BSc (Hons) Professional Development in Mental Health

• Developed in response to a growing need for support from specialist services, this programme will give you up to date skills to support and treat mental health problems
  
• Enhance your skills in evidence based psychosocial interventions to bridge the gap between formal psychological therapy and mental health work in general
  
• Increase your theoretical knowledge as well as enhancing the engagement and intervention skills you need to support service users in their recovery journey.
  
• Encounter a range of practice approaches to engaging and working effectively with people who are experiencing complex mental health difficulties. 
  
• Make the most of the various opportunities for inter-professional learning as part of the programme delivery
  
• Select optional modules to enhance your specific work role and to help you become a challenging and critical thinking practitioner with a range of transferable skills who can effectively contribute to service enhancement.
  
• Underpin your interventions with the best available evidence, contemporary knowledge and high-level clinical decision-making skills.
  
• Develop confidence, competence and emotional resilience to consistently exercise personal responsibility and professional accountability for decision making and the provision of high-quality safe care.
  
• Flexibly designed programme enabling you to ‘step on and step off’ over a five-year period in response to service need and professional circumstances.
  

• Programme overview

• This programme offers the awards of BSc /BSc (Hons), Graduate Certificate and Graduate Diploma.
  
  BSc – to achieve a BSc you will need to earn 80 credits by undertaking two 20 credit core modules and up to two optional modules adding up to 40 credits.
  
  BSc (Hons) – to achieve a BSc (Hons) you will need to earn 120 credits by undertaking three core modules – two 20 credit modules and one 40 credit module – and up to two optional modules adding up to 40 credits.
  
  Students who have previously obtained a health related degree at 2:2 or above are eligible to access the programme via the Graduate Certificate or Graduate Diploma route – please see panel below for further details.
  
  The module 'HEAD361 – Independent study' is only a core module for students who wish to achieve the BSc (Hons) Professional Development in Long Term Conditions award.

  For further information on the modules that make up this programme please visit the BSc (Hons)/ BSc Professional Development modules.
  
  Examples of optional modules (not exhaustive)
  
  HEAD351 – CBT interventions for mental health professionals (psychosis)  
  HEAD353 – Working with People with a diagnosis of Personality Disorder
  

  Core modules

  • HEAD349 Advanced Psychosocial Assessment and Formulation

    This module will enable students to develop a systematic understanding of the use of 'common factors' in developing effective communication skills and collaborative working in the biopsychosocial assessment and formulation of mental health problems, leading to evidenced-based treatment choices. There will be a focus on reflective practice and workplace-based cases to ensure clinical relevance.

  • HEAD360 Understanding Evidence to Inform Clinical Decision Making

    The module is designed to extend students' knowledge around evidence-informed decision making. This will be achieved through students identifying and evaluating a body of research-based evidence relevant to clinical practice.

  • HEAD361 Independent Study

    This module extends knowledge of primary and secondary research and develops critical appraisal skills. Students construct an 8000 word integrative literature review of a practice focused research topic.

Every undergraduate taught course has a detailed programme specification document describing the course aims, the course structure, the teaching and learning methods, the learning outcomes and the rules of assessment.

The following programme specification represents the latest course structure and may be subject to change:

BSc Hons Professional Development in Mental Health programme specification 6167

To be eligible for the BSc or BSc (Hons) programme you will need to be either a registered health and social care professional or a health and social care worker in possession of previous study at level 5 (foundation degree /diploma of higher education). You should also be working in a mental health service area where you will be able to meet your chosen module learning outcomes.

If you wish to undertake the graduate certificate and graduate diploma award pathways you must already hold an honours degree at 2:2 or above in a health or health related subject.

If you wish to undertake any clinical skills modules as part of your programme you will need to be working in an environment where you can meet the learning outcomes.

Applicants whose first language is not English must also provide evidence of competence in written and spoken English in accordance with the University’s Admissions Code of Practice – minimum overall International English Language Testing System (IELTS) of 6.5 average with a minimum 5.5 in each category.

AP(E)L:
Claims for credit for prior learning, whether certificated or experiential are accepted and will be assessed following University regulations and faculty procedures.

Applications for this programme can usually be made throughout the year. Please check the closing date and apply as early as possible as our programmes are popular.

Apply for this programme

To apply for this programme please contact the Professional Development Unit:

Professional Development Unit
4th floor, Rolle building
University of Plymouth
Drake Circus
Plymouth PL4 8AA

Email: pduadmissions@plymouth.ac.uk

Tel: +44 1752 586951

What happens after I apply?

You will normally receive a decision on your application within four weeks of us receiving your application. You may be asked to provide additional information, to take part in an interview (which in the case if you are an overseas student may be by telephone or video conference) or you will be sent a decision by letter or email.

If you have a disability and would like further information about the support provided by University of Plymouth, please visit our Disability Services website.

Support is also available from our International Office if you are an overseas student applying to the University.