The MSc Midwifery programme will enable you to build on your existing skills as an adult nurse, and develop professional competency as a midwife. You will graduate with a Masters in Midwifery and you will be eligible to register with the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) as a Midwife.
Midwifery is a rewarding, dynamic and highly skilled profession. This course will equip students with the knowledge, skills and attributes to deliver woman-centred, compassionate, safe and effective care. You will have the opportunity to learn in our new state-of-the-art Simulation Centre and complete practice placements in a range of settings.
Our personal tutor system for student support is highly regarded, and we were awarded the Best Student Experience award in the 2021 Student Nursing Times Awards.
This programme has been co-designed with all relevant stakeholders including maternity service users and carers, midwifery students and practice partners to ensure adequate preparation for midwifery practice on completion. The programme will ensure you meet all requirements for registration as a midwife on successful completion including systematic examination of the newborn.
The programme is taught by experts in Midwifery who will support you in becoming a caring, autonomous and evidence based practitioner incorporating leadership skills and working in partnership with women, families, and communities. Our focus on interdisciplinary learning throughout the two-year programme will enrich your experience and help prepare you for professional practice.
To be eligible to apply, applicants must be currently employed as an Adult Nurse by a HSC Trust within N Ireland. Successful applicants will be exempt from programme tuition fees.
Applicants should consider implications and/or changes to their contract of employment to which QUB assumes no responsibility. Applicants must discuss financial or contractual considerations directly with their employer, QUB is unable to advise. QUB will not be liable for any financial or other associated losses.
Placements during your midwifery programme are mainly within one HSCT in NI, however, to meet NMC requirements you will be required to undertake at least one placement in another NI HSCT.
Successful students will graduate with a Masters and will be eligible to register with the NMC as a midwife.
Midwifery - Feb intake highlights
Professional Accreditations
Graduates from this programme will be eligible to register with the NMC as a midwife. This course is designed to meet the NMC Future Nurse: Future Midwife standards of Proficiency for registered midwives and has been approved by the NMC.
Career Development
This programme provides graduates with a fast-track to an exceptional midwifery career.
World Class Facilities
Students on this programme will use our new, high specification Simulation Centre, which is the first of its kind in Europe. Students will learn in teams alongside students of other disciplines, including Nursing, Medicine and Pharmacy, and will be able to access the latest learning technologies.
Student Experience
Students in the School of Nursing & Midwifery at QUB are well supported through a network of Personal Tutors inside the University, as well as Link Lecturers, academic assessors and practice assessors/supervisors on placement.
The two-year programme will comprise of 50% academic modules and 50% in practice learning. All modules are listed below.
Academic Modules
Students will be required to complete all compulsory modules, plus a Portfolio of evidence to successfully complete this programme.
Applied Pharmacology for Midwifery practice
Midwifery students will be able to critically analyse and evaluate legal and ethical issues for administration and prescribing medicines across the trajectory of childbirth. Students will also be able to critically examine issues associated with breast feeding, multiple co-morbid conditions, complex drugs, polypharmacy and stewardship.
Developing Skilled Midwifery Practice
This module introduces midwifery students to the knowledge and skills they will acquire in order to provide safe and effective maternity care (integrated person-centred, universal and additional care).
Foundations of Midwifery Practice
Midwifery students will build upon their existing knowledge and develop application of essential life sciences and pharmacology to midwifery practice. The theory and practice of midwifery as a profession including the role of the midwife, the underpinning philosophy of care, continuity of care and carer and the provision of universal and additional care will be included.
Health for All: Women, Families and Midwives
Students will explore women’s health from a salutogenic perspective across the reproductive life span. This will be explored through the following themes: concepts and determinants of health and wellbeing for women, families and midwives; perinatal mental health; personal health and wellbeing including resilience, self-care and team-working; antenatal and reproductive health.
Infant Feeding
Students will demonstrate positive knowledge, skills, attitudes and values in supporting and caring for women and the rights of the child at the beginning of their feeding journey.
Leading Professional Midwifery
Students will demonstrate positive knowledge, skills, attitudes and values in leading and managing care in the maternity healthcare system. This will be achieved through the following themes: Leadership and management; Analysis of national and global health frameworks; Principles of supervision and assessment in practice; Professional values.
