Bachelor of Midwifery

As a midwife, you will work in partnership with women and gender diverse people, their babies and families through pregnancy, labour and birth and the early parenting period. Our Bachelor of Midwifery has been co-developed with industry partners, consumers, and past and present midwifery students, to ensure the content reflects contemporary midwifery knowledge and practice. In alignment with the National Standards for the Midwife and the International Confederation of Midwives midwifery philosophy, our program has a strong research-inspired theoretical basis, helping to prepare outstanding midwifery graduates that are highly sought after. Students also participate in midwifery professional experience placements in NSW and other partnering Health facilities.  Students must meet all NSW and other partnering Health verification requirements before attending clinical placement, and follow NSW (and other partners) and University policies while on placement. Students should also be aware that they may be required to undertake midwifery professional experience placement (MPEP) and/or classes outside normal semester dates.

This program is accredited with the Australian Nursing and Midwifery Accreditation Council (ANMAC) Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia as an approved program of study. 

Bachelor of Midwifery (Hunter and Mid North Coast Placement)
If you choose this option, you will undertake your on-campus studies at the Callaghan Campus, Newcastle and your midwifery professional experience placement will be at one of the following hospitals for the duration of your degree (except in the instance of a short term voluntary rural/metropolitan/international exchange).

1. John Hunter Hospital
2. Maitland Hospital
3. Muswellbrook Hospital
4. Newcastle Private Hospital
5. Singleton District Hospital
6. Scott Memorial Hospital, Scone
7. Manning Base Hospital, Taree
8. Port Macquarie Base Hospital
9. Kempsey District Hospital

Bachelor of Midwifery (Central Coast Placement)
If you choose this option, you will undertake your on-campus studies at the Central Coast Clinical School, Gosford and your midwifery professional experience placement will be at one of the following hospitals for the duration of your degree (except in the instance of a short term voluntary rural/metropolitan/international exchange).

1. Gosford Public Hospital
2. Gosford Private Hospital

Midwifery education and professional practice can be mentally and physically demanding and requires students to be committed.

Students engage in simulated practice in specially designed simulation laboratories and participate in midwifery practice, including physical examination, and social and emotional assessment, with childbearing women and gender diverse people on midwifery professional experience placement (MPEP).

All students are required to be verified with Clinconnect for midwifery professional practice.

Verification includes screening and immunisation for infectious diseases, working with children and criminal record checks and other measures to ensure the safety of students, staff, and the women for whom they provide care.

Entry to this program is competitive, with a limited number of available places. Typically, offers for this program are made at the end of the year, coinciding with the release of ATARs.

Areas of study

Students will learn about the physiology of pregnancy and childbearing, including immediate care of the newborn , holistic care of the pregnant person, midwifery history and philosophy and professional practice standards.

Career opportunities

The Bachelor of Midwifery program prepares students for registration as a midwife with the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia. Graduates are prepared to work in midwifery clinical practice, including midwifery continuity of care models, and career pathways can include health policy, education and research.

Professional recognition

Graduates are eligible to apply for registration to practise as a midwife with the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia under the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency umbrella.

Practical experience

Students will complete a minimum of  1104 hours of midwifery professional experience placement that includes: :

• Midwifery Professional Experience Placement in an allocated hospital with hands-on experience during the antenatal period, labour and birthing, and the postnatal period.
• Continuity of Care Experiences (CCE) where students develop relationships with childbearing people – a minimum of 10 relationship-based experiences as the on-call clinician for expectant mothers (minimum 200 hours).

Further hours may be required to complete minimum requirements for registration and may be completed as rostered hours or continuity of care experiences.

The participating hospitals for clinical placements are John Hunter, Maitland, Taree, Singleton, Muswellbrook, Scone, Newcastle Private, Gosford Public and Gosford Private, Port Macquarie, Kempsey and Taree. While attending placements, students are responsible for all travel, accommodation, and related expenses. Applicants should be aware of this requirement when applying for entry to the program.  

Honours

Available as an additional year (or part-time equivalent) to students based on merit.

Fees and charges

Refer to University of Newcastle current fee information.