Midwifery (BMid)
- Subject area: Midwifery
- UCAS code: B720
- Next intake: September 2025
- Duration: 3 years
- Mode: Full time
Why study this course
Ranked 3rd for midwifery
By The Guardian Best UK Universities Guide 2024.
Professionally accredited
Our programme is validated by the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC).
A WHO Collaborating Centre
We are one of only two specific midwifery centres in the world, recognised by the World Health Organisation (WHO) for our excellence in midwifery education and research.
Early clinical exposure
You'll spend valuable time on placement, learning and working with real patients alongside supportive and knowledgeable staff.
Funding available
NHS bursary funding is available for UK students, including support with both tuition fees and living costs (conditions apply).
When you study midwifery with us at Cardiff University, you join our midwifery team who are all dedicated and passionate about providing the very best quality midwifery education. You will be guided to learn at a Russell Group University by motivated and knowledgeable midwifery lecturers who are influencing healthcare across Wales, UK and globally through engagement and research.
We strive to deliver an exceptional programme that will equip you to graduate with an Honours degree and to be eligible to enter the Nursing & Midwifery Council (NMC) Register as knowledgeable, safe, proficient and compassionate midwives who take responsibility as lead professionals in the care of women, pregnant people, newborns and families, across all contexts, by optimising principles of autonomy and accountability.
We encourage intellectual curiosity and creativity amongst our students and support you to consider your personal and professional ethical and social responsibilities.
We value partnership and co-production with practice partners in the NHS and 50% of the midwifery programme is spent working alongside midwives and the multi-professional and multi-agency teams, both in community and midwifery-led settings and in hospital maternity settings.
A varied placement experience undertaken across the three years of the programme will allow you to integrate academic theory with practice learning. We actively promote opportunities for interprofessional learning throughout the programme and support you to become effective members of interdisciplinary teams. We integrate global awareness and citizenship throughout the programme, respecting human rights, equality and diversity and the importance of compassionate leadership.
Our midwifery graduates emulate positive personal leadership by commitment to reflection, lifelong learning and self-care; demonstrating professional courage, advocacy and the promotion of excellence in themselves and services through quality improvement. We welcome you to join our midwifery programme.
Programme Aims
The aim of this combined academic and professional qualification is for the graduate midwife to confidently demonstrate safe, proficient, and respectful midwifery practice as mandated by NMC and International Confederation of Midwives (ICM) global definition of the midwife. As a graduate midwife, you will:
- Take responsibility as the lead professional for the care of women, babies, partners and families in all contexts by optimising principles of autonomy and accountability.
- Use effective, authentic and meaningful communication skills and strategies, acknowledging and respecting human rights and pertinent legal and ethical frameworks.
- Promote and deliver continuity of care and carer across all maternity settings facilitating safe and effective practice.
- Demonstrate proficiency as a skilled practitioner in the full range of practical and interpersonal skills required to give effective, safe and compassionate care.
- Organise and deliver inclusive holistic care that includes physical, psychological, social, cultural and spiritual factors within an ever-changing health and social care environment.
- Appraise the impact of diversity, adversity and marginalisation within the UK and globally on the needs of women and their families recognising the benefits of public health measures.
- Optimise the normal physiological processes across the childbearing and breastfeeding continuum, working to promote positive outcomes and prevent complications.
- Recognise and collaboratively manage pre-existing, current and emerging complexities that may affect women, newborn infants and their families.
- Value partnership and work effectively in collaboration with women, families and colleagues providing care that is safe, promotes excellence and positive experiences.
- Deliver Evidence Based Practice which includes the ability to critically review the best available evidence to inform care in combination with professional expertise and the woman’s preference.
- Emulate positive personal leadership by commitment to reflection, lifelong learning and self-care; demonstrating professional courage, advocacy for women and the promotion of excellence in themselves and services through quality improvement.
These Programme Aims are the foundation stones that are threaded through the programme Learning Outcomes, which are expressed as knowledge and understanding, intellectual skills, professional practice and transferable skills.