Midwives as Skilled Practitioners
Building on students’ knowledge and skills acquisition in year 1 and all other modules, this module will enable students to consolidate their knowledge and skills as they are challenged to take the lead in providing safe and effective maternity care (integrated person-centred, universal and additional care), as an autonomous practitioner and key member of the interdisciplinary team
Quality Improvement in an Interprofessional Context - Part A
Students will work with practice partners to identify a Quality Improvement project, plan, implement all aspects of the project, analyse the data and report/ disseminate the findings.
Quality Improvement in an Interprofessional Context - Part B
Students will demonstrate the skills to lead, facilitate and disseminate a Quality Improvement project to promote the embedding of outcomes as part of an interprofessional team. This will include: how to implement a PDSA cycle (e.g team working, principles and methods of data collection and consent); analysing QI data, dissemination and interprofessional team working.
Safe Medicate 3 Midwifery
Students will engage and apply previous knowledge in more complex scenarios preparing students for safe clinical practice as they prepare for entry to the midwifery register. Using Safemedicate is a NMC approved online platform in which students complete interactive exercises and practice assessments similar to solving dosage calculation problems in the real world.
25 (hours maximum) This is a full-time programme using blended learning. Students should be available to attend class and complete all online elements across the week. 100% attendance is required for face-to-face teaching.
Personal Study
0 (hours maximum) Students will be expected to prepare for classes and develop assignments during unscheduled time.
Learning and Teaching
At QUB, we aim to deliver a high-quality learning environment that embeds intellectual curiosity, innovation and best practice in learning, teaching and student support to enable student to achieve their full academic potential.
The MSc Midwifery Programme provides a range of learning experiences which enable our students to engage with subject experts, develop attributes and perspectives that will equip them for life and work in a global society and make use of innovative technologies and a world class library that enhances their development as independent, lifelong learners. Examples of the opportunities provided for learning on this course are:
E-Learning technologies
Information associated with lectures and assignments is often communicated via a Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) called Canvas. A range of e-learning experiences are also embedded in the degree through, for example: interactive group workshops in a flexible learning space, podcasts and interactive web-based learning activities.
Lectures
Introduce information about new topics as a starting point for further self-directed private study/reading. Lectures also provide opportunities to ask questions, gain some feedback and advice on assessments (normally delivered in large groups to all year group peers)
Personal Tutor
Students are allocated a Personal Tutor who meets with them on several occasions during each year to support their academic development.
Practical and Simulation Based Education
Where you will have opportunities to develop technical skills and apply theoretical principles to real-life or practical contexts in our groundbreaking simulation centre. All midwifery students have opportunities to engage in interprofessional education (IPE) activities. You will be expected to attend 100% of classes within your midwifery modules.
Self-directed study
This is an essential part of life as a Queen’s student when important private reading, engagement with e-learning resources, reflection on feedback to date and research work for assignments is carried out.
Seminars/tutorials/workshops
Significant amounts of teaching are carried out in small groups (typically 10-20 students). These provide an opportunity for students to engage with academic staff who have specialist knowledge of the topic, to ask questions of them and to assess your own progress and understanding with the support of peers. You should also expect to make presentations and other contributions to these groups
Work Practice placements
Students will undertake clinical placements regularly throughout the programme. This enhances the link from theory to practice in nursing and provides students with a wide variety of opportunities and experiences in all fields of nursing. It is an essential component of the programme, ensuring that the student has sufficient opportunities to develop skill and competence in care provision and decision making, meeting the requirements for professional registration with the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC 2020).
Placements during your midwifery programme are usually within one HSCT in NI, however you may also be required to undertake placements in other NI HSCTs. Clinical placements are undertaken in hospital and community settings and are unpinned by the principles of providing continuity of midwifery care and carer. When on placement every student is assigned a practice assessor/supervisor, who will support learning in clinical practice.
It is a requirement of the NMC for registration as a midwife, that students on the programme experience provision of care across the range of hours expected by practising midwives, so students should expect to work night shifts and/or long days on a regular basis while on placement
Assessment
Assessments will be carried out in a variety of formats, including written assignments, exams, presentations etc.
The way in which you are assessed will vary according to the learning objectives of each module. Modules are assessed through project work, written assignments, written and oral examinations and clinical skills assessment. Details of how each module is assessed are shown in the Module Handbook which is provided to all students at the start of each module.
