Midwifery - BSc (Hons) *
- UCAS Code: B720
- Level: Undergraduate
- Starting: September 2021
- Study mode: Full Time (3 years)
- Location: City South
Studying with us in 2021/22
It is possible that the 2021/22 academic year may be affected by the ongoing disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Any arrangements put in place by the University for the 2021/22 academic year will be in accordance with the latest government public health advice, pandemic-related/health and safety legislation, and the terms and conditions of the student contract.
Offering you the satisfaction of a career caring for the health of the mother, baby and her family, our midwifery course aims to prepare you to become a confident and compassionate midwife.
By successfully completing this course you will have the opportunity to graduate with three qualifications: the NHS Newborn and Infant Physical Examination Programme (NIPE); a BSc (Hons) degree which is accredited by the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC); and the Unicef Baby Friendly Initiative.
What's covered in the course?
Throughout this course you experience a mixture of teaching, self-directed learning and practice-based clinical placements, through which you are expected to participate in the care of child-bearing women and their babies.
Placements are an essential part of this Midwifery course. You do not need to have previously worked in healthcare, although it would help your studies if you have carried out some voluntary experience in a health-related role.
You start your clinical placement within a few weeks of commencing your course, fully supported by a midwifery mentor and your personal tutor, so you will gain practical experience right from the start of this course.
Our midwifery lecturers are all registered midwives, who will support and guide you every step of the way. We offer you a variety of teaching and learning opportunities such as seminars, lectures, small group work, skills workshops, as well as carry out case study analysis, simulation and reflections on your practice.
Where will I study?
You will learn in our recently extended £71 million City South Campus, with access to specialist facilities that allow you to continue developing your practical skills right here on campus too. You will be able to familiarise yourself with the birthing areas in our SPACE room, that is designed for you to drop in and practise your skills.
Our campus also has fantastic skills facilities including a theatre mock ward, home environment, birthing room and much more.
Why Choose Us?
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Funding - Nursing students will receive at least £5,000 a year in additional funding for maintenance and associated study costs. Download the funding FAQs
- Excellent employability rate - nearly 98 per cent of our graduates are studying or in work within six months (DLHE 2016/17)
- Our course is accredited by the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) - You will be eligible to apply to the NMC to become a registered midwife once you have graduated from this course
- Birmingham is one of the UK’s most diverse cities outside of London, which provides you with a wide variety of placement experiences that will be valuable to take forward into your future career
- Our specialist skills facilities include a home environment, birthing area and teaching tools, such as a birth simulator and neonatal mannequins to help simulate a variety of birth scenarios
- Awarded the Unicef Stage 1 Baby Friendly Initiative, which is highly unusual for a university and shows how deep our best practice is around this vital area
- You will receive recognition that you've studied the NHS newborn and infant physical examination (NIPE) competencies as part of your course. Only a small number of universities offer both the theoretical and practical components of NIPE
- Student loan finance If you’ve already studied an undergraduate degree but would like to do a second one in Midwifery? You may be eligible for funding
Open Days
Our Open Day for this course will take place in March 2021. Register now and we will contact you when the booking form goes live.
Register your interest
This course is not open to International students
I AM BCU
Eloise Taylor
Eloise has always wanted to be a midwife, and as soon as she walked through the doors of BCU, she knew this was the university for her. Ever since, she's experienced Go Abroad, the Midwife Society and more.
Course Accreditations
Subject to approval
This course is in the final stages of approval to ensure it meets the very highest standards of quality, creativity and applied learning.
Entry Requirements
We accept a range of qualifications, the most popular of which are detailed below.