Accreditations
Subject area: Midwifery
Entry requirements
We accept a combination of A-levels and other qualifications, as well as equivalent international qualifications subject to entry requirements. Typical offers are as follows:
A level
ABB-BBB
Extended/International Project Qualification: Applicants with grade A in the EPQ/IPQ will typically receive an offer one grade lower than the standard offer. Please note that any subject specific requirements must still be met.
- Our grade range covers our standard offer and contextual offer. We carefully consider the circumstances in which you've been studying (your contextual data) upon application. Eligible students will be given an offer that is lower than the standard offer (usually the middle or lower end of the advertised grade range).
- Where there is no grade range advertised and/or where there are selection processes in place (like an interview) you may receive additional consideration in the selection process.
Learn about eligible courses and how contextual data is applied.
International Baccalaureate
32-31 overall or 665 in 3 HL subjects.
Baccalaureate Wales
From September 2023, there will be a new qualification called the Advanced Skills Baccalaureate Wales (level 3). This qualification will replace the Advanced Skills Challenge Certificate (Welsh Baccalaureate). The qualification will continue to be accepted in lieu of one A-Level (at the grades listed above), excluding any specified subjects.
Other essential requirements
You must have or be working towards:
- English language or Welsh language at GCSE grade B/6 or an equivalent (such as A-levels). English Language GCSE C/4 will be accepted where you are taking qualifications at a higher level which are taught through the medium of English such as A-levels.
- four GCSEs at grade C/4 including Maths, and one science (from Biology, Chemistry, and Physics), or equivalent qualifications (subject and grade).
You must also supply a personal statement that is relevant to the profession. If you are applying to more than one professional programme, you should email a bespoke personal statement for each programme to admissions@cardiff.ac.uk at the same time as submitting your application via UCAS. In your personal statement, you should demonstrate that you understand the profession, have an insight into the course itself, and describe any relevant work experience. Only one personal statement may be submitted for each programme.
You must meet the Nursing and Midwifery Council’s (NMC) good health and character, and fitness to practice requirements.
We do not accept Critical Thinking, General Studies, Citizenship Studies, or other similar equivalent subjects.
We will accept a combination of BTEC subjects, A-levels, and other qualifications, subject to the course specific grade and subject requirements.
ENROLMENT CONDITIONS
Before starting your course, you will also need to complete an occupational health questionnaire, attend any subsequent appointments and receive all of the necessary vaccinations to undertake clinical placements safely. You must have a validated negative sample for HIV, Hepatitis B, and Hepatitis C. This is arranged by the Occupational Health Department following commencement of the programme.
English language requirements
GCSE
Grade B or grade 6 in GCSE English Language.
IELTS (academic)
At least 7.0 overall with a minimum of 6.5 in writing and a minimum of 7.0 in all other subskills.
TOEFL iBT
At least 90 with a minimum of 22 in writing and 24 in all other subskills.
PTE Academic
At least 76 overall with a minimum of 69 in writing and a minimum of 76 in all other communicative skills.
Trinity ISE II/III
II: Not accepted.
III: at least a Merit in all components.
Other accepted qualifications
Please visit our English Language requirements page for more information on our other accepted language qualifications.
Criminal convictions
You will be required to complete a DBS (Disclosure Barring Service) check if your application is successful. If you are applying from certain countries overseas, a Certificate of Good Conduct may be required.
If you have a relevant criminal conviction, this will be stated in the check and may affect your ability to enrol on the course. Applicants who are on the barred list should be aware that applying to this course is likely to be considered a criminal offence.
Other qualifications from inside the UK
BTEC
DDM in a BTEC Extended Diploma in Health and Social Care. We will consider BTECs in alternative subjects alongside other academic qualifications and any relevant work or volunteer experience.
T level
D in T Level Health, Healthcare Science, or Science.
Qualifications from outside the UK
International equivalencies are not accepted for this course. Please contact the International Office for information about entry requirements from your country.
Please view your country page for information on our entry requirements, funding opportunities and who our local advisors are.
Please see our admissions policies for more information about the application process.
Interview or selection process
We won’t make an offer without first interviewing an applicant. Offer release may be subject to all interviews for the programme having taken place.
