Midwifery BSc (Hons)

Study level: Undergraduate
Professionally Accredited Programmes
A woman giving birth in a blue water bath with two nurses either side and a visitor behind her for support

Midwives play a pivotal role in supporting the health and wellbeing of women and their families during all stages of pregnancy, childbirth and the early postnatal period.

Year of entry

Location

Coventry University (Coventry)

Study mode

Full-time

Duration

3 years full-time

Course code

B720

Start date

September 2024


Course overview

Fully accredited by the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) providing eligibility for registration as a midwife on successful completion of the course (additional costs may apply)

  • All home students on this course can apply for a minimum payment from the government of £5,000 per year, with additional payments for students incurring childcare costs6.
  • Study in the Alison Gingell Building which features a midwifery suite, hospital wards, operating theatre, critical care settings, community housing and other real-life healthcare environments relevant to practice.

 

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Joint Top Modern University for Career Prospects

Guardian University Guide 2021 and 2022

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5 QS Stars for Teaching and Facilities

QS Stars University Ratings

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Top 5 UK Student City (Coventry)

QS Best Student Cities Index 2023

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 unit5. 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.

8th

Coventry University ranked 8th for Midwifery

Guardian University Guide 2023

Accreditation and professional recognition

This course is accredited1 and recognised by the following body:

Nursing and Midwifery Council

UK Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC)

The course is currently fully accredited by the UK Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) for the 2024/25 intake and, providing you also meet the NMC requirements, on successful completion you will be eligible to apply for registration with the Nursing and Midwifery Council (subject to additional costs) Please visit the NMC website for further information. Nursing and Midwifery Council.


Nursing at Coventry University

We have an excellent reputation for the quality of the education provided to trainee and qualified nurses.

Learn why you should study with us
We have an excellent reputation for the quality of the education provided to trainee and qualified nurses.

What you'll study

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

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

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

We regularly review our course content, to make it relevant and current for the benefit of our students. For these reasons, course modules may be updated.


How you'll learn

This course uses a wide variety of approaches to teaching and learning to suit individual learning styles. This includes a series of interactive lectures with associated seminars, skills lab activities and practical placements. All modules are mandatory to enable you the chance to demonstrate the knowledge, values and skills required to be able to work within integrated care settings and enhance the delivery of care for service users, their families and carers after successfully completing the course.

This is a full-time course that requires 50% of theory and 50% practice. During the delivery of the theoretical modules, you will be expected to have a minimum of around 40 hours per week learning. As this is a full-time modular course, you are expected to allocate a minimum of around 40 hours per week to your learning, including up to around 16 hours of teaching contact, including lectures, practical workshops online activity sessions and seminars. In addition, you will be encouraged to have a minimum of around 14 hours private study which will include syndicate learning and online activities. Self-directed study should provide time to undertake assessments, prepare for upcoming lectures and access tutorial support.

Clinical practice comprises of an approximately 40-hour working week in the clinical placement areas attained through a variety of shifts for example 8 or 12 hours across the 24-hour period including nights, weekends and bank holidays5.

The contact hours may be made up of a combination of face-to-face teaching, individual and group tutorials, and online classes and tutorials.

As an innovative and enterprising institution, the University may seek to utilise emerging technologies within the student experience. For all courses (whether on-campus, blended, or distance learning), the University may deliver certain contact hours and assessments via online technologies and methods.

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, we are prepared for courses due to start in or after the 2023/2024 academic year to be delivered in a variety of forms. The form of delivery will be determined in accordance with Government and Public Health guidance. Whether on campus or online, our key priority is staff and student safety.


Assessment

This course will be assessed using a variety of methods which will vary depending upon the module.

Assessment methods include:

  • Objective Structured Clinical Examinations (OSCE)
  • Presentations
  • Online tests
  • Grading in clinical practice

You will also be continually assessed within practice placements and required to maintain a professional portfolio.

The NMC Proficiencies for Midwives (NMC, 2019) are assessed in a range of placements as part of a continuous assessment process and should not be viewed as separate elements but reflect the continuum of care provided in partnership with women and their families. You should be able to participate under direct supervision and direction at this level of training.

The Coventry University Group assessment strategy ensures that our courses are fairly assessed and allows us to monitor student progression towards the achieving the intended learning outcomes.


International experience opportunities

Our course provides international learning experiences to help prepare you for the global employment market as well as strengthen and develop your broader intercultural, personal and professional skills2.


