Midwifery
Our programs focus on the continuity of care approach. We provide learning opportunities to prepare the students to function as reflective, compassionate, safe and competent midwives. Our programs qualify for ‘away from base’ funding for Indigenous students.
Bachelor of Midwifery
The Bachelor of Midwifery prepares students for the role of Registered Midwife. As a Bachelor of Midwifery student, you will apply your knowledge and skills from the first year by commencing continuity of care journeys with childbearing women.
Inherent requirements for Midwifery
The Charles Darwin University Faculty of Health strongly supports the right of all people to pursue a course in midwifery to achieve their potential and career objectives. The faculty is committed to making reasonable adjustments to teaching and learning, assessment, practice experiences and other activities to address the impact of students' disabilities so that they are able to participate in their course.
Clinical experiences
Clinical placements
We work closely with maternity hospitals, including birth centres and caseload midwifery programs, giving students placement plus an additional 10 midwifery continuity of care experiences. Students will work with a midwife, or team of midwives, supporting childbearing women through pregnancy, birth and postnatal care.
Because clinical placements occur in real-world clinical settings the College has implemented mandatory pre-clinical health and safety requirements.
Clinical teaching blocks
Clinical teaching blocks are compulsory study blocks held at our purpose-built simulation labs in Darwin and Alice Springs. Clinical teaching blocks allow students to learn and practice their clinical skills in a simulated environment before clinical placement.
Our dedicated staff work with students during the five-day intensive program to practice specified midwifery interventions, integrate theory into practice and develop an understanding of the requirements of professional midwifery practice according to the NMBA Midwife Standards for Practice (2018).
Rural and remote midwifery
If you have an interest in rural, remote and Indigenous women’s health, you are in the right place. We offer clinical placements across Australia and in Bali, with an emphasis on rural and remote health in the Northern Territory.
Indigenous women’s health
The Faculty of Health recently launched the Molly Wardaguga Institute for First Nations Birth Rights, named in honour of Aboriginal elder and Senior Aboriginal Health Worker from Arnhem Land, Molly Wardaguga, who was a strong advocate for returning health services to Aboriginal control and Aboriginal communities.
Led by co-directors, Professor Sue Kildea and Associate Professor Yvette Roe, the new research group will have a broad reach, using research to work with communities and stakeholders to redesign maternal and infant health services for the best start in life for mothers and babies in the NT and across Australia.
Postgraduate programs
New postgraduate programs have been announced in response to alumni demand. Postgraduate qualifications improve job prospects and wages for nurses, and the level of health care available to our communities.
In response to the high demand for graduates in the Health sector, the Faculty of Health has developed a range of postgraduate courses available to domestic students in 2020.
Explore our postgraduate courses
In 2021, the Faculty of Health is proposing a Master of Clinical Nursing, as well as specialist qualifications in priority areas such as dementia, renal health and primary health care. We are working towards specialist pathways within our existing qualifications in areas such as perinatal mental health, child and youth mental health, as well as sub-bachelor offerings in regional areas to meet workforce demands.
Registered Nurse pathway
The Bachelor of Midwifery Employed Model Program is an exciting initiative of the NT Health and CDU that offers registered nurses paid work in the NT while they study.
To apply for the program, you must:
- be eligible for employment with NT Health
- meet CDU enrolment criteria.
The Bachelor of Midwifery Employed Model Program is a two-year program delivered online at a part-time study load (0.75 EFT study load, which is three units per semester) with paid employment offered through the Top End Health Service and the Central Australia Health Service on full-time or fixed part-time contacts.