Midwifery

At BNU, we’ll help prepare you for your career in midwifery so you can then help parents through one of the most vulnerable times in their lives and meet the growing demand for midwives.

You’ll benefit from our combined learning approach of theory and practice, supportive and experienced course team, and our specialist facilities. Upon completion of the degree, you’ll be eligible to register with the Nursing & Midwifery Council.

*Check if you're eligible for the NHS Training grant of £5,000 per academic year at nhsbsa.nhs.uk/nhs-learning-support-fund-lsf. *

Why study at Buckinghamshire New University?
A degree in Midwifery at BNU will help you become a competent, confident and compassionate midwife able to provide sensitive and person-centred care.

Designed in collaboration with practice partners, service users and the University, our degree focuses on: continuum of care; optimising physiological processes; supporting safe physical, psychological, social, cultural, and spiritual situations; working to promote positive outcomes and to anticipate and prevent complications.

Students benefit from an excellent standard of teaching provided by staff from the University who have extensive experience, both in practice and education. Our lecturers are passionate about midwifery and maintain close links with practice, ensuring that the programme is always kept up-to-date. In addition, guest speakers often deliver sessions for students within the University to ensure we give a diverse range of views and experiences to our students.

As a BNU student, you will automatically become a member of Bucks Students’ Union giving you access to a wide range of services that we offer for free. You’ll also be able to join the Midwifery Society where you’ll have the ability to attend a variety of extra-curricular activities and events.

What facilities can I use?
At both our Uxbridge and Aylesbury campuses, we have impressive facilities with state-of-the-art equipment. You’ll get to recreate real scenarios in realistic ‘wards’ so when you’re out on placement you’ll be familiar with your surroundings and be confident in your midwifery skills.

With our simulation facilities, you’ll be able to learn and practice with equipment that is as close to the real thing as possible, enabling you to build your skills and knowledge in a safe environment.

Year one
Core
Introduction to Universal Care for Women, Newborns and Families
Becoming an Accountable, Autonomous, Professional Midwife
Fundamentals of the Midwife’s Role in Public Health
Introduction to the Additional Needs of Women, Newborns and Families
Midwifery Practice 1
Consolidating the Midwives’ Role in Universal Care for Women, Newborns and Families

Year two
Core
Promoting Inclusive Midwifery Care for Women, Newborns and Families
Developing the Midwife to Meet the Additional Needs of Women, Newborns and Families
Systematic Examination of the Newborn
Midwifery Practice 2
Developing the Midwife to Meet the Additional Needs of Newborns and Families
Holistic Midwifery Care for Women, Newborns and Families

Year three
Core
The Midwife as a Colleague and Lead Professional
Preparing the Midwife as Scholar
The Midwife as Scholar: Service Improvement Project or Research Proposal
The Compassionate Midwife as the Coordinator of Care
Midwifery Practice 3

We utilise a variety of blended learning and teaching methods, including seminar-based teaching, lectures. authentic scenarios and case studies, presentations, online learning resources, peer learning, reflection, role modelling and simulation.

You will benefit from theory and placement blocks, so you can apply, and reflect, on clinical practice within your academic studies. In your first year, there will be more of a focus on the theory elements to help build your confidence. As you progress to your second year, there is more of a balance theory/practice split. In your final year, there is more of a focus on clinical placement to help develop you for autonomous practice and your future career as a midwife.

We’ve ensured that the assessments are varied and relevant to the practical elements of the course and your future profession, and include: essays/written assessments, OSCE’s (Observed structured Clinical Examinations’), VIVA’s (Voiced Examination), presentations, digital video uploads and case study.

In your practice placements, you are assessed using the NMC approved national practice document, the MORA (Midwifery Ongoing Record of Achievement), by Practice assessors, who are appropriately trained registered midwives.

Professionally accredited courses provide industry-wide recognition of the quality of your qualification.

• Nursing and Midwifery Council