Midwifery BSc (Hons)

Why you should study this course

On the Midwifery BSc (Hons) course you will have an opportunity to develop an understanding of the various approaches to childbirth and the professional skills required to lead in multidisciplinary settings, placing the mother, baby and family at the centre of care.

You will have the opportunity to learn in our multi-million-pound Alison Gingell Building with up-to-date equipment and extensive simulation facilities – from basic life support manikins to high tech simulation equipment which emulate patient responses. You will also have opportunities to use equipment found in the real world of practice, such as medical devices to assist with all elements of care and especially medication administration.

You will explore how to provide universal care for all women and additional care for those women with more complex health needs. Midwifery students should work towards becoming autonomous practitioners upon graduation and should take a leadership role in decisions regarding care within multi-professional settings.

The NMC Proficiencies for Midwives (NMC, 2019) have been incorporated throughout course to enable the opportunity for learning and clinical skill acquisition across the childbearing continuum for women and their newborn infants. The four key areas include Antenatal care, Intrapartum care, Postnatal care and Neonatal care.

This course consists of 50% theoretical knowledge and teaching and 50% clinical practice. As a student midwife you will be encouraged to work on antenatal, labour and postnatal wards and may have a bespoke placement to a neonatal unit. You will also be encouraged to work alongside midwives in the community providing maternity services in women's homes, local clinics, children's centres and GP surgeries. Placements in non-midwifery areas and the opportunity to work in midwifery triage areas, early pregnancy assessment units and day assessment units are included from year two.

From the outset, you’ll have the opportunity to gain hands-on experience under the supervision of a qualified midwife, who will also be supported to manage a small caseload during the course. You will be encouraged to develop clinical midwifery skills which aim to foster empathetic communication and sensitive women-centred care skills. You will explore midwifery through innovative, research-informed teaching and practice and the ability to analyse a woman’s needs, plan an appropriate programme of care and then implement this safely, effectively and sensitively.

What you'll study

Year one
The focus in the first year is on the potential acquisition of knowledge and skills for the provision of universal care for the mother and baby and wider family. Opportunity is given to develop critical reading and study skills.

Modules

• Fundamental Aspects of Health in Midwifery - 30 credits

• Foundations of Evidence-Informed Practice - 20 credits

• Healthy Mother and Baby - 20 credits

• Health and Wellbeing in the Community - 20 credits

• The Novice Student Midwife (Placement 1) - 30 credits

Year two
The theme for year two is diversity in maternal and neonatal health with the focus on the opportunity for further development of knowledge and skills for universal care provision in midwifery and the acquisition of knowledge, skills and competence to care for women and babies with additional care requirements.

Modules

• Additional Care for Women and Babies with Diverse Needs - 30 credits

• Legal and Ethical Aspects of Midwifery Practice - 10 credits

• The Developing Student Midwife (Placement 2) - 30 credits

• Becoming a Skilled Midwifery Practitioner - 20 credits

• Global Perspectives in Childbirth and Midwifery - 20 credits

• Developing Evidence-Informed Practice - 10 credits

Final year
During the final year of the course, you will have the opportunity to continue to develop midwifery skills and knowledge which should ensure your readiness to assume the full role and responsibilities required by a midwife ready for registration with the Nursing and Midwifery Council (subject to additional costs and the NMC requirements, please see the Accreditation and Professional recognition section for further information as well as the NMC website).

Modules

• Leadership and Management for Healthcare Professionals - 20 credits

• Becoming an Autonomous Midwife - 20 credits

• The Student Midwife as an Educator (Placement 3) - 10 credits

• Evidence-Based Research Project - 20 credits

• The Student Midwife as a Skilled Practitioner (Placement 4) - 20 credits

• The Competent Student Midwife (Placement 5) - 30 credits

Satisfactory health clearance and enhanced criminal record disclosure is also required. As part of the health clearance checks you will be required to provide information about your immunity and vaccination status. You will also be required to provide information about your COVID-19 vaccination status. We therefore recommend that you are fully vaccinated including the COVID-19 vaccine. The information you provide will be used to determine your eligibility to go on placement(s). Placements are provided at the placement provider’s discretion. The University is therefore unable to guarantee the provision of placements or the location and type of placement offered.

English language requirements

• IELTS: 7.0 overall.

International Fees
£18,050 per year

International Pathways 2022 Scholarship
You could enjoy a £3,000 reduction in tuition fees.
Our high-quality foundation, international year one and pre-masters courses are for international students who do not meet the requirements for direct entry to their preferred Coventry University undergraduate or postgraduate course. We can support you to achieve the academic and/or English grades you need and help you gain the personal and professional skills required to study at university.

We want to encourage ambitious international students like you to study at Coventry University, so we’ve secured extra financial support for you worth £3,000, to help with the cost of tuition fees, living expenses and accommodation.

The scholarship application deadline is:
September 2022 intake: 31 July 2022

There are thousands of midwives in today’s NHS yet the continued rise in the number of births has led the Royal College of Midwives to predict a 3,000 shortfall of qualified professionals in England in 2021.

There is a strong practical emphasis on this course, with 50% of the course expected to be spent on placements*. On graduating successfully from this course, you can apply for registration with the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) (registration fee may apply and subject to NMC requirements), which can then enable you to practise in either the NHS or independent practice. As a registered midwife, you’ll then have opportunities to work with a range of other professionals including, obstetricians GPs, health visitors, neonatal nurses and maternity support workers. Please see the Accreditation and Professional recognition section for further information.

As well as helping you to find suitable work placements* and give you advice on how to get the most out of them, the university can provide you with support you when you are ready to look at pursuing your professional career options upon graduation.

There will be considerable opportunities for educational and professional development. Learning Beyond Registration (LBR) has always been as essential element within the role of the midwife. A range of continuing professional development modules and courses are available at Coventry University.

To help increase your career options upon graduation, the course also incorporates the chance for acquisition in the advanced clinical skill of the Newborn Infant Physical Examination (NIPE) as determined by the NHS Antenatal and Newborn Screening Programme and the Nursing and Midwifery Council.