Why Bachelor of Midwifery?
As a midwife, you will be a trusted guide, mentor, and source of strength during one of life’s most profound experiences.
You'll support women and their families through every stage of pregnancy, birth, and beyond – witnessing the arrival of new life while offering essential care and wisdom in the critical postnatal period. Your guidance will empower new parents with the confidence and skills they need to thrive in their new roles.
You’ll be there for one of the most significant moments in a family’s life. Long after mother and baby have returned home, your compassion, expertise and dedication will be remembered.
Overview
The Bachelor of Midwifery at Adelaide University equips you for a fulfilling career in maternity care. Emphasising women's and family-centred care, the program ensures you develop the skills to meet the social, emotional, physical, and cultural needs of the women and families you support throughout pregnancy, birth, and beyond.
Gain real-world experience through clinical placements, actively participating in a minimum of 30 births across various settings in South Australia. Our unique Continuity of Care Experience (CoCE) offers you the chance to follow a minimum of 10 women and expectant parents through their pregnancy, birth, and postnatal journeys – providing a deep understanding of midwifery practice.
Learn in cutting-edge facilities, including an on-campus simulated hospital that mirrors real-world scenarios with birthing suites, a special care nursery and a postnatal area. Throughout your studies, you'll be guided by experienced clinicians and educators who are leaders in midwifery, ensuring you graduate with the expertise to make a meaningful impact.
You can also choose to study this program at our regional campuses in Mount Gambier and Whyalla.
Key features
Work closely with women and families throughout pregnancy, labour, birth and the postnatal period.- Develop the skills to support the diverse health needs of families from various backgrounds.
- Gain hands-on experience in our high-tech simulation hospital, guided by expert clinical and academic staff.
- Actively participate in a minimum of 30 births, working alongside experienced midwives.
- Follow the unique journeys of 10 women and families through pregnancy, birth and postnatal care.
- Build practical skills with clinical placements from your first year, establishing valuable connections with industry partners and leading clinicians.
What you'll learn
Our Bachelor of Midwifery is offered on campus in Adelaide, Whyalla and Mt Gambier, or this degree is also available primarily online, offering flexibility in how you choose to study. It’s important to note that for accreditation purposes, some courses, workshops and clinical placements, must be completed in person.
In this degree, you’ll learn to provide compassionate and expert care to women and their families. You’ll discover the critical legal and ethical responsibilities of midwives, understanding how these impact on the lives of those you care for. You’ll also explore how political, socio-cultural, economic and technological factors are shaping midwifery practice today.
Your studies will be grounded in both theory and practice. Much of your learning will take place in our high-tech simulation facilities that mirror real-world hospital environments. Here, you’ll practise your skills with practical scenarios and manikins, allowing you to build confidence and prepare for clinical practice.
Clinical placements will form a significant part of your studies. You’ll work in hospitals and health services across metro, regional and rural areas in South Australia – always under the supervision of experienced midwives. Throughout your placements, you’ll be actively involved in a minimum of 30 births and provide pre- and post-birth care for at least 100 women.
A unique aspect of the degree is the Continuity of Care Experience (CoCE), where you’ll follow a minimum of 10 women through their pregnancy and birth journeys, offering consistent support and learning about the importance of continuity of care.
Placements and CoCE must be completed in South Australia on a full-time basis, with shift work required across a seven-day roster. The nature of midwifery means you may be required to carry out these experiences over more than one study period.
