Two young women engage in a collaborative effort at a table, drafting a poster focused on mental health.

Mental Health and Resilience - Foundation Degree*

Summary

The Foundation Degree in Mental Health and Resilience is a unique qualification which is aimed specifically at individuals who wish to work in non-medical mental health settings.

This degree intends to support your development of key skills and attributes that will enhance your professional practice in non-medical mental health roles such as community mental health services, emotional wellbeing and pastoral roles in schools, and dual support services.

As well as transitioning directly into work, successful graduates can also progress onto our one-year top-up programme to gain an honours degree and further enhance their career prospects.

  • Course code SM1HE117
  • UCAS code L514
  • Duration 2 Years
  • Day/s of week Monday
  • Time 09:15 - 16:45

Next course dates

Start date Location Duration
08 Sep 2025
University Centre
2 Years

*Subject to validation. For more information, please visit our dedicated validation page.

  • 86,694 Annual job openings in the North West
  • £25,650 Average annual salary
  • Well-resourced onsite training equipment

What Uni Reviews

Really enjoyed my time at uni, the tutors have unconditional support for all students. *****
- Jessica Halliwell
Amazing course. Learnt so much, tutors are fantastic. *****
- Kelly Broadbent
Tutors and HELMs are fantastic! *****
- Bethany Daniels

Where can this subject lead?

Career progression

The key benefit of completing the Foundation Degree is the experience gained in the different mental health settings that are undertaken as part of the work placement within the second year of study.This varied experience is designed to increased the confidence of practitioners and is highly sought after by employers.

Next steps at B&FC

The BA (Hons) Topup in Mental Health and Resilience,  which is validated by Lancaster University, is the next academic step students can take and is available only to those who have successfully completed this Foundation Degree programme.

Employment Opportunities

There are several employment options that students can transition into on achieving the Foundation Degree, which include:

  • Education mental health practitioner trainee
  • Team leader roles
  • Senior mental health support worker roles

Key information

Entry Requirements

For a successful offer onto this programme of study all students will need GCSE English at grade 4 or C or functional skills at level 2, it is also desirable that students have achieved a grade C or 4 in GCSE Maths or functional skills level 2. In addition to this you will require 1 of the following:

  • BTEC Extended Diploma in Health and Social Care or related subject (Merit, Merit, Pass)
  • Certificate in Mental Health (Pass)
  • T Level Health (C, C, D)
  • A levels C, C, D (80 UCAS points)
  • Access to HE in Health, Nursing or Social Science (Pass)


Applicants will be invited to take part in an informal discussion with the programme team, where you can learn more about the programme, prior to an offer being made. 4 hours paid or voluntary work in a relevant area is also required.

If you are a non-standard student, who has not followed the traditional routes to higher education, we can consider your application on a case-by-case basis. Applicants who can demonstrate relevant work/life skills or knowledge will also be considered on an individual basis.

Qualification obtained

FdA Mental Health and Resilience

Fees and funding

Visit our Tuition Fees page and Financial Support for Degrees page for more information about fees and funding.

Extra costs and equipment

No special equipment is required as a full range of IT is available within the Learning Resource Centre for enrolled students. Students may wish to purchase a computer (desktop or laptop) as all assessments are submitted electronically and the relevant software can be provided by the College free of charge.

Regulation and Accreditation

Accrediting Institute: N/A

Awarding Body: Blackpool and The Fylde College

Regulatory Body: Office for Students (OfS)

Terms and conditions

Please visit our Student Terms and Conditions page for more information.

What will I learn?

Industry placement, field trips and guest speakers

Prior to enrolment and throughout the duration of the Foundation Degree programme, you must be actively in paid or voluntary employment in a mental health, wellbeing and/or resilience setting for a minimum of 4 hours per week. The paid or voluntary work element is intended to provide you with the opportunity to embed your learning into practice each week.

  • Modules at level 4

    Module title Code Credits Optional
    Underpinning Principles of Mental Health SM4MD156 20 Yes
    Professional Behaviours and Skills SM4MD158 20 No
    Safeguarding and Mental Health SM4MD159 20 No
    Mental Health and Resilience Frameworks SM4MD160 20 No
    Academic Skills Health and Education SM4MD199 20 No
    Developing Resilience SM4MD237 20 No

  • Modules at level 5

    Module title Code Credits Optional
    Professional Portfolio Development SM5MD214 20 No
    Wellbeing and Interventions SM5MD215 20 No
    Coaching and Mentoring SM5MD216 20 No
    Comorbidity of Mental Health SM5MD217 20 No
    Work Based Learning SM5MD246 20 No
    Psychological Theories SM5MD247 20 No

Study Support - at a glance

  • Higher Education Learning Mentors (HELMs)
  • One-to-one and group study support sessions
  • Pre-degree preparation workshops
  • IT Support
Discover available Study Support

Programme Specification

Download our Programme Specification for this course.

Student case study - Heidi

Why did you decide to study this qualification?
I chose this course because I want to work in substance abuse, supporting adults with addiction. I already work in the sector and this will enable me to progress my career and make the difference I really want to see in people's lives.

Why did you choose B&FC?
I chose B&FC as I had heard lots of good things about studying here and positive feedback.

What have been the benefits of studying here?
Socialising and meeting new people, having some much-needed time to myself and achieving my goals.

How will I learn?

Scheduled Learning

Scheduled time relates to the time you spend in directed study with the guidance and support of our academic tutors. Scheduled learning can take a variety of forms and will vary from one course to the next, but may include lectures, seminars, tutorials, project supervision, demonstrations, studio or workshop time, fieldwork and external visits.

Independent Study

Higher education courses rely on students undertaking work outside of formal, scheduled sessions and this is generally categorised as independent study. Independent study might include preparation for scheduled sessions, follow-up work, wider reading or practice, completion of assessment tasks and revision.

Expert tutors

All staff involved in the delivery of higher education courses within the College are approved to teach the subjects and modules they deliver.

The approval process ensures that staff delivering a given programme are appropriately qualified and, where appropriate, possess relevant technical and industrial experience and professional practice.

Learning Methods

Learning Method Level 4 Level 5 Level 6
Scheduled 228 253 0
Independent 772 887 0
Placement 0 60 0
Total 1000 1200 0
Ready to take the next step? Navigate to the top of the page and click Apply Now to continue your degree-level journey.

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How will I be assessed?

How will I be assessed?

Assessment Method Level 4 Level 5 Level 6
Coursework 82% 72% 0%
Exam 0% 0% 0%
Practical 18% 28% 0%