ºüÀêÊÓÆµ

STUDY

Undergraduate

BSc (Hons) Midwifery Shortened

Institution code: S82
UCAS code: N/A
Start date: September 2026
Duration: Two years full-time
Location: Various placement locations
Typical Offer: See Entry Requirements section below for details
Institution code: S82
UCAS code: N/A
Start date: September 2026
Duration: Two years full-time
Location: Various placement locations
Typical Offer: See Entry Requirements section below for details
Course information table
Institution code: S82
UCAS code: N/A
Start date: September 2027
Duration: Two years full-time
Location: Various placement locations
Typical Offer: See Entry Requirements section below for details
Course information table
Institution code: S82
UCAS code: N/A
Start date: September 2027
Course information table
Duration: Two years full-time
Location: Various placement locations
Typical Offer: See Entry Requirements section below for details

Overview

The BSc (Hons) Midwifery Shortened programme is a route into Midwifery for Adult Nurses who hold current registration with the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC). The programme is slightly shorter (two years) than the standard entry route into midwifery to take into account the pre-existing knowledge and experience that adult nurses bring. Upon successful completion of the course, students will obtain an additional NMC registration as a Midwife.

The course has been developed in line with the appropriate NMC Standards and is designed to optimise learning opportunities and account for the pre-existing knowledge that students bring. We build on the fundamental nursing skills of our students, equipping you with the aptitude to deliver safe, effective, high-quality and evidence-based maternity care to service users.

You will alternate through blocks of practice placement in an employing NHS Trust and blocks of theoretical learning at the ºüÀêÊÓÆµ in Ipswich. Places on the course are recruited via employing NHS Trusts via Trust websites and/or the NHS Jobs website. If successful at interview with a partner Trust, students are enrolled with the ºüÀêÊÓÆµ and employed for the duration of the course, salaried in line with the mid-point of Agenda for Change band 5. NHS salary matching is not offered for these studentships.

In addition to the salary offer, NHS England (NHSE) are currently offering a tuition fee contribution of up to £9,250 per student per annum, prorated for the course's duration, for students starting courses between January 2022 and April 2024. This funding offer is currently under review for courses starting after this date.

Current Trust partners collaborating with the ºüÀêÊÓÆµ:

  • Norfolk and Norwich ºüÀêÊÓÆµ Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
  • Cambridge ºüÀêÊÓÆµ Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
  • The Queen Elizabeth Hospital King’s Lynn NHS Foundation Trust
  • West Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust
  • East Suffolk and North Essex NHS Foundation Trust
  • James Paget ºüÀêÊÓÆµ Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
  • Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Trust

As voted for by students, Whatuni Student Choice Awards 2025, winner ºüÀêÊÓÆµ of the Year.

Get closer to your future as a Midwife

Midwifery students

The ºüÀêÊÓÆµ has an international profile while being committed to our region. Modern, inclusive, and ready to help you thrive. With world-class facilities and personalised support, you’ll have everything you need to achieve your goals and shape your future.

2nd

in the UK for graduates in career 15 months after graduation for health professions

(Guardian ºüÀêÊÓÆµ Guide 2026)
1st

for Student Support

(Whatuni Student Choice Awards 2025)
1st

for Lecturers and Teaching Quality

(Whatuni Student Choice Awards 2025)

Course Modules

Our undergraduate programmes are delivered as 'block and blend', more information can be found on Why Suffolk? You can also watch our .

The course is divided into two years, divided into trimesters, and includes allocated annual leave and clinical recovery time throughout. The first year consists of seven weeks of theory and seven weeks of practice per trimester, while the second and final year is divided into blocks of six weeks of theory and eight of practice per trimester. 

During the practice blocks, the student will be exposed to all areas of midwifery care: community, antenatal and postnatal wards, intrapartum areas, neonatal care, and a variety of spoke placements aiming to develop the student’s capabilities. 

Downloadable information regarding all ºüÀêÊÓÆµ courses, including Key Facts, Course Aims, Course Structure and Assessment, is available in the Definitive Course Records.

