Midwifery BSc (Hons)

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This Midwifery course runs in 2016/17.

Midwifery is integral to the health and well-being of women and their families during pregnancy and childbirth and this course offers entry into a rewarding and professional career.

This is an exciting and innovative course which comprises theoretical and clinical components and ensures that you are fit to practise anywhere in the world. An experienced midwife will support you and during the course, under supervision, you will manage a small case load.

If you choose this course you will benefit from:

• studying on a course which, on successful completion, will make you eligible to apply for registration with the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC);
• midwifery students are currently exempt from tuition fees and may be eligible for an NHS Bursary;
• a course that includes an integrated approach to knowledge and clinical skills development through periods in the University and in clinical placements;
• the West Midlands client group is multicultural which offers a diverse experience; a midwifery team that has earned the UNICEF UK Baby Friendly Initiative Certificate of Commitment and is working toward Baby Friendly Accreditation. The skills that are developed are sought by prospective employers;
• a course that incorporates the theory component of Newborn Infant Physical Examination (NIPE) which can help increase your employability;
• in the recent NMC annual monitoring event this course met all NMC risk based requirements: this reflected the high quality of the course.

Accreditation

Accreditations shall be renewed in accordance with the accreditor's standard review process and subject to the University maintaining the same high standards of course delivery.

As a midwife you will care for childbearing women and families in a changing society and as such the course addresses knowledge and skills relating to contemporary midwifery practice. The theme for year one is normal childbearing and the focus is on the acquisition of knowledge and skills for normal midwifery and the development of study skills.

In year two, the theme is diversity in maternal and neonatal health. The focus is on further development of knowledge and skills in normal midwifery and the acquisition of knowledge and competence to participate in the care of women and babies who have complex needs. During the final year of the course, you will continue to develop midwifery skills and knowledge to ensure readiness to assume the full role and responsibilities of a midwife.

Teaching methods will include sessions in the classroom and skills laboratory. You will have the opportunity during dedicated simulation weeks, to engage in face-to-face sessions and activities in a virtual learning environment. During clinical practice, each student has a midwifery mentor whose role is to support you in developing your midwifery skills. ‘Reflection’ upon both theory and practice as a learning method is encouraged.

An estimated percentage breakdown of how your final grade is assessed is as follows: coursework, tests, essays 40%; presentations, posters 10%; other e.g. placements 50%.

As this is a full-time modular course, you are expected to allocate 37.5 hours per week to your learning, including up to 14 hours of teaching contact and 14 hours clinical. In an average week, this could break down as follows:

Personal tutorial/small group teaching: 1 hour of tutorial with your personal tutor or Supervisor of Midwives each week

Medium group teaching: 7 hours of skills laboratories each week

Large group teaching: 6 hours of large lecture sessions with students on other related courses each week

Personal study: 7.5 hours each week studying and revising in your own time