Psychology

Psychology with a mental health focus brings the scientific study of mind and behaviour into close dialogue with one of the most pressing challenges in contemporary healthcare and society. Mental health difficulties affect a substantial proportion of the population, and understanding them requires both the rigorous empirical methods of psychology and a deep engagement with the clinical, social, and ethical dimensions of mental distress. This specialism prepares graduates to work in settings where psychological knowledge is applied directly to the understanding and support of people experiencing mental health challenges.

Nottingham Trent University's three-year full-time degree in psychology with a mental health specialism covers the core content required for a qualifying psychology programme, including cognition, biological bases of behaviour, developmental psychology, social psychology, individual differences, and research methods, alongside specialist content on mental health and wellbeing. You will study the psychology of common mental health conditions, models of mental illness, approaches to psychological therapy, mental health policy, service provision, and the ethical issues involved in working with vulnerable people. The programme develops your research skills and your ability to evaluate evidence critically, preparing you to think rigorously about mental health from a scientific perspective.

Graduates from this programme go on to work in mental health services, health promotion, community organisations, educational psychology services, and research settings. Many continue to postgraduate training in clinical psychology, counselling psychology, or related health professions, using the BPS-accredited undergraduate qualification as a foundation for further professional development. The combination of psychological science and mental health knowledge the degree provides is valued across any career at the interface of psychological research and wellbeing practice.