This Higher Apprenticeship aims to develop your skills, knowledge and behaviours which are needed to undertake working within a mental health environment at band four.  You will study one day a week in the classroom, as well as developing your skills and behaviours within the workplace.  The subjects that you will cover include anatomy and physiology, psychology and sociology, leadership and management, risk management as well as undertaking professional practice modules based over a two-year period.  You will be assessed via a variety of techniques including presentations, essays and professional discussions.   

As a Higher Apprenticeship, this course involves assessment by work-based mentors, so you must be employed in an appropriate mental health setting and also have access to such a mentor before applying. UCW employs a specialist facilitator to guide students and employers on workplace practices. Please read the workplace suitability guidance to find out more. 

All of the modules on this course are compulsory. Successful completion of all of the modules in the first year is worth 120 credits at Level 4 and equivalent to a Certificate of Higher Education. Successful completion of the second year is also worth 120 credits and will lead to the award of the Level 5 Foundation Degree.

Year 1 Compulsory Modules 

The student must take 120 credits from the modules in Compulsory Modules

• Fundamentals of Anatomy and Physiology (30 credits) 
• Developing Your Clinical Practice in Mental Health 1 (30 credits) 
• Communicating in Practice (15 credits) 
• Sociology and Psychology of Health (30 credits) 
• The Management of Risk for Mental Health (15 credits) 

Year 2 

The student must take 120 credits from the modules in Year 2

Year 2 Compulsory Modules 

The student must take 120 credits from the modules in Compulsory Modules 

• Assistant Practitioner End-Point Assessment (40 credits) 
• Developing Your Clinical Practice in Mental Health 2 (20 credits) 
• Enquiry Methods (15 credits) 
• Principles of Management and Leadership (15 credits) 
• The Principles of Professional Assessment for Mental Health (15 credits) 
• The Principles of Professional Development (15 credits) 

Graduates of this course are eligible to progress to related Honours Top-up courses, and are also eligible to apply to join the second year of associated full Honours degrees, such as the BSc (Hons) in Nursing (Mental Health) at UWE Bristol. 

This Foundation Degree has been designed for those aspiring to be assistant practitioners (Skills for Health Career Framework Level 4) who already have related roles in health and social care settings and want to further their careers. 

Industry insight 

Assistant practitioner roles in mental health are varied, so you could be working in hospitals, community recovery teams and with families and young people. 

Qualification Requirements

Please note that you will need to apply for this course through an employer, but as a guideline to be eligible to join this programme you will need a related Level 3 qualification such as A Levels, a BTEC Extended Diploma or an Access to Higher Education Diploma, or a T Level, or equivalent. You will also need Level 2 English and Maths at 4/C or above and are required to attend an interview. 

Applicants must be employed in a suitable health or social care setting where they can be supported and assessed by a work-based mentor. 

Please contact Ellie Read for more information on ellie.read@weston.ac.uk or UCWenquiries@weston.ac.uk 

Programme specification