Facilities
In 2020 the Faculty opened a new, fully integrated teaching facility, designed to enable teaching of nursing, midwifery, medical and pharmacy students. The facility includes treatment rooms, operating theatres and immersive simulation. Students work in teams in simulated scenarios where they will learn to manage real-life situations. http://www.qub.ac.uk/schools/SchoolofNursingandMidwifery/ClinicalEducationCentre/
What our academics say
This is a groundbreaking programme which will equip students with the skills and knowledge to forge a successful career as a Midwife. Graduates from this programme will be equipped to become leaders in their field.
The information below is intended as an example only, featuring module details for the current year of study (2024/25). Modules are reviewed on an annual basis and may be subject to future changes – revised details will be published through Programme Specifications ahead of each academic year.
Quality Improvement in an Interprofessional Context - Part A
Overview
Students will undertake a critical review of the literature to develop a QI project proposal. Students will be able to systematically search, critique and synthesis a body of literature and apply this to the development of a QI project. The underpinning knowledge of QI will include: quality improvement methods; PDSA cycles; principles and methods of data collection and consent; analysing QI data, dissemination, human factors to promote a safety culture and interprofessional team working.
Learning Outcomes
1. Critically appraise the role of clinical governance process in quality improvement
2. Critically explore how quality improvement methodologies promote evidence based midwifery.
3.Demonstrate the ability to combine, condense and critique evidence for application to practice
4. Critically examine the barriers and facilitators of implementing quality improvement to practice
5. critically develop an evidenced based Quality Improvement protocol relevant to midwifery practice.
6. Critically explore how best to promote the embedding of quality improvement initiatives as part of an interprofessional team
Skills
Research skills: literature reviewing, interviewing, questionnaire development/delivery; data analysis, dissemination
Students will achieve level 1 competence in Q2020 QI attributes framework: leading quality improvement:
Understanding a quality culture
• contribution to the safety of patients/service users;
• Components of a quality culture;
• Overview of patient/service user safety;
• Why things go wrong and responsibilities/incident reporting.
Understanding person centred care
• What is person-centred care?
• Role in putting patients/service users at the centre within the HSC;
• Overview of patient/client experience standards;
• Learning when things go wrong;
• Importance of patient experience.
Understanding improvement
• Overview of the model for improvement;
• Understanding how to use plan, do, study, act
(PDSA) cycle / benefits of small steps to improve;
• Contribute to improving the quality of services .
Understanding the importance of personal development and teamwork
• Personal development in QI;
• Understanding teamwork in improving services.
Having developed insight into key formula, students will engage and apply previous knowledge in more complex scenarios preparing students for safe clinical practice as they prepare for entry to the register. Using the Safemedicate is a NMC approved online platform in which students complete interactive exercises and practice assessments similar to solving dosage calculation problems in the real world. Students have their individual online account which provides a record of their achievement across the Programme. This information is accessible only to students and the university.
This software has a formative built in assessment that students have to complete to progress to the summative assessment.
Learning Outcomes
On completion of SafeMedicate3 students will be able to:
1. Undertake complex medication dosage and rate problems.
2. Demonstrate problem-solving skills required to accurately calculate medication dosages and IV infusion rates for complex clinical scenarios
3. Assess and evaluate their learning and competence development in drug calculations as part of ongoing development for entry to the register.
