Midwifery
Midwifery is a healthcare profession built on one of the most intimate and consequential relationships in medicine: the partnership between a midwife and a woman through pregnancy, labour, birth, and the early weeks of a newborn's life. Midwives provide clinical care, education, and emotional support across the full continuum of maternity, working in hospitals, community settings, and birth centres, and they are autonomous practitioners whose clinical judgement is central to the safety and wellbeing of both mothers and babies. The profession combines scientific knowledge, clinical skill, and a deeply person-centred approach to care that puts the woman's choices and dignity at the heart of practice.
At the University of Bedfordshire, this three-year, full-time degree is regulated by the Nursing and Midwifery Council, and successful completion of the programme allows you to register with the NMC as a qualified midwife. You will develop your knowledge of anatomy and physiology, reproductive health, pharmacology, neonatal care, and the public health dimensions of maternity alongside the clinical skills and professional values required of a registered practitioner. Significant time is spent in clinical practice placements, where you work under supervision across different maternity settings and build the competence and confidence that professional registration demands.
A typical entry tariff of 136 points reflects the academic and professional expectations of the course.
Qualifying as a midwife opens a career in a regulated health profession with strong and sustained demand in the NHS and independent sector. Most graduates go on to work as midwives in NHS trusts, while others pursue roles in community midwifery, independent practice, midwifery education, or international maternal health. Postgraduate study in areas such as advanced midwifery practice, public health, or leadership in healthcare is a route available to those seeking to develop specialist expertise or move into management and educational roles.