Postgraduate Certificate in Midwifery Practice

Location

Online with one, two day workshop

Duration
Six months full-time; part-time options
Delivery

Each course involves working through online resources and taking part in online discussions

Credits
60
Level
8
Start
February, April, July or September
Apply
Anytime
  • Location
    Intake
    Study breaks
  • Distance
    1 January 2021
  • Distance
    15 February 2021
  • Distance
    26 April 2021
  • Distance
    12 July 2021
  • Distance
    20 September 2021

Already a registered midwife and looking for a way to extend your professional expertise?

This postgraduate programme is ideal as it is flexible, practice-focused and relevant. Undertake four courses of seven weeks each that focus on aspects of midwifery practice and critically analyse your own midwifery experiences as a means of adding depth to your knowledge base. Tailored to meet your individual needs, our online learning options enable you to study from home. Benefit from the support from experienced lecturers and the opportunity for networking while gaining new skills.

A perfect springboard into further study, the Postgraduate Certificate allows you to start slowly and increase your qualifications as you go. Each programme contributes to the next so that four papers successfully completed in the Certificate mean you only need four more to achieve the Postgraduate Diploma in Midwifery. Online learning resources may include PowerPoint presentations, worksheets, word documents, interactive web pages and links to relevant electronic documents or websites.

Entry requirements
  • You must be a registered midwife and hold a bachelor's degree OR have relevant equivalent skills and knowledge acquired through appropriate work or professional experience.

For New Zealand registered midwives: 

For International midwifery students who are not registered in New Zealand:

If you need to improve your English Language skills, we offer a wide range of English programmes.

Additional documentation

You must supply certified copies of academic records and proof of identity.

Selection procedure

You are encouraged to enrol early to enable us to plan our courses and allocate staff resources.

COVID-19 vaccination information

If you want to apply for this programme, we’ll need to see evidence of your Covid-19 vaccinations (including types and dates). You need to have had three doses. We’re legally obliged to collect this additional information from you as this programme is covered by the Covid-19 Public Health Response (Vaccination) Order 2021. 

Please just complete our online application process as normal. As part of the application process, you’ll be asked to provide your vaccination record. 

The Government have advised that the only proof of vaccination that we can accept is a vaccination record PDF from your My Covid Record. 

Find out how to get your vaccination record here >

2022 course dates

14 February - 1 April

  • Preceptorship for midwives 
  • Promoting physiological birth
  • Working with tangata whenua: Building equity in maternity care

26 April – 10 June      

  • Queering midwifery: Sexuality, gender and sex characteristic diversity
  • Diabetes in pregnancy
  • Perinatal mental health 

11 July – 26 August

  • Complexities, culture, and research around safe sleep for pēpi
  • Nutrition for the childbearing woman 
  • Sexual health in pregnancy

19 September - 4 November          

  • Applied anatomy and physiology for midwives
  • Leadership and change in midwifery
  • Midwifery practice in rural and primary maternity's settings 

A course summary document is available here.

If you are a returning student, please contact ebsMID@op.ac.nz for a 2022 course selection form. New students wishing to study should please apply online

Ongoing study for Postgraduate Diploma or Master of Midwifery

If you have completed your Postgraduate Certificate, or Complex Care, please contact Suzanne Miller (suzanne.miller@op.ac.nz) to plan your ongoing study.

If you have completed the pre-thesis Diploma courses (Pathway to Thesis: Midwifery Knowledge, and Pathway to Thesis: Midwifery Research Methodologies), please contact Suzanne Miller (suzanne.miller@op.ac.nz) for advice on enrolling in the Master of Midwifery. 

Happy studying! 

You will study

Learning packages will be displayed on the online Moodle learning management system supported by Adobe Connect online tutorials and activities will include quizzes, completion of worksheets, and the use of the Moodle forum for discussion and presentations.

Your workload

Each course requires working through online resources and participating in online discussions. There will be additional reading and preparation of assessments. Individual pathways and hours will vary but each 'credit' in a course equates to approximately 10 learning hours.

Programme specific risks

When studying courses offered online or using other electronic media, you may be at risk of Occupational Overuse Syndrome or other injuries brought about by long periods of computer use.

Student loans/allowances

Student loans and allowances are for domestic students only. For information about student loans and allowances please visit the Studylink website. It is important to apply for your student loan/allowance at the same time as you apply for this programme, due to the length of time Studylink take to process. Loan/allowance applications can be cancelled at any time if you decide to withdraw your programme application or if it is unsuccessful. 

Links to useful websites

The New Zealand College of Midwives (NZCOM) is the professional organisation, and recognised 'voice', for midwives and student midwives in New Zealand, and represents over 2800 members: NZ College of Midwives

Nga Maia o Aotearoa me to Wai Pounamu  (Nga Maia) is the national organisation representing Maori birthing. The kaupapa of Nga Maia focuses on Mama, Pepi and Whanau and promoting Matauranga Maori in pregnancy and childbirth: Nga Maia

International Confederation of Midwives (ICM) supports, represents and works to strengthen professional associations of midwives on a global basis. At present ICM have over 90 member associations in more than 70 countries. The ICM works with midwives and midwifery associations globally to secure women's right and access to midwifery care before, during and after childbirth: International Confederation of Midwives

The Midwifery Council of New Zealand (MCNZ) is the regulatory body for New Zealand midwives. It is responsible for the protection of the health and safety of women and babies during the childbirth process by providing mechanisms to ensure that midwives are competent and fit to practise midwifery: Midwifery Council NZ

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