Our PGCert in Approved Mental Health Professional Practice is the only certificate that allows students to gain Approved Mental Health Professional (AMHP) status and be approved by local authorities.
The course combines academic study with practice in mental health, with a focus on AMHP training.
AMHP training covers the integration of mental health issues, psychiatry and mental health law in multidisciplinary teams from a social perspective.
Our lecturers reflect this multidisciplinary approach and include psychiatrists, lawyers, psychologists, nurses and social workers, as well as service users and carers.
Students undertaking AMHP training must be supported by their employers and seconded to the training. Employers must agree to provide a Practice Educator and an appropriate Practice Learning Placement.
To meet the requirements for AMHP, you must successfully complete the five mandatory course units and a competent Practice Portfolio.
Students who successfully complete the PGCert will be able to progress to our PGDip in Applied Mental Health, which includes a literature review. You can then progress to our MSc in Applied Mental Health.
Our PGCert has been designed for those wishing to seek authorisation under the Mental Health Act 1983, as amended in 2007, to discharge the duties of an Approved Mental Health Professional.
The outcome is to produce knowledgeable and skilled professionals who will be able to discharge statutory responsibilities under this legislation, and who will also have the ability to stay abreast of cutting-edge research and development within contemporary mental health services, as well as having the capacity to translate research insights into practice.
The course aims to produce students who:
Multidisciplinary teaching
Learn from psychiatrists, lawyers, psychologists, nurses and social workers, as well as service users and carers.
Flexible learning
You can learn when it suits you by choosing to take this course over either one or two years part-time.
Our lecturers include psychiatrists, lawyers, psychologists, nurses and social workers, as well as service users and carers.
Find out more by visiting the postgraduate teaching and learning page.
Assessment is continuous throughout the programme. Students are required to complete assessed essays, an 'open book' mental health law examination and practice-focused assessments.
This course comprises five compulsory units and a Practice Portfolio (zero credit rated unit). The units are:
Each of the 5 units are worth 15 postgraduate credits and the Practice Portfolio is a zero credit rated unit.
The pass mark for each unit is 50%. The Practice Portfolio is assessed as either competent or not yet competent.
On successful completion of all five units plus being deemed 'competent' in the Practice Portfolio, you will be eligible to be approved as an AMHP by your local authority.
Year 1
24-month route
Compulsory units:
12-month route
Compulsory units:
Year 2
24-month route
Compulsory units:
The Global Mental Health academic programmes are designed to produce graduates who can take charge of mental health service provision at a global level. The Global Mental Health programmes offered by the University of Glasgow are unique to Scotland and are the only online Global Mental Health Postgraduate courses offered anywhere in the world. These online programmes are intended for people who are unable to come to Glasgow to complete on-campus delivery of the programmes.
The core teaching is based around lectures. There is a strong emphasis on discussion and debate with your fellow students, focusing on relevant research literature and policy documents.
Global Mental Health courses offered at the University of Glasgow:
Year 1 (exit with PgCert Global Mental Health)
Year 2 (exit with PgDip Global Mental Health)
Year 3 (exit with MSc Global Mental Health)
Please note: the order of the courses above will vary dependent on your start date.
Graduate of the Global Mental Health academic programmes establish careers in national mental health policy and planning, epidemiological and mental health services research, as well as advisory and advocacy roles in governments, international agencies and non-governmental organisations.
This Masters degree is designed to produce graduates who can take charge of mental health service provision at a global level. The MSc in Global Mental Health is unique to Scotland and one of only two in the UK.
These two parts can each be scored out of 10 by members of the programme team. The top two scoring submissions are then viewed and approved by the clinician at Compass and if deemed appropriate these two applicants are offered the placement opportunities.
The core teaching is based around lectures. There is a strong emphasis on discussion and debate with your academic staff and fellow students, focusing on relevant research literature and policy documents. The Global Mental Health MSc has expert international contributors who provide lectures, via video linking. These are part of the teaching timetable. Blended learning and peer support learning is promoted in this course.
Graduates of the MSc Global Mental Health programme establish careers in national mental health policy and planning, epidemiological and mental health services research, as well as advisory and advocacy roles in governments, international agencies and non-governmental organisations.
The UCL Division of Psychiatry is pleased to offer this programme focused on clinical practice in mental health and its evidence base. The Clinical Mental Health Sciences MSc integrates biological, psychological and social perspectives on mental health and caters both for psychology graduates and for clinicians wishing to undertake a broad-based, rigorous and flexible higher degree.
