Graduate Diploma in Midwifery

Admission requirements

Applicants must normally hold a midwifery degree or equivalent qualification, and must hold a current certificate of registration as a midwife. However, the Dean (Education) may, under certain circumstances and subject to specific conditions, admit others who can show evidence of fitness for candidature.

Course aims

The course aims to provide the opportunity for registered midwives to deepen their knowledge and skills in midwifery and prepare them for an expanded practice role. This course will not lead to registration as a midwife.

Learning outcomes

At the completion of the course students will be expected to be able to:

demonstrate advanced evidence-based knowledge and skills in their midwifery practice
critically review contemporary midwifery care within dynamic professional and political contexts
implement innovative midwifery practice based on a collaborative woman-centred approach
review, analyse and integrate primary health care and population health principles into midwifery practice
critically analyse existing models of midwifery care and develop new models of women-centred care appropriate to the contexts of practice
apply the advanced knowledge and skills required for an extended midwifery role.

Program of study

To qualify for the Graduate Diploma in Midwifery, a student must complete 36 units with a grade of Pass or NGP or better in each topic, according to the program of study below.

Except with permission of the Dean (Education):

no topic may be attempted more than twice
a student may not include a topic which repeats work previously undertaken
the program must be completed full-time in two semesters or part-time within six consecutive semesters.

The award of a grade of Fail (F) in the same topic on more than one occasion or in 9 units or more, or failure to complete the course within six consecutive semesters may constitute prima facie evidence of unsatisfactory progress for the purpose of the University's Policy on Student Progress.

Core - Year 1 topics

18 units comprising:

NURS9123 Epidemiology and Population Studies for Health Care Practice (4.5 units)
NURS9124 Advanced Thinking, Communicating and Problem Solving for Health Professionals (4.5 units)
NURS9126 Leadership in Health Studies (4.5 units)
NURS9219 Introduction to Research (4.5 units)

Option - Year 1 topics

Select 18 units from the following topics:

MIDW9004  Midwifery Models of Care (9 units)
MIDW9005  Psychosocial Contexts in Midwifery (9 units)
MIDW9011 Pharmacology and Prescribing for Midwives (4.5 units)*
MIDW9012 Investigations and Diagnostics for Midwives (4.5 unit)*
MMED9110  Principles of Pharmacology and Therapeutics (4.5 units)
MMED9111  Pharmacology for Advanced Professional Practice (4.5 units)
NURS8010 Global Perspectives on Policy and Political Contexts of Health Care (4.5 units)
NURS8011 Quality and Safety: A Global Health Approach (4.5 units)
NURS8012 Measuring Health Service Outcomes (4.5 units)
NURS8014 Health and Sustainable Development (4.5 units)
NURS8015 International Strategies and Programs in Health Care (4.5 units)
NURS8017 Enhancing the Learner Experience (4.5 units)
NURS8018 Planning for Learning: Curriculum Development (4.5 units)
PPHR9741 Women's Health and Child Survival (4.5 units)

Students may, in consultation with the Course Coordinator, select as their option topics other postgraduate topics relevant to midwifery.

* Domestic students with current midwifery registration with the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia (NMBA) who successfully complete both MIDW9011 and MIDW9012 may apply to the NMBA for endorsement for scheduled medicines for midwives. Please refer to the NMBA web site for additional requirements for endorsement.