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Key details
Duration
Locations
Entry requirements
View full entry requirementsCredit points required
80Course code
Overview
The Graduate Diploma of Midwifery is open to Registered Nurses (Division 1 with no notations) with AHPRA wishing to pursue a career in Midwifery. Successful graduates will be eligible to apply for registration as a midwife throughout Australia. Throughout the course, there will be an emphasis on woman-centred care, the art and science of midwifery, health promotion, communication skills, evidence-based practice and models of midwifery care within a primary health care approach.
Practical placements
In order to complete the Graduate Diploma of Midwifery, you are required to undertake professional experience placement. This provides you with invaluable practical experience and the readiness for midwifery practice.
Continuity of care is a core element of the course so a commitment to out-of-hours and between semester clinical work is required. Students must follow 10 across the duration of the degree, seeing these women four times antenatally, being on call for birth, and seeing them twice postnatally. These requirements are in addition to placement. These experiences must be done in your local community due to the many months of a woman's journey.
It is important to be aware that:
- In order to progress in the course, you are required to attend placements.
- All placements are arranged by CDU.
- Placements are subject to availability at healthcare facilities.
- Placements may include morning, evening, night, weekend and public holiday shifts. They may be scheduled shifts or on-call shifts.
- Non-attendance at placement may only occur in extenuating circumstances which, for the purpose of placements, do not include childcare and work commitments.
Compulsory attendance
This course has a 32-hour mandatory simulation block at the beginning of each semester. Students are also required to undertake a professional experience placement each semester. Travel and associated costs are to be covered by students themselves. Wherever possible, students are placed according to their residential address. However this is subject to availability of placements and not guaranteed. Depending on location, students may have to travel (including interstate) for their professional experience placements.
Career opportunities
Graduates of this program have the opportunity to work in both public and private maternity care settings in Australia.
Completing this program may lead to career opportunities such as becoming a privately practicing midwife, a clinical midwife in a maternity hospital, a midwifery educator or midwifery manager.
Practical experience
Graduate Diploma of Midwifery students must complete a minimum of 720 practicum hours. In addition to the practicum hours, students must complete at least ten (10) continuity-of-care experiences.
Professional recognition
Graduates of this course will be eligible to apply for registration as a Registered Midwife with the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia (NMBA).
Credit transfers and advanced standing
Pathways
Pathways for Higher Education to Higher Education
For information about credit transfer available to students with complete or incomplete study at this or other Institutions refer to Pathways for Higher Education to Higher Education
Credit transfer
For further information on credit transfer and how to apply visit ASK CDU
Credit transfers and advanced standing
Credit transfer
For further information on credit transfer and how to apply visit ASK CDU
Fees
Both Commonwealth supported (CS) and full fee (FF) places are available for this course. If you would like to apply for a CS place use the SATAC code 1GD046. If you would like to apply for a FF place you will need to use the SATAC code 1GD546.
A limited number of Commonwealth Supported Places (CSPs) may be available for this course. If the number of eligible applicants exceeds the available CSP quota, applicants may be ranked based on academic merit to determine allocation. Applicants who are not offered a CSP may still add a preference for a full-fee place.
Commonwealth supported places
Commonwealth Supported places are available in this course to students who meet one of the following residency requirements:
(a) be an Australian citizen, who will complete some of your course of study while resident in Australia; or
(b) a New Zealand citizen; or an Australian permanent visa holder; or an eligible former permanent humanitarian visa holder; who studies the entire course while living in Australia.
Further information about fees and charges can be found at Fees and Payments.
Non-Commonwealth supported places
Full fee paying places are available in this course.
Information about fees and charges can be found at Fees and Payments.
Why study Nursing and Midwifery at CDU?
Future-proof your career in healthcare with a postgraduate nursing or midwifery degree at CDU. Delivered by passionate and expert lecturers, your learning will be guided by evidence, innovation and patient-centred care.