What courses you'll study
Complete 144 units comprising:
- 102 units for all Core courses, and
- 42 units for all Work integrated learning
Complete 102 units for ALL of the following:
| Course name | Course code | Units | |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Course name
Human Biology 1
|
Course code
BIOL1001
|
Units
6
|
|
|
Course name
Human Biology 2
|
Course code
BIOL1002
|
Units
6
|
|
|
Course name
Fetal and Maternal Pathophysiology
|
Course code
BIOL2038
|
Units
6
|
|
|
Course name
Primary Midwifery Practice
|
Course code
MIDW1002
|
Units
12
|
|
|
Course name
Healthy Mothers and Babies
|
Course code
MIDW1003
|
Units
6
|
|
|
Course name
Evidence Based Midwifery
|
Course code
MIDW1101
|
Units
6
|
|
|
Course name
Complex Care of the Woman
|
Course code
MIDW2001
|
Units
12
|
|
|
Course name
Complex Care of the Neonate
|
Course code
MIDW2003
|
Units
12
|
|
|
Course name
Midwifery Project
|
Course code
MIDW3000
|
Units
6
|
|
|
Course name
Perinatal Mental Health and Wellbeing
|
Course code
MIDW3001
|
Units
6
|
|
|
Course name
Women's Health Across the Lifespan
|
Course code
MIDW3002
|
Units
6
|
|
|
Course name
Becoming a Midwife
|
Course code
MIDW3010
|
Units
6
|
|
|
Course name
Aboriginal Health
|
Course code
NURS1001
|
Units
6
|
|
|
Course name
Pharmacology and Pharmacotherapeutics for Midwives
|
Course code
PHAR2016
|
Units
6
|
Notes
1. The Bachelor of Midwifery is an undergraduate degree accredited by the Australian Nursing and Midwifery Accreditation Council (ANMAC) as a qualification leading to entry to the Register of Midwives with the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia (NMBA). The program accreditation requires students to complete the program in three years full-time or up to six years part-time.
2. All students must confirm that they meet the "Fitness to Practice in Clinical Placements" requirements upon entry to the program, on each re-enrolment, and as may be required by the Program Director.
3. Students in this program are required to be registered with the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia. Students who are refused registration, or who have their registration rescinded, will be unable to continue in the program.
4. Students must provide evidence of a current National Police Certificate (NPC) and a completed Working with Children Check (WWCC) on commencement to the program.
5. Students must meet the vaccination requirements for health professionals prior to commencing the program. Failure to meet vaccination requirements will limit placement opportunities and may preclude progression in the program.
6. All students who undertake the program, whether full-time, part-time, internal, or external, will be required to attend clinical placements on a full-time basis. Shift work will be required over a 7-day, 24-hour roster.
7. Clinical placements are an integral component of the program and are undertaken in health agencies in metropolitan, rural or remote South Australia. Interstate students who accept an offer will be required to acknowledge that their placements and CoCE will all be based in South Australia.
8. Students are required to satisfy the standard of dress, behaviour, and fitness for practice as prescribed by institutions in which clinical practicum placements are undertaken. This also applies to students undertaking Horizon Hospital and Health Service (HHHS) activities.
9. To achieve the standards required by the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia, students are required to participate in, and document, the number of episodes of care experiences prescribed by UniSA Clinical and Health Sciences and specified by Australian Nursing and Midwifery Accreditation Council.
10. Students are required to attend compulsory on-campus intensive workshops/ seminars for some courses. Where possible, compulsory on-campus workshops/ seminars for courses scheduled in the same study period will be timetabled to minimise the duration that students are required to be on campus.
11. Students undertaking midwifery studies in Australia must practice in accordance with the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia Midwife Standards for Practice. If a student is unable to provide care to individuals due to religious, cultural or other reasons, the student will be unable to successfully complete course objectives and assessments within this program. This rule also applies to peer group work in classes.
12. Students who have completed a leave of absence, and/or not engaged in an Experiential Learning Activity (ELA) course in the previous 12-month period or who have failed an ELA, may be required to undertake additional study for which a fee will be charged.
13. Students who have completed a Bachelor of Nursing or equivalent and are registered with the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia (NMBA) may be eligible to receive 48 units of credit towards the Bachelor of Midwifery.
1. Students are required to attend compulsory on-campus intensive workshops/ seminars for some courses. Where possible, compulsory on-campus workshops/ seminars for courses scheduled in the same study period will be timetabled to minimise the duration that students are required to be on campus.
