Midwifery

Study options

Award

BMid (Hons)

Key facts

UCAS code:
B720
Location:
Centre for Health Innovation Stafford
Study option:
Full-time
Duration:
3 Years
Start date:
23 September 2024

Professional recognition

Recognised by the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC)

Dedicated Skills Lab

Realistic simulations with state-of-the-art mannequins

Placement opportunities

You'll enjoy placements in several different health trusts

Midwifery will develop you to ensure you are able to register and practice as a midwife upon graduation and provide safe, effective holistic woman and family centred midwifery care. Our Midwifery Skills Lab is equipped with Hi and Low Fidelity equipment including birthing and baby models and resuscitaire. Abdominal and PROMPT (PRactical Obstetric Multi-Professional Training) obstetric emergency skill equipment.

Midwifery is a career that requires lifelong learning in a dynamic healthcare system and this course will provide a foundation for your professional midwifery practice, and for your further personal development. This course fosters a learning environment that prepares you to deliver high quality compassionate midwifery care committed to professional and personal values and responsibility.

Your award has a set of written learning outcomes that describe what you should be able to do by the end of the course.

The design of your course has been guided by the national subject benchmark for Nursing and Midwifery Council Standards of proficiency for midwives (NMC 2019), Standards framework for nursing and midwifery education (NMC 2018), Standards for student supervision and assessment (NMC 2018) and Standards for pre-registration midwifery programmes (NMC 2019).

Our aim is to provide quality higher education that will enable you, as a graduate, to be successful throughout a challenging and rewarding career. Midwifery is a career requiring life-long learning in a dynamic health care system, and your course will provide an academic and practice based foundation for midwifery care, and for ongoing personal development. This curriculum fosters a learning environment that prepares caring and compassionate midwives committed to professional and personal values and responsibility. Your course reflects the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) proficiencies for entry to the Professional Register.

The purpose of this course is to both prepare you for entry to the appropriate part of the professional Midwifery Register and to award you an academic qualification commensurate with your learning outcomes. Your chosen course meets the statutory requirements for midwifery education (NMC 2019) and comprises both midwifery specific and shared modules. Successful completion of your course allows you to apply for professional registration with the NMC as a Registered Midwife.

On successful completion of study, we will issue the following award: BMid (Hons) Midwifery

Course content

During your first year, your placement learning will be focused on fundamentals of Safe and Effective midwifery practice. Placements are planned across the range of antenatal, intrapartum and postnatal care provision to women, their families and broader communities in Staffordshire, Cheshire, Shropshire, West Midlands and Derbyshire. You will develop your midwifery skills in one of our Centres of Excellence in Healthcare Education.

The second year develops knowledge and skills in coordinating complex care. With a strong first year foundation and understanding of normal anatomy and physiology of pregnancy, you will be able to recognise deviations from normal. You will experience a variety of placements, supported by lectures from visiting professionals. You will also continue to participate in our creative portfolio of interprofessional education events.

In the third year, you will continue to develop skills through research, leadership, management and critical thinking. You will also be encouraged to critically evaluate existing maternity provision and identify ways to enhance care of women and their wider support networks.

The course maximises opportunities for students to learn from various health professions and to learn together in a multi-professional environment. The benefits of this approach include:

  • The development of mutual understanding and respect
  • Understanding of differing theoretical perspectives and conceptual models of care
  • The reduction of misunderstanding through shared terminology
  • Inter-professional awareness and empathy
  • An awareness of client needs in a complex system of care

This is fostered in theoretical components of the programme via several modules which are shared with children’s nursing, mental health nursing and adult nursing.

Professional body accreditation

Recognised by the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) for the purpose of registration as a qualified midwife.

Midwifery - Clinical placements

Midwifery - Clinical placements

Video

Our Midwifery students talk about getting off campus and into real clinical settings for their work placements.

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Modules

The tables provide an indicative list of the modules that make up the course for the current academic year. Each module is worth a specified number of credits. Our teaching is informed by research, and modules change periodically to reflect developments in the discipline. We aim to ensure that all modules run as scheduled. If for any reason a module cannot be run we will advise you as soon as possible and will provide guidance on selecting an appropriate alternative module.

