Master of Science Mental Health Nursing Course: Top Colleges, Syllabus, Scope and Salary 2023

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M.Sc. in Mental Health Nursing is a 2 Years postgraduate Neurology course. Mental Health Nursing is also known as Psychiatric Nursing. During this course, students will study ethics, counseling theory, career development, diagnostic strategies and Group Counselling.

The main focus of the course is on clinical practice in the area of Mental Health Service Provision. The course curriculum covers mental health counseling practice and research, human growth and development, social and cultural foundations, career and lifestyle development, research and programme development etc.

Following is the list of institutes in India that offer this course:

The average Tuition fee for M.Sc. in Mental Health Nursing ranges from INR 5000 to 1.5 Lacs.

Students must possess bachelor's level of nursing degree from a University recognized by Indian Nursing Council. Applicants must obtain a minimum 1 year of experience in the field of Nursing. Some of the reputed colleges and institutes conduct an entrance examination for admission in the course. Students should also be mentally fit.

Applicants are hired in capacities such as Psychiatric Technician, Vocational Rehabilitation Counsellor, Mental Health Counsellor, Substance Abuse Counsellor, Behaviour Analyst, Clinical Psychologist, Health Psychologist, Nurse/ Registered Nurse, Research Associate, Statistical Analyst, Dietician & Lifestyle Counsellor, and Psychologist.

The average Salary package offered to graduates from a particular course ranges from INR 3 Lacs to 6 Lacs per annum.

M.Sc. in Mental Health Nursing: Course Highlights

The following table shows the some of the major highlights of the course:

Course Level	Post Graduation
Duration	2 years
Examination Type	Semester System/ Year wise
Eligibility	Completed Bachelors level of nursing degree from a University recognized by INC (Indian Nursing Council)
Admission Process	Merit-Based/ Entrance Test
Course Fees	INR 5000 to 1.5 Lacs
Average Starting Salary	INR 3 Lacs to 6 Lacs
Top Recruiting Areas	Charities, Hospitals, Clinics & Healthcare Centres, Old Age Residential Homes & Community Units, Colleges & Universities, Rehabilitation Units.
Job Positions	Psychiatric Technician, Vocational Rehabilitation Counsellor, Mental Health Counsellor, Substance Abuse Counsellor, Behaviour Analysts, Clinical Psychologist, Health Psychologist, Nurse/ Registered Nurse, Research Associate, Statistical Analyst, Dietician & Lifestyle Counsellor, Psychologist, Servicing Executives

M.Sc. in Mental Health Nursing: What is it About?

M.Sc. in Mental Health Nursing is all about caring people of all ages with mental illness or mental distress such as Schizophrenia, Bipolar Disorder, Depression and more.

The course is comprised of the topics such as Human Development Counselling Applications, Diagnostic Measuring Tools, Research Methods, Clinical Assessment, Individual Counselling etc.

Those who have successfully completed their course can get a job in the roles such as Psychiatric Technician, Vocational Rehabilitation Counsellor, Mental Health Counsellor, Substance Abuse Counsellor, Behaviour Analysts, Clinical Psychologist, Health Psychologist, Nurse/ Registered Nurse, Research Associate, Statistical Analyst, Dietician & Lifestyle Counsellor, Psychologist, Servicing Executives.

Successful postgraduates can pursue their higher studies. Candidates can explore his or her talent in adult or child nursing. The course is also available in the part-time form for the duration of one or one and a half year.

M.Sc in Mental Health Nursing: Admission Process

Admission to the course is based on the candidate’s performance in an entrance exam. Some of the reputed colleges and institutes conduct an entrance examination for admission. Students will be shortlisted on the basis of their marks obtained in an entrance exam.

Admission of the students will only be made on the basis of merit in Graduation. Seats will only be allocated to the qualified candidates.

M.Sc in Mental Health Nursing: Eligibility Criteria

Students wishing to pursue the course are required to fulfill below-mentioned eligibility criteria:

Students must have completed Bachelor’s degree in Nursing from a college or university recognized by the Indian Nursing Council.
It is mandatory for the candidates to secure minimum 55% marks in their Bachelor’s level degree.
Candidate should be Registered Nurse and Registered Midwife or equivalent with any State Nursing Registration Council.

M.Sc. in Mental Health Nursing: Syllabus and Course Description

The following table shows the syllabus for M.Sc. in Mental Health Nursing:

Subjects of Study
Introduction to Mental Health
Mental Health – Positive Psychology
Personality Theories
Mild Mental Disorders
Psychotic Disorders
Psychological Testing
Neurological Disorders
Personality Disorders
Research Methods and Statistics
Master’s Thesis

M.Sc. in Mental Health Nursing: Top Institutes

The following table shows some of the top institutes in India that offer the course:

Name of the Institute	State
Al Shifa College of Nursing	Kerala
Amala School of Nursing	Thrissur, Kerala
Amrita College of Nursing	Kochi, Kerala
Baby Memorial College of Nursing	Kerala
Bharath University	Tamil Nadu
Bishop Benziger College of Nursing	Kerala
Cauvery College of Nursing and Health Science	Karnataka
Cherraan’s College of Nursing	Tamil Nadu
Diana College of Nursing	Bangalore
Government College of Nursing	Kerala
Holy Cross College of Nursing	Kerala
Kerala University of Health Science	Kerala
KG College of Nursing	Coimbatore
KR Institute of Nursing	Karnataka
Krishna Institute of Medical Sciences University	Maharashtra
KVM College of Nursing	Kerala
Madurai Apollo College of Nursing	Tamil Nadu
Mata Sahib Kaur College of Nursing	Punjab
Prajwal College of Nursing	Karnataka
SGT University	Haryana
Sri Balaji Vidyapeeth University	Puducherry
Sri Gokulam College of Nursing	Tamil Nadu
Sri Ramchandra University	Chennai
Sumandeep Nursing College	Gujarat
Vivekananda College of Nursing	Tamil Nadu
West Bengal University of Health Sciences	West Bengal

M.Sc in Mental Health Nursing: Career Prospects

Applicants can become Professional and practitioners in Hospitals, schools, rehabilitation agencies, clinics, and other mental health agencies. Students can also pursue higher studies in related fields.

Apart from jobs in Hospitals, Clinics, Nursing Homes, Orphanages, Old Age Homes there is also scope for private practice. Students are also recruited in a different health program that is undertaken by Government of India.

The following table shows the different job positions along with its description and corresponding salaries offered:

Master of Science [M.Sc] (Mental Health Nursing) annual salary

Job Position	Job Description	Average Annual Pay Scale in INR
Psychiatric Technician	Their responsibility is to perform functions in the health field, such as taking vital signs, monitoring patients, administrating medication and helping with clerical tasks.	1,92,000
Vocational Rehabilitation Counsellor	Rehabilitation Counsellor helps people with emotional and physical disabilities live independently.	3,60,000
Mental Health Counsellor	Duties of Mental Health Counsellor conduct Mental Health Assessments, developing treatment plans, running preventative mental wellness classes and making treatment referrals.	7,20,000
Clinical Psychologist	Clinical Psychologist meet with the clients to identify problems like emotional, mental and behavioral	3,71,411
Health Psychologist	Health Psychologist study various reactions of individuals when diagnosed with particular disease	3,18,000
Research Associate	Research Associate works to collect, prepares, analyzes, dissects, and evaluates specimens and tissue cultures.	3,02,473
Psychologist	Psychologist studies the human mind. Research helps us understand behavior, memory and mental health disorders.	3,18,000