Approaches to mental health

What you will study

This is a module that will allow you to explore and reflect upon a range of areas associated with mental health care and support. During the module you will explore the core principles of mental health practice and examine the nature of mental health treatment, both traditional and non-traditional, in the United Kingdom and internationally.

This module is made up of four blocks of study, each of which is made up of five weeks of teaching. During each block you'll focus on a particular area associated with mental health care:

• Block 1 - topics include the core principles of mental health intervention; values and ethics in mainstream mental health practice; mental health diagnosis; and the political influences on care.
• Block 2 - looks at traditional approaches to mental health, examining the contributions of different professional groups and the voluntary sector and you'll examine how we can assess the success of these ways of working.
• Block 3 - the focus is on mental health support in specific situations. You'll look at the needs of individuals transitioning between childhood or youth to adult services and those with complex care needs before examining the sensitive topics of suicide, self-harm, trauma and abuse.
• Block 4 - explores a range of alternatives to traditional mental health care such as those driven by service users and those that take advantage of technological advances. Throughout the module the focus will be on the experience of care and support from a service user's perspective.

In preparation for studying you will be provided with core learning materials, including texts, audio visual material that highlights particular issues, and journal articles that you will be able to access directly from the library.

The module team believe that students learn best when they are provided with opportunities to make links between theory and real life practice. As a result, across the module, the teaching material will encourage you to reflect upon case studies and practice examples that are relevant to the topic you are considering. You'll also undertake a range of specifically designed activities that will encourage you to communicate with your fellow students and the teaching staff about how structural, theoretical and behavioural influences shape mental health practice.

During the final week of each block of study you'll be provided with opportunities to shift the focus of your study towards those areas that you are most interested in learning more about. During this week you will be encouraged and supported to explore resources that are available through the library website, the Internet and those shared by fellow students.

At the end of this module you will have a range of the skills and tools that will help you become independent explorers of knowledge in this important but complex area.

Entry

This is an OU level 3 module. OU level 3 modules build on study skills and subject knowledge acquired from studies at OU levels 1 and 2. They are intended only for students who have recent experience of higher education in a related subject, preferably with the OU. You are not required to have done any study before in this subject area but if you have any doubt about the suitability of the module, please speak to an adviser.

Study materials

What's included

You'll have access to a module website, which includes:

• a week-by-week study planner
• course-specific module materials
• audio and video content
• assignment details and submission section
• online tutorial access.

This module is delivered entirely online through learning guides. You'll also receive a printed version of the K314 Readings and the K314 Module Guide. These materials comprise text, graphics, self-assessment quizzes, and a range of media resources.

Computing requirements

• Primary device – A desktop or laptop computer. It's possible to access some materials on a mobile phone, tablet or Chromebook; however, they will not be suitable as your primary device.
• Peripheral device – Headphones/earphones with a built-in microphone for online tutorials.
• Our OU Study app operates on supported versions of Android and iOS.
• Operating systems – Windows 11 or latest supported macOS. Microsoft will no longer support Windows 10 as of 14 October 2025.
• Internet access – Broadband or mobile connection.
• Browser – Google Chrome and Microsoft Edge are recommended. Mozilla Firefox and Safari may be suitable.

Teaching and assessment

Support from your tutor

You'll get help and support from an assigned tutor throughout your module. They'll help by:

• marking your assignments and offering detailed feedback to help you improve
• providing individual guidance, whether that's for general study skills or specific module content
• guiding you to additional learning resources
• facilitating online discussions between your fellow students in the dedicated module and tutor group forums.

Online tutorials run throughout the module. Where possible, we'll make recordings available. While they're not compulsory, we strongly encourage you to participate.

Contact us if you want to know more about study with The Open University before you register.

Assessment

The assessment details for this module can be found in the facts box.

If you have a disability

The OU strives to make all aspects of study accessible to everyone. The Accessibility Statement below outlines what studying this module involves. You should use this information to inform your study preparations and any discussions with us about how we can meet your needs.