Students will develop an in-depth understanding of current evidence regarding mental health problems and the interventions provided to address them, as well as enhancing their research skills. A wide range of options from across the School of Life and Medical Sciences at UCL allows students to tailor a programme that fully fits their needs.
Students undertake modules to the value of 180 credits.
The programme consists of 1–2 core double modules (30–60 credits), 4–6 optional modules (60–90 credits) and a dissertation/report (60 credits).
A diploma may be awarded to students who complete the equivalent of 8 taught single modules, amounting to 120 credits.
A certificate may be awarded to students who complete the equivalent of 4 taught single modules, amounting to 60 credits.
Core modules
Students who are unsure whether they should take Clinical Mental Health should discuss it with the course team. It is in general unsuitable for those who are already qualified clinicians.
Optional modules
Students who take the Clinical Mental Health module will take four optional modules, including at least one from the Division of Psychiatry. Students who do not take this module will take six optional modules, including at least three from the Division of Psychiatry.
NB: due to timetable clashes only one UCL Institute of Child Health module may be taken by each student.
Research project/report
All students undertake a final project. This may be a research project, to be reported as a paper of up to 7,000 words ready for submission to a specified journal, a blog of 1,000 words and a 20-minute talk, or a clinical project of 10,000 words reporting on a clinical topic or service evaluation.
Teaching and learning
The programme is delivered through lectures, seminars and workshops, with considerable use of supporting online learning. Assessment methods include one unseen examination, coursework including designing questionnaires and protocols and analysing data, giving talks and presenting posters, and a final report in the format of a journal paper or brief for clinicians or service planners.
Placement
The programme team support students in obtaining volunteer placements in relevant mental health care and research settings, but this is not a formal part of the course and is entirely optional.
Further information on modules and degree structure is available on the department website: Clinical Mental Health Sciences MSc
For non-clinicians, the programme will be an excellent grounding for clinical training, such as in clinical psychology, or for embarking on a research career in mental health. Many graduates go on to research assistant, clinical support worker or assistant psychologist posts as a first destination. The programme is also intended to prepare students for PhD studies, also a major onward route. For clinicians, this is a great opportunity to gain a higher qualification through a programme based in a leading university department which can be closely tailored to your interests across clinical, research and management fields.
Employability
Students will be taught by leading experts in their fields, will gain a strong clinical understanding of mental health, and will be able to develop their skills in research, service design and evaluation, and writing and presenting. Previous Division of Psychiatry Master’s graduates have been enthusiastic about their career enhancement, both through their programme and the connections they have made through it. We offer to find all students a placement (if they wish) for one day a week in which relevant clinical and/or research experience is obtained. A large proportion of our first cohort of graduates have gone on to paid employment in relevant areas of mental health, especially research assistant, clinical support worker, psychological wellbeing practitioner and assistant psychologist posts. Others have embarked on PhD studies.
Mental health has been described by the British Prime Minister, Theresa May, as "one of the greatest challenges of our time". This course will ensure you can promote positive mental health and wellbeing and help to prevent mental illness in children and young people in schools.
Working alongside fellow teachers, you will gain an understanding of the evidence of effective whole school mental health and be able to apply this to your role as a school leader. You will learn how to recognise issues such as low self-esteem, anxiety and depression, so that you can take early steps to improve the mental health of the children in your care, developing sophisticated and original interventions to build their resilience and nurture appropriate coping mechanisms. You will provide an inclusive and enabling environment where every student's mental health can be supported and strengthened.
The course will adopt a multidisciplinary, whole systems approach to the improvement of mental health and wellbeing. You will draw on expertise from child therapy, education psychology, mental health nursing, school leadership and teaching, and you will develop the knowledge, confidence, independence and leadership skills to be able to provide effective mental health support for all your students.
Self-aware and a reflective practitioner, you will confidently lead on best practice in the support and promotion of student resilience and mental health across your community.
You will develop best practice when it comes to devising and leading on effective whole school mental health and wellbeing strategies as well as targeted interventions. Your expertise will support pupils, your teaching colleagues and the school's leadership team.
Recent evidence has also shown that promoting positive mental health reduces behavioural problems and produces an array of positive outcomes, including improved attitudes to learning and better attendance and lower exclusion rates.
You will have access to expertise within the Carnegie Centre of Excellence for Mental Health in Schools, which aims to strengthen the mental health of the next generation by supporting schools to make a positive change at all levels of the UK's education systems, thereby improving outcomes and life chances of children and young people.