To be eligible for consideration for interview, all applicants must meet the minimum requirements at Level 2 (typically GCSE) and Level 3 (typically A-level). If you meet these requirements, your application will be given a numerical score based on your personal statement. Eligible applicants will be ranked according to this score and the top-ranking applicants will be invited to interview.
Welsh domiciled students studying/having successfully completed certain Access to Higher Education Diploma related to Healthcare may be eligible for a guaranteed interview on application. Please contact the admissions team for specific details.
Our interview process
Applicants who are successful in both academic and non-academic assessment will be invited to attend a Multi Mini Interview (MMI).
The MMI is a series of short, carefully timed interview stations that you will rotate around in turn. The stations will give you an opportunity to demonstrate that you:
- can think on your feet
- have thought about some of the issues that are important to the profession
- can critically appraise information
- can communicate ideas effectively.
They also help us to identity the personal qualities that are important to your future career development, and assess information that isn’t always readily forthcoming in the application process.
They are not intended to test the amount of prior knowledge you have about the subject or profession.
Please note that interviews may occur in person, or in a virtual environment, but will continue to assess applicants on the skills and attributes outlined above.
Tuition fees for 2025 entry
Your tuition fees and how you pay them will depend on your fee status. Your fee status could be home, island or overseas.
Learn how we decide your fee status
Fees for home status
A full NHS bursary, including tuition fees and a non-repayable bursary for living costs, is available to applicants from the UK. Full details, including information for applicants from the EU, are available on our NHS funding pages.
The University reserves the right to increase tuition fees in the second and subsequent years of a course as permitted by law or Welsh Government policy. Where applicable we will notify you of any change in tuition fee by the end of June in the academic year before the one in which the fee will increase.
Students from the EU, EEA and Switzerland
If you are an EU, EEA or Swiss national, your tuition fees for 2025/26 be in line with the overseas fees for international students, unless you qualify for home fee status. UKCISA have provided information about Brexit and tuition fees.
Fees for island status
Learn more about the undergraduate fees for students from the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man.
Fees for overseas status
An NHS placement is a required part of this course. The NHS only makes placements available to students who are eligible to pay UK fees. Therefore, this course is not available for international students.
Additional costs
You will be responsible for meeting the costs of obtaining an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) Certificate as a requirement of your application. In addition, applicants are advised that there may be travel and accommodation costs associated with periods of practice placement. Students are provided with a uniform for placement; however, you will need to meet the cost of appropriate footwear.
Midwifery students will require a device (i-PAD / phone) to use in practice placements to record practice learning and the MPAD requirements.
If you choose to take the ‘elective’ opportunity overseas at the end of year two, this must be funded by yourself and should you choose to travel abroad for placement, there may be additional vaccination costs.
Course specific equipment
You will not need any specific equipment.
Accommodation
We have a range of residences to suit your needs and budget. Find out more on our accommodation pages.
Living costs
We're based in one of the UK's most affordable cities. Find out more about living costs in Cardiff.
Course structure
The Bachelor of Midwifery (Hons) is a three-year full-time programme, with each year consisting of 45 programmed weeks. The NMC expect that you will complete a minimum of 4600 hours of study, with at least 2300 hours spent in academic learning in the university, and 2300 hours spent in placement learning. Our programme is longer than this minimum requirement, at 5062 hours in total, and this is in order to complete all the requirements that will enhance your future practice as a midwife, ensuring your proficiency.
There are four core modules in each academic year and all are compulsory. Three modules are theory based with a variety of academic assessments, and there is a practice module which spans the entire year, which has a Midwifery Practice Assessment Document (MPAD) that guides your learning and supports your assessment within the practice placements.
Students must successfully complete 360 credits (120 credits each year), inclusive of the placement learning module, to achieve the award of Bachelor of Midwifery (Hons) and be eligible to apply for entry onto the professional Register of the NMC to practice as a Midwife.
The modules shown are an example of the typical curriculum and will be reviewed prior to the 2025/2026 academic year. The final modules will be published by September 2025.
Year one
In year one you will focus on universal care of women, pregnant people, newborns and families. There is an emphasis on the midwife’s role in optimising normal physiological processes, promoting positive outcomes and preventing complications.
You will learn about the midwife’s role in public health and health promotion and protection, along with key communication skills, assessment, screening and care planning.
