Midwifery is a health science that studies all aspects of pregnancy, childbirth, and family-rearing. This is a field of medicine that is highly specialized—indeed, in many cases, the midwife can work independently from medical physicians and provide advice, diagnosis, prescriptions, and many more to both parent and child. Midwives care for their clients in all stages of their lifespans.
Midwifery is especially important in the care of women and children during childbirth. It aims for natural childbirth with as little medical intervention as possible. Midwifery-led care decreases the risk of miscarriages, epidurals, episiotomies, and even Caesarean sections. They also provide comfort to mothers by providing emotional, practical, and social support throughout the pregnancy. If you’re passionate about bringing new life to the world and supporting mothers, midwifery may be the career choice for you.
Below are some of the best schools around the world for midwifery.
Which Country is the Best to Study Midwifery
Some of the top countries to study Midwifery in are Australia, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom. These universities offer excellent midwifery, finding the ideal balance between classroom and clinical experience. Moreover, graduates from these countries are highly respected and sought-after, giving them a high chance of finding employment. If you’re interested in pursuing a career in healthcare and want to explore other study destinations, be sure to check out our Open Courses Page. While Midwifery is currently unavailable, we offer a variety of courses in popular study destinations, like Canada and Germany, that can help you achieve your career goals.
Top Midwifery Schools in the World
1. Midwives College of Utah
Recognized as one of the world’s best midwifery schools, the Midwives College of Utah is located in Salt Lake City, Utah, United States. It is accredited by the Midwifery Accreditation Education Council (MEAC), certifying that its curriculum is of high quality and meets the standards for competent midwife training. The college offers both on-campus and online courses.
The college offers two degrees in midwifery: a Bachelor of Science in Midwifery, and a Master of Science in Midwifery. Bachelor’s students will go through three levels of coursework: birth observer, assistant midwife, and primary midwife under supervision. As part of graduation requirements, students should pass a licensure exam and obtain a Certified Professional Midwife certificate. Master’s students, on the other hand, prepare registered midwives for more research-based areas of midwifery.
2. Vanderbilt University
Vanderbilt University is a private research university located in Nashville, Tennessee, United States. Founded in 1873, the school offers a wide range of programs in the arts and sciences, engineering, education and development, and more. Many of their departments are recognized nationally and internationally for their high quality of education and research.
Being a leading school for midwifery, Vanderbilt’s School of Nursing offers a major in Nurse-Midwifery. Compared to registered nurses, nurse-midwives have a wider range of knowledge that allows them to diagnose and treat patients even without the presence of a physician, though the two often work together. Physicians attend to the medical needs of the patient, while nurse-midwives lessen the need for medical intervention by keeping both mom and baby healthy and the pregnancy as smooth as possible.
3. Stony Brook University
Stony Brook University (SBU) is a public research university in New York City, United States. It is the largest public university in the state, among the top 40 public universities in the country, and the top 1% of universities in the world. Stony Brook has contributed much to society, especially in the fields of health sciences—their contributions include virtual colonoscopy, MRI, and the in vitro synthesis of the poliovirus.
Stony Brook’s Nurse-Midwifery Program trains nurses to expertly care for women of all ages and provide assistance during the birthing process. Here, nursing students will use their knowledge to help achieve an optimal quality of life for patients, improve the quality of healthcare processes and deliveries, and overall, create safer and more culturally-inclusive care facilities. According to their website, graduates of this leading midwifery institution are expected to work collaboratively and independently of physicians, have admitting and discharging privileges in hospitals, and be qualified to give prescriptions.
4. Old Dominion University
Old Dominion University (ODU) is a public research university located in Norfolk, Virginia, United States. Established in 1930, it is one of the largest and top universities in the state. It is also one of the best schools for online distance learning—they offer over 100 undergraduate and graduate online programs video streaming and web conferencing or else through portable media like DVDs.
Nurse midwifery is one of the advanced nursing programs offered at Old Dominion University. Here, students are trained on essential gynecological and pregnancy services like family planning, pregnancy and postpartum care, childbirth services, parenting education, treatment of sexually transmitted diseases, and more. This curriculum is a mix of both online and on-campus courses.
5. University of Southampton
The University of Southampton is a public research university located in Southampton, United Kingdom. A member of the elite Russell Group, the university is one of the top universities in the country and ranks among the top 100 universities in the world.
Considered to be among the best schools in the world for midwifery, the University of Southampton’s Midwifery (BSc) program is very research-based. It emphasizes a holistic knowledge of the physical, mental, and social aspects of pregnancy, childbirth, and child-rearing. Leadership skills and critical thinking skills will also be developed as midwives must learn to be proactive and play a major role in the public health system.
The course is a combination of both classroom studies and clinical placements in hospitals, clinics, and other practices.
6. King’s College London
King’s College London (KCL) is a public research university in London, United Kingdom. It is one of the oldest universities in the country and also one of its most prestigious—it ranks highly in both national and international university rankings. Notable alumni include physicist Peter Higgs, bishop Desmond Tutu, and OB/GYN Patrick Steptoe.
BSc Midwifery at KCL aims to provide in-depth knowledge and training on all subjects relating to midwifery. Other than standard subjects like biology and chemistry, students of this top midwifery school will also take social sciences and arts and humanities as these subjects can help explore the local, national, and international contexts of family healthcare even deeper. Both students with or without nursing experience may apply for the course. MSc Midwifery, on the other hand, is a dissertation-only course where students can specialize in certain areas of midwifery.
7. Universita Cattolica del Sacro Cuore
- Midwifery Program Links: (1) (2)
- Degrees Offered: Bachelor’s, Master’s
Universita Cattolica del Sacro Cuore (English: Catholic University of the Sacred Heart) is a private research university with campuses in Milan, Rome, Brescia, Cremona, and Piacenza. It is the largest private university in Europe and the largest Catholic university in the world. The school is divided into twelve faculties and offers a wide range of both undergraduate and graduate programs.
They offer both bachelor’s and master’s degrees in midwifery. Their bachelor’s program is a 3-year program where students can learn the scientific and technical aspects of midwifery according to current standards and practice them by collaborating with physicians and attending clinical placements. The master’s program, on the other hand, lasts two years. Here, students acquire more advanced knowledge on focused areas of midwifery.
We hope that you found this article on the best midwifery schools in the world informative and helpful. To know more information like this, check out the Available Programs for International Students!
