Program Overview

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Program Overview

The Midwifery Education Program at Toronto Metropolitan University is designed to provide students with the necessary skills and knowledge to become competent midwives. The program combines a mix of health, social, and biological sciences with clinical practice, teaching students to provide care to birthing parents and newborns in varied settings. The program's focus on social justice prepares students to support midwifery users of diverse backgrounds, beliefs, and values.

Program at a Glance

Program Format

• Full-Time, Four-Year
• Part-Time, First-Year Entry (Five Years)
• Post-Baccalaureate Program for Health Professionals (Two Years)

Professional Accreditation

The program is accredited by the CAMEd Accreditation Council.

Start Date

September entry only

Tuition Fees

Tuition fee details are available upon request.

Degree Earned

Bachelor of Health Sciences (BHSc)

Application Deadlines

February 1

Career in Midwifery

Midwives are registered health-care professionals who provide primary care to clients with low-risk pregnancies from the time of conception until six weeks postpartum. Midwives work in community-based group practices with a team of other midwives, providing care on a 24-hour, seven-day-a-week model. Working as a midwife requires a keen intelligence combined with flexibility and compassion. Midwives collaborate with other health care providers such as physicians, nurses, and social workers.

Curriculum

The Midwifery Education Program curriculum combines a mix of health, social, and biological sciences with clinical practice. Teaching formats vary and include in-class tutorials, online synchronous and asynchronous learning, and clinical midwifery and interprofessional placements. The program is divided into the Pre-clinical Phase and the Clinical Phase.

Pre-clinical Program

The Pre-clinical Program provides students with a strong foundation in the health and social sciences. Classes consist of 15-50 students and take place on campus in a face-to-face format. The Pre-clinical Program can be completed in 1.5-2.5 years.

Health Sciences

Required health science courses include anatomy and physiology, pharmacotherapy, biochemistry, and reproductive physiology. Students will be introduced to clinical research and develop an understanding of how to evaluate the results of research studies.

Social Sciences

Students will examine issues such as violence in the home, race, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, and sexual orientation. They will also explore issues such as gender roles in society, public policy relating to reproduction, and the organization of health care.

Elective Courses

Students will be required to take five elective courses, which include one Open Elective, two Required Group 1 Gender and Women's Studies courses, and two upper-year (3rd or 4th year) Required Group 2 Social Sciences courses that are health and/or midwifery related.

Clinical Program

During the Clinical Program, students will spend six terms in full-time clinical placements:

• Five terms are spent in Midwifery Placements
• One term is spent in Interprofessional Placements

Midwifery Placements

During full-time midwifery placements, students will develop clinical skills while providing care for clients and their babies throughout pregnancy, labor, birth, and up to six weeks postpartum. Students will work under the supervision of midwife preceptors and be placed in at least two different midwifery clinics prior to graduation.

Interprofessional Placements

Mandatory placements include a hospital labor and delivery placement and an obstetrics placement. Students will have the opportunity to develop an enhanced understanding of interprofessional roles and expanded midwifery models of care.

Clinical Requirements for Graduation

The Midwifery Education Program provides students with sufficient clinical experience to meet the requirements of the College of Midwives of Ontario. Before graduation, students will attend a minimum of 60 births, of which:

• They will be primary care-provider for 40 births
• 10 births will be at home (they will be primary care-provider for five)
• 10 births will be in the hospital
• Their involvement in 30 births will include continuity of care through pregnancy, labor, birth, and the postpartum (the first six weeks after birth)

Program Formats

Toronto Metropolitan University offers:

• A Full-time, Four-Year program
• A Part-time, First-Year Entry program (Five Years)
• An accelerated Post-Baccalaureate Program For Health Professionals (Two Years) for people with a baccalaureate in a related health field who have labor and delivery experience

Admissions Requirements

An Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD) with six Grade 12 U/M courses including:

• Grade 12 U English (ENG4U preferred)
• Biology (SBI4U)
• Chemistry (SCH4U)
• One Grade 12 U or M course in Canadian World Studies or the Social Sciences and the Humanities (i.e., history, sociology, anthropology, psychology, family studies, geography, law, etc.)
• Minimum of 75% required in each of the subjects listed above and a minimum of 75% overall average
• Subject to competition, candidates may be required to present averages/grades above the minimum.