Bachelor of Midwifery

The Bachelor of Midwifery is a professionally-accredited degree that qualifies you to register as a midwife. It is recognised as an approved program of study by the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia.

As a graduate of the Bachelor of Midwifery, you will be ready to provide woman-centred, evidence-based care for women, babies and families throughout the childbearing journey in a variety of settings, with a particular focus on rural, remote and First Nations Australians. You will help to promote the health and well-being of women and their families by supporting the woman's childbearing choices and providing expertise around pregnancy, birth, postnatal and the newborn periods. You will be prepared to collaborate with other health professionals to continue midwifery care in complex situations.

At CDU we provide high-quality skills training that meets industry standards. We are dedicated to preparing and giving you the confidence to succeed in the real world. This course has compulsory attendance to multiple simulation teaching blocks facilitated at Darwin, Alice Springs and Sydney campuses. You are also required to undertake a professional experience placement each semester, varying in length from 3 to 6 weeks. Travel and associated costs are to be covered by you.

We are committed to sourcing placements in as many regions as possible, however, placements are not possible in the following regions:

• Victoria
• Sydney Metro post codes: 1000-1920, 2000-2239, 2555-2574, 2740-2786
  

Placements are extremely limited in the following regions, and there is a high probability you will be expected to travel interstate for placements:

• Tasmania
• Western Australia

By applying for this course, you confirm that you understand CDU is unable to provide professional experience placements in these areas for the duration of the course and that you will need to travel outside of these areas if you choose to apply.

As a midwifery student, you will have access to extensive technical and academic support, an easy-to-use online learning platform, and a network of nearly 400 midwifery students situated right across Australia. You will enjoy some flexibility of fitting studying around your family and work commitments and will need to be disciplined and committed in making time for study.

Practical placements

In order to complete the Bachelor of Midwifery, you are required to undertake professional experience placement. This provides you with invaluable practical experience and the readiness for midwifery practice.

Placements have become increasingly more difficult to secure since the COVID pandemic. This has resulted in some students needing to travel interstate for up to six weeks at a time to complete their placement requirements.

Continuity of care is a core element of the course so a commitment to out-of-hours and between semester clinical work is required. Students must follow 10 women across the duration of the degree, seeing these women four times antenatally, being on call for birth, and seeing them twice postnatally. These requirements are in addition to placement. These experiences must be done in your local community due to the many months of a woman's journey. It also requires access to your local hospitals who may or may not support you to visit their facilities.

It is important to be aware that:

• In order to progress in the course, you are required to attend placements
• All placements are arranged by CDU
• Placements are subject to availability at healthcare facilities
• Placements may include morning, evening, night, weekend and public holiday shifts and they may be scheduled shifts or on-call shifts
• Non-attendance at placement may only occur in extenuating circumstances which, for the purpose of placements, do not include childcare and work commitments

Safe practice

To study a Bachelor of Midwifery, you will need to have an inherent set of requirements. These are the essential abilities, knowledge and skills needed to achieve course learning outcomes and to be able to safely practice as a midwife.

Potential applicants are advised that midwifery is a profession which places considerable physical and psychological demands on the individual however the rewards of the profession can be profound.

Reporting obligations

Under the Health Practitioner Regulation National Law, CDU is required to register midwifery students with the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA) and to notify AHPRA if a student has or develops a health impairment that may place the public at substantial risk of harm. Students have obligations under the National Law and are expected to understand their obligations prior to enrolling. More information on Student Registration is available on the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia website.