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Midwifery Studies BSc(Hons)

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    Overview

    Are you passionate about delivering the best and safest care during pregnancy, childbirth and postnatally? On our Midwifery Studies BSc(Hons) degree, you’ll learn how to provide individualised care for the mother and baby throughout pregnancy, labour, childbirth and the early days of parenthood.

    During this degree, you’ll have the opportunity to build excellent knowledge of the theory of midwifery. Across all areas of teaching, we focus on the promotion of normality, health, and the safe management of pregnancy, to ensure the best possible outcomes for parents and the newborn.

    You’ll learn from experienced midwives, via a blend of on-campus theory and clinical skills simulation, as well as gaining real-world experience via a range of placements. You’ll build your communication and interpersonal skills on campus and via clinical placements. These will be taken throughout the course and in a range of settings, including birth centres, midwife-led units, labour suites, antenatal/postnatal wards, and within the community.

    Why study Midwifery Studies BSc(Hons)

    We've ranked 6th in the UK (Top in Yorkshire) for Midwifery, in the Guardian League Tables 2025.

    Regulated by the Nursing and Midwifery Council, the course has UNICEF UK Baby Friendly-accreditation.

    For those who wish to delve into the world of midwifery, this course will help prepare you for a potentially rewarding career as a healthcare professional.

    The University’s new Daphne Steele Building is now open on the site of the National Health Innovation campus, enabling our Midwifery students to benefit from specialist clinical teaching facilities and world-leading research facilities.

    Students studying this course may be eligible to receive a non-repayable grant of at least £5,000 each year. Further information is available on the NHS Learning Support Fund Website.

    Not quite ready to start Midwifery Studies BSc(Hons)? Successful completion of our Health Foundation Pathway leading to a BSc(Hons) Degree will equip you with the foundation knowledge to study Midwifery Studies.

    Entry requirements

    ABB at A Level including a Biological Science, but excluding General Studies. If you are studying a Science A Level, the endorsement for practical work is essential and a requirement for entry to our degree courses.

    128 UCAS tariff points from a maximum of three Level 3 qualifications including an A Level Biological Science at a minimum grade B. Alternatively, a Distinction in BTEC Level 3 National Diploma/Subsidiary Diploma/National Extended Certificate in Health and Social Care or a Level 3 Applied Diploma in Medical Science at a minimum Grade B is acceptable. General Studies, AS Levels and the Extended Project Qualification (EPQ) are excluded. If you are studying a Science A Level, the endorsement for practical work is essential and a requirement for entry to our degree courses. Double graded qualifications will be counted as 2 of the 3 qualifications.

    Distinction in T Level in Health or Healthcare Science.

    DDM in BTEC Level 3 National Extended Diploma in Health and Social Care (with a minimum of 4 units in Biological Sciences).

    • NCFE CACHE Technical Level 3 Extended Diploma in Health and Social Care at grade B.
    • Access to Higher Education Diploma with 45 Level 3 credits, at least 30 at Distinction and the remainder credits at Merit. The course must contain 18 credits in a Biological Science.
    • 128 UCAS tariff points from International Baccalaureate qualifications including a Biological Science at Higher Level at grade 6.

    In addition, you must have GCSE English Language or Literature and Maths at grade 4 or above, or grade C or above if awarded under the previous GCSE grading scheme.

    If you do not have the appropriate qualifications for direct entry to this degree you may be able to apply to our Health Foundation Pathway leading to a BSc(Hons) Degree.

    You should have:

    • The ability to demonstrate that you have a broad understanding of the role of the midwife and midwifery practice.
    • Relevant work experience that enables you to discuss and provide evidence of transferable skills, which will help you meet the requirements of the role and midwifery practice. This should also enable you to demonstrate an understanding of women’s needs and that you have ‘customer facing’ skills for example communication and team work.
    • Offers will be subject to an interview. Please note all the information provided in support of your application may be checked and must be verifiable as a true record.
    • You also need satisfactory enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) and occupational health clearances prior to registration on the course. We arrange these as part of the application process. You'll be required to sign a self-declaration at the start of each year and at the end of the course. All police contact during the course must be reported to the course leader as a matter of urgency and may lead to suspension or termination. We will request an Overseas Police Check if you have lived in a country outside of the UK for 6 months or more (whether continuously or in total) in the last 10 years before applying to us and whilst aged 18 or over

    Placement providers for this course may require you to have received a number of vaccinations, unless medically exempt, and provide evidence of these. As a student on a course with a clinical or healthcare placement, we strongly recommend that you complete any courses of vaccinations required under current guidelines for your future profession. Failure to do so may result in your inability to undertake a placement in certain clinical settings, therefore impacting upon your academic progression, and may result in academic failure of your course.