Entry requirements

Typical offer for 2024/25 entry.

Requirement What we're looking for
UCAS points 128
A level ABB to include one from Psychology, Sociology, Applied Science, Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Sport Science, Health and Social Care. Excludes General Studies.
GCSE 5 GCSEs at grade 4 / C or above to include: English, Science and Mathematics.
BTEC DDM in a Health, Sport or Science based subject.
International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme 30 points to include 15 points at Higher level.
Access to HE Diploma The Access to HE Diploma in a Science or Health subject to include 30 Level 3 credits at Distinction and 15 Level 3 credits at Merit. Plus GCSE Mathematics and GCSE English at grade 4 / C or above.

We recognise a breadth of qualifications, speak to one of our advisers today to find out how we can help you.

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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 offered5.

Please refer to the full requirements in the disclaimer section5.

Are you eligible for the Fair Access Scheme?

We believe every student should have the opportunity to dream big, reach their potential and succeed, regardless of their background. Find out more about our Fair Access Scheme.


Fees and funding

2024/25 tuition fees.

Student Full-time Part-time
UK, Ireland*, Channel Islands or Isle of Man £9,250 per year Not available
EU £9,250 per year with EU Support Bursary**
£19,850 per year without EU Support Bursary**
Not available

A non-repayable grant of £5,000 and extra payments worth up to £3,000 may be available to eligible home students for each year of study. Read more about this in the NHS Learning Support Fund information booklet.

For advice and guidance on tuition fees and student loans visit our Undergraduate Finance page and see the university’s Tuition Fee and Refund Terms and Conditions.

We offer a range of International scholarships to students all over the world. For more information, visit our International Scholarships page.

Tuition fees cover the cost of your teaching, assessments, facilities and support services. There may be additional costs not covered by this fee such as accommodation and living costs, recommended reading books, stationery, printing and re-assessments should you need them. Find out what's included in your tuition costs.

*Irish student fees

The rights of Irish residents to study in the UK are preserved under the Common Travel Area arrangement. If you are an Irish student and meet the residency criteria, you can study in England, pay the same level of tuition fees as English students and utilise the Tuition Fee Loan.

**EU Support Bursary

Following the UK's exit from the European Union, we are offering financial support to all eligible EU students who wish to study an undergraduate or a postgraduate degree with us full-time. This bursary will be used to offset the cost of your tuition fees to bring them in line with that of UK students. Students studying a degree with a foundation year with us are not eligible for the bursary.


Facilities

Nurses in training standing around a dummy patient on a hospital bed

Alison Gingell Building

Our state-of-the-art Alison Gingell Building features mock hospital wards built to NHS standards, an operating theatre, critical care settings and other real-life nursing environments.

Community houses

Community houses

Learn how to work with patients outside of a hospital setting in our simulated, two full-size community homes, specifically built for teaching.

 

Midwifery Suite with patient in birthing pool and nursing staff around a birthing pool

Midwifery suite

Our midwifery suite is equipped with delivery facilities including water birth options. Student midwives also use mannequins to simulate routine and emergency care for mothers and babies.


Careers and opportunities

The course is fully accredited by the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC), providing eligibility for registration as a midwife on successful completion of the course (additional costs may apply1).

From the outset, you will gain hands-on experience under supervision from qualified practice supervisors and assessors. You will spend around 50% of your time on clinical practice placements5 (sourced for you by the university), meaning you are able to put theory into practice in relevant midwifery environments.

There is a strong practical emphasis on this course, with 50% of the course expected to be spent on placements5. 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 placements5 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.

Where our graduates work

The majority of our past graduates have found employment as qualified midwives in the NHS. As your career progresses, you may choose to specialise in a particular area of perinatal care and eventually apply for the role of consultant midwife. This would require you to provide clinical leadership for midwives and other healthcare professionals involved in maternity services.

If you become a registered midwife, you could work with specialist midwives such as bereavement midwives and antenatal screening midwives and also a range of other professionals including obstetricians, GPs, health visitors, neonatal nurses and maternity support workers.

You could also aim to become involved in practice development or board level management within an NHS Trust.

Graduate Immigration Route visa

Based on current information from the UK Government, international students whose study extends beyond summer 2021 may be eligible for a visa under the UK Government’s Graduate Immigration Route, which will enable students to stay and work, or look for work, in the UK at any skill level for up to two (2) years. Check the most up to date guidance available to check your eligibility and any updates from the UK Government before making an application or enrolment decision.


How to apply

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