This module introduces midwifery students to the knowledge and skills they will acquire in order to provide safe and effective maternity care (integrated person-centred, universal and additional care). Key components include:
• Co-producing responsive care plans with women, that focus on universal care for all women and babies; integrating additional care when required
• Identifying, escalating and providing responsive emergency care as a member of an interdisciplinary team (Prompt-based, complex scenarios)
• Managing challenging situations, for example, complaints by service users, absence of a fetal heart, sharing difficult information, emergency care in the community and stabilisation and transfer of a woman to critical care
• Performing systematic examinations of the new-born to the required standard
• Using evidence-based decision making as a new midwifery practitioner
• Reviewing maternity care systems and team responses, as a means of identifying potential for enhancement and related health outcomes
Learning Outcomes
1. Critically explain and apply the concept of universal and additional care for women and families, incorporating the principles of continuity of care and carer
2. Synthesize the principles of co-production in the role of person-centred, universal and additional care
3. Explain and apply the concept of the systematic newborn examination
4. Analyse and demonstrate effective communication skills and team-working principles in providing safe and effective maternity care
Skills
1. Organise, delegate and provide care for women requiring integrated universal and additional care
2. Refer to and engage with members of the interdisciplinary team in relation to the provision of additional care
3. Triage via the phone and remote consulting with women, their family members and professional colleagues
4. Initiate and provide initial emergency care; demonstrating management of obstetric emergencies
5. Conduct systematic examinations of the new-born and initiate referrals if required
6. Engage in case reviews and team reflections, with the purpose of identifying practice and systems failures related to sub-optimal outcomes
7. Identify and provide additional breastfeeding education and support for women experiencing conditions such as mastitis, failure to thrive and breastfeeding refusal
Midwifery students will build upon their existing knowledge and develop application of essential life sciences and pharmacology to midwifery practice. This will include reproductive anatomy and physiology; maternal physiological adaptation to pregnancy; pathophysiology and aetiology of medical, surgical and obstetric complications in childbearing and the recognition of additional care needs in pregnancy, birth and puerperium. General pharmacological principles will be applied across the childbearing trajectory for women and infants including prescribing partnership, legal frameworks, supply, storage, dispensing and administration of that medication. Families of drugs, therapeutic and adverse effects of medication, influencing factors for women or infant responses to medication will also be included.
The theory and practice of midwifery as a profession including the role of the midwife, the underpinning philosophy of care, continuity of care and carer and the provision of universal care. The role of the midwife in providing care for women with additional needs, recognising when referral and escalation to other professionals is appropriate and the principles and rationale for the provision of emergency care will be included. The principles of team working, leadership, self-awareness and critical reflection will be incorporated. Students will be expected to integrate theory and practice with evidence to inform clinical decision-making, and interpret signs, symptoms and clinical data to inform the assessment of individual women and babies.
The role of the midwife with reference to professional regulation of the NMC, legislation underpinning the provision of healthcare, and the application of ethical principles or frameworks within the provision of maternity care will be included.
Learning Outcomes
1. Synthesize and apply reproductive anatomy and physiology, genetics and fetal development to midwifery practice
2. Critically apply general pharmacological principles and medicines management to pregnancy, childbirth and the postnatal period
3. Critically examine the midwives’ role from an ethical, legal and professional perspective
4. Critically evaluate the role of the midwife as part of the wider interdisciplinary team
5. Critically explain and apply the concept of universal care, incorporating the principles of continuity of care and carer
Skills
• Professional skills, attributes and behaviours to become an accountable, autonomous midwifery practitioner
• Person centred communication skills to underpin the provision of care for women and their families (sensitivity, empathy, compassion, kindness, self-appraisal, appropriate self-disclosure, non-judgemental acceptance, listening, reflecting)
• Application of theoretical knowledge to practice
• Assessing, planning, implementing and evaluating midwifery care
• Skills of critical reading and writing, sourcing and applying evidence to practice
Students will demonstrate positive knowledge, skills, attitudes and values in supporting and caring for women and the rights of the child at the beginning of their feeding journey. This will be achieved through the following themes:
Biological norms and success: Anatomy and physiology of lactation, human milk and consequences to health, reality and feeding
Influences: infant feeding reports, social and cultural attitudes, WHO and code compliance, peer discussion, self-evaluation and debrief, challenges and barriers
Supportive environment and care- off to a good start for longevity: compassionate communication, the first feed, pharmacology, UNICEF BFI UK, practice skills, feeding in the first weeks, feeding assessments, donor milk, latch, positioning and attachment, common problems, maximising breastmilk and re-lactation.
Building positive relationships: Parents and partners- creating safe environments to make decisions, responsive feeding, formula feeding-preparation, choice of milks, equipment and sterilisation, skin to skin, safe sleep.
Learning Outcomes
1. Critically examine psychosocial influences on feeding and develop an understanding of secure parental- infant attachment and its relationship to safe, responsive feeding and its impact on mother-infant relationships and health.
2. Analyse, outline and explain in depth the anatomical and physiological processes of lactation and understand the importance of breastfeeding to mothers, infants and families.
