The Graduate Diploma in Midwifery is an 36-unit course offered by the Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences.

Admission requirements

Applicants must hold a midwifery degree or equivalent qualification, and must be Registered Midwives, and must hold a current practising certificate. However, the Board may, under certain circumstances and subject to specific conditions, admit others who can show evidence of fitness for candidature.

Course aims

The course aims to provide the opportunity for registered midwives to deepen their knowledge and skills in midwifery and prepare them for an expanded practice role in a new and innovative program of study. This course will not lead to registration as a midwife. 

Learning outcomes

At the completion of the course students will be expected to be able to:

  • demonstrate advanced evidence-based knowledge and skills in their midwifery practice
  • critically review contemporary midwifery care within dynamic professional and political contexts
  • implement innovative midwifery practice based on a collaborative woman-centred approach
  • review, analyse and integrate primary health care and population health principles into midwifery practice
  • critically analyse existing models of midwifery care and develop new models of women-centred care appropriate to the contexts of practice
  • apply the advanced knowledge and skills required for an extended midwifery role.

Program of study

To qualify for the Graduate Diploma in Midwifery, a student must complete 36 units with a grade of Pass or NGP or better in each topic, according to the program of study below.

Except with permission of the Faculty Board:

  • no topic may be attempted more than twice
  • a student may not include a topic which repeats work previously undertaken

  • the program must be completed full-time in two semesters or part-time within six consecutive semesters.

The award of a grade of Fail (F) in the same topic on more than one occasion or in 9 units or more, or failure to complete the course within six consecutive semesters may constitute prima facie evidence of unsatisfactory progress for the purpose of the University's Policy on Student Progress.

Core - Year 1 topics

18 units comprising:

 NURS9120  Evidence-based Clinical Practice  (4.5 units)
 NURS9125  Population Health  (4.5 units)
 NURS9126  Leadership in Health Studies  (4.5 units)
 NURS9621  Epidemiology for Nurses and Midwives  (4.5 units)

Elective - Year 1 topics

Select 18 units from the following topics:

 MIDW9004  Midwifery Models of Care  (9 units)
 MIDW9005  Psychosocial Contexts in Midwifery  (9 units)
 MMED9110  Principles of Pharmacology and Therapeutics  (4.5 units)
 MMED9111  Pharmacology for Advanced Professional Practice  (4.5 units)
 NURS9127  Diagnostics for Advanced Practice  (9 units)