Infant feeding, relationship building and continuity of care and carer are core concepts that run throughout the programme.
You will have four Practice Learning Opportunities (PLO), with eight weeks of theory learning at university to prepare you for the first.
You will develop a sound knowledge of body systems, anatomy, physiology, genomics and human development underpinned with relevant theory, applied to pre-conception, pregnancy, childbirth, postpartum and newborn care.
| Module title | Module code | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Universal care | HC1273 | 30 credits |
| Safe and effective midwifery care | HC1274 | 30 credits |
| Human rights and fundamental freedoms | HC1275 | 30 credits |
| Midwifery Practice Learning 1 | HC1276 | 30 credits |
Year two
In year two you will adapt and develop your existing knowledge.
You'll learn about the midwife’s role in the first line assessment and management of complications and additional care needs, which may require medical, obstetric, neonatal, mental health, social care or other services.
You will have three Practice Learning Opportunities (PLO), and the chance to undertake an elective placement of four weeks at the end of the year. This placement can be local, national or international, and you will organise it yourself.
You will develop your ability to identify and critically evaluate appropriate sources of evidence and their application to midwifery practice and systems of maternity and public health care.
| Module title | Module code | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Evidence-based practice | HC2276 | 30 credits |
| Additional and emergency midwifery care | HC2277 | 30 credits |
| Promoting quality and safety in maternity care | HC2278 | 30 credits |
| Midwifery Practice Learning 2 | HC2279 | 30 credits |
Year three
In year three you will reinforce the five principles of best midwifery practice: family centred care, safe and effective care, continuity of carer, skilled interdisciplinary and multiagency working and sustainable quality services.
You will learn more about compassionate leadership, professionalism and accountability as an autonomous practitioner, in preparation for qualifying as a midwife.
You will have the chance to undertake three short Practice Learning Opportunities (PLO), along with three other PLOs and a Pre-qualifying Placement (PQP) which is organised for the area where you will commence your role as a qualified midwife.
| Module title | Module code | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Midwife as colleague, scholar, and leader | HC3356 | 30 credits |
| Consolidation of midwifery practice | HC3357 | 30 credits |
| Full systematic physical examination of the newborn infant | HC3358 | 30 credits |
| Midwifery Practice Learning 3 | HC3359 | 30 credits |
The University is committed to providing a wide range of module options where possible, but please be aware that whilst every effort is made to offer choice this may be limited in certain circumstances. This is due to the fact that some modules have limited numbers of places available, which are allocated on a first-come, first-served basis, while others have minimum student numbers required before they will run, to ensure that an appropriate quality of education can be delivered; some modules require students to have already taken particular subjects, and others are core or required on the programme you are taking. Modules may also be limited due to timetable clashes, and although the University works to minimise disruption to choice, we advise you to seek advice from the relevant School on the module choices available.
Learning and assessment
Traditional face-to-face learning strategies such as lectures, workshops and seminars will be complemented by digital learning and interactive online opportunities and resources designed to enhance your overall learning experience and enable you to acquire the knowledge, skills and capabilities that are a requirement of contemporary midwifery practice. You are also afforded valuable opportunities to learn from the authentic voices of people who use maternity services and charities who support maternity care, both in person and via digital stories. We also have a focus on interprofessional learning (IPE) across the programme so that you are able to interact with other students and professionals from health and social care, both in theory and practice.
Within the clinical environment you will be supported by Practice Supervisors and Practice Assessors as you progress towards achieving NMC proficiencies, as outlined by the NMC (2018). You will also be allocated a midwifery lecturer as your Academic Assessor in each year of the programme who will review your Midwifery Professional Assessment Document (MPAD) throughout the year to the point of progression to the following year of study or qualification / graduation.
To support learning you will also have numerous opportunities to undertake simulated activities and scenarios in a purpose-built simulation suite. This will allow you to develop, practise and consolidate skills in a safe environment.
This programme offers elements of provision through the medium of Welsh, which are discussed on an individual basis with students.
How will I be supported?
