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. Benefit from the support of experienced lecturers 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 two or 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.

 

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.

2024 dates

Course options

12 February - 29 March

  • Preceptorship for Midwives
  • Promoting Physiological Birth 
  • Nutrition for Childbearing

22 April - 7 June

  • Working with Tangata Whenua: Building Equity in Maternity Care
  • Queering Midwifery: Sexuality, Gender and Sex Characteristic Diversity
  • Perinatal Mental Health

8 July - 23 August

  • Complexities, Culture and Research Around Safe Sleep for Pēpi 
  • Diabetes in Pregnancy
  • Sexual Health in Pregnancy

16 September - 1 November

  • Leadership and Change in Midwifery 
  • Midwifery Practice in Rural and Primary Maternity Settings 
  • Applied Anatomy and Physiology for Midwives

A course summary document is available here.

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

Interested in becoming a midwifery educator?

We offer an Educator pathway to the Postgraduate Certificate in Midwifery Practice. 

Find out more

Further study options

If you have completed your Postgraduate Certificate, or Complex Care pathway, 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. It represents more than 2800 members: NZ College of Midwives.
  • Ngā Maia o Aotearoa me to Wai Pounamu (Ngā Maia) is the national organisation representing Māori birthing. The kaupapa of Ngā Maia focuses on Māmā, Pēpi and Whānau and promoting Matauranga Māori in pregnancy and childbirth: Ngā Maia.
  • The International Confederation of Midwives (ICM) supports, represents and works to strengthen professional associations of midwives on a global basis. At present ICM have more than 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 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

We are part of Te Pūkenga

When you apply to study with Otago Polytechnic, 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, and 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.