Updated November 10, 2022
MSc in psychiatric nursing, also known as MSc in Mental health nursing, is a two-year postgraduate Nursing course in Neurology. Mental health Nursing is a specialization of nursing practice that involves treating people suffering from psychiatric disorders to assist them in recovering and enhancing their lives.
Psychiatric Nurses possess a deep understanding of diagnosis, assessment, and treatment of mental health disorders, that enable them to provide specific care to the patients. They usually work with other health professionals in medical teams to provide the best results for the patient.
Aspirants who have completed a BSc in Nursing with a minimum aggregate of 55 % from any institution recognized by the Nursing Council of India can apply for this course. They are also required to be medically fit in order to apply for this course.
Admission to MSC Nursing psychiatric course is offered through entrance examinations conducted by various universities and states. And, one who is seeking admission into the MSc Psychiatric Nursing course needs to qualify in the entrance exam. The average annual fee for this course may range from 50000 to 200000, depending upon the standard of universities/institutions.
MSc in Mental Health Nursing encompasses a wide range of career opportunities. After completing this course, one can either take up jobs like Chief Nursing Officer, Senior Nurse, Nursing Managers, etc. or opt for research-based higher courses like MPhil in Nursing, PhD. in Nursing, etc. The average starting Salary of MSc Psychiatric Nurses may range from 30,000 to 40,000. However, their salary figure may change depending upon the recruiter, experience, skills, and job profile of the candidates.
Primary Role of Psychiatric Nurses
Mental health nurses are accountable for evaluating and assessing the patient’s mental health, developing a treatment plan, consulting with health experts regarding the treatment plans, psychotherapy treatment, maintaining medical records, and assisting and educating patients and their families.
The primary duties of mental health nurses are to offer care to patients who have a mental disorder or mental health issue, or behavioural disorder. The tasks carried out by a mental health professional are comparable to those of psychiatrists and consist of diagnosis, psychotherapy, and prescribing medications.
Some mental health nurses also opt for further specialization in treating people suffering from an underlying psychiatric condition of a particular age or with a specific association. These could be pediatrics adolescents, geriatrics, drug abuse, or eating disorders.
MSc in Psychiatric Nursing Admission Process
Admission to MSc in Psychiatric Nursing is commonly made through various universities and state-level entrance examinations. The candidates are shortlisted for offering them admission to the MSc Psychiatric Nursing course based on their score in the entrance exam. Below listed is the detailed admission process for this course.
- Firstly, the candidates need to appear in the entrance exams and qualify in the entrance exam with prerequisite cut-off marks.
- Once the candidate qualified in the entrance examination, they have to register themselves for counselling and the seat allocation process. Because in many colleges, the seats are allocated through a centralized seat allocation process. The seat is allotted based on ranks acquired by the candidates in the entrance examination.
- After seat allotment, the candidates who are allotted a seat will be called for document verification at the universities /colleges. And, they have to show and submit all the relevant documents and required documents.
- And lastly, the candidates who are detected eligible are granted admission to the course.
MSc in Mental Health Nursing Eligibility Criteria
For admission into the MSc Psychiatric Nursing course, the candidates must fulfill certain eligibility criteria. Below mentioned are the minimum eligibility criteria that each institution demands to offer admission to this course:
Aspirants who have completed a BSc in Nursing with a minimum aggregate of 55 % from any institution recognized by the Nursing Council of India can apply for this course. They are also required to be medically fit to apply for this course.
In addition, the candidates who have prior work experience as a nurse in a recognized clinic, nursing home, or hospital are given first preference. Also, some of the colleges allow only female candidates to enrol in this course.
Masters in Psychiatric Nursing Entrance Exams
Various universities and state-level examinations are conducted to offer admission in the MSc Psychiatric Nursing course. Below mentioned are some of the top MSc Psychiatric Nursing entrance examinations.
- AIIMS PG Admission Test
- JIPMER PG Admission Test
- PIMS AICET ASUG Entrance Exam
- NIMHANS Nursing Admission Test
- KGMU BSc Nursing Entrance Exam
- PIMS MSc Nursing and MPT Entrance Test
- TMC Mumbai MSc in Nursing Entrance Test
- ILBS New Delhi M.Sc. Nursing Entrance Exam
- Bharati Vidyapeeth Deemed University PB BSc Nursing CET
- DY Patil University All India PG Nursing Entrance Test (AIPGNET)
Important to Know: A single INI CET will replace AIIMS PG and JIPMER PG Admission Test from this year.