You will be allocated a Personal Tutor for pastoral support who is a member of the midwifery academic team. You are encouraged to arrange meetings with your personal tutor throughout your time on the programme, during which you can access pastoral support and reflect on your overall progress. Personal Tutors will also assist in signposting you to other sources of support such as the School and Programme Student Disability Contact and University-wide services including the comprehensive Student Life Services. Welsh-speaking personal tutors are available to students whose preference is to access support through the medium of Welsh.
The School works in partnership with Y Coleg Cymraeg Cenedlaethol to provide opportunities for Welsh speaking students to consider aspects of the programme through the medium of Welsh. You could also learn Welsh through our Welsh for All programme where courses are designed to fit around your academic commitments and are free of charge.
There is a Lead Midwife for Education (LME) appointed as the experienced leader who is responsible for midwifery education and the overall programme in line with NMC standards (2019). The LME is also accountable for signing every student’s supporting declaration of health and character on completion of the pre-registration midwifery programme, upon application to join the NMC Register. The Programme Manager, Module Leads and Academic Assessor can support you in relation to your overall experience as a student on the midwifery programme, including any feedback or concerns you might have.
During practice placements, you will be supported by Practice Supervisors and a Practice Assessor who will facilitate your learning and prepare you for clinical assessments. A dedicated midwifery lecturer, Placement Support Team and Practice Education Facilitator within each Health Board, along with clinical link lecturers, are also available to support your learning and progress, as well as to address any issues or problems that may arise. The placement team will attempt to source Welsh-speaking supervisors or bilingual placement learning opportunities if available.
You will also be allocated an Academic Assessor who will collate and confirm your achievement of proficiencies and programme outcomes in the academic environment for each part of the programme.
How will I be assessed?
The curriculum incorporates a diverse and creative range of assessment strategies and methods which are reflective of an inclusive, learner-centred approach that takes account of neurodiversity and are aligned to the intended learning outcomes of the programme.
Each module within the programme incorporates formative assessment and feedback which is designed to support your learning and to assist you in identifying your own strengths and areas for development and prepare you for summative assessment, which is formally marked and contributes to progression and degree classification. The goal of summative assessment is to indicate how well you have succeeded in meeting the intended learning outcomes of a module and the feedback provided will enable you to identify areas for further development as you progress through the programme. Feedback on assessments will be timely and will be provided to you within 20 working days of the submission deadline.
In placement you will be assessed using the Midwifery Practice Assessment Document (MPAD) which has clear guidance and templates to support your learning. The assessment of the MPAD is organised into 5 Benchmark Statements that are graded and contribute to your mark: Underpinning Knowledge, Clinical Skills, Communication, Professional Accountability, Professional Behaviour. The NMC (2018) Standards for student supervision and assessment are used to guide practice assessments. The MPAD also clearly itemises what you have to achieve in pursuit of the professional activities of a midwife in order to complete the programme. These are stipulated in the NMC Standards (2019) and are from the EU Directive 2005/36/EC Article 42 and Annex V https://www.nmc.org.uk/standards/standards-for-midwives/standards-for-pre-registration-midwifery-programmes/.
What skills will I practise and develop?
The Learning Outcomes for this Programme describe what you will be able to do as a result of your midwifery degree study at Cardiff University. They will help you to understand what is expected of you.
Knowledge and understanding:
On successful completion of the Programme you will be able to demonstrate:
1. A comprehensive, systematic understanding of the philosophical and theoretical concepts that underpin and inform midwifery and interprofessional health practice.
2. Coherent and detailed knowledge of body systems, anatomy, physiology, genomics and human development underpinned with relevant theory, applied to pre-conception, pregnancy, childbirth, postpartum and newborn care.
3. A critical evaluative approach to the socio-political factors, intersectionality and relevant policies that influence individual, local, national, and global health & wellbeing.
4. A comprehensive, conceptual understanding and recognition of the importance of human rights taking into account physical, psychological, emotional, spiritual and cultural safety in the delivery of quality person-centred care.
5. Confident ability to identify and critically evaluate appropriate sources of evidence and scholarly reviews, considering their application to midwifery practice and systems of maternity and public health care.
6. A comprehensive understanding of regulatory and professional body standards including the Nursing & Midwifery Council Code, and their application to personal and professional leadership and development.
