BSc (Hons) Midwifery

Midwives support women during pregnancy, labour and the post-natal period, and are experts on childbirth. They work with women from diverse backgrounds and cultures, providing parenting and health education. They create bespoke individuals programmes of care, considering psychological and social impacts on pregnancy and birth.

Midwives support women when they need it most.

• Antenatal care – relates to the period of the entire pregnancy. They assist with parenting classes, clinical examinations and screening to assess the health of the baby.

• High-risk pregnancies – you’ll work with people who may have existing health conditions such as diabetes or HIV, may be overweight or obese which may lead to developing additional complications, people that have had multiple births, or may be very young or over the age of 35.

• Labour and birthing – you’ll monitor women and support them during the whole labour and birthing process.

• Postpartum – midwives support women by providing advice on what to expect after the birth. They also teach new and expectant mothers how to feed, care for and bathe their babies.

• Pregnancies that do not go to plan – you will work with women and families going through severe life challenges such as difficulties conceiving, stillbirth, miscarriage, termination, neonatal death and neonatal abnormalities.

Within the midwifery profession there are a multitude of job opportunities. You could work in the NHS, within the public or private sector. For example:

• NHS hospitals

• Maternity units and birthing centres

• Public health and policy making
  
  
• Communities
  
  
• Patient’s homes
  
  
• Community clinics
  
  
• Private practice
  
  
• GP surgeries
  
  
• Children’s centres
  
  
• Education and academia
  
  
• Research
  
  
• Leadership roles
  
  
• Voluntary roles

• Blended learning course.
  

• Weekly midwifery placement experience.

• Regular face-to-face tutorials.

• Campus-based clinical skills teaching.

• From 2023, students in Plymouth can train and practice their professional healthcare skills in an inspiring purpose-built environment, InterCity Place.
  

• Opportunity for peer learning.

• Variation in learning approaches such as online lectures, case studies, and IT-based activities.

• Holistic approach and experiences in professional practice.

• 50% of online academic study/tutorials and 50% in clinical practice.

• You will explore the normality and complexities of pregnancy and birthing.

• Develop skills to be a critical thinker and be a reflective learner.

• Learn and be a part of interprofessional team working.

• By the end of the course you will be able to promote health and wellbeing and provide autonomous care for birthing people, be an effective team member and support other midwifery students.

• Year 1

• The first year of the course includes initial modules that will focus on the midwife as a professional and practitioner, clinical skills, factors influencing health and wellbeing, medication calculation and an introduction to research.
  

  Core modules

  • Professional Midwifery Practice (MID401)

    This module will introduce the students to professional issues and clinical skills underpinning midwifery practice, aligned with the regulatory body proficiencies. Students will gain a foundation of holistic midwifery practice in core and domain-specific skills and proficiencies under direct supervision and direction in maternity and related clinical settings.

  • Biology for Midwifery (MID402)

    A module encompassing a general overview of human biology, including biological functions, anatomy and physiology, with a focus on reproductive and developmental biology associated with the childbearing continuum.

  • Wider Determinants of Health and Wellbeing (MID403)

    This module will introduce students to factors that contribute to wider determinants of health and wellbeing, situating midwifery care within a social context and focusing on principles of public health and health promotion. The module will champion a human rights perspective, promoting respectful and non-discriminatory care, meaningful communication skills, choice, cultural sensitivity and individualised care.

  • Pharmacology and Medicines Management (MID404)

    Pharmacology and medicines management, including legal, professional and ethical aspects for midwives, across the continuum of pregnancy, labour, puerperium and neonatal care.

  • Evidence Based Practice (MID405)

    The module introduces students to the concept of evidence based practice and facilitates them i) to retrieve information ii) promotes their ability to differentiate between the main research designs and methodologies iii) begin judging the reliability of data and information. The module also introduces basic underpinning scholarly activities to promote responsibility for the nature and quality of their outputs.

• Year 2

• The second year will build on essential midwifery knowledge and skills, and extend students’ understanding and application of theory and research to all areas of midwifery practice.
  

  Core modules

  • Physiological Childbirth and additional needs (MID511)

    This module aims to teach biological concepts relating to anatomy, physiology and epigenetics of labour and birth. Through application of holistic evidenced based care, the student will understand the importance of birth to public health and wellbeing to meet the changing health and care needs of people during all life stages.