    If your first language is not English, you will need to meet the minimum requirements of an English Language qualification. The minimum for IELTS is 6.5 overall with no element lower than 6.0, or equivalent. Read more about the University’s entry requirements for students outside of the UK on our International Entry Requirements page.

    Course Detail

    Core modules:

    Biology for Midwifery Practice

    This module provides the opportunity for you to develop your understanding of the anatomy and physiology, genetics and genomics relating to pregnancy and childbearing. You’ll learn about the female reproductive system including the physiology of pregnancy, labour, birth and postnatal periods, as well as for boys and men. You’ll be introduced to pharmacology and pharmacokinetics. You’ll learn about basic pathology, bacteriology, virology and parasitology as well as basic biophysics, biochemistry and radiology. This knowledge will help you to understand how to optimise physiological processes.

    Introduction to Evidence-Informed Enquiry in Midwifery

    In this module you’ll be introduced to research and evidence-based practice in midwifery. You’ll learn about critical thinking, reasoning and reflection, which are essential skills for contemporary midwifery practice.

    Introducing Newborn and Family Health

    This module introduces you to the midwife’s roles and responsibilities in promoting and supporting family and newborn health and wellbeing. You’ll learn about fetal development and physiological adaptation to newborn life with a view to working alongside parents and health and social care colleagues to assess, plan, implement and evaluate family-centred care. This includes screening and diagnostic testing, as well as safeguarding mothers and babies. You’ll have the opportunity to learn how you can support parents in building nurturing relationships with their newborn baby, considering their cultural, psychosocial and health education needs. You’ll also explore the importance of supporting safe, informed and responsive infant feeding and protecting breastfeeding.

    Introducing Universal Midwifery Care for all Women

    This module introduces you to the roles and responsibilities of the midwife in providing universal care to all women, their babies and families. You’ll have the opportunity to gain an insight into the accountability, autonomy and professionalism required for safe, respectful and effective midwifery care across women’s maternity journey. This will include pre-pregnancy, pregnancy, labour and birth and post-partum. Through this module you’ll start to recognise the importance of midwives working with women and their families, multi-professional and inter-agency teams to provide care that best meets women’s individual needs.

    Participating in Midwifery Care

    You’ll have the opportunity to complete 750 hours on clinical placement within a midwifery practice environment. You’ll be supported to participate in midwifery care that is universal for all women and their families during pregnancy, labour and birth and the postnatal period. This will involve you participating in caring for the newborn and supporting effective infant feeding. This practice-based module will help you to start developing and applying knowledge, skills, values and attitudes within a range of clinical practice settings. It will also provide you with opportunities to work towards the proficiencies and standards required of a registered midwife.

    Core modules:

    Challenges to Newborn and Family Health

    This module develops prior knowledge and skills relating to newborn and family health. You’ll study health and social care legislation, public health and health promotion issues. You’ll examine the social and mental health needs of women, partners and babies. You’ll have the opportunity to develop skills to contribute to holistic systematic newborn examinations and additional care for newborn infants with complications. This includes supporting parents, promoting parent-newborn relationships and infant-feeding in challenging situations. You’ll learn to recognise compromise and deterioration in newborn and family health, initiate first-line management, escalate concerns and collaborate across professions and agencies to contribute to evidence-based management and care.

    Contributing to Midwifery Practice

    This practice-based module will provide you with the opportunity to develop and apply midwifery knowledge, skills, values and attitudes in a variety of clinical placements, whilst supported by a range of health professional practice supervisors. In addition to providing universal care for all women, their families and newborn infants, you’ll contribute to providing additional care for women and newborn infants with complications and challenges to family health. This will include public health, health protection, reproductive, medical and surgical conditions. The module will provide you with opportunities to progress towards achieving the proficiencies and standards required of a registered midwife.

    Evidence Based Midwifery Practice

    This module explores a range of methods and approaches, using seminal and emerging research, providing the opportunity for you to develop critical awareness of research methods and practice. You’ll make decisions regarding which research methods are suitable to answer research questions emerging from practice. You'll consider how judgements are made about research quality and will address ethical, political and financial constraints on research.

