Blend theory and practice to become a safe and competent midwifery practitioner.
Year of entry: 2022/23
B720
Y50
3 years full-time
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Prepare for a challenging and rewarding professional career as a midwife.
At York, we focus on combining the art and science of care. This course will equip you to be a safe, clinically competent, reflective practitioner and leader within contemporary midwifery, maternity, and healthcare.
Alongside developing your understanding of the dynamic applied anatomy and physiology of pregnancy, childbirth and the postnatal period, you’ll gain the interpersonal skills you need to work with women, families and colleagues and provide compassionate care in a variety of social and cultural contexts.
Through a range of academic and practical modules you will gain skills and knowledge to enable you to provide holistic, family-centred care. We keep our cohorts small, meaning you’ll have all the support you need to progress through your course.
By the time you graduate, you’ll be ready to become a leader in contemporary midwifery.
We're currently developing our midwifery course to reflect the ‘Future Midwife’ transformational standards from the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC). Subject to approval, this will include a change in degree award from BA (Hons) to BMid (Hons).
These standards set an evidence-based benchmark for the profession and ensure that midwives of the future receive an internationally recognised education, which reflects contemporary midwifery practice.
After completing this degree, you'll be eligible to register with the Nursing and Midwifery Council, the professional regulatory body for nurses and midwives in the UK.
Our current undergraduate midwifery course is also fully accredited by the Baby Friendly Initiative (BFI) which sets standards to facilitate effective parent–baby relationships and choices regarding infant feeding.
Right from the start of the course you’ll value the importance of family-centred care. You’ll work with a variety of people across a range of community and hospital settings during your clinical placements, giving you the opportunity to observe and participate in midwifery practices with different philosophies of management and care to enable you to promote best practice and develop a personal philosophy for midwifery.
The course is divided equally into theory and practice. You’ll work with our practice partners across the region throughout your course, experiencing a wide range of localities and practice settings. You’ll be supported and supervised by a clinical midwife, known as a Practice Assessor, in all of your placements.
Modules during your study will reflect the six domains set out by the Nursing and Midwifery Council:
At the beginning of your course, you’ll study what to expect in a normal pregnancy, labour, birth and postnatal period. We focus on making sure you know how to provide high quality universal care for all women and families.
Your core modules will form the foundation of your midwifery knowledge. You'll cover topics such as antenatal care, postnatal care, intrapartum care and your professional and communication skills. You'll also spend time applying your learning in practice settings.
In addition to the above you will also need to complete our online Academic Integrity module.
This module covers some of the essential skills and knowledge which will help you to study independently and produce work of a high academic standard which is vital for success at York.
This module will:
In Year 2, you’ll study how to facilitate maternal and neonatal health where additional care needs are required by women and families. You’ll also learn more about the importance of evidence-based practice, reflective practice and the role of the midwife in public health.
Your core modules will cover topics such as professional and legal frameworks regulating midwifery practice, complicated maternities and further developing professional relationships. You'll continue to refine your skills out in practice.
You’ll focus on preparing to work as a qualified midwife throughout your final year. You’ll look at how to deal with emergency situations and consider service improvement and leadership skills.
Your core modules will cover topics such as empowered midwifery practice, emergency management, skilled companionship and a chance to investigate a chosen midwifery topic in depth in an extended piece of writing. You'll continue to consolidate your skills in practice placements.
Our modules may change to reflect the latest academic thinking and expertise of our staff.
Our course structures are changing in September 2023. Find out more about how this course may be affected.
Every course at York has been designed to provide clear and ambitious learning outcomes. These learning outcomes give you an understanding of what you will be able to do at the end of the course. We develop each course by designing modules that grow your abilities towards the learning outcomes and help you to explain what you can offer to employers. Find out more about our approach to teaching and learning.
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Coming to York was most definitely the right decision for me. I enjoy the block placements and university time, I feel we are able to better put into practice the skills and knowledge while it’s still all fresh!Jenna, BA Midwifery
The fees and funding figures below are for 2022/23 entry. If you take a year abroad or year in industry you'll pay a reduced rate of fees for that year
| UK (home) | International and EU |
|---|---|
| £9,250 | £24,000 |
UK (home) or international fees? The level of fee that you will be asked to pay depends on whether you're classed as a UK (home) or international student. Check your fee status
For more information about tuition fees, any reduced fees for study abroad and work placement years, scholarships, tuition fee loans, maintenance loans and living costs see undergraduate fees and funding.
You'll have to meet the costs of uniform replacement or missed occupational health appointments. You'll also have to pay for Professional Association Fees (Indemnity) which is covered in the Royal College of Midwives (RCM) or Unison Student Membership which is approximately £30.
You may also have to meet costs related to your elective placement, depending on what you choose to do.
Uniform provision, Occupational Health Screening, and Disclosure and Barring Service checks are included in your fees.
| Type | Amount | |
|---|---|---|
| Travel to non-UoY locations | Optional additional expense | £0 |
| Specialist clothing, uniforms, lab coats, laundry... | Included in course fees | £0 |
| Professional association fees, DBS checks, professional indemnity insurance, etc | Compulsory additional expense | £30 |
We'll confirm more funding opportunities for students joining us in 2022/23 throughout the year.
From September 2020, all nursing and midwifery students will receive a payment of at least £5,000 a year (gov.uk) to support your academic studies. This is on top of the standard government support for tuition fees and living costs and doesn't need to be paid back.
You can use our living costs guide to help plan your budget. It covers additional costs that are not included in your tuition fee such as expenses for accommodation and study materials.
You’ll study and learn with academics who are active researchers, experts in their field and have a passion for their subjects. Our approach to teaching will provide you with the knowledge, opportunities, and support you need to grow and succeed in a global workplace. Find out more about our approach to teaching and learning.