- #2 in Australia for postgraduate nursing starting salary (GUG 2024)
- #3 in Australia for postgraduate nursing employment outcomes (GUG 2024)
- #3 in Australia for postgraduate learner engagement in nursing
- Choose to study online, on campus, part-time or full-time as it suits you
Why study Nursing and Midwifery at CDU?
Find a rewarding career in healthcare when you study nursing or midwifery at CDU. Our graduates have the academic knowledge and hands-on experience to confidently enter the workplace and deliver evidence-based care to their patients.
- Gain practical experience through placements and state-of-the-art clinical simulation suites located around Australia
- #2 in Australia for postgraduate nursing starting salary (GUG 2024)
- #3 in Australia for postgraduate nursing employment outcomes (GUG 2024)
- #3 in Australia for postgraduate learner engagement in nursing
Why study Nursing and Midwifery at CDU?
Future-proof your career in healthcare with a postgraduate nursing or midwifery degree at CDU. Delivered by passionate and expert lecturers, your learning will be guided by evidence, innovation and patient-centred care.
- #2 in Australia for postgraduate nursing starting salary (GUG 2024)
- #3 in Australia for postgraduate nursing employment outcomes (GUG 2024)
- #3 in Australia for postgraduate learner engagement in nursing
- Choose to study online, on campus, part-time or full-time as it suits you
Why study Nursing and Midwifery at CDU?
Find a rewarding career in healthcare when you study nursing or midwifery at CDU. Our graduates have the academic knowledge and hands-on experience to confidently enter the workplace and deliver evidence-based care to their patients.
- Gain practical experience through placements and state-of-the-art clinical simulation suites located around Australia
- #2 in Australia for postgraduate nursing starting salary (GUG 2024)
- #3 in Australia for postgraduate nursing employment outcomes (GUG 2024)
- #3 in Australia for postgraduate learner engagement in nursing
What will I study?
This is an 18-month, full-time program and will be delivered over three consecutive semesters.
Course structure
Learning and teaching will be scaffolded throughout the program beginning with the fundamentals of midwifery care in semester 1, complex midwifery care in semester 2 and midwifery emergencies in semester 3. The Graduate Diploma of Midwifery is offered in a blended study mode with lectures and tutorials online and mandatory in-person simulation blocks. There is a 32-hour mandatory simulation block at the beginning of each semester. These may be held in person on either the Darwin, Alice Springs or Sydney campuses, and Tamworth Simulation Hub or the Brisbane (pending NMBA's approval) simulation site.
To facilitate the integration of theory to practice students in this program, will undertake clinical placements, in a variety of maternity care settings.
A candidate must successfully complete units totalling 80 credit points (cp) as detailed below. All units are valued at 10 credit points unless otherwise indicated.
| Unit type | Credit Points | Specific requirements |
| Core Units (7 units) | 80cp | Compulsory Core units totalling 80 credit points as detailed below. MID500 Midwifery as a Profession (5cp) |
| 80cp | Total Credit Points |
Course Rules (unless otherwise indicated in the above course structure)
- See the Higher Education Course Rules (Award Requirements) in the Units and Courses Policy.
# Simulation block: Students are required to attend a 32-hour intensive as a part of this unit.
## Work Integrated Learning: Students are required to attend the clinical placement hours as allocated by CDU Placement Office.
# ## Simulation block and Work Integrated Learning: Students are required to attend both on-campus intensive and clinical placement hours.
Study plan
STUDENTS COMMENCING IN SEMESTER 1
The Recommended Study Plan provided below is suitable for a student enrolling in a full-time study load. Students entering this course with advanced standing, or wishing to vary their study plan due to work, personal, financial or other reasons should use the table as a guide to create an individual study plan.