  • Postnatal and Neonatal Care (MID512)

    This module enables the student to demonstrate complex knowledge of the postnatal care of women and their babies, their role in this care and appropriate referral to other health care professionals.

  • Developing Evidence Based Practice (MID513)

    This module consolidates student midwifery research scholarship by: demonstrating knowledge of research through the academic processes of structured literature searching and application to evidence based midwifery practice.

  • Developing Midwifery Practice (MID509)

    This module will develop the student’s professional and clinical skills in the context of midwifery practice and role in the wider professional team. Students will build on their evidence informed knowledge to develop as a safe, competent, woman centred practitioner. This will ensure that the student is able to contribute with decreasing supervision and direction, in line with the regulatory body proficiencies.

  • Reproductive Health and Pregnancy (MID510)

    This module aims to teach students about a broad range of reproductive health issues and link this with possible effects on pregnancy. Students will study preconception, gynaecological and antenatal care and will analyse factors which may cause complications during pregnancy.

• Final year

• The final year will include a research or practice development project, and enable students to develop the ability to support women with more complex needs through pregnancy, childbirth and the postnatal period (including the newborn and infant physical examination – NIPE).
  

  Core modules

  • Advancing Midwifery Practice (MID607)

    This module promotes excellence in the future midwife’s role as colleague, scholar and leader. It ensures that the student demonstrates evidence-based competent practice in all core and domain-specific skills and procedures in line with the regulatory body proficiencies, under appropriate supervision.

  • Complexity in Midwifery (1) (MID608)

    A module encompassing management of complexity in midwifery across the whole childbearing continuum of care with a focus on conditions peculiar to pregnancy, pre-existing conditions impacting on pregnancy and postnatally. Pathology, wellbeing and the midwife’s role as part of the multidisciplinary team will be explored.

  • Complexity in Midwifery (2) (MID609)

    A module encompassing management of complexity in midwifery across the whole childbearing continuum of care with a focus on managing intrapartum midwifery / obstetric emergencies. Pathology, wellbeing and the midwife’s role as part of the multidisciplinary team will be explored.

  • Research and Quality Improvement (MID610)

    To develop students’ skills in critical appraisal of a body of evidence in relation to midwifery practice, which underpins a research proposal or Quality Improvement / practice development project. This will involve exploration and application of evidence based practice to the clinical area and development of students’ ability to search for and critique primary and secondary sources of research literature. Students will also be challenged to recognise and understand how they can facilitate change promoting evidence based practice by producing a research proposal or Quality Improvement /practice development project.

Every undergraduate taught course has a detailed programme specification document describing the course aims, the course structure, the teaching and learning methods, the learning outcomes and the rules of assessment.

The following programme specification represents the latest course structure and may be subject to change:

BSc Hons Midwifery Blended Learning Programme Specification 7329

UCAS tariff

120-128

120 -128 including a grade B in a science, with preference given to Chemistry, Biology or Physics but Psychology and Sociology may also be considered. Excluding general studies and key skills.

IB

27-30 overall to include a grade 5 at Higher Level in a Science subject - preferably in biology/human biology/chemistry/ physics but psychology may be considered. English and Maths accepted within – if Higher Level = 4 – if Standard Level = 5 – if overseas and not studying English within IB – must have IELTS where the overall score is at least 7.0, with a score of at least 6.5 in all elements.

Access

Pass a named Access to HE Diploma with at least 45 credits at level 3, 30 at distinction level including 15 L3 credits biology. A further 15 credits at L3 must be at merit level. In addition, must have 5 GCSE’s grade C / 4 or above to include Mathematics, English and Science. Preference is given to applicants who have obtained these grades on application. Note the admissions tutor will consider the BTEC Level 2 in Science with a minimum of a merit overall in lieu of GCSE Science C / 4.

18 Unit BTEC National Diploma/QCF Extended Diploma 

DMM-DDM – needs to have strong science/health element.


BTEC National Diploma modules

If you hold a BTEC qualification it is vital that you provide our Admissions team with details of the exact modules you have studied as part of the BTEC. Without this information we may be unable to process your application quickly and you could experience significant delays in the progress of your application to study with us. Please explicitly state the full list of modules within your qualification at the time of application.

Five GCSEs grade C / 4 or above to include Mathematics, English and Science.

In addition to the above, evidence of academic study within the last five years is required.

Enhanced DBS and OH clearance is also mandatory, along with two satisfactory references.

Applicants meeting academic requirements will be invited to attend a face-to-face interview.