BSc Honours Midwifery Degree

Overview & facilities

The Midwifery degree (BSc Honours) is a 3 year qualification that leads to professional status as a Registered Midwife.

Taught at Middlesex University in London; this course is designed to give you the skills needed to work in a modern health service. You will develop clinical and other skills that will enable you to work alongside other healthcare professionals to provide seamless care.

Study is at our Hendon and Archway campuses in London and placements occur our NHS Trust partners. Midwifery is a well paid career with professional status and excellent prospects.

The Midwifery Degree provides a professional registration as a Midwife. Midwives are the lead health professional for many women and babies with uncomplicated pregnancies, from the initial visit confirming the pregnancy through to the 28th day following the birth of their babies.The work is demanding but you will experience immense satisfaction from working as a team to provide seamless care to people in need.

PLEASE NOTE THAT WE ARE UNABLE TO ACCEPT ANY NEW APPLICATIONS FOR SEPTEMBER 2012 ENTRY FOR THIS COURSE

Content & modules

Modules

• Year 1

  Foundations of Midwifery (90 Credits) - Compulsory

  To build a firm foundation of knowledge relating to normal anatomy and physiology of mother and baby. To recognise and appreciate the midwife s role, responsibilities and sphere of practice when providing care to healthy women and their babies during the antenatal and postpartum periods and to enable the integration of theory with practice. This module is theory and practice based as part fulfilment of the statutory midwifery requirements. The outcomes will be achieved by combining theoretical learning and reflective practice, with emphasis on the need for student midwives to achieve clinical skills and begin to use research and evidence based practice. Students will work with qualified midwives; practising in both hospital and community settings. This module also begins the process of the development of skills required to become an autonomous and lifelong learner. It provides a foundation from which the identified skills can be developed in relation to the midwifery programme of studies and beyond in the world of work.

• Year 2

  Practice Module (30 Credits) - Compulsory

  This is the second practice module which runs in tandem with theoretical modules, spanning a whole year. The aim is to enable students to link practice to theory and learning, through structured and facilitated processes of written and verbal reflection. Their previous learning will have developed their knowledge and skills of normal midwifery. During this module, students will gain experience in areas outside midwifery, as they consider the wider contexts of midwifery practice. Their focus will be on developing knowledge and skills to deal with women s reproductive health issues, and concepts of ill health. This module will enable students to apply what they have learnt in practice outside midwifery, to their future practice as midwives.

  Wider Context of Midwifery (60 Credits) - Compulsory

  To recognise and appreciate that although pregnancy and childbirth are physiological occurrences, they may be complicated by general or mental health issues, which may contribute to adverse outcomes for mothers and/or babies. Midwives are often the most senior professional having initial contact with women hence it is vital that they have the appropriate knowledge and skills to recognise, assess and communicate risk and be proficient and confident in supporting women from all backgrounds, in all aspects of the progress of their pregnancy and childbirth, whether this is normal or complicated.

• Year 3

  Dissertation (30 Credits) - Compulsory

  This module aims to synthesise learning from the students undergraduate programme providing an opportunity for students to study independently and investigate a topic in depth. It fosters academic curiosity, an inquiry based approach, the employment and application of research skills thus facilitating the development of a higher level of theorising. Students will select a topic of personal interest they wish to study further and will manage their own learning during this module, with the support of an allocated supervisor for this period of independent study.

  Towards Autonomous Midwifery Practice (60 Credits) - Compulsory

  The aims are to ensure that as students move towards the role of autonomous midwife practitioners they are competent to deal with a variety of normal and/or challenging situations in midwifery practice. They will be encouraged to examine and reflect upon their own practice, critically examine the impact of external influences on the midwifery profession and consolidate management ability within the midwifery practice areas. They will explore wider perspectives in midwifery including ethics in healthcare, and the public health role of the midwife.

Entry & applying

PLEASE NOTE THAT WE ARE UNABLE TO ACCEPT ANY NEW APPLICATIONS FOR SEPTEMBER 2012 ENTRY FOR THIS COURSE

Detailed Entry requirements

Please note that we can only accept your application for consideration if you have already obtained your GCSE (or equivalent) Maths or English at the appropriate level prior to applying.