    Supporting Women with Additional Care Needs

    In this module you’ll explore the midwife’s role and responsibilities in meeting the additional care needs of women with complications. You’ll learn about pathology, pre-existing, current and emerging complications and additional care needs affecting childbearing women, as well as how these complications can affect women’s health and wellbeing. You’ll have the opportunity to develop the knowledge and skills to recognise compromise and deterioration, provide first-line management, escalate concerns appropriately and work collaboratively with the interprofessional team to provide evidence-based best practice approaches to management and care. This will comprise situations including breech birth, haemorrhage and caesarean and conditions such as diabetes.

    Core modules:

    Advocacy and Leadership in Midwifery Practice

    In this module you’ll consolidate prior learning and develop the knowledge, skills and attributes of an accountable, autonomous midwife who effectively collaborates with and supports the development of others. You’ll explore the midwife’s role as a leader, role model and advocate for change. You’ll examine the midwife’s role in quality improvement and how environmental factors can influence care quality and outcomes. You’ll also explore the midwife’s roles in advocating for women and their families, as well as supporting women’s choices in unpredictable and pathological situations. You’ll learn the principles and methods of teaching to enable you to supervise students.

    Care and Systematic Assessment of the Newborn

    This module is designed to strengthen your ability to holistically assess and promote newborn health and wellbeing and promote parent’s confidence in evaluating and meeting their newborn infant’s needs, including infant feeding. You’ll apply fetal and newborn anatomy, physiology and pathology and professional accountability to conduct newborn assessments in the practice setting supported by appropriately qualified health professionals. This includes supporting parents to make informed choices regarding their newborn infant and sensitively sharing the results of assessments, providing the opportunity to build confidence in identifying complications, making appropriate referrals and facilitating care transfer.

    Midwifery Research Project

    This module builds on the skills you’ve previously developed at intermediate level and provides the opportunity for you to undertake a research project on a midwifery topic of your choice. You’ll choose from a variety of research methodologies, including qualitative, quantitative or a literature review.

    Proficiency in Midwifery Practice

    In this module, you’ll undertake clinical placements in a variety of midwifery settings to consolidate prior learning and incorporate additional evidence-informed midwifery knowledge, skills and attributes. You’ll have the opportunity to develop proficiency in the full range of midwifery care for women, their babies and families, including continuity of care, assessment and evaluation, decision-making, organisation and management of care. You’ll contribute to care improvement strategies, safe and effective team-working and supporting learners’ development in providing midwifery care. This experience will enable you to achieve the proficiencies and standards required by the Nursing and Midwifery Council and European Directives for professional midwifery practice.

    An average of 17% of the study time on this course is spent with your tutors (either face to face or online) in lectures, seminars and tutorials etc and 42% is spent on placement.

    Teaching is delivered through seminars, group work, practical experience and lectures, as well as interactive classroom sessions, clinical skills teaching and role play. Interactive learning packages, video-recording and web-based interactive workshops will also support your learning.

    Midwifery at Huddersfield is top in Yorkshire for Teaching on My Course, scoring 96%, based on experimental statistics from the National Student Survey 2023.*

    Assessment will involve a combination of coursework, practice/competency based learning and examination, including portfolio work to support practice modules, individual and group presentations, conference presentations, poster presentations, oral examination, OSCE, essays and workbooks. Midwifery mentors liaise with academic staff, providing the opportunity for you to develop your skills and knowledge in the practice setting, which is then graded. Your module specification/course handbook will provide full details of the assessment criteria applying to your course.

    Midwifery at Huddersfield is top in Yorkshire for Assessment and Feedback, scoring 90%, based on experimental statistics from the National Student Survey 2023.**

    Feedback (usually written) is normally provided on all coursework submissions within three term time weeks – unless the submission was made towards the end of the session in which case feedback would be available on request after the formal publication of results. Feedback on exam performance/final coursework is available on request after the publication of results.

    *Institutions in Yorkshire with turnover of over £100 million.

    **The following positive scores combined to produce this theme: 97% of students felt teaching staff were good at explaining things, 94% felt teaching staff make the subject engaging, 94% felt the course to be intellectually stimulating and 97% felt the course challenged them to achieve their best work.

    *** The following positive scores combined to produce this theme: 88% of students felt the marking criteria used to assess their work were clear, 91% felt the marking and assessment on their course had been fair, 94% felt assessments allowed them to demonstrate what they have learned, 91% felt they received assessment feedback on time and 85% felt feedback helped them to improve their work.