Top Colleges for Masters in Mental Health Nursing
Numerous Colleges in India offer a renowned course of MSc in Mental Health nursing, and some of them are listed below.
- Adesh University
- Amity University
- Yenepoya University
- Christian Medical College
- Vinayaka Mission University
- Hind Institute of Medical Sciences
- Indian Academy Group of Institutions
- Bharati Vidyapeeth Deemed University
- PES Institute of Medical Sciences and Research
Masters in Mental Health Nursing Syllabus
The MSc Psychiatric Nursing students pursue a wide range of subjects and topics. The detailed information of the syllabus for the MSc Psychiatric Nursing Course is mentioned below in the table.
Particulars of Masters in Psychiatric Nursing
| Semesters | Syllabus |
| First Semester | Nursing Education |
| Nursing Philosophy | |
| Advanced Nursing Practice | |
| Nursing Research and Statistics | |
| Introduction to Psychiatric Nursing | |
| Theories of Personality Development | |
| Second Semester | Healing Therapy |
| Assertive Training | |
| Promoting Self Esteem | |
| Women and Mental Health | |
| Stress and Its Management | |
| Concepts of Psycho-Biology | |
| Third Semester | Psychopharmacology |
| Electroconvulsive Therapy | |
| Psycho Social and Physical Therapies | |
| Alternative Systems of Medication in Mental Health | |
| Therapeutic Communication and Interpersonal Relations | |
| Fourth Semester | Viva – Voce |
| Dissertation | |
| Practical Training | |
| Nursing Research | |
| Nursing Management |
Career and Jobs after MSc in Mental Health Nursing
MSc in Mental Health Nursing encompasses wide range of career opportunities. After completing this course one can either take up jobs like Chief Nursing Officer, Senior Nurse, Nursing Managers, etc. or can either opt to go for research based higher courses like MPhil in Nursing, PhD in Nursing, etc. Below is the list of top MSc nursing psychiatry jobs candidates are offered after completing this course.
- Matron
- Senior Nurse
- Psychiatric Nurse
- Nursing Managers
- Teacher & Lecturer
- Associate Professor
- Clinical Psychologist
- Chief Nursing Officer
- Rehabilitation Specialist
- Junior Occupational Therapist
MSc in Mental Heath Nursing Candidates Salary
The average salary of MSc Psychiatric nursing candidates may range from3 lakh to 6 lakh per annum. However, their salary may change depending on the recruiter, experience, skills, and job profile. For instance, the average annual salary of a rehabilitation specialist, matron, chief nursing officer, and senior nurse may range from 3 to 5 lakh. At the same time, a nursing manager can receive an annual salary of 6 lakh.
FAQs Related MSc in Mental Health Nursing
Ans- MSc in Mental Health Nursing encompasses a wide range of career opportunities. After completing this course, one can either take up jobs like Chief Nursing Officer, Senior Nurse, Nursing Managers, etc. or opt for research-based higher courses like MPhil in Nursing, PhD. in Nursing, etc.
Ans- Aspirants who have completed a BSc in Nursing with a minimum aggregate of 55 % from any institution recognized by the Nursing Council of India can apply for this course. They are also required to be medically fit to apply for this course. In addition, the candidates who have prior work experience as a nurse in a recognized clinic, nursing home, or hospital are given first preference. Also, some of the colleges allow only female candidates to enrol in this course.
Ans- After completing MSc in Nursing, one can either take up jobs like Matron, Senior Nurse, Psychiatric Nurse, Nursing Managers, Teacher & Lecturer, Associate Professor, Clinical Psychologist, Chief Nursing Officer, Rehabilitation Specialist, Junior Occupational Therapist, etc.
Ans- BSc Nursing, full form, Bachelor of Science in Nursing, is a four-year undergraduate professional course in medical science. Aspirants who have completed 12th in science with Physics Chemistry and Biology as the main subject from any recognized board can apply for the B.Sc Nursing course.