3. Develop contemporary, evidence-based knowledge, positive communication and practice skills to provide supportive and compassionate care to women in their feeding choices and experiences
Skills
The module will support the student to:
1. Outline the environmental and social impact on infant feeding choices and practices at a local, national and global level
2. Support parents by creating safe environments to make decisions about feeding their baby.
3. Explain and apply psychosocial and physiological knowledge to support women to initiate, sustain and maximise breastfeeding and the use of breastmilk.
4. Explain and apply evidence-based communication skills to support successful and safe feeding practices: active self- awareness, unconscious bias, attentive listening, environmental awareness, reinforcement and clarification.
5. Support a mother to safely feed her infant with artificial milk
6. Recognise and manage common feeding problems and prevent escalation to more serious complications
7. Outline the pharmacological effect of drug use on lactation and infant feeding.
8. Explain the importance of responsive feeding and keeping mothers and babies close to each other.
9. Explain the practice, benefits and hazards of skin to skin and safe sleep.
Students will explore women’s health from a salutogenic perspective across the reproductive life span. This will be explored through the following themes:
The concepts and determinants of health and wellbeing for women, families and midwives will be critically explored and the foundational principles of public health applied. This will include exploring physical, mental, spiritual and sexual health and wellbeing of women. Critical discussion of cultural and sexual diversity. Analysis of the impact of social capital on women and families.
Perinatal mental health will be critically examined. Common mental health issues and disorders will be analytically explored.
Personal health and wellbeing will be analysed in the context of self-care and resilience and the perspectives of healthy teamworking. The concept of advocacy for women and families will be explored. Behaviour change theory.
Antenatal and reproductive health: Preconception care, antenatal screening and immunization will be explored. Safeguarding and concepts of trauma informed practice pertaining to women and families will be analysed. Fetal surveillance. Critical evaluation of early intervention theories and transitioning to parenthood.
Learning Outcomes
1. Critically evaluate the determinants of health including the impact of social capital and its influence on individuals, families and communities
2. Critically analyse and evaluate the role of the midwife as an advocate for health
3. Critically appraise the strategies midwives can utilize to optimise health across the reproductive lifespan
4. Critically evaluate the importance of optimal mental health for women and families across the perinatal period including the identification of common mental health disorders
5. Critically examine and evaluate self-awareness in midwifery practice for women and families
Skills
• Personal development skills (sensitivity, empathy, self-appraisal, appropriate self-disclosure, non-judgemental acceptance)
• Person-centred and peer-orientated communication skills (active listening, teaching, presenting, group facilitation skills, peer assessment)
• Skills of reflection and debate particularly in areas that are seen to be challenging or contention
• Time management, goal and objective setting skills
• Literacy skills (critical reading and writing development to MSc level; retrieval of peer reviewed literature utilising a range of databases and resources and evaluation of same)
• Self-awareness skills in relation to personal health and wellbeing
Employability skills
• Decision making skills
• Team working skills
• Communication skills
Quality Improvement in an Interprofessional Context - Part B
Overview
Promote the embedding of outcomes as part of an interprofessional team context. Students will undertake a critical review of the literature to develop a QI project, proposal. Students will be able to systematically search, critique and synthesis a body of literature and apply this to the development of a QI project The underpinning knowledge of QI will include quality improvement methods; PDSA cycles (e.g. , principles and methods of data collection and consent); analysing QI data, dissemination, human factors to promote a safety culture and interprofessional team working.
Learning Outcomes
1. Critically appraise the role of clinical governance process in quality improvement
2. Critically explore how quality improvement methodologies promote evidence based midwifery.
3.Demonstrate the ability to combine, condense and critique evidence for application to practice
4. Critically examine the barriers and facilitators of implementing quality improvement to practice
5. Critically develop an evidenced based Quality Improvement project proposal relevant to midwifery practice.
6. Critically explore how best to promote the embedding of quality improvement initiatives as part of an interprofessional team.
Skills
Research skills: literature reviewing, interviewing, questionnaire
Research skills: literature reviewing, interviewing, questionnaire
development/delivery; data analysis, dissemination
Students will achieve level 1 competence in Q2020 QI attributes framework:
leading quality improvement:
Understanding a quality culture
• contribution to the safety of patients/service users;
• Components of a quality culture;
• Overview of patient/service user safety;
• Why things go wrong and responsibilities/incident reporting.
