic skills that you need to provide evidence-informed person-centred care for people with poor mental health. You will also begin to learn about the key regulatory and legal frameworks that underpin care, including the Mental Health, Mental Capacity and Human Rights Acts.
Distinctive Feature of this Module: This module places nursing within a societal context, highlighting the nurse’s role in promoting equity, health, and wellbeing for individuals and communities. Expanding the focus beyond individual patients, this module examines the factors that influence health and drive health inequalities. You will explore how social, cultural, and economic determinants shape health outcomes and consider evidence-based strategies to reduce disparities and promote wellbeing at individual and community levels. Topics such as safeguarding, frailty, dementia, adverse childhood experiences, and cultural awareness are investigated within a population-health framework. Throughout your learning so far, you have been learning the principles of person and family centred care. Understanding that people are influenced by their culture, values and beliefs as well as the environment they are living in, is essential in ensuring holistic and individualised non-judgemental care. Alongside this, you will continue to develop academic, communication, leading care, and professional skills. You will begin to learn how to advocate for vulnerable groups, tailor care to diverse needs, and apply inclusive approaches to practice.
Distinctive Feature of the Module: The professional practice modules are where academic knowledge, nursing skills, and professional judgment combine, preparing you to deliver safe, evidence-based, patient-centred care. The module provides you with an introduction to and ongoing support for practice elements of your course. The module is designed to enable you to achieve practice proficiencies within your chosen field of practice through ongoing guided participation in care within the practice learning environment. The module offers preparation, development and consolidation to grow your confidence and acquire competence within the practice learning environment. This module spans your whole level 4 journey to combine all the elements of learning into a practicebased environment. Communication, leading care, and professional accountability are explored in the context of real-world practice. Anatomy and physiology will underpin many clinical assessments with your developing holistic and field specific knowledge supporting you in learning how to deliver person and family centred care.
Distinctive Feature of the Module: Your first field module emphasises the integration of theory and practice, helping you to build the confidence to navigate care scenarios while beginning to develop and explore decision making skills. You will be supported to continue to apply academic learning, professional values, and basic nursing care theories to your practice experiences. Through skills development and reflection, you will start to build the foundations needed for decision-making in practice. The module will continue to develop evidence-informed practice, helping you to learn how to find, understand, and use information to support safe and effective care. Family Centred care is a strong emphasis on this module whilst you consider how care is tailored to the specific needs of an individual and their family. This module introduces the biopsychosocial model of health as the foundation for holistic nursing care.
Distinctive Feature of the Module: The professional practice modules are where academic knowledge, nursing skills, and professional judgment combine, preparing you to deliver safe, evidence-based, patient-centred care. The module provides you with an introduction to and ongoing support for practice elements of your course. The module is designed to enable you to achieve practice proficiencies within your chosen field of practice through ongoing guided participation in care within the practice learning environment. The module offers preparation, development and consolidation to grow your confidence and acquire competence within the practice learning environment. This module spans your whole level 4 journey to combine all the elements of learning into a practicebased environment. Communication, leading care, and professional accountability are explored in the context of real-world practice. Anatomy and physiology will underpin many clinical assessments with your developing holistic and field specific knowledge supporting you in learning how to deliver person and family centred care.
Distinctive Feature of this module: This module positions nurses as evidence-informed practitioners, who will coordinate care, and may, within their nursing career develop into leaders of teams and services. Nurses are increasingly engaged in and leading research to improve outcomes for patients and families. Being at the forefront of care, they are uniquely placed to understand the diverse nature of the lived experience of patients, service users and their families. This module will equip you with the knowledge and skills to apply research, patient perspectives, and innovations to improve care and influence healthcare practice. With a professional responsibility in delivering evidence-informed practice you will explore research bias, the impact of your personal values on this, and the legal and ethical principles of obtaining consent for research purposes. You will learn how researchers work with and listen to patients and service users to support knowledge development.
Distinct Feature of this module: In this module, you will apply your developing assessment and critical thinking skills to situations where rapid assessment and decision making is required to support evidence informed interventions for individuals experiencing acute or crisis episodes. This module will develop your ability to use your nursing assessment skills and evidence informed knowledge to recommend interventions and care for people experiencing acute episodes of illness. You will begin by evaluating the holistic mechanisms through which illness or conditions alter mental wellbeing and apply this to the assessment and management of acute, crisis or urgent conditions or situations. You will begin to explore the wider complexities of shared decision making and service user involvement, recognising the unique challenges of each field of nursing, whilst increasing your knowledge in your chosen field. All fields will examine the risks of diagnostic overshadowing where assumptions related to pre-existing conditions or social factors can delay or negatively influence assessment, decision making and care planning.
