ObjectivesThe aim of the revised Mental Health Masters programme is to enable participants to develop knowledge, expert practice and leadership roles in mental health to improve the outcomes and experiences of mental health service users.
Entry requirementsEntry Requirements Normally a first degree or equivalent. If you are not a graduate you will need to provide evidence of graduate level study abilities and if your degree did not include critical appreciation of research and research methods, you may be asked to demonstrate this through submission of a brief piece of written work. AND Significant professional experience within a mental health related field, or Experience as a user of mental health services, involved in user led service provision, user forums etc. Some clinical; modules will require access to a caseload of appropriate clients and clinical supervision. For the ‘Low Intensity Psychological Therapies’ course, nominations will be through joint appointment with a Primary Care Trust.
Academic titlePGCert/PGDip/MSc Mental Health
Course descriptionProgramme Highlights
-Flexible pathways and options to meet the needs of a range of practice settings and client groups
-‘With Practice’ option ensures practice development in defined clinical pathways
-‘Scientist practitioner’ process of immersion in a research culture as part of the development and application of research skills.
-The ‘Low Intensity Psychological Therapies’ course is compliant with the requirements of the Department of Health’s national curriculum for the development of ‘Low Intensity Psychological Therapies Workers’
-Scientist practitioner’ process of immersion in a research culture as part of the development and application of research skills.
-Compliant with the requirements of the Department of Health’s national curriculum for the development of ‘High Intensity Psychological Therapies Workers’.
Detailed programme structure
This part-time programme is aimed at experienced practitioners in any setting, including primary care, specialist mental health services, NHS Trusts, Social Services, independent, voluntary or other agencies. Participants might include nursing or medical practitioners, Occupational Therapists, other allied health professionals, social workers or professionals from other agencies. Users of the mental health services with appropriate academic backgrounds who may be involved in service development, user led service provision, voluntary agencies or user groups are also especially welcomed as students. The course thus brings together an inter-professional group to develop the critical understanding, positive values, skills and competencies required in contemporary, evidence-based, user-involved mental health services.
Pathways through the programme can be developed through an appropriate choice of modules depending on settings i.e. primary care or client groups i.e. children and adolescents. In addition, it can also be taken with an ‘in practice’ option based on portfolio evidence of the student’s development in supervised practice relating to a pathway comprising three clinically related modules and practice portfolio. Optional modules include work-based learning projects, modules focusing on specific skills or particular problems such as personality disorder or substance misuse. A short ‘Basic competence in CBT’ course may also be taken within this programme. Students will follow an applied ‘Scientist-practitioner’ approach to the development of applied research skills enabling them to develop a project proposal for their final MSc project.
A new and distinct course has been developed within the programme to prepare ‘Low Intensity Psychological Therapies Workers’ as part of the national agenda to ‘Improve Access to Psychological Therapies’ (IAPT)
‘Step on’ and ‘step off’ points enable the programme to be completed in up to 6 years and the programme is rooted in the Faculty’s “escalator model” of development for all competency levels and roles within the new workforce. The University’s AP(E)L scheme allows further flexibility by interchange with other programmes.
Postgraduate Certificate
-Partnership, inclusion and recovery: policy, values and practice in Mental Health 20 credits
-Portfolio of supervised practice module: for those undertaking the award with practice
Optional mental health modules: Relate to specialist pathways or interests, but may also be taken as ‘stand alone’ short courses e.g.:
-Work based learning
-Basic competence in CBT’ (2 modules)
-Clinical assessment, formulation and decision making for people with psychosis
-Brief Psychological Interventions
-Substance misuse and dual diagnosis
-Personality disorder: policy and practice
-Supervision of clinical practice
(NB. availability of optional modules may vary according to demand)
The full-time ‘Low Intensity Psychological Therapies’ course may be taken as an alternative to year one, dependant on Health Authority demand. 40 credits
Postgraduate Diploma
Core Modules
-The Scientist-practitioner: Applied research methods and project planning’ which leads to the presentation of the final project proposal 20 credits
Optional Modules
-Further Mental Health modules may be taken
Or
Optional modules can be taken from the Integrated Master Scheme 40 credits