This module aims to provide the registered nurse with the knowledge and understanding required  to commence your developmental journey towards becoming a midwife. The module will equip you with the knowledge, skills, and professional awareness required to begin negotiating the academic and practice expectations of your two-year BSc (shortened) Midwifery Programme. Relevant sessions will utilise differentiated content to account for the foundation knowledge registered nurses will already hold.  

The module introduces the study skills essential for success at Level 5, building on your previous study skills gained via your nursing degree qualification. These skills include academic and reflective writing, critical thinking, literature searching, and time management, alongside the use of reflective practice, to support personal, academic and professional development. You will explore the role of the midwife across the childbearing continuum, gaining an understanding of models of care, professional responsibilities, and the regulatory, legal and ethical frameworks that underpin safe midwifery practice, including the role of the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) and The Code (NMC 2018).  

Building on this foundation, the module also introduces the care of the newborn and infant feeding, including breastfeeding, formula feeding, and the influence of epigenetics and the microbiome. Through the module content, you will begin to develop an evidence-based understanding of how midwives support families in making informed choices to optimise maternal, fetal and infant wellbeing. In addition, the module seeks to build confidence, resilience, and self-care skills, supporting you to protect your mental health and wellbeing as you embark on your professional journey. 

This module enables you to develop knowledge, skills, and professional judgement in recognising, managing, and supporting women and families experiencing complications during pregnancy, labour, and the postnatal period. Emphasis is placed on holistic, woman-centred care, incorporating the management of deviations and additional care needs. By building on foundations from first-year modules, you are supported to integrate theory with practice, applying evidence-based approaches to complex clinical scenarios. 

The module directly contributes to the BSc (Hons) Midwifery programme by preparing you to engage more actively within your clinical placements, fostering confidence and competence in contributing to the interprofessional management of obstetric complexities. It also underpins progression towards the NMC Standards of Proficiency for Midwives, particularly in relation to safe, effective, and compassionate care in situations of increased complexity. 

Learning in this module is closely aligned with your clinical placements, where exposure to obstetric complications, emergency scenarios, and safeguarding concerns is routine. You will be expected to consolidate and apply your theoretical knowledge in practice, progressively taking on greater responsibility in providing and contributing to care under supervision.

This module builds on the foundations of public health, anatomy, and midwifery practice introduced at level 4. It explores the complex and interconnected determinants of women, birthing people and children’s health across the life course. You will critically explore health inequity, key determinants of health, barriers to care and the impact of global, national and local policy.  

The module supports you to adopt a holistic, evidence-informed and culturally safe approach to midwifery care, whilst underpinning core principles, such as interprofessional working. You will also develop practical skills in newborn examination and mandatory training, ensuring readiness for safe and effective midwifery practice.

This module is a practice-based module closely linked to the MORA, with the rationale to enhance your ability to apply detailed midwifery knowledge, professional behaviours, and ethical principles in varied clinical contexts, while developing autonomy, reflective practice, and advanced interpersonal communication skills under appropriate supervision.

At Level 6, you are expected to demonstrate critical thinking, independence, and leadership. This module therefore challenges you not only to understand quality improvement (QI) theory but also to apply it to contemporary issues in maternity care, such as reducing health inequalities, improving service-user experience, and ensuring cultural competence. By undertaking a substantive QI-focused assessment, you will consolidate and integrate academic knowledge with professional practice, preparing you for the transition into autonomous practice and future leadership roles within maternity services. 

It is recognised that interventions and complications are increasing in relation to maternity care and experience. This has roots in societal, social, psychological, medical and biological factors that can alter physiological processes for women and children and impact both short and long-term health.  

It is important therefore for midwives to feel equipped and able to promote and enhance physiological processes within the childbearing and neonatal periods. This module aims to build upon previous  knowledge of anatomy, physiology, care of the newborn, skills and care complexity to emerge with a knowledge of challenges and barriers to care plus, explore potential ways of overcoming these. 

This module aims to consolidate the acquired knowledge and understanding that you have gained during your course in preparation for post-registration midwifery practice. You will have the opportunity to extend your understanding of key concepts focusing on your imminent future as a registered midwife. The module will also expand your understanding of the advocacy, leadership and professional midwifery practice in preparation for qualification. 