Distinctive Feature of this module: In this module, you will focus on the complex care of people with long term mental health conditions and associated co-morbidities across the lifespan in a variety of environments outside of the acute and crisis care settings. You will explore the role of the Key Worker in assessing and providing care to those with complex care needs to minimise the impact of mental and physical illness on the service users’ quality of life. The knowledge and understanding gained here will support you in developing your leadership skills. Nurses play a central role in assessing and monitoring mental health conditions and supporting service users throughout the shared decision-making process. During this module you will explore how mental health nurses apply evidence-informed and theoretical approaches during the delivery of care, to support service users to maintain and improve their mental stability. You will explore risk factors that can lead to the development of physical health problems and some of the common comorbid issues that affect our service user population. Building on this knowledge, you will then consider how nurses assess, monitor and support individuals who are experiencing these, aiming to decrease the negative implications this has on the service user's quality of life and life expectancy. You will consider service users across the life span, including end of life care, recognising the nurse’s role in working collaboratively with other professionals to promote person centred care and an improved quality of life. How nurses engage with other key organisations to maintain healthy lifestyles will be key to this module, as will be an examination of the impact of recovery and rehabilitation plans on people’s ability to exit statutory services and live successfully with long term conditions. You will use your developing knowledge to analyse the nurses’ role in caring for individuals and their families. You will evaluate and practice the specific communication skills needed to support those with communication difficulties and when engaging in difficult conversations such as breaking bad news. You will be supported to develop the confidence to care for individuals with severe and enduring conditions. Transferable knowledge and skills within the module can be applied across diverse healthcare settings to support the delivery of safe, evidence-based care for mental health service users, their families and carers.
Distinctive Feature of this module: This module focuses on safeguarding and the use of serious case reviews to spark critical debate and strengthen professional decision-making, combining evidence-informed knowledge and ethical leadership skills to foster resilience, advocacy, and the ability to navigate complex, real-world healthcare environments. Leading on high quality nursing care is the role and aspiration of all nurses, however achieving this consistently is challenging. This module will support you in building skills to lead on care and overcome common challenges and barriers which impact on the quality of care. Safeguarding vulnerable people, processes, challenges and good practice will be a focus of the module. Building on previous content gained at level 4 and in prior level 5 modules where you have started to develop your professional identity and nursing care specific knowledge, you will learn how agencies work collaboratively to support vulnerable people such as those with dementia, cognitive impairment, children or those in mental health crisis. You will be introduced to multi-agency processes and debate related legal and ethical frameworks. Through analysing contemporary evidence and real-world scenarios you will explore ways to navigate and overcome the challenges of working within, and eventually leading interprofessional teams, exploring the impact of poor communication, cultural bias and misunderstanding, hierarchical culture or interpersonal tensions. You will critically reflect on your own values, morals and resilience and supportive strategies in maintaining wellbeing in challenging environments. You will consider decision making under pressure and how you can motivate a team. You will analyse human factors such as fatigue, workload, environment, and debate the personal and professional impact of whistleblowing, raising concerns, and duty of candour.
Distinctive feature of this module: Recognising the value of reflection in creating a framework for you to critically explore experiences generating the self-awareness required to be an emotionally intelligent nurse, the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) have embedded reflective practice into the standards of proficiency for nursing. Your Part 2 professional practice module will therefore support you to reflect on and explore your practice experiences, creating a space for you to develop your professional identity as a nurse. Through reflective conversation and activities, you will develop your skills of reflection, revisiting and exploring practice experiences with growing self-awareness. You will explore your role as an emerging newly qualified nurse, and consider the skills and qualities required as a developing leader and provider of care within different care settings. On completion of the module, you will have the skills and knowledge required to engage in the sustained reflective practice to be an emotionally intelligent nurse. This module will also focus on the ability to evaluate practice and explore the professional and clinical skills required to complete your EPAD. to support the development of safe, confident, and competent professional practice. In addition, you will have the opportunity to practise hands-on clinical skills that directly relate to the proficiencies and expectations outlined in your EPAD.