Entry requirements

Exceptional entry requirements:

Admission to train as a midwife is contingent upon one of the following conditions:

Completion of at least 12 years of general school education or

Possession of a certificate attesting success in an examination, of an equivalent level, for admission to a midwifery school for route I

Entry Requirements (including International English Language Testing System [IELTS] score)

IELTS 7.0 in each individual area or equivalent

What qualifications would I need to join this programme?

The entry requirements for the programme are normally:

GCSE passes at level 4 or above to include English and Maths

Typical offer 128 UCAS tariff points

If GCSEs do not include English evidence must be provided of: Literacy at Level 2

If GCSEs does not include Maths evidence must be provided of: Numeracy at Level 2

Courses such as ‘Access to Health’ include level 2 literacy and numeracy skills.

Applicants with non-standard entry qualifications or other higher education qualifications will be considered in line with UCAS guidance. Further information is available from admissions staff within the School of Health and Social Care.

To be eligible for entry onto this course each candidate must:

In addition to these University requirements, the Nursing & Midwifery Council (NMC) require the entry criteria to reflect the requirements of a Registered Midwife or Nurse and contribute to upholding public trust and confidence.

We therefore require evidence of and a commitment throughout the course of:

Good character and health

Good character will be judged by two references, both of which must be from people who have known the applicant for a minimum of 2 years and are not family or friends. Additionally, an offer of a place will be subject to occupational health screening, enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) clearance and have satisfactory good health and character as evidenced by relevant occupational health screening.

Selection Process

A values-based selection process will be used by the University who will undertake interviews and assess compliance with the criteria above in conjunction with partner service organisations and service users.

Those selected will have satisfactory DBS Disclosure and Barring Service checks and occupational health clearance. Health screening including TB, Hepatitis B and C, and HIV form part of our selection process.

Disability Statement

Staffordshire University operates a policy of inclusive teaching and learning to ensure that all students have an equal opportunity to fulfil their educational potential. Details about how to apply to have your needs assessed can be found at: https://www.staffs.ac.uk/students/support/student-inclusion-team/disability-support/diagnostic-assessments 

We understand that you might have experienced a challenging run up to higher education and may have not met the entry requirements as listed. If this is the case don’t worry, contact us and our team of expert advisors can guide you through the next stages of application, or help you find the perfect course for your needs.

We understand that you might have experienced a challenging run up to higher education and may have not met the entry requirements as listed. If this is the case don’t worry, contact us and our team of expert advisors can guide you through the next stages of application, or help you find the perfect course for your needs.

Midwifery - Clinical simulations

Midwifery - Clinical simulations

Video

Midwifery students talk about how clinical simulations at our Centre for Health Innovation give them the perfect grounding for their placements and future careers.

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For equivalent entry requirements in your home country, please see the information on our country pages.

Choose your country

Check our entry and English language requirements for your country.

GO

Facilities

Careers

Successful completion of our Midwifery Practice degree will enable you to register as a midwife. You will then have the opportunity to follow a career in midwifery practice, research or education. Many graduates from this course work within NHS Trusts, HM Armed Forces, the private healthcare sector, or practice independently. Some graduates secure employments abroad.

All students have access to Career Connect, our dedicated careers team.

I do have job offers from various places - Midwifery careers

I do have job offers from various places - Midwifery careers

Video

Midwifery student Palak has already been offered a job working with mothers in the community, supporting antenatally, during labour and postnatally.

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Teaching and assessment

Teaching

This is a modular programme which utilises a blended learning approach. You will learn, and apply, theoretical concepts in clinical placements and experience a more formal programme of learning in university. Within each module there is a range of learning activities and teaching strategies which are aligned to the learning outcomes for the module. The blended learning approach provides opportunities for students to develop and demonstrate learning is theoretical, empirical, personal, and ethical which prioritises developing practical clinical skills alongside reflective insights. You will be supported through the range of learning, teaching and assessment strategies including:

  • Lead lectures, keynote lectures
  • Online scheduled activities via a Virtual Learning Platform (VLE)
  • Clinical placement learning
  • Clinical skills training
  • Simulated learning
  • Problem based learning (PBL)
  • Development and presentation of student led seminars
  • Group work
  • Independent learning
  • Directed study
  • Inter-professional learning
  • Group tutorials

Learning during this course revolves around the required content but also individual learning needs. It is about finding out how this information is significant to individual students. You are encouraged take initiative for identifying personal learning needs and seek out relevant information independently. However, it is also about involvement with professional clinical colleagues, fellow students and practice supervisors and assessors in the workplace. Although students ultimately drive the total learning experience, you will also become part of a community of learners who will develop a generic range of skills and knowledge together.