This module is a practice-based module closely linked to the MORA, with the rationale to enable you to apply a systematic and specialist understanding of midwifery knowledge and practice in diverse clinical contexts, while demonstrating professional autonomy, ethical responsibility, and effective interpersonal communication.

Course Modules

Our undergraduate programmes are delivered as 'block and blend', more information can be found on Why Suffolk? You can also watch our video.

The course is divided into two years, divided into trimesters, and includes allocated annual leave and clinical recovery time throughout. The first year consists of seven weeks of theory and seven weeks of practice per trimester, while the second and final year is divided into blocks of six weeks of theory and eight of practice per trimester. 

During the practice blocks, the student will be exposed to all areas of midwifery care: community, antenatal and postnatal wards, intrapartum areas, neonatal care, and a variety of spoke placements aiming to develop the student’s capabilities. 

Downloadable information regarding all ºüÀêÊÓÆµ courses, including Key Facts, Course Aims, Course Structure and Assessment, is available in the Definitive Course Records.

This module aims to provide the registered nurse with the knowledge and understanding required  to commence your developmental journey towards becoming a midwife. The module will equip you with the knowledge, skills, and professional awareness required to begin negotiating the academic and practice expectations of your two-year BSc (shortened) Midwifery Programme. Relevant sessions will utilise differentiated content to account for the foundation knowledge registered nurses will already hold.  

The module introduces the study skills essential for success at Level 5, building on your previous study skills gained via your nursing degree qualification. These skills include academic and reflective writing, critical thinking, literature searching, and time management, alongside the use of reflective practice, to support personal, academic and professional development. You will explore the role of the midwife across the childbearing continuum, gaining an understanding of models of care, professional responsibilities, and the regulatory, legal and ethical frameworks that underpin safe midwifery practice, including the role of the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) and The Code (NMC 2018).  

Building on this foundation, the module also introduces the care of the newborn and infant feeding, including breastfeeding, formula feeding, and the influence of epigenetics and the microbiome. Through the module content, you will begin to develop an evidence-based understanding of how midwives support families in making informed choices to optimise maternal, fetal and infant wellbeing. In addition, the module seeks to build confidence, resilience, and self-care skills, supporting you to protect your mental health and wellbeing as you embark on your professional journey. 

This module enables you to develop knowledge, skills, and professional judgement in recognising, managing, and supporting women and families experiencing complications during pregnancy, labour, and the postnatal period. Emphasis is placed on holistic, woman-centred care, incorporating the management of deviations and additional care needs. By building on foundations from first-year modules, you are supported to integrate theory with practice, applying evidence-based approaches to complex clinical scenarios. 

The module directly contributes to the BSc (Hons) Midwifery programme by preparing you to engage more actively within your clinical placements, fostering confidence and competence in contributing to the interprofessional management of obstetric complexities. It also underpins progression towards the NMC Standards of Proficiency for Midwives, particularly in relation to safe, effective, and compassionate care in situations of increased complexity. 

Learning in this module is closely aligned with your clinical placements, where exposure to obstetric complications, emergency scenarios, and safeguarding concerns is routine. You will be expected to consolidate and apply your theoretical knowledge in practice, progressively taking on greater responsibility in providing and contributing to care under supervision.

This module builds on the foundations of public health, anatomy, and midwifery practice introduced at level 4. It explores the complex and interconnected determinants of women, birthing people and children’s health across the life course. You will critically explore health inequity, key determinants of health, barriers to care and the impact of global, national and local policy.  

The module supports you to adopt a holistic, evidence-informed and culturally safe approach to midwifery care, whilst underpinning core principles, such as interprofessional working. You will also develop practical skills in newborn examination and mandatory training, ensuring readiness for safe and effective midwifery practice.

This module is a practice-based module closely linked to the MORA, with the rationale to enhance your ability to apply detailed midwifery knowledge, professional behaviours, and ethical principles in varied clinical contexts, while developing autonomy, reflective practice, and advanced interpersonal communication skills under appropriate supervision.