Understanding person centred care
• What is person-centred care?
• Role in putting patients/service users at the centre within the HSC;
• Overview of patient/client experience standards;
• Learning when things go wrong;
• Importance of patient experience.
Understanding improvement
• Overview of the model for improvement;
• Understanding how to use plan, do, study, act
(PDSA) cycle / benefits of small steps to improve;
• Contribute to improving the quality of services .
Understanding the importance of personal development and teamwork
• Personal development in QI;
• Understanding teamwork in improving services
Building on students’ knowledge and skills acquisition in year 1 and all other modules, this module will enable students to consolidate their knowledge and skills as they are challenged to take the lead in providing safe and effective maternity care (integrated person-centred, universal and additional care), as an autonomous practitioner and key member of the interdisciplinary team.
Key components of this final year module include:
Co-producing and leading on the design, implementation and evaluation of responsive care plans for all women and babies
• Identifying, escalating and providing responsive emergency care as a member of an interdisciplinary team (Prompt-based, complex scenarios)
• Using relevant, current and adequate evidence-based and practical knowledge to make sound decision for high quality maternity care.
• Engaging in clinical audit as a means of increasing the quality, effectiveness and efficiency of the maternity care service
• Managing challenging situations, for example, complaints by service users, absence of a fetal heart, sharing difficult information, emergency care in the community and stabilisation and transfer of a woman to critical care
• Performing systematic examinations of the new-born proficiently.
• Reviewing maternity care systems and team responses, as a means of identifying potential for enhancement and related health
• Using self-awareness knowledge and skills to provide effective midwifery care.
Learning Outcomes
1. Interpret and transfer to practice the concept of universal care as it integrates with the concept of additional care
2. Co-produce and create dynamic, evidence-based and evolving care plans with all women and multi professional colleagues
3. Synthesize knowledge and evidence, to provide universal, additional and emergency care
4. Demonstrate the provision of both universal and additional care for babies, including proficiency in systematic examination of the newborn
5. Critically examine interdisciplinary team-working and use self-awareness in providing person-centred, safe maternity care
Skills
• Organise, delegate and oversee caring responsibility for a number of women requiring integrated universal and additional care (team lead)
• Refer to and engage with members of the interdisciplinary team in relation to the provision of additional care
• Care for and support a birthing woman in her home; including detection, escalation and transfer for intervention if required
• Triage via the phone and remote consulting with women, their family members and professional colleagues
• Initiate and provide initial emergency care; demonstrating management in different caring environments (home, MLU, in-hospital)
• Conduct systematic examinations of the new-born and initiate referrals if required
• Engage in case reviews and team reflections, with the purpose of identifying practice and systems failures related to sub-optimal outcomes
• Develop a personal plan for continued professional, learning and development in preparation for being a registered midwife [using skills passport]
• Assess and implement additional breastfeeding care and support in relation to conditions such as mastitis, failure to thrive and breastfeeding refusal
• Self-awareness skills and empathy
Students will demonstrate positive knowledge, skills, attitudes and values in leading and managing care in the maternity healthcare system. This will be achieved through the following themes:
Leadership and management: review of theories and identification of own leadership style; delegation and accountability; legal principles; working within interdisciplinary teams; resolving conflict in teams; optimising physiological birth through decision making and supporting women’s advocacy; birth activism to enhance service provision
Analysis of national and global health frameworks: maternal and international perspectives of human rights; international maternal and neonatal mortality rates; reproductive epidemiology; World Health Organisation and sustainable development goals; health impact assessment
Principles of supervision and assessment in practice: preparation for the roles of supervisors and assessors for pre-registration students in practice; supporting learning in practice; giving constructive feedback; supporting struggling students; courageous conversations
Professional values: e-professionalism, transition from student to registered midwife, professional and legal accountability; application of ethical principles and theories to professional issues including equality and diversity; preparation for interview
Learning Outcomes
1.Critically analyze the implementation of national and global frameworks for health from a maternal and family perspective
2. Critically examine and apply ethical, legal and professional principles to leadership in midwifery and develop skills as politically astute transformational leaders
3. Critically evaluate leadership and role-modelling behaviors within interdisciplinary teams including effective communication strategies.
