Study Midwifery

The University of Newcastle’s Master of Midwifery (Graduate Entry) is for registered nurses wishing to gain a midwifery qualification and will see you graduate with specialised theoretical knowledge and technical skills for high-quality midwifery practice. As a midwife, you will work in partnership with women, their babies and families through pregnancy, labour and birth, and the early parenting period. Midwives make a difference to women’s lives and are key to improving maternal health outcomes globally.

Our Midwifery programs have been co-designed with industry partners, consumers, past and present midwifery students to ensure midwifery at the University of Newcastle reflects contemporary midwifery knowledge and practice. Our programs have strong research inspired theoretical bases as well as midwifery professional experience placement to help prepare outstanding midwifery graduates. This program is accredited with the Australian Nursing and Midwifery Accreditation Council (ANMAC) as an approved program of study.

Why study with us?

  • Flexible modes of study learn with a mix of face-to-face and online activities and gain hands-on experience in a variety of placement settings. You can also take advantage of our flexible part-time study pathway.
  • Access to state-of-the-art simulation labs students gain extensive preparedness for midwifery professional experience within state-of-the-art simulation labs which provide you with a safe environment to practice your clinical skills.
  • Midwifery Professional Experience – as a Registered Nurse, you will be able to apply for a MidStart position through the New South Wales Ministry of Health central recruitment process or secure a concurrent employment position at one of the University of Newcastle’s partnering hospitals (Gosford Private Hospital or Newcastle Private Hospital) and health services.

    Note: Students are required to attend face to face classes at least two days per week, therefore this program is suited to applicants with MidStart positions at hospitals local to the location of study:
    - Callaghan, Newcastle
    - Central Coast Clinical School, Gosford
  • Graduate work-ready graduates from the University of Newcastle have succeeded in gaining employment at the time of graduation in leadership positions in the midwifery profession.
  • Professional recognition upon graduation you will be eligible to register as a midwife with the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia (NMBA) under the umbrella of the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA).
  • Save up to 75% with a commonwealth-supported place.

Midwife holding her hand on a pregnant woman's stomach

96.4% employed ? within four months of graduating
$2300 ? median weekly income for Midwives before tax
$90,900 ? median starting salary for postgraduate Nursing & Midwifery graduates – above the national average

As a commencing student in this degree, you may be eligible for the new Tertiary Health Study Subsidy. To learn more and submit your application visit NSW Health.

NSW Health

What you will study

The Master of Midwifery (Graduate Entry) will provide you with an advanced knowledge base to start your career in midwifery practice. Key areas of study include:

  • Midwife: ‘with woman’
  • Women in Pregnancy
  • Working with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Childbearing Women
  • Midwifery Professional Experience
  • Women in Labour
  • Women and their babies in the postnatal time
  • Perinatal Mental Health
  • Woman with complex pregnancies
  • Woman with complex labours
  • Women with postnatal complexities and/or unwell babies
  • Social and ecosystem health
2024 Program Handbook

Refer to the program handbook for details of the complete program structure, course requirements and availability.

View program handbook

My Degree Planner

Use our degree planner to see what your study journey through the Master of Midwifery (Graduate Entry) might look like.

Prospective student planner Current student planner

Career

Career opportunities

The Master of Midwifery (Graduate Entry) will open your career pathway up to include roles such as:

  • Midwife (areas of work include hospitals, community, private practice, home birth)
  • Clinical Midwife Educator
  • Midwifery Manager
  • Research or policy work

Professional recognition

Graduates of this program are eligible to apply for registration with the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia (NMBA), under the National Registration and Accreditation Scheme administered by the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA).

This program is also accredited by the Australian Nursing and Midwifery Council (ANMAC).

Practical experience

Health facilities within Hunter New England, Central Coast and Mid North Coast will provide professional experience to enable midwifery professional experience placement hours. Students must apply through NSW Ministry of Health’s MidStart process or apply directly to the University's partnering hospitals (Gosford Private Hospital or Newcastle Private Hospital).

Application info

Applying for Master of Midwifery (Graduate Entry)

Ok, great, let's go!

Applications to study are now open. Submit your application now..

Apply to study in Australia

Both students and education agents can submit applications online. This is our preferred way of application. You can save your application after you have started, and come back to it later.

Before you get started

To ensure that the process goes smoothly for you, you should complete the following steps before applying:

  1. Review the program that you wish to apply for. Note the admission criteria, admission instructions, requirements & structure and any additional information listed.
  2. Review the program fees and costs.
  3. Check whether your postgraduate program has a Semester or a Trimester closing date. Please view the application closing date.
  4. If you are from a non-English-speaking background, you need to satisfy the University's English language requirements and ensure that you can provide evidence of your English proficiency if required.

You will be considered for entry based on criteria such as your undergraduate studies and/or equivalent prior learning and/or relevant work experience.

Postgraduate application process

Other things to consider

Make sure you double check the special entry requirements, assumed knowledge or recommended studies for the degree:

 

• Completion of an AQF Level 7 (or higher) nursing degree;

• Current registration as a Nurse (Division 1) with the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia, meeting the Recency of Practice registration standard;

• Documented evidence of concurrent employment as a registered nurse working in the capacity of a midwifery student through either:

  • the MidStart program in NSW Health; or
  • one of our partnering private hospitals; Gosford Private Hospital or Newcastle Private Hospital.

Note: Students are required to attend face to face classes at least two days per week, therefore this program is suited to applicants with MidStart positions at hospitals local to the location of study:

  • Callaghan, Newcastle,
  • Central Coast Clinical School, Gosford.
  • NSW Health Verification Requirements

    Mandatory NSW Health Verification Requirements must be met. More information is available here.

In addition to meeting the University's overall requirements for academic progression, students must satisfactorily complete the following courses to progress in their program.

MIDI6124 - Midwifery Professional Experience 2

MIDI6212 - Midwifery Professional Experience 3

MIDI6221 - Midwifery Professional Experience 4

You can look at Uni prep for options to brush up on knowledge before you start.

View University key dates