At Level 6, you are expected to demonstrate critical thinking, independence, and leadership. This module therefore challenges you not only to understand quality improvement (QI) theory but also to apply it to contemporary issues in maternity care, such as reducing health inequalities, improving service-user experience, and ensuring cultural competence. By undertaking a substantive QI-focused assessment, you will consolidate and integrate academic knowledge with professional practice, preparing you for the transition into autonomous practice and future leadership roles within maternity services. 

It is recognised that interventions and complications are increasing in relation to maternity care and experience. This has roots in societal, social, psychological, medical and biological factors that can alter physiological processes for women and children and impact both short and long-term health.  

It is important therefore for midwives to feel equipped and able to promote and enhance physiological processes within the childbearing and neonatal periods. This module aims to build upon previous  knowledge of anatomy, physiology, care of the newborn, skills and care complexity to emerge with a knowledge of challenges and barriers to care plus, explore potential ways of overcoming these. 

This module aims to consolidate the acquired knowledge and understanding that you have gained during your course in preparation for post-registration midwifery practice. You will have the opportunity to extend your understanding of key concepts focusing on your imminent future as a registered midwife. The module will also expand your understanding of the advocacy, leadership and professional midwifery practice in preparation for qualification. 

This module is a practice-based module closely linked to the MORA, with the rationale to enable you to apply a systematic and specialist understanding of midwifery knowledge and practice in diverse clinical contexts, while demonstrating professional autonomy, ethical responsibility, and effective interpersonal communication.

WHY SUFFOLK

1st ºüÀêÊÓÆµ of the Year

2nd Teaching Satisfaction

2nd Student Experience

Midwifery students in class
Facilities in the Health and Wellbeing Building
Health and Wellbeing Building
Midwifery students in class

Entry Requirements

Entry Requirements

Career Opportunities

This qualification provides opportunities for employment as a midwife in community and hospital settings within the NHS and in private or independent practice. Additionally, the qualification is recognised in several countries internationally, such as within the EU, New Zealand and Australia, enabling the option of working abroad.  

Future careers in clinical practice, research, management and education are all possible options. Moreover, academic options such as MSc and PhD in midwifery practice are also available. 

Our Careers, Employability and Enterprise Team are here to support you, not only whilst you complete your studies, but after you graduate and beyond.

To find out more about our range of services and support, please visit our Careers, Employability and Enterprise page.

Your Course Team

Emily Ruegg

Emily is the Course Lead for the BSc Midwifery shortened course.

Jayne Marie

Jayne is the Deputy Course Lead for the BSc Midwifery shortened course.

Karen Henry

Karen is the Deputy Course Lead for the BSc Midwifery long course, an author and advocate for Autism and Neurodiversity in Midwifery.

Sam Copping

Sam is a Midwifery Lecturer and leads all of the Midwifery skills modules.

s.copping@uos.ac.uk

Rachel Housego

Rachel is the Course Lead for the BSc Midwifery long course.

Philippa Cansell

Philippa is a Midwifery Lecturer, as well as working as a research midwife at West Suffolk Hospital.

p.cansell@uos.ac.uk

Rachel Fishwick

Rachel is a Senior Midwifery Lecturer within the School of Health, Sciences and Society.

r.fishwick@uos.ac.uk

Becky Sawyer

Becky is a Senior Midwifery Lecturer.

Jo Divers

Jo Divers is Associate Dean for Learning, Teaching and Practice Education and is a Midwife and Specialist Community Public Health Nurse.

Course Funding

Students who are successfully recruited and employed by a recruiting NHS Trust will be salaried in line with the mid-point of Agenda for Change band 5. NHS salary matching is not offered for these studentships. Students may also be eligible for a tuition fee contribution from NHS England, currently up to £9,250. Students are likely to incur other costs for travelling to placements and textbooks. The amount will depend on where the student lives in relation to the NHS Trust. Students may be eligible for a maintenance loan from Student Finance England to cover these additional costs.

A student of BSc (Hons) Midwifery shortened

"The course and job are full-on, with practice and theory that challenged and stimulated me in equal ways. I loved that I was exposed to all aspects of midwifery practice."

Read more

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