Students experience practice learning opportunities in a wide range of care environments and work and learn collaboratively with a range of professional staff, service users, clients and their families.

Completion of the course enables students to develop a professional perspective in relation to self and others, to be an effective communicator, able to contribute productively as part of a multi-disciplinary team and be organisationally aware. Students experience shared learning in clinical practice working in teams and having joint educational opportunities in practice areas. Therefore, some teaching sessions may be undertaken with students preparing for other health care professions, which afford opportunities for working together with future colleagues, drawing on their diverse backgrounds and experiences. Practice learning will enable students to learn with and from a range of healthcare professionals as well as service users and their friends and families.

Study time is divided between 50% theory and 50% in practice placements.  Students have a range of placements which provide experience of the diversity and variety of midwifery. Placements are arranged between Staffordshire University and our NHS Trust partner organisations. Placement learning periods will include both acute and community-based experiences; are not all on one site and will involve some travel. During the three years, students are required to experience care across the 24-hour span of duty which will include weekends, nights and bank holidays.

Assessment

Your course will provide you with opportunities to test your understanding of your subject informally before you complete the formal assessments that contribute towards your final grade mark.

The assessment strategies used are aligned to learning outcomes in so much they seek to capture the knowledge, skill, and attitudinal aspects outlined within, and across, modules so the contents of these in their entirety meet the objectives of the course.

Each module normally includes practice or ‘formative’ assessments across the range of modules, for which you receive feedback from your academic tutor. There is a formal or ‘summative’ assessment at the end of each module.

A range of assessments are used to meet the requirements of the programme and the appropriate standards, in parallel to university requirements and regulations. This includes a range of coursework assessments, such as essays, reports, portfolios, authentic patient assessments and professional performance, presentations, final year, independent project and written examinations. The grades from formal assessments contribute towards your module grade and combined form the degree final grade and classification.

Practice Supervisors and Assessors will also provide formative feedback on Practice-based learning and competency development.   

Learning support

In addition to the excellent support you will receive from your course teaching team, our central Academic Skills team provides group and one-to-one help to support your learning in a number of areas. These include study skills (including reading, note-taking and presentation skills); written English (including punctuation and grammatical accuracy); academic writing (including how to reference); research skills; critical thinking and understanding arguments; and revision, assessment and examination skills (including time management).

Additional support

Our Student Inclusion Services support students with additional needs such as sensory impairment, or learning difficulties such as dyslexia.

Feedback

Examination feedback may take a variety of formats. However, as a minimum, generic feedback will be made available to all students who take written examinations.

Immersive Skills Labs - Centre for Health Innovation

Immersive Skills Labs - Centre for Health Innovation

Video

Emily Browne introduces the Immersive labs in our Centre for Health Innovation in Stafford that can create environments from roadside to emergency room to living room.

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Year 1

42% of time in lectures, seminars or similar
58% of time in independent study
0% of time in work based learning

Year 2

41% of time in lectures, seminars or similar
59% of time in independent study
0% of time in work based learning

Year 3

33% of time in lectures, seminars or similar
67% of time in independent study
0% of time in work based learning

Year 1

17% practical assessments
67% coursework
17% written exams

Year 2

83% practical assessments
0% coursework
17% written exams

Year 3

0% practical assessments
100% coursework
0% written exams

Staff

You will be taught by an expert teaching team whose expertise and knowledge are closely matched to the content of the modules on the course. The team includes senior academics and professional practitioners with industry experience. Postgraduate research students who have undertaken teaching training may also contribute to the teaching of seminars under the supervision of the module leader.

Alexandra Birch

Head Of Department - Nursing & Midwifery

I am currently the Interim Head of Department for Midwifery and Allied Health and Biological and Biomedical Science (Practice) and Lead Midwife for Education (LME) at Staffordshire University.