Complete 42 units for ALL of the following:
| Course name | Course code | Units | |
|---|---|---|---|
|
|
Course name
Midwifery Practice Experience 1
|
Course code
MIDW1900
|
Units
6
|
|
|
Course name
Midwifery Practice Experience 2
|
Course code
MIDW2901
|
Units
6
|
|
|
Course name
Midwifery Practice Experience 3
|
Course code
MIDW2900
|
Units
6
|
|
|
Course name
Midwifery Practice Experience 4
|
Course code
MIDW3901
|
Units
12
|
|
|
Course name
Midwifery Practice Experience 5
|
Course code
MIDW3902
|
Units
12
|
Notes
1. The Bachelor of Midwifery is an undergraduate degree accredited by the Australian Nursing and Midwifery Accreditation Council (ANMAC) as a qualification leading to entry to the Register of Midwives with the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia (NMBA). The program accreditation requires students to complete the program in three years full-time or up to six years part-time.
2. All students must confirm that they meet the "Fitness to Practice in Clinical Placements" requirements upon entry to the program, on each re-enrolment, and as may be required by the Program Director.
3. Students in this program are required to be registered with the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia. Students who are refused registration, or who have their registration rescinded, will be unable to continue in the program.
4. Students must provide evidence of a current National Police Certificate (NPC) and a completed Working with Children Check (WWCC) on commencement to the program.
5. Students must meet the vaccination requirements for health professionals prior to commencing the program. Failure to meet vaccination requirements will limit placement opportunities and may preclude progression in the program.
6. All students who undertake the program, whether full-time, part-time, internal, or external, will be required to attend clinical placements on a full-time basis. Shift work will be required over a 7-day, 24-hour roster.
7. Clinical placements are an integral component of the program and are undertaken in health agencies in metropolitan, rural or remote South Australia. Interstate students who accept an offer will be required to acknowledge that their placements and CoCE will all be based in South Australia.
8. Students are required to satisfy the standard of dress, behaviour, and fitness for practice as prescribed by institutions in which clinical practicum placements are undertaken. This also applies to students undertaking Horizon Hospital and Health Service (HHHS) activities.
9. To achieve the standards required by the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia, students are required to participate in, and document, the number of episodes of care experiences prescribed by UniSA Clinical and Health Sciences and specified by Australian Nursing and Midwifery Accreditation Council.
10. Students are required to attend compulsory on-campus intensive workshops/ seminars for some courses. Where possible, compulsory on-campus workshops/ seminars for courses scheduled in the same study period will be timetabled to minimise the duration that students are required to be on campus.
11. Students undertaking midwifery studies in Australia must practice in accordance with the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia Midwife Standards for Practice. If a student is unable to provide care to individuals due to religious, cultural or other reasons, the student will be unable to successfully complete course objectives and assessments within this program. This rule also applies to peer group work in classes.
12. Students who have completed a leave of absence, and/or not engaged in an Experiential Learning Activity (ELA) course in the previous 12-month period or who have failed an ELA, may be required to undertake additional study for which a fee will be charged.
13. Students who have completed a Bachelor of Nursing or equivalent and are registered with the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia (NMBA) may be eligible to receive 48 units of credit towards the Bachelor of Midwifery.
1. The "Fitness to Practice in Clinical Placements Requirement Statements" advise potential applicants and students of the requirements necessary to undertake a clinical placement as a student in preparation for entry (registration) into the nursing and midwifery professions or for specialist or advanced practice qualifications.
2. Students with a disability or chronic health condition may be able to have reasonable adjustments made to teaching and learning, assessment, clinical practice and other activities to enable them to participate in their course and meet the Fitness to Practice in Clinical Placements requirements. Reasonable adjustments should not fundamentally change the nature of the Fitness to Practice in Clinical Placements requirements.
3. Due to the nature of the Continuity of Care Experience (CoCE), students may be required to carry these out over more than one study period, hence receiving an interim (I) grade for the course. All interim notations will be converted to a non-graded pass or fail grade within one academic year in accordance with the University's Assessment Policies and Procedures Manual.
4. Students are advised that a current South Australian driver's licence may be required by some clinical venues.
5. Some CoCE may occur outside normal teaching periods. All midwifery students must register CoCE women, attend the required orientation and be compliant with conditional evidence at all times.