• A minimum of 200 UCAS tariff points from 2 A-levels, plus 5 GCSEs / O-levels grades A-C, including English language and maths, OR
• A full Access to Nursing certificate, or an access course in a related subject - minimum 45 credits at level 3. Must contain maths / English language GCSE equivalent. Must be recent within 5 years, OR
• AVCE health and social care double award + 5 GCSEs / O-levels grades A-C, including English language and maths, OR
• NVQ level 3 in a health related subject, need English and maths components – must be recent, within last five years + 5 GCSEs including grade A-C in maths and English language, OR
• BTEC National Diploma (18 Unit, level 3) in a health-related subject, grades MMP + 5 GCSEs including grade A-C in maths and English language (must be recent - within last five years), OR
• BTEC National Certificate (12 unit, level 3) in health-related subject, grades DM = 5 GCSEs including grade A-C in Maths and English (must be recent - within last five years) 
• CACHE certificate, level 3 plus 5 GCSEs including grade A-C in maths & English language. Must be recent (within five years), OR 
• Higher Education Introductory Nursing Studies; Nursing and Midwifery pathway plus 5 GCSEs including Maths & English language; grade C or above (or equivalent) 120 CATS points, OR
• Equivalents are considered on an individual basis – NARIC is used to check qualifications from overseas, OR
• Irish Highers: Equivalent to 240 UCAS tariff points. Must include minimum grade B or above in 4 subjects at Higher level, minimum grade C in 3 subjects at Ordinary level incl. maths and English language, OR
• FETAC: Level 5 in health related subject. To include five Distinctions (minimum) and also maths and English language at grade C at Ordinary level

Eligibility
Generally: You must have been ordinarily resident in the UK for 3 years at the beginning of the year when your course starts and have full settled status. 
There are some exceptions and other conditions in relation to fees and bursary payments.

Other Requirements:
To begin the course you must also complete a satisfactory enhanced CRB check, Occupational Health Check, and provide suitable references.

Apply now

Qualifications accepted

For a comprehensive list of qualifications accepted by Middlesex, see further information under entry requirements

English language requirements

You must have competence in English language and we normally require Grade C GCSE or an equivalent qualification. The most common English Language requirements for international students are IELTS 6.0 (with minimum 5.5 in all four components) or TOEFL internet based 72 (with at least 17 in listening & writing, 20 in speaking and 18 in reading).

Middlesex also offers an Intensive Academic English course (Pre-Sessional) that ranges from 5-17 weeks depending on your level of English. Successful completion of this course would meet English language entry requirements. For more information on applying for the pre-sessional please email english@mdx.ac.uk.

Numeracy requirements

You will need a GCSE in Maths at grade C or above or a Level II in numeracy at Key Stage II

UK/EU applicants with existing higher education qualifications

If you have already been awarded a qualification at the same level as the course you are applying for, you may not be eligible for a tuition fee loan, see fees and funding for more information.

Nationality and status

For nursing and midwifery courses you must have been ordinarily resident in the UK,  throughout the 3 years preceding the first  day of the first academic year of the  course for purposes other than full-time  education AND have settled status in the UK within the  meaning of the Immigration Act 1971. There must be no restrictions on your  length of stay in the UK.  You must be ordinarily resident in England, Scotland, Wales or Northen Ireland.  EU students are usually eligible to study nursing but may not receive full financial support.

Applying

Applications for UK and EU students should be made to UCAS – the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service. The institution code for Middlesex is M80, and the code name is MIDDX. You also need the code for the course you wish to apply for – this is found in the 'at a glance' box above.

Other Requirements

To begin the course you must also complete a satisfactory enhanced CRB check, Occupational Health Check, and provide suitable references.

Fees & funding

No tuition fees are payable for BSc Midwifery.

BSc Midwifery students on the three year programme, who satisfy the conditions for eligibility, are entitled to a non-means tested bursary and may be able to apply for a means tested bursary from the NHS, and a reduced rate student loan from Student Finance England.  You may also be able to get extra money for dependants and help towards childcare costs as well as some money towards travel costs. For more information, please see our Rough Cuts finance leaflet for nursing and midwifery students.

You can apply for your student loan via the Directgov website, but you must remember to tick the box that says that you have applied for an income assessed NHS bursary.