4. Demonstrate professional engagement in life-long learning for self, including supervision and assessment of learning for others
Skills
Leadership skills through critical analysis of leadership styles, team dynamics and analysis of effective interdisciplinary management skills
Empowerment, partnership working and advocacy skills to promote human rights in maternity care, protect women’s autonomy and uphold quality improvement.
Knowledge and skills acquisition for advanced critique of research evidence and applying such evidence and other quality improvement initiatives to midwifery practice to promote quality care in maternity services in an ongoing manner
Effective, authentic, and meaningful communication skills with women, their families, and with colleagues; appropriate documentation of midwifery care; and digital literary skills.
Skills of accountability and autonomy; preparation for practice supervisor and practice assessor roles; preparation for supervising and supporting students and encouraging reflective practice in preparation for becoming a lifelong learner and preparation for NMC re-validation processes
Midwifery students will recognise the various procedural routes under which medicines can be prescribed and understand the policies and regulations and guidance that underpin them. They will be able to critically analyse legal and ethical issues for administration and prescribing medicines across the lifespan. They will demonstrate the importance of accurate checks, transcription and titration, the direction to supply or administer a medicinal product and drug calculations. They will also critically analyse and examine shared decision making and partnership with women including the communication process with professional colleagues. Midwifery students will be able to critically analyse and evaluate legal and ethical issues for administration and prescribing medicines across the trajectory of childbirth and be able to critically examine issues associated with breast feeding, multiple co-morbid conditions, complex drugs, polypharmacy and stewardship.
Learning Outcomes
1. Communicate and collaborate effectively with individuals, their carers’ and professional colleagues about medication review
2. Critically analyse ethical and legal issues in relation to the prescribing and administration of medicines
3. Critically analyse issues associated with multiple co-morbid conditions, complex drugs and polypharmacy
Skills
1. Recognise the various procedural routes under which medicines can be prescribed, supplied, dispensed and administered and the laws, policies and regulations and guidance that underpin them
2. Undertake accurate drug calculations for a range of medications for a range of medications
3. Undertake accurate checks, including transcription and titration, of any direction to supply or administer a medicinal product
4. Exercise professional accountability in ensuring the safe administration of medicines to those receiving care
5. Administer medications using a range of routes
6. Administer and monitor medications using vascular access devices and enteral equipment
7. Undertake safe storage, transportation and disposal of medicinal products
All applicants must hold a Bachelor (Honours) degree in Adult Nursing of 2.1 standard, or equivalent qualification acceptable to the University. Applicants with a Bachelor (Honours) degree in Adult Nursing of 2.2 standard, or equivalent qualification acceptable to the University, may be considered in exceptional circumstances.
All applicants must provide evidence of their registration as an adult nurse within the NMC.
All applicants must have at least 6 months' post-registration experience as a nurse.
Applicants should provide details of two referees as part of their application. Where possible, applicants should provide one educational and one employment referee. However, if this is not possible, two employment referees would be acceptable. Two satisfactory references are required as part of the application process.
Please note: This course is not open to international applicants.
Please note: Applicants must be currently employed as an Adult Nurse in a HSC Trust within Northern Ireland.
Closing date for applications for February 2026 entry will be confirmed later but will be towards the end of August 2025. It is anticipated that interviews will be held towards the end of September 2025
International Students
Our country/region pages include information on entry requirements, tuition fees, scholarships, student profiles, upcoming events and contacts for your country/region. Use the dropdown list below for specific information for your country/region.
English Language Requirements
Evidence of an IELTS* score of 7.0, with not less than 7.0 in reading, listening and speaking, and no less than 6.5 in writing, or an equivalent qualification acceptable to the University is required.
*Taken within the last 2 years.
International students wishing to apply to Queen's University Belfast (and for whom English is not their first language), must be able to demonstrate their proficiency in English in order to benefit fully from their course of study or research. Non-EEA nationals must also satisfy UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) immigration requirements for English language for visa purposes.
If you need to improve your English language skills before you enter this degree programme, INTO Queen's University Belfast offers a range of English language courses. These intensive and flexible courses are designed to improve your English ability for admission to this degree.
Academic English: an intensive English language and study skills course for successful university study at degree level
Pre-sessional English: a short intensive academic English course for students starting a degree programme at Queen's University Belfast and who need to improve their English.
