Future Students JCU Stories Why study Midwifery?

Bring new life to your career with Midwifery

A JCU Midwifery student practices their skills.

Midwives are essential healthcare providers who offer personalised, supportive care to women during pregnancy, childbirth and postpartum, promoting better outcomes and respecting individual preferences.

Although detailed depictions are presented in television shows and movies that focus on pregnancy and birth, not everyone truly understands what’s involved in midwifery and where this career path can take you.

Read on to discover the ins and outs of becoming a midwife, and how JCU can get you there.

A midwife and mothers hold an infant on an examination table to be measured.

Midwives: a vital part of a child’s first start

Midwives are committed to ensuring expectant mothers and families have a positive experience of pregnancy and childbirth. This includes during pregnancy and birth, as well as the early weeks after the baby is born.

Pregnant women have antenatal visits with a midwife, during which both her and her baby’s health are assessed, and advice is offered on everything from diet and exercise to birthing plans and emotional wellbeing.

During the woman’s labour and the birth of her baby, midwives play a crucial role in providing guidance, support and advocacy throughout the process.

From a midwifery perspective, the woman’s journey does not stop once the baby is born. Midwives continue to provide essential care by monitoring both the mother and baby’s health. Offering breastfeeding support and a family focussed approach, ensuring a smooth transition into postpartum recovery.

JCU Midwifery lecturers and students stand next to a row of newborn hospital beds.

Becoming a midwife in Australia

To become a midwife in Australia an individual must first complete a program of study accredited by the Australian Nursing and Midwifery Accreditation Council (ANMAC) and approved by the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia (NMBA).

To become a midwife you will need to follow one of 2 pathways:

If you have already completed a qualification in nursing, you can undertake a Graduate Diploma of Midwifery. As you already have the health-related experience and an undergraduate degree in nursing, this course focuses on learnings specifically relevant to working as a midwife.

Students who do not hold an undergraduate degree in nursing will complete a bachelor’s degree in midwifery. While some universities choose to offer this independently, JCU offers midwifery as a dual degree: the Bachelor of Nursing Science – Bachelor of Midwifery. You'll be required to develop your skills over 4 years of full-time study, or more if you choose to study part-time.

A JCU Midwifery student works with parents and their newborn on swaddling techniques.

Start your midwifery journey with JCU

Depending on where you are in your career, JCU offers two courses that can equip you to become a midwife:

Develop the skills and knowledge for a diverse career within the healthcare profession through JCU’s double degree in Nursing Science and Midwifery. Here, you’ll gain theoretical and practical skills and benefit from clinical simulation laboratories and a range of practical placements as you build a firm foundation in nursing and midwifery care, designed to ready you for any number of opportunities.

Upon graduation, you’ll be eligible to apply for registration as a nurse and as a midwife with the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA).

Learn more about JCU’s Bachelor of Nursing Science – Bachelor of Midwifery today.

Those with nursing or other recognised experience can expand their career goals through the Graduate Diploma of Midwifery. Offered over 1.5 years part-time, this course supports your development as a healthcare professional. The combination of focused studies, multi-day residential schools and practical placements aim to maximise your hands-on learning opportunities and prepare you to work as a midwife.

Learn more about the Graduate Diploma of Midwifery today.

Two JCU Midwifery students practice their skills in a simulated maternity ward.

Build a firm foundation for midwifery practice

When you choose to study one of JCU’s midwifery courses, you’ll receive a range of practical learning opportunities within a university highly regarded for its commitment to rural, regional and Indigenous healthcare.

Our midwifery courses emphasise the importance of evidence-based practice, equipping you to best support women and their families through the antenatal, intrapartum and postnatal periods of childbirth.

JCU is dedicated to ensuring that every student's study journey works for them. Small class sizes ensure you have personal access to lecturers and can develop strong peer support networks. As a JCU student, you’ll also have access to academic, disability, health and wellbeing, and career development support whenever you need.

"Nursing and Midwifery at JCU is the perfect synergy of theoretical learning and practical experience. Placements take you from the red dust of Mt Isa to the remote villages of Papua New Guinea. The experience is incomparable. The biggest gift is that you leave with a true appreciation of the power of health care."

Christy Forrest

Alumni

Bachelor of Nursing Science – Bachelor of Midwifery

Study Midwifery with JCU today

Whether you’re a high-school student looking to choose a career that makes a difference, or a health practitioner wanting a new direction, JCU’s courses in midwifery can support you in your commitment to care.