Postgraduate Certificate in Midwifery Practice

If you're a registered midwife and want to extend your expertise, this programme is for you. The online learning option allows you to study from home and participate in online discussions. This programme also takes you one step closer to more advanced midwifery qualifications.

About the programme

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. You'll do four courses 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 option enables you to study from home. You'll also come along to one, two-day workshop where you'll have the chance to engage with other learners. Benefit from the support of 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.

Studying part-time 

We know full-time study isn't always possible. We offer this programme with part-time options - talk to us about what would suit you best! 

Course dates

Learning packages will be displayed on our online learning management system (Moodle), and will include tutorials, quizzes, completion of worksheets, and the use of a forum for discussion and presentations.

Dates

What you’ll learn

13 February - 31 March

  • Preceptorship for midwives
  • Exploring maternal obesity: Clinical and critical perspectives
  • Sustainability and the midwife
  • New! Principles of midwifery education – honouring ako and mātauranga

29 April - 9 June

  • Working with tangata whenua: Building equity in maternity care
  • Diabetes in pregnancy
  • Queering midwifery: Sexuality, gender and sex characteristic diversity
  • New! Learning design and assessment for midwifery education

10 July - 25 August

  • Midwives and reproductive justice
  • Political and practical challenges to breastfeeding
  • Infant mental health
  • New! Clinical teaching and learning in midwifery

18 September - 3 November

  • Applied anatomy and physiology for midwives
  • Hypertension in pregnancy
  • Global midwifery: practical steps
  • New! Staying connected – digital technology in midwifery education.

A course summary document is available here.

If you are a returning student, please contact ebsMID@op.ac.nz for a 2023 course selection form. If you're a new student, please apply online.

Further study options

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.

Midwifery organisations 

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

A change for 2023 enrolments

 

When you apply to study with Otago Polytechnic in 2023, you will be enrolled with Te Pūkenga, the new national network of vocational and applied education in Aotearoa New Zealand. You will learn in the same way, in the same place, and with the same people. The great news is that this enables us to share skills and knowledge across a network of passionate education providers, to better help you succeed. Enrolling in programmes that start in 2023, means that you will graduate with a Te Pūkenga qualification.

Disclaimer

While every effort is made to ensure that this sheet is accurate, Otago Polytechnic reserves the right to amend, alter or withdraw any of the contained information. The fees shown in this document are indicative only. Both domestic and international fees are subject to change and are dependent on the development and implementation of Government policies. Please note that additional fees may from time to time be required for external examination, NZQA fees and/or additional material fees.