Alexandra's profile

Lynne Coton

Senior Lecturer

I am a registered Midwife and Midwifery Lecturer with a keen interest in patient safety, human factors, and simulation. I enjoy teaching high risk obstetric care and obstetric emergencies to the student midwives.

Lynne's profile

Fees

For the course starting on 23 September 2024 the tuition fees are:

Tuition fees for BMid (Hons)-Full-time
Study option UK / Channel Islands International
Full-time £9,250 per year of study £19,000 per year of study

UK and Channel Island students: This tuition fee is agreed subject to UK government policy and parliamentary regulation. If the UK government passes appropriate legislation, the fee for subsequent years of study may increase in each academic year. But this increase will not exceed the rate of inflation as measured by RPIX**. Any change in fees will apply to both new and continuing students. The University will notify students of any change as early as possible. Further information about fee changes would be posted on the University’s website once this becomes available.

**RPIX is a measure of inflation equivalent to all the items in the Retail Price Index (RPI) excluding mortgage interest payments.

International students: Tuition fees will remain the same for each year of your course, as long as you complete it in the normal time-frame (i.e. no repeat years or breaks in study).

Included in tuition fees
Included in the fees:

The School will fund uniforms, occupational health screening and DBS services.

Not included in tuition fees
Not included in the fees:

Some students may choose to take an elective placement outside of our standard Practice Learning Placement circuit. Where this is the case, the costs associated with travel, accommodation, insurance etc will be the responsibility of individual students.

INTERNATIONAL APPLICANTS ONLY

International Students, like all others, should be aware of the additional costs they will incur of travelling to their Practice Learning Placements (which constitutes fifty per cent of the course over three years). This is in addition to the costs associated with studying away from home such as accommodation.

International Students are unlikely to be eligible for the additional financial support offered to some UK/EU students. The International tuition fee includes a contribution to the yearly Practice Learning Placement tariff which will allow students to access the full range of clinical learning experiences.

Accommodation and living costs
Accommodation and living costs

Accommodation and living costs are not included in our fees. 

For more information on accommodation and living costs, please see: Accommodation

Sources of financial support

If you receive funding from Student Finance you may be eligible to apply for additional benefits. Details can be obtained by reading our additional funding web pages, or visiting www.gov.uk

Scholarships and additional funding

As an undergraduate student at Staffordshire, you may be eligible for additional financial support through one of our scholarships and bursaries. You can visit our funding page to find out more and check your eligibility.

Our students

Having an academic mentor as a Student Midwife is something that's really important because you can reach out to them no matter what. And you know, you can also have that kind of close relationship that if anything's wrong, then they're always there to help.

Charlie France

Midwifery student

Going into clinical placement after doing the simulations really prepared me, because it's quite intense and fast paced out there. So having that little bit of knowledge and background before I went out has been really useful.

Lisa Rhodes

Midwifery student

There's a really good combination of academic to practical skills. Obviously, you need to be able to do the academic side, but being able to practically replicate what you've learned from a textbook and then be able to do it in practice, both in the skills lab and then when you're out in placement helps every type of learner.

Helen Bailey

Midwifery student

I'm on the Committee for the Midwifery Society. Our role is to bring together the cohorts and try and arrange educational events or teambuilding exercises and to help build those relationships between the cohorts. So, a first year might still be finding their feet and they might be worried about things that I think are normal. But they've got the opportunity to talk to the second and third years.

Frances O'Malley

Midwifery student

The facilities are really good. We have everything we need here. Most recently we've been doing obstetric emergencies. It's really good to be in an environment where it's sort of real, but it's not real. We can make mistakes. We get feedback on that and we can improve going forward.

Becci Allgood

Midwifery student

Apply

Location Award Study option Start date Apply Link
Centre for Health Innovation Stafford BMid (Hons) Full-time 23 September 2024 Apply now

Rules and regulations

If you are offered a place at Staffordshire University, your offer will be subject to our rules, regulations and enrolment conditions, which may vary from time to time.

Students of Staffordshire University enter into a contract with us and are bound by these rules and regulations, which are subject to change. For more information, please see: University Policies and Regulations.

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