If you're a Middlesex University graduate, this top-up master's degree will allow you to continue your development in the field of mental health by undertaking a research project and converting your PGDip into a full MSc qualification.
We anticipate that completing this MSc will enable you to contribute to the enhancement of professional mental health practice, research and service development.
Please note: This course does not lead to registration as a mental health nurse or other mental health practitioner. Applicants wishing to undertake a professional nursing programme, please visit our Nursing pages.
By the end of this course, you will have refined your project management skills by carrying out your own research project. You will also have developed high-quality data-gathering and analysis skills.
By joining us on this Mental Health Studies top-up course, you'll have the opportunity to:
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This master's degree consists of a single module. If you successfully complete it, you'll be able to convert your PGDip into an MSc Mental Health Studies.
The module is a combined research methods and dissertation module which will allow you to study social research design and rigour in social research processes including sampling, data gathering and data analysis methods. You will learn about mixed methods, qualitative and quantitative research methods and you will gain an understanding of conducting your own research project. The module will run in October for 5 days (10 sessions in total) and you will work on your dissertation under supervision.
This module focuses on developing your research capability as part of your professional practice within a health and social care context by designing and implementing your own research proposal. You will be expected to formulate a research question or problem and create a plan of work in the form of a research proposal to answer the question or find a solution to the problem. You will also construct a robust ethical framework to guide decision making during the research process.
To find out more about this course, please download the Mental Health Studies (Top-up) MSc specification (PDF).
We'll support you in refining your research problem or question through online workshops, individual tutorials and supervision. We expect that you'll already have a research topic you wish to investigate so we'll support you early on in your studies and help you refine the topic into a researchable question.
The course is delivered by our experienced academics and industry partners in person and via digital platforms. Our learning activities include lectures, presentations, webinars, one-to-one tutorials and group projects.
You'll have a strong support network available to you to make sure you develop all the necessary academic skills you need to do well on your course.
Our support services will be delivered online and on campus and you'll have access to a range of different resources so you can get the help you need, whether you’re studying at home or have the opportunity to come to campus.
You'll have access to one-to-one and group sessions for personal learning and academic support from our library and IT teams, and our network of learning experts.
This course is delivered online but you are welcome to visit the campus any time.
Your course timetable will balance your study commitments with time for work, life commitments and independent study.
We aim to make timetables available to students at least 2 weeks before the start of term. Some weeks are different due to how we schedule classes and arrange on-campus sessions.
In a typical year, you’ll spend about 1200 hours on your course.
Outside of teaching hours, you’ll learn independently through reading articles and books, working on projects, undertaking research, and preparing for assessments including coursework and presentations.
A typical week looks like this:
Learning | Hours per week |
Online | 6 |
Independent study | 10 |
Online learning: This is teaching that is delivered online using tools like Skype or Zoom, as well as work that you do yourself using online teaching resources.
Independent study: This is the work you do in your own time including reading and research.
The module uses three types of assessment:
You'll evaluate your work, skills and knowledge and identify areas for improvement. Sometimes you'll work in groups and assess each other's progress.
Each term, you'll get regular feedback on your learning.
The fees below are for the 2024/25 academic year:
Part-time per dissertation credit: £31.50
You could be eligible to receive course fees via:
Part-time per dissertation credit: £59
Other funding options
You could be eligible to receive course fees via:
We cover your costs for the day-to-day things that you need to do well in your studies.
We offer lots of support to help you with fees and living costs. Check out our guide to student life on a budget and find out more about postgraduate funding.
You may be eligible for one of our scholarships including:
For international students, we also have a limited number of other awards specific to certain regions, and work in partnership with funding providers in your country to help support you financially with your study.
Find out more about our postgraduate scholarships.
1. UK fees: The university reserves the right to increase postgraduate tuition fees in line with changes to legislation, regulation and any government guidance or decisions. The tuition fees for part-time UK study are subject to annual review and we reserve the right to increase the fees each academic year by no more than the level of inflation.
2. International fees: Tuition fees are subject to annual review and we reserve the right to increase the fees each academic year by no more than the level of inflation.
Any annual increase in tuition fees as provided for above will be notified to students at the earliest opportunity in advance of the academic year to which any applicable inflationary rise may apply.
Our university's postgraduate courses have been recognised for their ability to support your career.
The Mental Health Studies course has been specifically designed to further your career within the field of mental health. It does this by enhancing your existing knowledge and allowing you the opportunity for personal development, self-managed learning and expanding your professional network.
You will have the opportunity to gain a qualification that is directly relevant to your field of work. Past graduates have gone on to study Clinical Psychology programmes.
Some of the roles our graduates have gone on to work in include senior nurses, clinical psychologists, social workers, and previous students have worked for the NHS or private sector.
Our dedicated lifetime career support, like our business start-up support programme and funding for entrepreneurs, has been recognised with the following awards:
MDXworks, our employability service, will help you make the most of your experience and connections to achieve your career goals. You'll have unlimited access to one-to-one advice and support from specialists in your sector plus 24/7 online support. You can also make the most of events and networking opportunities, on and off campus.
You’ll be studying with students from 122 countries who’ll become part of your personal global network. You'll learn how to work with a global mindset and make invaluable connections on your course for your chosen industry.
Our library is open 24 hours a day during the term and includes:
Free laptop loans, Wi-Fi and printing
We offer lots of support to help you while you're studying including financial advice, wellbeing, mental health and disability support.
We'll support you if you have additional needs such as sensory impairment or dyslexia. And if you want to find out whether Middlesex is the right place for you before you apply, get in touch with our Disability and Dyslexia team.
Our specialist teams will support your mental health. We have free individual counselling sessions, workshops, support groups and useful guides.
Our Middlesex Unitemps branch will help you find work that fits around uni and your other commitments. We have hundreds of student jobs on campus that pay the London Living Wage and above. Visit the Middlesex Unitemps page.
Alfonso Pezzella is the course leader for MSc Mental Health Studies. Alfonso teaches on a variety of topics including research methods, SPSS, mental health, LGBT issues and transcultural issues in health. Alfonso is currently working on a European project (IENE 5) led by Professor Irena Papadopoulos (Middlesex University) and five other European countries, which aims to develop a MOOC in Intercultural Communication Skills and Patient Safety. He is also working on various research projects on LGBT inclusion in the curriculum in health and social care and LGBT and mental health.
We’ll carefully manage any future changes to courses, or the support and other services available to you, if these are necessary because of things like changes to government health and safety advice, or any changes to the law.
Any decisions will be taken in line with both external advice and the University’s Regulations which include information on this.
Our priority will always be to maintain academic standards and quality so that your learning outcomes are not affected by any adjustments that we may have to make.
At all times we’ll aim to keep you well informed of how we may need to respond to changing circumstances, and about support that we’ll provide to you.