Education Mental Health Practice PGDip : ̽��ѡ

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Key information

Duration:: 1 year full time
Start date:: September 2025
Apply from:: March/April 2025 for a September 2025 start

This course is for you if you’d like to work as an Education Mental Health Practitioner (EMHP).

The EMHP role has been developed to support the Government’s priority of increasing access to and availability of mental health and wellbeing support for children and young people in schools. The role is specifically aimed at meeting the needs of those who may not currently receive or be suitable for a specialist mental health services for children and young people.

As an EMHP, you’ll:

assess and support children and young people with common mental health difficulties – particularly mild to moderate symptoms of anxiety, depression and behavioural difficulties
offer short-term cognitive-behavioural approaches
support schools in promoting mental health within the school community
provide information workshops on mental health and wellbeing.

This course is offered in partnership between the School of Psychology at the ̽��ѡ, one of the largest psychology units in the UK, and the

PGDip or Dip(Grad)?

If you don’t have an undergraduate qualification, we also offer this course as a Dip(Grad).

We understand that deciding where and what to study is a very important decision. We’ll make all reasonable efforts to provide you with the courses, services and facilities described in this prospectus. However, if we need to make material changes, for example due to government or regulatory requirements, or unanticipated staff changes, we’ll let you know as soon as possible.

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Entry requirements

Degree requirements	You should normally have an upper second-class (2.1) undergraduate honours degree or above. If you don’t have the degree requirement for this course you should provide a portfolio of evidence of written work produced while training or working in the field.
Subject-specific requirements	No prior knowledge or experience in mental health is required but you must have experience and knowledge of the School system in the UK. You should demonstrate an interest and desire to work with children and young people with mental health difficulties. You must also show an interest in developing education in practice, therapy and skills fundamental to mental health care with children and young people.

Degree requirements

You should normally have an upper second-class (2.1) undergraduate honours degree or above.

If you don’t have the degree requirement for this course you should provide a portfolio of evidence of written work produced while training or working in the field.

Subject-specific requirements

No prior knowledge or experience in mental health is required but you must have experience and knowledge of the School system in the UK. You should demonstrate an interest and desire to work with children and young people with mental health difficulties. You must also show an interest in developing education in practice, therapy and skills fundamental to mental health care with children and young people.

Admissions information for applicants

How to apply	Opportunities to apply for this course are available through discussion and agreement with NHSE approved employers in the South East Region. To apply for an NHS funded place, please visit the . You will be able to apply from June for the September intake.
Interviews by video platform or at the University	Yes
Personal statement	Yes. You must submit a personal statement as part of your application.

If your qualifications aren’t listed or you have a question about entry requirements, contact us

For details on any additional costs, check out the Fees and scholarships section.

Application deadlines

Apply from March/April 2025 for a September 2025 start

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Modules

Core modules

Core modules are taken by all students on the course. They give you a solid grounding in your chosen subject and prepare you to explore the topics that interest you most.

Autumn teaching

Spring teaching

Spring and summer teaching

We regularly review our modules to incorporate student feedback, staff expertise, as well as the latest research and teaching methodology. We’re planning to run these modules in the academic year 2025/26. However, there may be changes to these modules in response to feedback, staff availability, student demand or updates to our curriculum. We’ll make sure to let you know of any material changes to modules at the earliest opportunity.

We’ll do our best to provide as much optional choice as we can, but timetabling constraints mean it may not be possible to take some module combinations. The structure of a small number of courses means that the order of modules or the streams you choose may determine whether modules are core or optional. This means that your core modules or options may differ from what’s shown here.

American Student Loans and Federal Student Aid

Please note that Certificate and Diploma programs at the ̽��ѡ are not eligible for USA federal Direct Loans. Find out more about American Student Loans and Federal Student Aid

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Our experts

Mr Tom Bostock

Visiting Assistant Professor

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Ms Emma Casson

Visiting Ssociate Professor

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Miss Crystal Cheng

Visiting Clinical Educator

View profile of Crystal Cheng

Mr Peter Garwood

Honorary Senior Lecturer

View profile of Peter Garwood

Miss Emily Huynh

Visiting Clinical Educator

View profile of Emily Huynh

Ms Nik Mansfield

Visiting Assistant Professor

View profile of Nik Mansfield

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Fees

How much does it cost?

The course is funded by NHSE (NHS England). This means that all University fees are paid by NHSE.

If, during your training year, you’re employed by the NHS, you’ll be on a national pay and conditions system called Agenda for Change (AfC).

There are nine pay bands and you’ll usually be paid at Band 4 while you train. After completing your training, you’ll be paid at Band 5, with the opportunity to progress with experience.

Terms and conditions can vary if you’re employed outside the NHS.

It’s important to note that a two-year psychological professions funding rule policy was implemented on 1 April 2022. This means that if you start NHS-funded psychological professions training from April 2022, you won’t be eligible for NHS funding for further psychological profession training for two years from the expected completion date of your first training, where it would lead to a change in your job role.

Find out about our terms and conditions

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Careers

As an you may have opportunities to progress to:

supervise other EMHPs
have management responsibilities within mental health support teams
develop clinical specialisms.

You could go on later in your career to train as a cognitive behavioural psychotherapist or a clinical psychologist.

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