Intellectual skills:
On successful completion of the Programme you will be able to demonstrate:
1. Safe and effective midwifery practice that optimises normal physiological processes in collaboration with the woman, pregnant person, family and the wider interprofessional and multiagency teams.
2. Respectful communication with all involved, in the delivery of midwifery care that demonstrates equitable interpersonal and cultural competence, taking the lead in empowering and advocating for the woman and pregnant person.
3. Provision of evidence-based midwifery care that draws upon the three tenets of Evidence Based Practice; best available research evidence, clinical expertise and the preference of women, as well as an appreciation of uncertainty and ambiguity.
4. Excellence in the provision of skilled continuity of care and carer, working across the whole continuum of care and in all settings, anticipating, preventing and responding to complications & additional care needs.
5. Consistent adherence to the professional standards of practice set by the Nursing & Midwifery Council within the Code, and application of their professional guidance.
6. A creative and innovative approach to problem-solving and service improvement in the practice environment, including imaginative thinking and deployment of analysis and enquiry to enhance health outcomes and experiences of care.
Professional practice:
On successful completion of the Programme you will be able to demonstrate:
1. A considered, kind, compassionate, nurturing and empowering approach to person-centred care and complex decision-making, being mindful of the views, preferences and choices of women, pregnant people, and their families.
2. Legal, ethical and professional values and behaviours in keeping with expectations described in the Nursing & Midwifery Council Code and Standards of Proficiency.
3. A reflective approach to continuing professional development which includes self-care, critical evaluation and strategic thinking, emotional intelligence and compassionate leadership.
4. Effective collaboration, team working and positive role modelling with all individuals involved in the provision of non-discriminatory, quality care, valuing diversity of experience and perspectives.
5. Accountability and responsibility as an autonomous professional midwife to provide safe and effective midwifery care.
Transferable/Key Skills:
On successful completion of the Programme you will be able to demonstrate:
1. Intellectual curiosity, independent critical thinking, academic writing and innovative dissemination of complex information through a variety of media.
2. Effective prioritisation and management of time, assuming leadership, reliability, responsibility and accountability for management and development of self and others.
3. Enhanced communication skills and an ability to initiate, teach, supervise and motivate others using a collaborative approach.
4. Accurate record-keeping, and responsible engagement with a range of digital technologies.
5. Enthusiasm, resilience and reflective self-care based on an awareness of ethical, social and sustainable principles that enable you to exercise initiative and personal responsibility in managing your continuous learning.
Careers and placements
Career prospects
We are proud that 100%* of our Midwifery graduates are in employment and/or further study six months after graduating (*DHLE and HECSU).
Midwifery is a global profession, and UK-educated midwives are respected worldwide, meaning you'll have the opportunity to work both in the UK and across the globe.
Midwifery is a challenging and rewarding career choice, and upon qualification, the career options available are varied and plentiful, and include: clinical midwifery, management, research and education.
Graduate careers
- Midwife
- Nurse
- Advanced nurse practitioner
- Health visitor
- Research nurse
- Ward manager
- Lecturer
Placements
The Bachelor of Midwifery (Hons) programme is a combined academic and professional qualification, with an average of 50% of your learning taking place in the university (2437.5 hours in total) and 50% in practice placement learning (2475 hours in total) over the duration of three years.
You will have opportunities to work in different clinical areas across two large Health Boards which provides you with an excellent varied and specialist learning experience. There are clear expectations of what you have to achieve in pursuit of the professional activities of a midwife and to complete the programme. These are stipulated in the NMC Standards (2019) and are from the EU Directive 2005/36/EC Article 42 and Annex V https://www.nmc.org.uk/standards/standards-for-midwives/standards-for-pre-registration-midwifery-programmes/.
At the end of year 2 you have a 4-week ‘elective’ placement which can be undertaken anywhere of your choice, locally, nationally or internationally. This placement can focus on the broader aspects of women’s heath, public health or family health.
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HESA Data: Copyright Higher Education Statistics Agency Limited 2021. The Higher Education Statistics Agency Limited cannot accept responsibility for any inferences or conclusions derived by third parties from its data. Data is from the latest Graduate Outcomes Survey 2019/20, published by HESA in June 2022.