When designing an individual study plan:
- maintain the basic order in which units are to be attempted; and
- check the prerequisite and assumed knowledge for each unit as some units assume you have completed foundation unit/s in the unit area at a lower level.
| Legend: | CO = Core Unit |
Full-Time Study Plan
| Semester 1 | Semester 2 | ||
| Calendar Year 1 | |||
| MID500 Midwifery as a Profession (5cp) | CO | MID503 Perinatal Mental Health (5cp) | CO |
| MID504 First Nations Health: Women and Families (5cp) | CO | MID501 Supporting Families Transition to Parenthood (5cp) | CO |
| MID502 Midwifery Practice 1 (20cp) # ## | CO | MID505 Midwifery Practice 2 (20cp) # ## | CO |
| Calendar Year 2 | |||
| MID506 Midwifery Practice 3 (20cp) # ## | CO | ||
_____________________________________
STUDENTS COMMENCING IN SEMESTER 2
The Recommended Study Plan provided below is suitable for a student enrolling in a full-time study load. Students entering this course with advanced standing, or wishing to vary their study plan due to work, personal, financial or other reasons should use the table as a guide to create an individual study plan.
When designing an individual study plan:
- maintain the basic order in which units are to be attempted; and
- check the prerequisite and assumed knowledge for each unit as some units assume you have completed foundation unit/s in the unit area at a lower level.
| Legend: | CO = Core Unit |
Full-Time Study Plan
| Semester 1 | Semester 2 | ||
| Calendar Year 1 | |||
| MID501 Supporting Families Transition to Parenthood (5cp) | CO | ||
| MID502 Midwifery Practice 1 (20cp) # ## | CO | ||
| Calendar Year 2 | |||
| MID500 Midwifery as a Profession (5cp) | CO | MID503 Perinatal Mental Health (5cp) | CO |
| MID504 First Nations Health: Women and Families (5cp) | CO | MID506 Midwifery Practice 3 (20cp) # ## | CO |
| MID505 Midwifery Practice 2 (20cp) # ## | CO | ||
Entry requirements
Quota
The Graduate Diploma of Midwifery is a highly competitive course with more applications than places available. In assessing applicants and in keeping with CDU strategic planning documents, subquotas are available to First Nations Australians, and Northern Territory residents.
A limited number of Commonwealth Supported Places (CSPs) may be available for this course. If the number of eligible applicants exceeds the available CSP quota, applicants may be ranked based on academic merit to determine allocation. Applicants who are not offered a CSP may still add a preference for a full-fee place.
Admission criteria
To apply for this course, applicants must:
- Hold current registration with AHPRA as a Division 1 Registered Nurse (with no notations); and
- Have a completed Bachelor of Nursing, Master of Nursing (Pre-registration) or equivalent international qualification.
Additional admission requirements
Applicants will be ranked based on subquotas and academic merit.
To be considered for the NT residency and/or First Nations subquotas, applicants must attach the required statutory declaration when submitting their application.
Successful applicants to the program must hold a current registration as a Registered Nurse (Division 1, with no notations) with the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia (NMBA). Applicants must have met the NMBA English language requirements of an IELTS score of 7 and above.
Essential requirements
Pre-clinical requirements:
Students must provide proof that they have met all university and State/Territory pre-clinical requirements before they can undertake those units that include clinical placements. These requirements include, but are not limited to, immunisation requirements, annual criminal record checks and/or working with children clearances and/or fitness-to-practice requirements.
English language requirements
DOMESTIC STUDENTS
To gain entry into Charles Darwin University, all Higher Education applicants must satisfy the University's English Language Proficiency Requirements for their chosen course of study. All applicants will be required to supply evidence of this at the time of application.