Essential Requirements
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128 UCAS tariff points from A/AS Level |
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| UK Qualification | Requirements 2021/22 | |
| GCSE |
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| Irish Leaving Certificate (Ordinary Level) |
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| Scottish Intermediate 2 |
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| Scottish Credit Standard Grade |
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| Scottish National 5 |
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| IELTS |
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| Plus one of the following Level 3 (and above) Qualifications | ||
| UK Qualification | Requirements 2021/22 | |
| A level and Advanced VCE |
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| Access to HE Diploma |
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| British bachelor's degree |
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| City and Guilds Level 3 Advanced Technical Extended Diploma (1080) |
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International Baccalaureate Diploma |
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Irish Leaving Certificate (Highers) |
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OCR Cambridge Technical Extended Diploma |
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OCR Cambridge Technical Diploma |
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Open University courses |
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Scottish Advanced Higher |
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T-Levels |
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Welsh Baccalaureate Advanced Diploma – Core (awarded until 2016) ESW/KS Combined component |
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| Other qualifications | ||
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If you have a qualification that is not listed in the table please refer to our full entry requirements on UCAS. Further guidance on tariff points can be found on the UCAS website. In addition:
Places subject to a satisfactory Occupational Heath Check, Disclosure and Barring Service report and registration with the Independent Safeguarding Authority. Applicants should be aware that qualifications, personal statement, face-to-face selection process and references all form part of the selection criteria for this course. Recent relevant study to GCE A-level standard or above must have been completed within five years of the course intake date the applicant is applying for. Please note, we do not accept deferred applications for this course. You must be ready to start the course when you apply via UCAS. |
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- UK students
- International students
Award: BSc (Hons)
Starting: Sep 2021
- Mode
- Duration
- Fees
- Full Time
- 3 years
- £9,250 per year
- Apply via UCAS
Sorry, this course is not available to International students.
The University reserves the right to increase fees in line with inflation based on the Retail Prices Index or to reflect changes in Government funding policies or changes agreed by Parliament up to a maximum of five per cent.
Funding
From August 2020, nursing professional degree students will receive at least £5,000 a year in funding support.
Personal statement
Your personal statement is a highly important part of your application. It gives you a crucial opportunity to say why you’re applying and why the institution should accept you.
Here are the key areas you’ll need to address:
Course choice
Why does this course appeal? What areas are of particular interest?
Career plans
If you have a specific career in mind, say how your chosen course will help you pursue this goal.
Work experience
Mention any work that is relevant to your subject, highlighting the skills and experience gained.
School or college experience
Highlight skills gained at school/college, eg summer schools or mentoring activities.
Non-accredited skills or achievement
eg Duke of Edinburgh Award, Young Enterprise scheme.
You should also mention your future plans – if you’re planning to take a year out, don't forget to give your reasons. Talk about any subjects you’re studying that don’t have a formal assessment and any sponsorships or placements you’ve applied for. And don't be scared to add in details about your social, sports or leisure interests.
Get more information on writing personal statements.
Additional costs
We offer a wide range of professionally accredited and vocational courses that require the purchase of, among other things, uniforms, equipment, subscriptions, professional body memberships and DBS checks, and may require you to pay to attend conferences or participate in placements.
The link below provides our estimate of the possible costs associated with key activities on specific courses. Please bear in mind that these are only estimates of costs based on past student experience and feedback. The actual costs to you could vary considerably (either greater or lower than these estimates) depending on your choices as you progress through the course. We set out where we can, based on experience, where these indicative costs are for activities that are optional or compulsory.
All our students are provided with 100 free pages of printing each year to a maximum total value of £15.
Find additional costs for your course
Accommodation and living costs
The cost of accommodation and other living costs are not included within your course fees. More information on the cost of accommodation can be found in our accommodation pages.
Work Experience
We understand that it is difficult to obtain work experience in the current situation and the restrictions in place. If you are unable to obtain work experience relevant to your course, this will not affect your application. If you do want to gain some experience to help prepare you for your course, there are other options available. The UCAS website details a range of alternative activities that you might want to consider.
Financial Support
We offer further information on possible undergraduate financial support. This includes the type of loans, grants and scholarships available both from the government and from Birmingham City University.
Student loan finance - have you already studied an undergraduate degree but would like to do a second one in Midwifery? You may be eligible for funding.
Year One
In order to complete this course a student must successfully complete all the following CORE modules (totalling 120 credits).
Year Two
In order to complete this course a student must successfully complete all the following CORE modules (totalling 120 credits).
Year Three
In order to complete this course a student must successfully complete all the following CORE modules (totalling 120 credits).