Core modules
Year 1 core modules
Year 2 core modules
Aimed at designated senior leaders for mental health, this course will allow you to gain key leadership and management skills and increased mental health understanding to provide the best possible support for children and to set you apart in ever-changing educational settings. Developing best practices in mental health could help you raise your profile and secure a promotion to a senior leadership position within your school or at a multi-academy trust.
The online Psychology & Neuroscience of Mental Health course aims to provide a comprehensive and integrated exploration of our current understanding of the psychological and neuroscientific basis of mental health.
By drawing on the wealth of research, education and clinical expertise and experience across our world-renowned Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience (IoPPN), the course will appeal to those with a personal interest in the area of psychology, neuroscience and mental health, and who wish to enhance their knowledge and skills base.
This course is ideal for people who are:
It will also enhance the knowledge and skills base for those with a personal interest in the area of psychology, neuroscience and mental health.
The Psychology & Neuroscience of Mental Health MSc/PG Dip/PG Cert provides a comprehensive and integrated exploration of our current understanding of the psychological and neuroscientific basis of mental health. It draws upon the wealth of research, education, clinical expertise and experience across the worldrenowned Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience (IoPPN). The online master’s course promotes an understanding of the evidence base for comprehending the biological, psychological and socio-environmental factors important in the development and maintenance of mental health, and evidence underlining= the development and efficacy of the range of treatments of mental health problems. IoPPN teaching staff are senior scientists, clinicians, and educators. Scientists will showcase cutting edge research into the causes and treatment of mental health problems; clinicians will be presenting current best practice in treatment approaches, and students will be supported by a team of educators with vast experience of designing and delivering scientific, clinical and applied education and training.
The MSc pathway requires modules totalling 180 credits to complete the programme, 60 of which will come from a dissertation of around 10,000 words. The Research Dissertation comprises four advanced modules that will provide you with the opportunity to immerse yourself in understanding the design, development and dissemination of research evidence. These modules also draw upon the knowledge and skills you have learnt during the course.
The Postgraduate Diploma pathway requires modules with a minimum total of 120 credits to complete the course, and the Postgraduate Certificate route requires modules with a total of 60 credits to complete.
If you are studying full-time, you will complete the course in two years, from September to September. If you are studying part-time, your course will take up to six years to finish.
The postgraduate certificate is an ideal starting point for people already working within mental health fields who wish to enhance their education in order to progress in their career. As a stand-alone qualification, the postgraduate certificate will enable nurses, social workers, community workers and other professionals to gain a deeper understanding of the biological, social, environmental and psychological foundations of mental health. It is also an ideal entry point for students who hold a second class undergraduate degree.
The programme is delivered entirely online. There are video lectures, coursework including critical appraisal of published work, essays and abstracts and self-directed learning activities. Assessment will include discussion board participation, multiple choice question and short answer question examinations.
MSc | PG Dip | PG Cert - Two multiple choice examinations (40%) | Short essay examination (50%) | Discussion Board Particiaption (10%)
At King’s you’ll enter into one of the world’s most competitive student bodies and join a legacy of graduates that are sought out by some of the leading employers in the field.
The Psychology & Neuroscience of Mental Health MSc will:
The course will enable you to develop their knowledge, skills and values in mental health practices in order to enhance your capabilities within your own areas of expertise. The course is designed to enable mental health professionals to develop and demonstrate practice in accordance with the published requirements of external professional, statutory and regulatory bodies in order to act as Approved Mental Health Professionals.
Please complete and upload the agency reference form when completing your application.
The course covers the legislation and policy underpinning the AMHP role, including a module on the Mental Health Act (1983). Candidates will also critically appraise other aspects of essential knowledge, such as models of mental distress, interventions and cultural competence.
In 2012 the General Social Care Council inspected the course and spoke with candidates, employers and service users and carers. Employers said they were confident in the way the course is designed, their views were taken into account and the partnership with the academic team was strong. The course team strive to respond to the needs of individual students and to foster a positive learning environment.
Approved Mental Health Professionals undertake a range of duties under the Mental Health Act 1983. The Code of Practice to Mental Health Act (1983) states that local authorities should ensure that sufficient AMHPs are available to carry out their functions under the Act and that a 24-hour service is available.
A local authority will approve an AMHP to act on behalf of the authority and will only do so if satisfied that the applicant has appropriate competence in dealing with mentally disordered people (MHA 1983 s114(3)). This can be demonstrated by successful completion of the course.
At the end of this course you, the student, will be able to:
School of Social Sciences- a nationally and internationally recognised centre for the study of engaged social science
