Midwifery Degree 2013
At the University of Surrey you will have the opportunity to gain both an academic and a professional qualification within three years. The Midwifery degree programme combines theory and practice in supportive and stimulating learning environments and offers a variety of contexts for clinical placements. You will be taught by experienced midwives who are actively engaged in research activities and are closely involved with midwifery colleagues in practice.
Degree programmes
| Degree | UCAS code | Duration | Degree Info |
|---|---|---|---|
| BSc (Hons) Midwifery - Registered Midwife | B711 | 3 years |  |
| BSc (Hons) Midwifery (78 week) - Registered Midwife | B720 | 78 weeks | |
This programme is targeted at qualified, practising, adult nurses who wish to become midwives. The programme currently runs for 78 weeks (18 months) alongside the 3 year direct entry programme and commences in September 2013. For more information on this programme our Midwifery (78 week) pages. | |||
Entry requirements
Minimum entry requirements
- A-level grades ABB
We do not include General Studies or Critical Thinking in our offers.
Conditional offers from Surrey will be made in grades or marks, and not listed in points from the UCAS tariff.
Required subjects
GCSE English Language, Mathematics and Science at grade C or above (or equivalent).
A relevant science A-level is desirable.
English language requirements
Non-native speakers of English will normally be required to have IELTS 7.0 or above, with a minimum of 6.5 in each component (or equivalent).
Please note that the University of Surrey offers English language programmes and is also an IELTS Test Centre.
Other entry requirements
Admission to this programme is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (1974) Section 4 (2) (Exemptions) Order 1975 and DHSS Circular HC (88)9 guidelines regarding police checks and child protection. Offers are conditional upon satisfactory health and fitness for practice screening, references and Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) clearance or equivalent. Candidates must also meet national requirements to work with vulnerable adults and children.
Admission is also subject to NHS eligibility for the programme. Further information on eligibility is available at www.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/students. Proof of eligibility is normally required prior to interview.
Candidates should have the ability to follow a shift pattern covering 24 hours a day and seven days a week, and be able to meet travel requirements. Candidates are encouraged to gain practical work experience in a care setting prior to undertaking the programme. All programmes and places are subject to commissioned numbers. All applicants should be able to demonstrate evidence of study within the last five years.
The Department of Health requires all midwifery students to be tested for HIV, Hepatitis B and Hepatitis C during the induction week. Those testing positive would be subject to Department of Health guidelines for entry to the programme.
Selection process
NHS midwifery staff, as well as University staff, are involved in selection. Suitable candidates will be invited for an interview and selection day which will include literacy and numeracy tests. Successful completion of these tests is required as a condition of entry. Applications from mature students are welcomed.
Tuition fees
NHS-related programmes
These programmes are NHS funded and therefore not subject to the £9,000 tuition fee.
Applicants must meet NHS funding requirements. No self-funding applicants can be considered.For further details about the NHS Student Bursary Scheme or to obtain a bursary estimate please visit www.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/students
Our degrees
As a student midwife at Surrey, you will have all the benefits of studying in one of the UK’s leading universities, as well as those which result from joining one of our local NHS Trusts for your practice experience.
Our degree programme leads to professional registration as a midwife. It is equally divided between academic study and practical experience. Students are taught to critically evaluate the evidence-based learning and research findings underpinning practice.
You will study a broad range of scientific and midwifery topics in the first part of the programme and pursue these topics in more depth in your second and third years. As a midwifery student, you will gain experience of delivering care to individual women and their families throughout the prenatal, labour and postnatal period. You will work with qualified midwives, acquiring skills essential for the provision of the highest quality care to women in a range of practice settings.
You will be supported by clinical and academic staff throughout each placement. Very positive experiences in practice often lead many of our students to obtain employment in their Trusts at the end of the programme.
Programme dates and holidays
The programme runs over 45 weeks each year with seven weeks’ holiday, usually at Christmas, Easter and during the summer. The length of the programme year, and the holiday entitlement, is a requirement of the professional regulation for midwifery education.
Programme content
Programme overview
Midwives work in partnership with women and their families to provide care and support during pregnancy and childbirth. Using their evidence-based knowledge, midwives offer women the information and guidance to enable them to make informed choices regarding their care provision. Following qualification, a midwife can elect to work in NHS Trusts offering differing models of care delivery. The opportunity to develop specialist skills in maternity care is also available. The introduction of the consultant midwife enables an experienced practitioner to further utilise their knowledge, skills and considerable experience to best effect, in order to influence change and improve care for women and their families.
Our programme allows you to develop a responsive attitude to the needs of childbearing women and their families, reflected in your capacity to assess these needs, make judgements and plan, implement and evaluate care.
We aim to develop competent midwives, able to utilise evidence-based practice, and will ensure that you are prepared to practise safely and effectively, within the proficiencies laid down by the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC). By delivering a sound underpinning of theoretical knowledge that informs your practice, our teaching facilitates your understanding of knowledge and skills developed through critical thinking, problem solving and reflection on midwifery practice. As a result you will develop the capacity to contribute to the wider healthcare agenda of clinical effectiveness, clinical governance and public health.
Professional training
We are proud of the range and quality of practical experiences which our students encounter. The Midwifery programme is made up of a balance between theory and practice, with placements in hospital and community settings.
