Midwifery BSc (Hons)

Introduction

Location

Location: De Montfort University, Leicester
UK Clinical placements throughout Leicestershire / Lincolnshire.
Institution code: D26

Course Length

UCAS course code: B720
Duration: Three years full-time (45-week year).
You are expected to attend all timetabled sessions. When on placement you will be required to work a full time NHS shift pattern of 37.5 hours, to include weekends, bank holidays and night shifts.
Start dates: January 2024 and September 2024

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Why choose this course?

Key features

 Accredited by the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) with eligibility to register with the NMC upon graduation enabling extensive career opportunities in the UK and worldwide (subject to country-specific criteria)
 The course is split evenly between theoretical teaching and practical placements, giving you the chance to develop your skills in NHS hospitals, midwifery-led units and community areas including the home birth team, with support from practising midwives
 You will study a range of topics to meet the NMC standards for midwifery education. This will enable you to be proficient in providing universal care to women with uncomplicated pregnancies and to care for women and babies with additional care needs. You will qualify with the NIPE qualification (Newborn and Infant Physical Examination)
 Benefit from an established breastfeeding clinic hosted by students and staff, where you can put theory into practice working alongside lecturers who are all qualified midwives
 Awarded Unicef UK Baby Friendly Initiative accreditation, acknowledging DMU’s high standard of breastfeeding education and equipping you with the skills needed to support new mothers
 Gain international experience related to your studies through our DMU Global programme, which has enabled students to understand the healthcare provision in Amsterdam, witness midwifery care in Peru and teach children about health-hygiene in India

Overview

Midwives are fully accountable as the lead professional for the care and support of women and their families. They provide evidence informed care and work as part of the multidisciplinary team, liaising closely where necessary with obstetricians, general practitioners, health visitors/public health practitioners and maternity support workers/maternity care assistants.

Midwives have a public health role aiming to meet the challenges of reducing inequities and improving maternal and family health. Midwifery education, whilst rooted in promoting physiological birth, prepares midwives to care for all women including those with complex medical, obstetric and social needs. It prepares and develops midwives to be skilled and safe, empathic and trustworthy, developing skills of autonomy and accountability within multidisciplinary and multi-agency teams.

Midwives provide holistic care, which requires them to be ‘with woman’. The 21st century midwife needs to understand and value the importance of one-to-one care, continuity and the critical importance of the midwife-woman relationship.

Modules

First Year

 Principles of Universal Midwifery Care
 The Social Context of Childbearing
 Biological Sciences and Child bearing
 Practice Module One

Second Year

 Appreciating Research and Evidence in Midwifery Practice
 The Newborn Infant
 Additional Care Needs and Midwifery Practice
 Practice Module two

Third Year

 Shaping and Advancing Midwifery
 Preparation for Professional Midwifery Practice
 Universal Care and Midwifery Practice
 Practice Module Three

Entry Criteria

ENTRY REQUIRED DOCUMENTS
Home Office Share Code
For EU students only.

IF no Qualification
Please provide CV with at least 2 years of work experience, and employee reference letter. Entry criteria

GCSEs

 Five GCSEs at grade C/4 or above including: English, Maths and Science. At least two GCSEs at grade B/6 or above are required

Plus one of the following:

A Level

 A minimum of 120 UCAS points from 3 A levels, including at least one of the following subjects at grade B or above: Health and Social Care, Biology, Sports Science, Chemistry, Physics, Psychology or Sociology (General Studies is not accepted).
 Maximum 12 UCAS Tariff points can be accepted from AS/Extended Project.

T Levels

 Merit in Health overall

BTEC

 DDM in Health and Social Care/Applied Science/Science
 CACHE in Health and Social Care at grade B is accepted

International Baccalaureate

28+ including at least one of Biology, Chemistry, Physics or Psychology at higher level

Access course

 AHE (Nursing and Midwifery)
 AHE (Science)
 AHE (Health Professions)

Pass in the QAA Access to HE with 24 level 3 credits in Pure Science (Human Biology, General Science, Chemistry or Physics) with 18 at distinction.

Access students require 5 GCSEs including English, Maths and Science are required as separate qualifications at grade C/4. Equivalency not accepted within the Access qualification.

We will normally require students to have had a break from full-time education before undertaking the Access course.

