Approved Mental Health Professional Practice

Entry requirements

We require an undergraduate degree (minimum Lower Second) or equivalent alternative qualifications or experience.

Professional entry qualification

Applicants must hold a recognised professional qualification in social work, nursing, occupational therapy or psychology, and be one of the following.

• A social worker registered with Social Work England.
• A first-level nurse, registered in Sub-Part 1 of the Nurses' Part of the Register maintained under article 5 of the Nursing and Midwifery Order 2001, with the inclusion of an entry indicating their field of practice is mental health or learning disabilities nursing.
• An occupational therapist registered in Part 6 of the Register maintained under article 5 of the Health Professions Order 2001.
• Either a psychologist registered in Part 14 of the Register maintained by the Health and Care Professions Council, or a chartered psychologist who is listed in the British Psychological Society's Register of Chartered Psychologists and who holds a relevant practising certificate issued by the BPS.

You must be able to provide your Social Work England or NMC membership number.

Months of entry

September

Course content

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 four 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.