You will be allocated a ‘home’ NHS Trust in Surrey or West Sussex where you will obtain your practice experience. You will be prepared within our simulation suite before going out into midwifery practice, to ensure that you have the confidence to perform well on placement.
During each placement experience you will work with qualified midwives over a range of shifts, acquiring skills essential for you to provide the highest quality care. You will be supported by clinical and academic staff throughout each placement. These experiences lead to potential employment opportunities for students within their ‘home’ Trust.
Career opportunities
Graduate prospects
Our Midwifery graduates have excellent prospects of employment after programme completion.
Career opportunities
There are numerous employment opportunities for qualified midwives. Many of our graduates are initially employed by the NHS Trust where they had their practice experience, before going on to further studies and employment opportunities.
Surrey graduates are employed all over the world and many are leaders in midwifery education and practice.
Midwives can choose to work in both community and hospital settings and can further their careers by developing specialist expertise in a range of areas, such as family planning and managing pregnancy in women with HIV. There are also opportunities in education and mentoring, management and research to improve midwifery practice.
For more information about careers, visit:
Additional information
Teaching
A variety of teaching methods is employed including lectures, computer-assisted learning, enquiry-based learning, small group work, simulation and directed reading. Extensive learning takes place in the practice settings, facilitated by mentors.
Assessment
A mixture of continuous assessment and examinations is used for both theoretical work and practical experience throughout the programme. Over the three years you will build up a portfolio of your achievements and progress, reflecting your fitness for practice. Your learning is supported by our well-equipped Library and computer facilities, and you will be allocated your own personal tutor for support and guidance.
Registered practitioners
If you are a registered practitioner looking for an undergraduate programme to further your learning, please visit our Continuing Professional Development page.
If you are a registered adult nurse wishing to do the 78 week midwifery programme please go to
Why Surrey?
Midwifery degree 2013 at Surrey
- We are a leading UK academic centre for the education of health professionals
- Our state-of-the-art simulation suite is one of the country’s best-equipped educational centres, simulating home and acute hospital environments
- Practice commences at the beginning of the programme in the simulation suite, where clinical skills can be practised in a safe environment
- Opportunities for an elective practice learning experience, either in the UK or abroad
- Strong scientific and clinical foundations prepare you to practise with confidence
- Placements will be across a range of hospital and community settings within both the NHS and the independent sector
- Our programmes lead to career opportunities in a variety of healthcare settings and clinical specialities
- Opportunity for lifelong learning and continuing professional development, leading to higher awards
Surrey has given me the opportunity to go on skill drills, study days, become involved with the NMC and assist in helping students in the years below as they learn what I have come to understand.
Jessica Cormack
BSc Midwifery - Registered Midwife
I chose the University of Surrey for my degree as it has been ranked as one of the top universities in the UK to study midwifery. When I came for my interview I felt welcome and at ease. This, combined with the feeling of being on a safe campus, made my decision definitive.
What I enjoy most about the programme is being able to learn the theory and reasoning behind our practice and then being able to put that knowledge to use, improving the care experience for women.
The programme is very dynamic and complex so support has been vital, which I have received from my mentors, lecturers and especially my personal tutor. I firmly believe that a good support system is essential in order to enjoy a good university experience where you can achieve your targets.
Surrey has given me the opportunity to go on skill drills, study days, become involved with the NMC and assist in helping students in the years below as they learn what I have come to understand. I also hope to further my knowledge and improve my care and practice by undertaking an MSc in Midwifery Practice.
Despite following a very busy and demanding course, I have still found time to relax and pursue my hobbies and sports. I have come to realise that maintaining your social life, hobbies and friends in a stressful environment is very important.
I would definitely recommend the University of Surrey to others who are interested in becoming midwives. I have had a great experience, met life-changing people and gained in-depth knowledge of the world of midwifery. I could not have asked for more.
I really enjoyed having the opportunity to undertake practical skills within the fantastic facilities of the simulation centre on campus, leaving me well prepared to carry out these skills within a real-life midwifery setting.
Natasha Simpson
BSc Midwifery - Registered Midwife
Moving away from my home in Cornwall was not an easy decision to make, but the University of Surrey’s excellent reputation for Midwifery and its friendly, village-like campus persuaded me to make the transition.
Prior to commencing the programme, I managed to participate in local antenatal classes and visited the maternity unit in my local hospital. I also accessed a midwifery journal to read up on current topics. Having prepared rigorously for my interview, and in that time become passionate about midwifery, I was thrilled to be offered a place at the University of Surrey.
From the start, the course layout was very well organised and logical, with sufficient time to carry out theoretical work around lectures, practical sessions and placements in clinical practice. I really enjoyed having the opportunity to undertake practical skills within the fantastic facilities of the simulation centre on campus, leaving me well prepared to carry out these skills within a real-life midwifery setting.
The midwifery tutors were all highly knowledgeable, friendly, enthusiastic and open to giving advice and support when I needed it.
Reaching graduation felt like an immense achievement, particularly as I had been awarded a first-class honours degree.
Since qualifying, I have achieved my competencies in perineal suturing, cannulation and scrubbing in theatre. I have also recently completed the Mentorship module at the University of Surrey and been elected as a steward for the Royal College of Midwives.
Professional recognition
Successful completion of the BSc (Hons) Midwifery programme will enable you to be eligible to apply for professional registration with the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC).