Bachelor of Midwifery (Level 7)

This programme is for those who want to learn to confidently nurture and care for women through pregnancy, childbirth, and up to the first six weeks following birth. Students will gain a wide range of knowledge and skills to work autonomously, be fully responsible for the wellbeing of women and babies, and support families safely and appropriately.

Students study full-time and are required to complete the programme within five years, as prescribed by the Midwifery Council of New Zealand (MCNZ). On application to MCNZ, a sixth study year may be approved. The first year is mainly theory-based, with the second and third-year split between practical and theory, and the fourth year is predominantly practical.

Offered across the Midland region, students can enrol to a regional hub in their local area. Please note, students can only sign up for regional hubs if they live in the catchment area of the specific hub and local DHB.

On-campus block courses are held in Hamilton throughout the programme. Attendance is compulsory for all students, due to the intensive, theory-heavy content of these classes. Students are responsible for organising their own transport and accommodation. Block courses take place 11 times in Year 1, for a week at a time. Hours of block days are 8am–5pm, Monday to Thursday, and Friday 8am-12pm. Finishing at lunchtime on a Friday will enable hub students from outside Waikato to travel safely in daylight hours back home.

Compulsory clinical placements and several scheduled tutorials, called Hub Education days, are usually held in regional hubs so that students can complete most of their clinical experience close to home. Students will have to undertake one four-week clinical placement outside their area during their study, usually in either year three or year four.

During the programme, students will be able to apply their knowledge in clinical placements at primary units (eg birth centres), secondary and tertiary DHB hospitals, with self-employed community midwives (LMC midwives), and other community services. Students will have the opportunity to follow women through their pregnancy, labour, birth, and postnatal care. On completion of the programme, students will be required to sit the National Midwifery Examination to become a registered midwife.

This unique programme structure has been designed to provide students with a direct pathway to starting a career as a midwife.