The minimum English language requirement for this course can be met by evidencing of one of the following:
| Year 12 | Successful completion of Year 12 within Australia, or an equivalent qualification from an approved country where English is the official language (refer to our approved standard and extended lists included below). |
| 0.5 FTE Higher Education Study | Successful completion of at least 0.5FTE of higher education study from Australia or an approved country where English is the official language (refer to our approved standard and extended lists included below). If studies were completed from a country on the extended list, they must have been completed within the past five (5) years. |
| CDU Enabling Course | Successful completion of a Charles Darwin University enabling program of at least 0.5FTE (40 credit points). |
| TAFE Qualification | Successful completion of a recognised TAFE qualification at a Certificate III level or higher from Australia. |
| AHPRA Registration | Current AHPRA registration as a Division 1 or Division 2 nurse. Registration must be current at the time of course commencement. |
| English Test^ | Completion of an approved English test within two years of commencement, meeting the minimum scores outlined in the table below. |
^ Minimum Requirements for English Tests:
| Postgraduate requirements | Undergraduate requirements | |
| CDU ELICOS - English for Academic Purposes | Successful completion of EAP004 | Successful completion of EAP003 |
| International English Language Testing System (IELTS) Academic test | Overall minimum: 6.5 No band below: 6.0 | Overall minimum: 6.0 No band below 6.0 |
| Cambridge English: Advanced (CAE) | Overall minimum: 176 No skill below: 169 | Overall minimum: 169 No skill below 169 |
| Pearson Tests of English (PTE) Academic | Overall minimum: 58 No score below 50 | Overall minimum: 50 No score below: 50 |
| Test of English as a Foreign language | Overall minimum: 79 Minimum writing score: 21 | Overall minimum: 60 Minimum writing score: 21 |
IELTS One Skill Retake is accepted, allowing candidates to retake a single skill within 60 days of sitting their initial test. One Skill Retake results are valid for two years from the date of the first test (not from the date of the Retake test) to the date of commencement at CDU.
CDU accepts combined results from two test sittings of IELTS Academic, PTE Academic, or TOEFL, taken within a six-month period, if:
- Both tests were under the same testing system; and
- The overall score in both tests meets the overall minimum; and
- The applicant achieved the section minimum for each section in at least one test.
Recognised English-speaking countries:
| Standard List | Antigua and Barbuda, Australia, Barbados, British Virgin Islands, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, Singapore, South Africa, United Kingdom, United States of America. |
| Extended List | Bermuda, Botswana, Cayman Islands, Ethiopia, Fiji, Kenya, Malawi, Malta, Mauritius, Seychelles, St Vincent and the Grenadines, Tanzania, Trinidad and Tobago, Vanuatu, Zimbabwe. |
For further details on the English requirements for CDU courses, please refer to the CDU English Language Proficiency Policy.
The people-first approach to flexibility and supportive learning environment at CDU meant I could find a balance with study, work and family life.
Nikki
CDU student
It’s a two-way education, educators here listen to us as much as we listen to them, so classroom experiences are amazing. I’ve also made a lot of friends through our regular group assignments or projects.
Farhana
CDU student
The people-first approach to flexibility and supportive learning environment at CDU meant I could find a balance with study, work and family life.
Nikki
CDU student
It’s a two-way education, educators here listen to us as much as we listen to them, so classroom experiences are amazing. I’ve also made a lot of friends through our regular group assignments or projects.
Farhana
CDU student
Course details
Accreditation
This course is accredited by the University in accordance with the Higher Education Standards.
Inherent Requirements
There are inherent requirements for this course. Students must read and understand the requirements for this course.
Australian qualification framework
This course is recognised in the Australian Qualifications Framework at Level 8.
Additional information
Contact details
For further information about the course, enrolment procedures, closing dates and other administrative issues please contact Student Central on:
You make CDU
Together we are a positive force for change in our communities and the world.
Learn about nursing at CDU
Reeya is from Nepal studying a Bachelor of Nursing at CDU. Hear more about her experience of studying, living, working and playing in Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia.
You make CDU
Together we are a positive force for change in our communities and the world.
Learn about nursing at CDU
Reeya is from Nepal studying a Bachelor of Nursing at CDU. Hear more about her experience of studying, living, working and playing in Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia.
How to apply
There are many ways to apply to CDU. The method you use depends on your course type, where you live and whether you are a new or returning student to CDU.
Remember to apply early for your best chance at securing an offer to study with us.
SATAC
SATAC is the application channel for residents of NT, ACT, SA, WA, QLD, VIC, NSW or TAS.
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