    Further information

    Once you’ve submitted your application form to UCAS you may be invited to attend an interview.

    You’ll have 7 weeks of holiday each year. Timetables are normally available one month before registration. This is a full-time course, so you may have to attend every day of the week.

    Your course is made up of modules and each module is worth a number of credits. Each year you study core modules to the value of 120 credits, adding up to 360 credits in total for a bachelor’s qualification.

    If you achieve 120 credits for the current stage you are at, you may progress to the next stage of your course, subject to any professional, statutory or regulatory body guidelines.

    1. The University of Huddersfield has been rated Gold in all three aspects of the Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF) 2023. We were the only university in Yorkshire and the Humber and the North West to achieve Gold ratings in all three aspects of the TEF among those announced in September 2023. In fact only 13 Universities, out of the 96 that were announced in September 2023, were Gold in all three ratings.

    2. Further proof of teaching excellence: our staff rank in the top three in England for the proportion who hold doctorates, who have higher degrees, and hold teaching qualifications (HESA 2024). So, you’ll learn from some of the best, helping you to be the best.

    3. We are first in the country for National Teaching Fellowships, which mark the UK’s best lecturers in Higher Education, winning a total of 22 since 2008 (2023 data).

    4. We won the first Global Teaching Excellence Award, recognising the University’s commitment to world-class teaching and its success in developing students as independent learners and critical thinkers (Higher Education Academy, 2017).

    At Huddersfield, you'll study the Global Professional Award (GPA) alongside your degree* so that you gain valuable qualities and experiences that could help you to get the career you want, no matter what your field of study is. On completion of the Award, you'll receive a GPA certificate from the University of Huddersfield, alongside the specialist subject skills and knowledge you gain as part of your degree, which may help to set you apart from other graduates.

    Giving students access to the Global Professional Award is one of the reasons the University won ‘Best University Employability Strategy’ award at the National Graduate Recruitment Awards 2021. Find out more on the Global Professional Award webpage.

    *full-time, undergraduate first degrees with a minimum duration of three years. This does not include postgraduate, foundation, top-up, accelerated or apprenticeship degrees.

    Placements

    You'll spend between 24 and 27 weeks each year undertaking compulsory clinical practice where your learning will be facilitated and assessed by experienced practising midwives. An exciting range of placement opportunities are available for student midwives including midwife led units, birth centres, labour suites, antenatal/postnatal wards, community midwifery, neonatal care and surgical experience. Placements are usually undertaken within local NHS Trusts, however in Year 3 you may have the opportunity to arrange and undertake an elective midwifery placement.

    Please note that you may be required to travel for/during your placements across West Yorkshire and occasionally beyond, covering 24 hour care including evening, weekend and occasional night shifts.

    “Placements within different settings of maternity care have enabled me to gain a real insight, develop various skills, put theory into practice and shown how each department liaises and provides a multidisciplinary team approach.”

    Jadie Jack, current student

    Jodie Jack, Graduated from Midwifery Studies BSc(Hons) in 2021.

    Student midwife assessing neonatal wellbeing.
    Practising the mechanism of labour for breech.
    Student midwives practising neonatal life support.
    Practising how to take blood pressure.
    Students measuring the fundal height.
    Providing support in the first stage of labour.
    Equipment for complications with newborn baby.
    Adapting to upright position for breech labour.

    Discover more about the course

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    Important information

    We will always try to deliver your course as described on this web page. However, sometimes we may have to make changes as set out below.

    Changes to a course you have applied for

    If we propose to make a major change to a course that you are holding an offer for, then we will tell you as soon as possible so that you can decide whether to withdraw your application prior to enrolment.

    Cancellation of a course you have applied for

    Although we always try and run all of the course we offer, we may occasionally have to withdraw a course you have applied for or combine your programme with another programme if we consider this reasonably necessary to ensure a good student experience, for example if there are not enough applicants to ensure you have a good learning experience. Where this is the case we will notify you as soon as reasonably possible and we will contact you to discuss other suitable courses with us we can transfer your application to. If we notify you that the course you have applied to has been withdrawn or combined, and you do not wish to transfer to another course with us, you may cancel your application and we will refund you any deposits or fees you have paid to us.