Distinct Feature of this module: This module will further develop your ability to use your nursing assessment skills and evidence informed knowledge to recommend interventions and care for infants, children and young people experiencing acute or crisis situations. You will evaluate the physiological and holistic mechanisms through which illness or conditions alter organ system function and apply this knowledge to the assessment and management of acute and life-threatening conditions or situations. Infants and children deteriorate more rapidly than adults due to their immature physiology and limited physiological reserves, with early warning signs often subtle or masked. The use of evidence informed tools, such as PEWS and A–E assessment, alongside working in partnership with families who know their child best, supports nurses to recognise deterioration and respond with appropriate interventions to prevent further decline. You will begin to explore the wider implications of shared decision-making, recognising the unique perspectives and challenges of each field of nursing, whilst increasing knowledge in children’s nursing. Deterioration is not always physiological, as children’s nurses you are also likely to come across children and young people with a mental health crisis which can also rapidly escalate and require immediate intervention.
Distinctive Feature of this module: This module explores the complex nature of illness focussing on long term conditions, genetics and co-morbidities in infants, children and young people. There will be a deeper exploration of the nurses’ role in assessing and providing care across healthcare settings. Nurses already play a central role in explaining genetic risk and supporting decision-making, and as scientific understanding grows and gene therapy becomes more common, nurses will be increasingly required to apply this to their practice. You will examine some of the long-term conditions found in childhood and adolescence and the foundations of genetics and genomics from a physiological perspective. You will explore risk factors and epidemiology relating to common long-term conditions, including the impact of co-morbidities, polypharmacy and social determinants of health. Building on your developing assessment and care planning skills and knowledge, you will examine how long term conditions may present and impact infants, children and young people from childhood into adulthood. You will evaluate the physical, psychological and social effects of living with long-term illness and the nurse’s role in promoting safe, effective and family-centred care. You will be introduced to palliative and end-of-life care pathways, recognising the nurse’s role in working collaboratively with other professionals to promote family-centred care. You will also develop and practise the communication skills needed to support individuals with communication difficulties and to engage in sensitive and challenging conversations, including breaking bad news.
Distinctive feature of this module: Recognising the value of reflection in creating a framework for you to critically explore experiences generating the self-awareness required to be an emotionally intelligent nurse, the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) have embedded reflective practice into the standards of proficiency for nursing. Your Part 2 professional practice module will therefore support you to reflect on and explore your practice experiences, creating a space for you to develop your professional identity as a nurse. Through reflective conversation and activities, you will develop your skills of reflection, revisiting and exploring practice experiences with growing self-awareness. You will explore your role as an emerging newly qualified nurse, and consider the skills and qualities required as a developing leader and provider of care within different care settings. On completion of the module, you will have the skills and knowledge required to engage in the sustained reflective practice to be an emotionally intelligent nurse. This module will also focus on the ability to evaluate practice and explore the professional and clinical skills required to complete your EPAD. to support the development of safe, confident, and competent professional practice. In addition, you will have the opportunity to practise hands-on clinical skills that directly relate to the proficiencies and expectations outlined in your EPAD.
Distinctive feature of this module: This module develops and extends your academic skills to the systematic searching for, appraisal and critical application of literature towards an evidence-informed approach to quality improvement and high-quality safe practice in nursing. This module will develop your skills as a research-minded nurse, with a focus on the importance of safe practice and practice-led research. You will learn to apply a systematic approach to searching for evidence, to critically appraise that evidence and to synthesise findings to answer research questions that are practice-led. You will also develop an understanding of the principles of different research paradigms and different research methodologies that address different research questions. This module will also develop your understanding of healthcare audits, quality improvement strategies, approaches and change management theory so that you can utilise findings from research to rationalise and improve patient outcomes and experiences of care. During this module, you will consider approaches that are appropriate when conducting research with vulnerable groups. You will utilise previously gained knowledge of ethical principles and procedures related to healthcare research.