6. Students who are subject to an investigation by the Australian Health Practitioner Regulatory Agency (AHPRA) under the Health Practitioner Regulation National Law Act cannot participate in Clinical Placements/Continuity of Care experiences (CoCE) until the investigation is completed and the University is notified of the outcome.
7. Students must demonstrate full compliance with the program's Compulsory Conditional Evidence Requirements prior to allocation of a Clinical Placement and CoCE as outlined on the UniSA Clinical Placement Unit website https://study.unisa.edu.au/student-placements-and-internships/nursing-health-medical-sciences/cpu/.
Career outcomes
As a midwife, you’ll lead the way in maternity care, providing women with expert guidance and reassurance throughout their pregnancies. During birth, you’ll play a hands-on role, actively ensuring the safety and wellbeing of both mother and baby. In the crucial days that follow, you’ll continue to support women and their families, helping them navigate the early stages of caring for their newborn.
As a midwife, you'll have opportunities to work in group practices, providing care to women within caseload models. You could also offer family planning support, guide women through pregnancy and birth in a hospital setting, or assist with home births.
Roles are available in multidisciplinary healthcare teams in a range of settings, including:
- Community services
- Public or private hospitals
- Rural and remote healthcare
- Home-based services
- Health agencies
- Midwifery education
- Research
- Private Practice.
Industry trends
Midwifery is a dynamic and evolving profession, continually adapting to meet the diverse needs of women, families, and communities. There is an increasing emphasis on continuity of care and the development of cultural competence to provide inclusive support for diverse populations. Adelaide University’s midwifery degree reflects these priorities, equipping you with a contemporary skill set to offer compassionate, equitable care to all families.
In Australia, midwifery is a growing field. There is also a national shortage of midwives in all states in Australia (Jobs and Skills Australia, 2024).
Accreditation
Adelaide University is working through relevant approvals for program accreditation ahead of students commencing in 2026.
Ready to apply?
Ask Adelaide University
Your study experience and support
Adelaide University sets you up for success in your studies – and your social life. You’ll have access to work placement and internship opportunities, overseas study tours and exchanges, networking events with guest speakers and more. Our campuses are equipped with purpose-built facilities including lecture theatres, libraries, workshops, laboratories, and spaces that simulate real work environments. These are all supported by the latest technologies and a 24/7 online learning platform with personalised study information and resources.
You’ll have everything you need to live well and thrive during your studies, with health services on campus, gymnasiums, technology zones and modern student lounges. Get involved in campus sport or join our student clubs that will connect you to your passions – and the people who share them.
Adelaide also has a variety of accommodation options to suit your individual requirements and budget, with options ranging from dedicated student accommodation to private rentals. One of the world’s most liveable cities, Adelaide has lots of leafy parks, gardens and social hubs – and some of the highest living standards globally. No matter where you are in Adelaide, you’re only a short distance from beaches, vineyards, museums, art galleries, restaurants, bars and parklands. Visit the accommodation web page to find out more.
Student services
We’re here to support you on your student journey. Adelaide University offers a range of support services and facilities, including:
- Career advice and mentoring services
- Personal counselling
- LGBTQIA+ support
- Academic support
- Fees and finance help
- Security services
- Accommodation services
- Common rooms
- Prayer rooms.
You’ll also have unlimited access to our dedicated student support hub. Visit in-person or online, or contact our friendly team by phone. We can assist you with anything study-related including enrolment, identification cards, timetables, fees and more.
Your campus
You'll be studying at one of our renowned campuses, accessing cutting-edge facilities and contemporary study spaces.
Study hours
Your courses will require a combination of different learning formats, including lectures, tutorials, workshops, seminars and practicals. Aside from your classes, you’ll also need to allocate additional time for independent study. This may include assignments, readings, projects and contributing to online discussion forums. As a rough guide, full-time studies may require 12-26 hours of class time and 14-18 hours of independent study per week.
Assessment
During your studies at Adelaide University, you’ll complete a mixture of practical, professional and research-based learning. Your assessment types will vary depending on the degree you’re studying, but may include:
- Case studies
- Essays and assignments
- Examinations
- Group projects
- Internships and placements
- Practicals
- Presentations
- Reports and project documentations
- Research projects
- Workplace and classroom contributions.