    Changes to your course after you enrol as a student

    We will always try to deliver your course and other services as described. However, sometimes we may have to make changes as set out below:

    Changes to option modules

    Where your course allows you to choose modules from a range of options, we will review these each year and change them to reflect the expertise of our staff, current trends in research and as a result of student feedback or demand for certain modules. We will always ensure that you have a range of options to choose from and we will let you know in good time the options available for you to choose for the following year.

    Major changes

    We will only make major changes to the core curriculum of a course or to our services if it is necessary for us to do so and provided such changes are reasonable. A major change in this context is a change that materially changes the services available to you; or the outcomes, or a significant part, of your course, such as the nature of the award or a substantial change to module content, teaching days (part time provision), classes, type of delivery or assessment of the core curriculum.

    For example, it may be necessary to make a major change to reflect changes in the law or the requirements of the University’s regulators; to meet the latest requirements of a commissioning or accrediting body; to improve the quality of educational provision; in response to student, examiners’ or other course evaluators’ feedback; and/or to reflect academic or professional changes within subject areas. Major changes may also be necessary because of circumstances outside our reasonable control, such as a key member of staff leaving the University or being unable to teach, where they have a particular specialism that can’t be adequately covered by other members of staff; or due to damage or interruption to buildings, facilities or equipment.

    Major changes would usually be made with effect from the next academic year, but this may not always be the case. We will notify you as soon as possible should we need to make a major change and will carry out suitable consultation with affected students. If you reasonably believe that the proposed change will cause you detriment or hardship we will, if appropriate, work with you to try to reduce the adverse effect on you or find an appropriate solution. Where an appropriate solution cannot be found and you contact us in writing before the change takes effect you can cancel your registration and withdraw from the University without liability to the University for future tuition fees. We will provide reasonable support to assist you with transferring to another university if you wish to do so.

    Termination of course

    In exceptional circumstances, we may, for reasons outside of our control, be forced to discontinue or suspend your course. Where this is the case, a formal exit strategy will be followed and we will notify you as soon as possible about what your options are, which may include transferring to a suitable replacement course for which you are qualified, being provided with individual teaching to complete the award for which you were registered, or claiming an interim award and exiting the University. If you do not wish to take up any of the options that are made available to you, then you can cancel your registration and withdraw from the course without liability to the University for future tuition fees and you will be entitled to a refund of all course fees paid to date. We will provide reasonable support to assist you with transferring to another university if you wish to do so.

    When you enrol as a student of the University, your study and time with us will be governed by a framework of regulations, policies and procedures, which form the basis of your agreement with us. These include regulations regarding the assessment of your course, academic integrity, your conduct (including attendance) and disciplinary procedure, fees and finance and compliance with visa requirements (where relevant). It is important that you familiarise yourself with these as you will be asked to agree to abide by them when you join us as a student. You will find a guide to the key terms here, along with the Student Protection Plan, where you will also find links to the full text of each of the regulations, policies and procedures referred to. You should read these carefully before you enrol. Please note that this information is subject to change and you are advised to check our website regularly for any changes before you enrol at the University. A person who is not party to this agreement shall not have any rights under or in connection with it. Only you and the University shall have any right to enforce or rely on the agreement.

    Equal opportunities

    The University of Huddersfield is an equal opportunities institution. We aim to create conditions where staff and students are treated solely on the basis of their merits, abilities and potential, regardless of gender, age, race, caste, class, colour, nationality, ethnic or national origins, marital status, disability, sexual orientation, family responsibility, trade union activity, political or religious belief, or age. Please visit our website to see our Equal Opportunities and Diversity Policy

    Data protection

    The University holds personal data on all enquirers, applicants and enrolled students. All such data is kept and processed in accordance with the provisions of the Data Protection Legislation. The University’s Data Protection Policy and Privacy Notices are available on the University website.

    Students’ Union membership

    Under the 1994 Education Act, students at all UK universities have the right to join, or not to join, the Students’ Union. There is no membership fee. If you choose not to join you have the right not to be disadvantaged; however, you are not entitled to vote, take part in elections, or hold any office. The following arrangements apply in order that non-Union members are not disadvantaged: Non-members are welcome to take part in the activities of Affiliated Clubs and Societies on payment of the appropriate subscription. However, they may not vote or hold office in the society or club. Union members may be offered a discounted subscription. Non-members are free to use Union facilities on the same basis as members. Welfare, catering and shops are available to non-members as well as members. Union members may be offered a discounted price.

    The Office for Students (OfS) is the principal regulator for the University.

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