In our dynamic and innovative NMC validated course, we've taken major steps in responding to changes in the NHS that also map directly on to the very latest Nursing and Midwifery Council standards of best practice.
The course runs for 45 weeks each year. Approximately 60 per cent is devoted to theory and 40 per cent to clinical practice. When you are on clinical placement you are expected to participate in the care of child bearing women across the full range of shifts including night duty and weekends. Seven weeks annual leave will be set for the year.
Additional support
If you are dyslexic, have a specific learning difference or a disability, we have a Disability Tutor who can help and support you with this.
More on our disability tutor >>
We offer extra technical and learning support.
This course is accredited by the following organisation:
Our midwifery degree acts as both an academic and a professional qualification, as on completion you can immediately apply for registration with the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC). That means you will be able to practise as a midwife in hospitals, the community, in the NHS or private sector, in the UK or overseas.
The Nursing and Midwifery Council
The Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) works with partner organisations to set and maintain high standards of nursing and midwifery education across the UK.
This course has been approved and monitored by the NMC to make sure that the education and training on offer meets their standards.
To work as a nurse or midwife, you must pass an NMC approved course at a higher education institution (HEI) in pre-registration nursing and midwifery, leading to registration with the NMC.
Athena Swan Bronze Award
The School of Nursing and Midwifery has successfully secured the Athena SWAN Departmental Bronze Award recognising a commitment to gender equality.
Overseas opportunities
You are encouraged to identify relevant overseas electives as part of your placement activities as a student midwife, and if possible we will support you in doing this. Countries that have been visited by our students in the past include Uganda, Ghana and Pakistan, as well as Europe (Netherlands) and Australia.
Further Study
The BSc (Hons) awarded on completion of this pre-registration course forms the basis for progression into further study as a midwife, while a comprehensive portfolio of post-registration courses is available called Continuing Professional Development (CPD). These courses allow for academic and/or clinical development and many are taught as part-time flexible modules to fit around your work and domestic commitments.
20 student midwife secrets
Midwives are extremely busy with a baby being born every minute, but do you know exactly what they get up to?
Practise your Skills in SPACE
Filled with state-of-the-art equipment, our SPACE (Skills Practice and Care Enhancement) area is the perfect place for you to practise a wide range of skills at your own pace.
Watch our video to see how access to SPACE has helped our students to succeed.
Enhancing your employability skills
Employers at our NHS partners consistently cite the strength of our graduates at interview and their suitability to be immediately fit for practice as a midwife.
We believe it is because of our selection of determined and caring individuals who are motivated to becoming midwives that have the 6C’s as their core attributes.
Placements
On the three-year Midwifery course, you can expect to enjoy a number of placements at some of the biggest and busiest NHS centres for midwifery training in the Midlands. We have a teaching-placement split of 40-60, reflecting the importance of the clinical experience you will get at these Trusts and birthing centres.
Within these placements you will experience a wide range of all midwifery practice progressing from normality in year one to complexity in year two which includes additional experiences such as gynaecology and more specialist roles in year three.
Our partner NHS Trusts are some of the world’s leading maternity environments, from Birmingham Women’s Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, Heart of England NHS Foundation Trust and Sandwell & West Birmingham Hospitals NHS Trust.
OpportUNIty
OpportUNIty: Student Jobs on Campus ensures that our students are given a first opportunity to fill many part-time temporary positions within the University. This allows you to work while you study with us, fitting the job around your course commitments. By taking part in the scheme, you will gain valuable experiences and employability skills, enhancing your prospects in the job market.
It will also allow you to become more involved in University life by delivering, leading and supporting many aspects of the learning experience, from administration to research and mentoring roles.
BCU Graduate+
Through our courses we give you the skills and experience needed to get a head start when applying for jobs. But we offer something extra too – Graduate+.
Our unique programme gives you the chance to develop valuable skills outside of the more formal classroom learning. We award points for Graduate+ activities (including firewalking!) and these can be put towards a final Graduate+ award.
More about Graduate+
Graduate jobs
With our highly vocational education, you'll be in great shape to get an NHS position on graduation as a Registered (Graduate) Midwife (an NHS Band 5 position).