Distinctive feature of this module: This module will provide you with deeper insight into the complex care needs of people with mental health problems. There are two key areas that will be explored in detail. Firstly, the module will examine specialist mental health areas and the unique skills required of the mental health nurse to work in those areas. Secondly, the module will equip you with the skills to lead and co-ordinate care effectively for those with complex needs, ensuring that multiple systems and organisations work effectively together towards providing on-going care for the individual and their family. The module will consolidate clinical, scientific, and leadership knowledge and you will integrate your understanding of biopsychosocial models, pharmacology, communication, and leadership to make safe and effective clinical decisions. The module also returns to the concepts of self-awareness, resilience, and professional identity that you have been developing throughout the course, as you prepare to lead and advocate within complex multidisciplinary teams. The module develops your capacity to lead and contribute to interprofessional collaboration in the care of people with mental health problems who present with complex, multiple and intersecting needs. You will critically explore how health, social care, education, criminal justice and third-sector agencies work together to safeguard individuals, manage risk and promote person-centred practice across the lifespan. Key legal and policy frameworks, including the Mental Capacity Act and changes to the Mental Health Act, will be critically examined and applied to ensure appropriate application for people with complex mental health problems Through applied case-based learning, you will develop the skills required to coordinate complex care, participate effectively in interprofessional teams, and influence service delivery.
Distinctive feature of the module: This module spans your final part (part 3) of your studies, supporting you to develop confidence in the application of your skills, knowledge, behaviours and attributes required at the point of registration. You will explore new skills in relation to supervising and supporting others and understanding what it means to be “prescriber ready”, and employability will be a strong focus in this module. You will prepare for your transition to a registered nurse, reflecting on your practice to develop selfawareness, understanding the changing scope of your practice, and accountability. As you progress through this year-long module, you will be supported in understanding the recruitment process and in activities that prepare you to participate in it. During this module, you will engage in developing your knowledge of the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) Standards for Student Supervision and Assessment (SSSA) to prepare for taking on the role of Practice Supervisor when you qualify. Developing your skills to provide supervision and feedback to others whilst also receiving feedback, which will become an important standard of your practice. You will also engage in knowledge development of pharmacology, developing further understanding of medication management in order to become ‘prescriber ready’, which will prepare you to engage in further study as a qualified practitioner. Problem-based learning and peer feedback will support the development of these skills, supported by professional feedback from your clinical placements. You will be allocated practice placements which support your progression as a third year nursing student, allowing you to strengthen your leadership and management of patient care and the interpersonal and clinical skills required.
Distinctive Feature of this module: This module provides you with a deeper insight into the complex care of infants, children, young people and their families. You will enhance your nursing practice, scientific understanding and leadership capability so you can coordinate and deliver safe, effective, family-centred care. The module will cover key themes, integrating core areas of evidence-informed practice, leadership principles, pathophysiological processes, pharmacology and communication. Family-centred care, the rights of the child, cultural perspectives and best interest principles underpin learning throughout the module. By exploring the factors that shape children’s health and social care within multi-agency working, the module supports you in developing the skills to lead and coordinate care effectively for infants, children and young people with complex needs. Safeguarding and multi-agency working within complex care planning, including the recognition of indicators of risk, appropriate escalation of concerns and use of safeguarding processes, will also be explored. You will also consider transitions of care in children’s nursing across hospital, community, at home, specialist and adult services. This includes effective signposting and developing knowledge of community resources to support families beyond the hospital setting.
Distinctive feature of the module: This module spans your final part (part 3) of your studies, supporting you to develop confidence in the application of your skills, knowledge, behaviours and attributes required at the point of registration. You will explore new skills in relation to supervising and supporting others and understanding what it means to be “prescriber ready”, and employability will be a strong focus in this module. You will prepare for your transition to a registered nurse, reflecting on your practice to develop selfawareness, understanding the changing scope of your practice, and accountability. As you progress through this year-long module, you will be supported in understanding the recruitment process and in activities that prepare you to participate in it. During this module, you will engage in developing your knowledge of the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) Standards for Student Supervision and Assessment (SSSA) to prepare for taking on the role of Practice Supervisor when you qualify. Developing your skills to provide supervision and feedback to others whilst also receiving feedback, which will become an important standard of your practice. You will also engage in knowledge development of pharmacology, developing further understanding of medication management in order to become ‘prescriber ready’, which will prepare you to engage in further study as a qualified practitioner. Problem-based learning and peer feedback will support the development of these skills, supported by professional feedback from your clinical placements. You will be allocated practice placements which support your progression as a third year nursing student, allowing you to strengthen your leadership and management of patient care and the interpersonal and clinical skills required.
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