Your three years are split equally between campus-based theory sessions and practice placements with one of our clinical partners. Generally each week will be focused on either theory or practice and you will undertake small ‘blocks’ of either theory or practice.
Theory sessions can take many different forms, from lectures, group work, seminars, to presentations and simulation-based education. For some modules, a combination of online and face-to-face teaching and learning may be considered, known as a ‘hybrid’ approach. You’ll experience all of these throughout your time at York.
You’ll experience high quality teaching in excellent facilities to help you get the very best out of your time in York. You will also benefit from personal supervisor support and guidance throughout your studies.
You'll complete placements during each year of your course. These placements will take place in a range of different maternity settings, giving you the chance to try out all of the skills you've learned in your classes and perfected in our clinical simulation unit.
We're committed to making sure you get the most out of your time in placements, and so you’ll be supported during your clinical practice by a Practice Assesor as well as a midwifery lecturer, known as an Academic Assessor, and members of the Practice Learning Links in the department.
In your first year, you can expect:
| Theory sessions | 21-28 hours per week Theory weeks only |
|---|---|
| Placement | 37.5 hours per week Practice weeks only |
| Supervision | 2 hours per term |
These figures are based on an average student in an average week. Your contact hours will vary throughout the year due to your module choices, non-compulsory classes, exam periods and changes to scheduled activities.
Outside your timetabled hours, you'll study independently. This may include preparation for classes, follow-up work, wider reading, practice completion of assessment tasks, or revision.
In the UK, full-time students are expected to spend 1,200 hours a year learning. That's about 40 hours of classes and independent study each week during term time. Everyone learns at a different rate, so the number of hours you spend on independent study will be different to other students on your course.
You’ll experience ‘hands-on’ learning in our Clinical Simulation Unit (CSU) throughout your course. This is a set of rooms designed to look just like a hospital ward, complete with a range of equipment for you to practise on. The CSU is a safe and supportive environment where you can enhance your clinical skills to support you in midwifery practice. We have a range of midwifery-specific equipment in the CSU, to enable you to develop core clinical skills.
You will be based in the Department of Health Sciences on Campus West. Most of your contact hours will be in Alcuin College, with some additional teaching at various other locations across Campus East and Campus West.
Your practice experience will cover the whole of the region, including practice partners across York and Scarborough Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Harrogate and District NHS Foundation Trust and South Tees NHS Foundation Trust, as well as other practice providers. You will have to fund travel costs to placements, although you may be eligible for some travel cost reimbursement.
Our beautiful green campus offers a student-friendly setting in which to live and study, within easy reach of the action in the city centre. It's easy to get around campus - everything is within walking or pedalling distance, or you can always use the fast and frequent bus service.
We use a diverse range of assessment methods to demonstrate your learning outcomes. These may include exams, essays, presentations, objective simulated clinical examinations and use of the virtual learning environment (VLE).
You’ll submit summative work, which counts towards your final degree score, and formative work, which doesn’t count towards your final grade but gives you the chance to practice techniques and receive valuable feedback. We’ll provide detailed feedback on the work you submit, supporting you as you improve and refine your work.
In your final year, you will write a substantive written piece to showcase your depth of knowledge and understanding in a chosen midwifery related topic.
By the time you graduate, you’ll be ready to start work as a qualified midwife. Many of our graduates go into careers with NHS Trusts in North Yorkshire or pursue other national and international opportunities.
| Typical offer | |
|---|---|
| A levels | ABB We do not accept General Studies or Critical Thinking |
| Access to Higher Education Diploma | Pass 60 credits with at least 45 credits achieved at Level 3. You must achieve 30 level 3 credits at distinction and 15 level 3 credits at merit. At least 15 level 3 credits should be in science subjects. We will not normally consider applicants who have progressed to an access course within three years of taking A levels and failing to achieve the necessary grades for entry to the course. |
| BTEC National Extended Diploma | DDM |
| Cambridge Pre-U | D3, M2, M2 |
| European Baccalaureate | 75% overall average |
| International Baccalaureate | 34 |
| Other qualifications | Other qualifications are accepted by the University. Please contact the department for more information. |
| Other international qualifications | Equivalent qualifications from your country |
You should also hold GCSE English Language, Maths and Science (at Grade C/4 or above) or equivalent qualifications.
Meeting the following additional criteria may qualify you for an alternative offer.
| Criteria | Adjustment |
|---|---|
| Widening participation | If you successfully complete one of the following programmes, you may be eligible for an alternative offer up to two A level grades (or equivalent) below our typical offer: Next Step York, Realising Opportunities, YESS. More about widening participation. |
| Contextual offers | If you have experience of local authority care or live in an area with low progression to university, you may be eligible for an alternative offer up to one A level grade (or equivalent) below our typical offer. More about contextual offers. |
| EPQ | If you achieve C or higher at EPQ, you may be eligible for an alternative offer up to one A level grade (or equivalent) below our typical offer. |
| Core Maths | If you achieve B or higher in Core Maths, you may be eligible for an alternative offer up to one A level grade (or equivalent) below our typical offer. |
If English isn't your first language you may need to provide evidence of your English language ability. We accept the following qualifications:
| Minimum requirement | |
|---|---|
| IELTS | 7.0, with a minimum of 7.0 in each component |
| GCSE/IGCSE/O level English Language (as a first or second language) | Grade C |
For more information see our undergraduate English language requirements.
You may be eligible for one of our pre-sessional English language courses. These courses will provide you with the level of English needed to meet the conditions of your offer.
The length of course you need to take depends on your current English language test scores and how much you need to improve to reach our English language requirements.
After you've accepted your offer to study at York, we'll confirm which pre-sessional course you should apply to via You@York.
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