Most of our students settle into a midwifery career in the UK, some progressing to be ward based managers, specialist midwives, researchers and lecturers.
One of the attractions for some candidates of a midwifery qualification is the breadth of international opportunities it can open up, as the midwifery qualification is recognized in Europe as well as other international countries.
97.9%...of students are in graduate level employment or full time study six months after graduating2016/17 DLHE Response
Our Facilities
We are constantly investing in our estate and are currently in the process of spending £260 million on new learning facilities.
We boast up-to-date, innovative facilities that simulate the real situations that health professionals may come across.
These resources are essential in offering students a hands-on introduction to health and social care practice. Much of our teaching is carried out within our state-of-the-art, City South campus, which houses cutting-edge learning facilities.
Take a virtual tour of our skills suites at Seacole
In a sector where new techniques are constantly being discovered, we work hard to ensure that students learn using the most up-to-date equipment available. These include a mock operating theatre and a cutting-edge radiography virtual clinical training facility, virtual ward and virtual case creator.
Simulation Mannequins
We have several Simulation babies (SIM babies) which are leading edge, anatomically correct mannequins used for teaching specific techniques such as advanced paediatric life support skills, acute and high dependency clinical skills, first aid and communication skills.
The SIM baby mannequins are complete with software, which is used to replicate real symptoms, and are enhanced by the manipulation of for example blood pressure, pulse and heart rate for extra realism.
Skills Practice and Care Enhancement facility
The SPACE (Skills Practice And Care Enhancement) learning facility lets you further practice the skills taught in class, at your own pace and convenience.
It is fully stocked with the specialist items and equipment needed for procedures such as taking blood pressure, giving an injection, abdominal examination of a pregnant woman and caring for ill babies in an incubator.
Mary Seacole Library
The Seacole library, based at City South Campus, is one of the UK's largest specialist health education libraries. The state-of-the art facility offers an extensive range of range of information and reference materials set out in a relaxing environment, conducive to studying. There are comfortable seating areas, group study areas, a silent study area and private study rooms.
Computer Facilities
City South houses a large open access IT Suite which comprises of PCs, laptops, full colour printers, photocopiers and scanners. Our PCs all have:
- Fast (unrestricted) internet connectivity
- Ability to save files to USB, DVD & CD
- Microsoft Office software
- Research and statistical software
- Storage space which can be accessed from any PC across the University and from home
Our PCs are also designed to support students who may have difficulties with reading and writing, featuring specialised software with zooming/magnification and screen reading capabilities, which may also be customised for individual student needs.
Our staff
All of our staff are practising midwives and are regularly published in the major professional and scholarly journals in the field. They are also fully engaged in both research as well as maintenance of familiarity with developments in midwife practice in the NHS; distinct areas of research the team has carried out includes recent work on breast and baby feeding, pre-eclampsia and back pain for example.
Julie Hadley
Acting Head of Department - Midwifery
Julie is a Senior Lecturer in Midwifery. She has been employed in higher education since 2008. After qualifying, she worked as a midwife at the Birmingham Women's Hospital and later as a Research Midwife. She was then employed as a project manager and research teacher and was involved in developing, delivering and assessing two European funded projects which developed a clinically integrated European qualification in evidence based medicine (EBM) for medical doctors.
Louise Hartin
Senior Lecturer in Midwifery / Course Leader for A-EQUIP module
Louise joined the School of Nursing and Midwifery at Birmingham City University in 2014 and is one of our senior midwife lecturers.
Dr Alison Edwards
Senior Midwifery Lecturer
Alison first qualified as a general nurse in 1988 and following a few years as a nurse in gynaecology and care of the elderly, a move into Midwifery was made. The main areas Alison worked in included fetal medicine, day assessment, coordination of delivery suite and also managing a postnatal and antenatal ward. This lead into the completion of a degree in Health Sciences and a post as a lecturer at BCU, the then University of Central England. A number of years later after completing teacher training and a Masters degree this led to promotion to senior lecturer and the commencement of a Phd in Midwifery due for completion in 2019