Studying for an MSc Midwifery degree at Queen’s will assist you in developing the core skills and employment-related experiences that are valued by employers, professional organisations and academic institutions. Graduates from Queen’s are well regarded by employers both nationally and internationally.
The majority of our graduates pursue a career in midwifery which is an interesting, rewarding and challenging career where work can be in a variety of health care settings from hospitals and midwife-led units to working in community settings with women. Midwifery can also offer a diverse range of post registration opportunities to specialise in areas such as perinatal mental health or ultrasound scanning, and provide career development opportunities in education and research.
Employment after the Course
Graduates of this programme will have the potential to become leaders in midwifery, building an exceptional career from the point of registration.
Professional Opportunities
Further study is also an option open to Midwifery graduates, and some may choose to follow a to engage in further professional and academic development. There is a range of MSc and PhD opportunities available within the School; click here for more information. https://www.qub.ac.uk/courses/postgraduate-research/nursing-midwifery-phd.html
Graduate Plus/Future Ready Award for extra-curricular skills
In addition to your degree programme, at Queen's you can have the opportunity to gain wider life, academic and employability skills. For example, placements, voluntary work, clubs, societies, sports and lots more. So not only do you graduate with a degree recognised from a world leading university, you'll have practical national and international experience plus a wider exposure to life overall. We call this Graduate Plus/Future Ready Award. It's what makes studying at Queen's University Belfast special.
1EU citizens in the EU Settlement Scheme, with settled status, will be charged the NI or GB tuition fee based on where they are ordinarily resident. Students who are ROI nationals resident in GB will be charged the GB fee.
2 EU students who are ROI nationals resident in ROI are eligible for NI tuition fees.
3 EU Other students (excludes Republic of Ireland nationals living in GB, NI or ROI) are charged tuition fees in line with international fees.
All tuition fees quoted relate to a single year of study unless stated otherwise. Tuition fees will be subject to an annual inflationary increase, unless explicitly stated otherwise.
To be eligible to apply for a Department of Health (DoH) commissioned place applicants must be employed as an Adult Nurse in a Northern Ireland HSC Trust. Recipients of commissioned places will be exempt from programme tuition fees.
Applicants should consider any implications and/or changes to their contract of employment resulting from commencement on the programme to which QUB assumes no responsibility. Applicants must discuss financial or contractual considerations directly with their employer, QUB is unable to advise. QUB will not be liable for any financial or other associated losses.
All students on this program will undertake clinical placements, students are responsible for funding travel, accommodation and subsistence costs. These costs vary depending on the location and duration of the placements.
All students entering this programme are required to undergo an enhanced disclosure check with Access NI which costs £33.
In Year 1 students must buy a uniform from a QUB uniform supplier (approximate cost £180) and a name badge (£10).
Please note, students on this programme, funded by the DoH NI, cannot normally access further funding detailed in the paragraph "How do I fund my study".
In year 1 students must buy a uniform from a QUB uniform supplier (approximate cost £180) and a name badge (£10) from the University.
All Students
Depending on the programme of study, there may be extra costs which are not covered by tuition fees, which students will need to consider when planning their studies.
Students can borrow books and access online learning resources from any Queen's library. If students wish to purchase recommended texts, rather than borrow them from the University Library, prices per text can range from £30 to £100. Students should also budget between £30 to £75 per year for photocopying, memory sticks and printing charges.
Students undertaking a period of work placement or study abroad, as either a compulsory or optional part of their programme, should be aware that they will have to fund additional travel and living costs.
If a programme includes a major project or dissertation, there may be costs associated with transport, accommodation and/or materials. The amount will depend on the project chosen. There may also be additional costs for printing and binding.
Students may wish to consider purchasing an electronic device; costs will vary depending on the specification of the model chosen.
There are also additional charges for graduation ceremonies, examination resits and library fines.
How do I fund my study?
The Department for the Economy will provide a tuition fee loan of up to £6,500 per NI / EU student for postgraduate study. Tuition fee loan information.
A postgraduate loans system in the UK offers government-backed student loans of up to £11,836 for taught and research Masters courses in all subject areas (excluding Initial Teacher Education/PGCE, where undergraduate student finance is available). Criteria, eligibility, repayment and application information are available on the UK government website.