Program Overview

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Master of Clinical Practice (Midwifery)

The Master of Clinical Practice (Midwifery) provides an accelerated pathway to becoming a midwife for students who have an existing Bachelor’s qualification and are registered health professionals. This programme has been developed in close partnership with local midwives and maternity service providers, offering a flexible and accessible pathway to becoming a midwife that recognises previous skills and experiences.

Points and Duration

• The total number of points to gain this qualification: 240 points
• Expected duration: 2 years

Locations

• The study location where the qualification is offered: Hamilton

Area of Study

• This qualification is offered under the Division of Health

Start Dates

• The qualification can be started in: 10 February 2025

Why Study the Master of Clinical Practice (Midwifery)?

Join the University of Waikato as we work to address the serious shortage of midwives in Aotearoa New Zealand. Our innovative new graduate-entry midwifery programme allows registered health professionals to transition to a rewarding new career in midwifery.

Programme Details

• The Master of Clinical Practice (Midwifery) degree has been designed to attract new students to the midwifery profession.
• It aims to make our world-leading model of maternity care available to everyone in Aotearoa New Zealand.

Degree Information

Plan Your Study

The programme is structured over two years, with the following papers:

Year 1

• MIDWF571 The Practicing Midwife in Aotearoa: 15 points
  • This paper explores midwifery as an autonomous profession in Aotearoa New Zealand, defining its philosophy and scope of practice.
• MIDWF572 Equity in Midwifery Care: 15 points
  • This paper considers midwifery practice in Aotearoa, analysing this in relation to Te Tiriti o Waitangi and whānau health, with insights from sociology and gender studies.
• MIDWF573 Midwifery Practice 1: 30 points
  • This paper introduces the role of the midwife as a health professional through 300 hours of clinical placement.
• MIDWF574 Applied Science for Midwifery: 15 points
  • This paper explores the physiology of pregnancy, labour, birth, and postnatal care, including when complexities arise.
• MIDWF575 Postnatal Care and the Newborn: 15 points
  • This paper explores postnatal care and newborn health, focusing on physiology, lactation, pharmacology, and managing deviations from normal postnatal situations for whānau.
• MIDWF576 Midwifery Practice 2: 30 points
  • This paper builds on the role of the midwife as a healthcare professional through 300 hours of clinical placement.

Year 2

• MIDWF581 Assessment of Risk and Complexity in Midwifery: 15 points
  • This paper focuses on the application of physiological knowledge in complex childbirth scenarios, including comprehension of the causes and effects of complications.
• MIDWF582 Applied Pharmacology for Midwives: 15 points
  • This paper offers a comprehensive overview of prescribing practices within the midwifery scope of practice.
• MIDWF583 Midwifery Practice 3: 30 points
  • This paper further develops the understanding of the midwife's role as a healthcare professional, equipping students with the necessary knowledge and skills to successfully navigate their final clinical placement.
• MIDWF584 The Midwifery Profession: 15 points
  • This paper consolidates and integrates the role of the midwife as a collaborative health professional, emphasising the importance of teamwork and interprofessional cooperation in providing comprehensive care.
• MIDWF585 Transition to Registered Midwife Practice: 45 points
  • This paper provides students with an extended period of clinical experience under the guidance of a Registered Midwife preceptor, culminating in achieving the Competencies for Entry to the Register of Midwives.

Entry Requirements

• Domestic students:
  • A bachelor's degree (or equivalent qualification) and achieved at least a B grade average in your final year of your degree across the 300 level (third year) papers.
  • Are registered under the Health Practitioners Competence Assurance Act 2003.
• The Midwifery selection process includes provision of a personal statement, referee checks, a criminal record check, and an interview.

Fees and Scholarships

• Estimated fees: $10,266 approximately per year
• Domestic tuition fees: Approximate annual tuition fees and costs for domestic students enrolled in one year of full-time study.
• Scholarships: Visit the Scholarship finder for more information about possible scholarships.

Graduate Outcomes

On successful completion of the Master of Clinical Practice (Midwifery), graduates will be able to:

• Embed the principles of Te Tiriti o Waitangi into their practice as kahu pōkai | midwives, appreciating its relevance in the context of Aotearoa New Zealand's healthcare system.
• Provide culturally and clinically safe care to women/persons, babies, and whānau across diverse settings, including preconception, pregnancy, childbirth, and postnatal care.
• Integrate mātauranga Māori and other worldviews into their midwifery practice, recognising the importance of cultural knowledge in promoting health and wellbeing of women/persons, babies, and whānau, and ensuring the provision of safe and respectful care.
• Combine cultural and clinical knowledge with effective communication to assess, diagnose, plan, provide, and evaluate care, including prescribing treatments and medicines as qualified.
• Demonstrate a comprehensive understanding of the physiological processes that support wellbeing, and identifying and addressing complexities that may arise in their midwifery practice.
• Integrate understanding of taha hinengaro | mental health and emotional wellbeing of women/persons whānau within the childbearing experience.
• Collaborate effectively with whānau, other kahu pōkai | midwives, and relevant health and social services, demonstrating strong interdisciplinary skills and the ability to make timely referrals and implement emergency care when necessary.
• Uphold the tikanga / quality and safety of midwifery care by actively seeking feedback from women/persons and whānau, promoting cultural safety, providing continuity of care, and building effective interprofessional relationships, while engaging in reflective practice and ongoing professional development.
• Respond to the diverse health needs of women/persons, babies, and whānau, including in sexual and reproductive health and infant care, appreciating the importance of ongoing education to ensure contemporary practice as kahu pōkai | midwives.
• Contribute to the advancement of midwifery through research, conducting audits, and implementing quality and safety improvements.

Practical Experience

You will undertake clinical placement throughout the programme in a variety of settings (community and hospital, near your home where possible, to a minimum of 1,350 hours to meet Midwifery Council requirements). Within each trimester, there are teaching blocks in Hamilton.

Career Opportunities

Graduates of the Master of Clinical Practice (Midwifery) will be eligible to apply for registration with the Midwifery Council. They will be well-prepared to practice both in the community as Lead Maternity Carer (LMC) midwives or in hospital and birth centres as core midwives. Graduates who begin working as midwives in New Zealand will be required to complete the Midwifery First Year of Practice (MFYP) programme administered by the New Zealand College of Midwives.