Mature applicants need academic attainment normally no more than five years of joining the course.

Please note that we do not accept childcare qualifications for midwifery.

Non-academic requirements

As well as academic requirements, you will also be required to meet and fulfil non-academic requirements which are stated below:

 Self-Declaration Form clearance
 Occupational Health clearance
 Enhanced DBS disclosure clearance

You submit an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service disclosure application form before starting the course, which needs to be cleared in accordance with DMU’s admissions policy.

We strongly advise that you opt for the DBS update service as it is possible that future placement providers may request a recent DBS and not one from the start of the programme. If you decide not to opt for this service then you will have to pay for the DBS again if requested by your placement provided – the university will not cover this cost.

You must meet and fulfil all non-academic requirements before 17 July 2023. Failure to meet this deadline may result in your offer being withdrawn.

English language requirements:

If English is not your first language an IELTS score of 7 overall when you start the course is essential, with a 7.0 in all components except writing which should be at least 6.5. English language tuition, delivered by our British Council-accredited Centre for English Language Learning (CELL), is available both before and during the course.

Interview: Yes

The recruitment process for this course includes assessing applicants at interview for the core values of the NHS constitution. Professional conduct during the event will also contribute to the decision making regarding an applicant’s application.

Interviews will be conducted via Microsoft Teams.

Work experience: Yes, minimum of 6 months

All candidates must have six months experience in voluntary or employment sectors. Life/work skills and experience should be relevant with the competencies and skills required for this professional programme.

Availability: This course has a limited number of places so that we can ensure a good quality placement experience. In exceptional circumstances this may result in the course becoming full before you have completed the admissions process. In this situation we will offer you the opportunity to be considered for a place on an alternative course.

Assessment

ASSESSMENT METHODS

1. INTERNAL ENGLISH TEST if you don't have an English accredited certificate
2. Academic Interview

Teaching and assessments

A wide variety of teaching and learning methods are used, putting you at the centre of learning. This includes enquiry-based learning which encourages thinking and application of theory to practice.

You maintain an electronic professional portfolio throughout the course, which assists with your continuous assessment in practice. Theory is assessed by exams, assignments, case studies and presentations throughout.

You must attend all theoretical and practice-based teaching. The theoretical teaching is normally 30 hours per week but varies as the course progresses with more self-directed learning and additional reading.

Clinical practice placements are currently based on a 37.5 hour week, typically 3 x 12.5 hour shifts when in the hospital, or 5 x 7.5 hour shifts when in the community setting.

Teaching contact hours in a typical week can vary.

Personal tutorial/small group teaching: approx. 2 hours of tutorials (or later, project supervision) each week

Medium group teaching: approx. 4 hours of practical classes, workshops or seminars each week

Large group teaching: approx. 24 hours of lectures each week

Academic expertise
The midwifery academic team are experienced practitioners and are all NMC registered midwives as well as being qualified higher education teachers. Several of our lecturers hold doctoral level qualifications, and some are currently undertaking academic and professional doctorates.

Accreditation

This programme is accredited by the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC), and has been recognised for its high quality of teaching, upon successful completion you are eligible to register and practice as a Registered Midwife with the NMC.

Personal study: approx. 10 hours studying and revising in your own time each week, including some guided study using hand-outs, online activities, etc.

Career Opportunities

Placements

Approximatley 50% of the course is placement.

Placements take place at NHS hospitals, midwifery-led units and community areas, including the home birth team, giving you a variety of experience with opportunities to participate in innovative aspects of midwifery practice, such as case-holding practice, where you will be the main carer for women under the guidance of qualified midwives.

You are supervised by different midwives in each placement and work to a shift pattern which can include nights, weekends and on-call duties, thus gaining understanding of total midwifery care.

Graduate Careers

The course enables you to practice and be entered on the Nursing and Midwifery Council’s register in the UK. Midwives can then apply to work in the EU as well as commonwealth countries such as Canada and Australia (subject to country-specific criterion).

DMU Global

Our innovative international experience programme DMU Global aims to enrich studies, broaden cultural horizons and develop key skills valued by employers.

Opportunities for midwifery specific academic field trips abroad may be supported by our DMU Global programme. It is expected that learning in these alternative settings will enable you to think comparatively about the health care learning and experiences you encounter across your studies.