Standard letter.

Enquiries re Pre-registration Midwifery Programme

BSc (Hons) Midwifery with RM at the ni!ersity of Hertfordshire

Entry "ualifications for #$%& 'ou will need at least 300 tariff (oints from full )* le!els or a B+E, -i(loma. )t least one )* le!el should .e in a .iological or a .eha!ioural science at grade B minimum. /f you ha!e a B+E, -i(loma0 it must .e in a .iological science or health-related su.1ect. /n addition0 you should ha!e at least 2 3* 4e!el56,SEs at grade , or a.o!e0 including English 4anguage0 Maths and a Science. )lternati!ely0 we acce(t the )ccess -i(loma in a rele!ant su.1ect (e.g. )ccess to Health Professions) that suita.ly (re(ares students to study Midwifery or 7ursing. )ccess courses are run .y most ,olleges of 8urther Education. )ccess courses normally last for one year0 .ut some colleges offer a two year (art-time course. )ccess courses can also .e studied on a (art-time .asis !ia distance learning (see web addresses at end). +here is a fee (aya.le for these courses. 'ou will need to achie!e a minimum of9 30 Distinctions in your chosen le!el : su.1ects. )dditionally0 if you do not hold a 6,SE in Maths at grade , or a.o!e0 you must achie!e9 %# credits at le!el # in 7umeracy or Maths.

)t some colleges0 student only study 7umeracy5Maths at le!el :. /f this is the case0 we will acce(t ; credits at le!el : instead of %# at le!el #. <e will consider some alternati!e qualifications such as Key Skills 2 and Functional Skills 29 (lease contact the admissions tutor at the email address .elow with details of your e=act qualifications0 grades0 year of achie!ement and country if outside the >. Please note that we do NOT acce(t the )dult 4iteracy or )dult 7umeracy certificate.

Standard letter. Enquiries re Pre-registration Midwifery Programme 3ther criteria <e e=(ect a((licants who are not currently studying to ha!e underta?en some form of assessed0 academic study within the (ast 2 years. E=(erience in a health or care-related setting (either (aid or !oluntary wor?) will greatly enhance your a((lication and would normally .e e=(ected in a((licants who are o!er %@ and no longer at School. ( See FAQ section) 8inance9 +here are no tuition fees to (ay for the Midwifery (rogramme. > students will .e eligi.le to a((ly for a means-tested .ursary and the student loan. -etails of this are a!aila.le !ia the ni!ersity of Hertfordshire Student ,entre ($%A$A#@&$$$) or the ,)S we.site (see web address at end). )((lication9 Please note that the deadline for application for entry in 20 3 has no! passed" )ll a((lications must come !ia ,)S online. +he ,)S course code is BA#$. /f you wish to a((ly0 you will need to ha!e the necessary qualifications0 or .e studying towards them0 otherwise your a((lication will not .e considered. +he most suita.le a((licants are in!ited for inter!iew .etween -ecem.er and May. Please note that com(etition for (laces is !ery strong0 therefore we ta?e into account your reference and (ersonal statement as well as your academic qualifications0 when screening a((lication forms. 3utcome of the (rogramme9 3n successful com(letion of the (rogramme0 students will .e awarded a BSc (Hons.) degree and .e eligi.le to a((ly for Registered Midwife status. 8ull time study +he (rogramme is full-time study o!er 2 days (er wee?0 either in the ni!ersity or in (ractice. Students who e=(erience e=treme (ersonal circumstances during the course of the (rogramme may ha!e the o(tion to ta?e a year out from the (rogramme and (ic? u( again from where they left off. Holidays +here are A wee?s annual lea!e (er year0 # at ,hristmas0 # at Easter and : in the summer. Holiday dates do not always coincide with school term times, and there is no half-term break. Hours +he (rogramme is arranged in .loc?s of a((ro=imately @ wee?s in the ni!ersity followed .y & wee?s in clinical (ractice. +he standard uni!ersity day is B-&(m with the occasional late e!ening until ;(m. /n the hos(ital0 shift wor? is e=(ected9 @ hours or %# hours0 (lus some nights and wee?ends. Student rostering in the clinical (lacements is issued a.out % month in ad!ance0 .ut may .e at much shorter notice. Please note that clinical wor?ing (atterns are

Standard letter. Enquiries re Pre-registration Midwifery Programme irregular and students will not usually wor? on the same days each wee?. For further details# please e$ail $id!iferyen%uiries&herts"ac"uk

seful we. and email addresses

,)S )ccess ,ourses !!!"ucas"ac"uk http'((!!!"accesstohe"ac"uk(

)ccess ,ourses (-istance learning) http'((!!!"distancelearnin)centre"co$( Student 8inance 3ffice ( H) studentfinanceCherts.ac.u?

See ne=t (age for D8requently as?ed questionsE

Standard letter. Enquiries re Pre-registration Midwifery Programme

Fre%uently *sked +uestions

+ , a$ a-out to chose $y .ear 2/ 3 su-0ects" , !ant to -eco$e a $id!ife e1entually' !hat should , study2 * Preferred subjects include: Biolo y, Human Biolo y or !oolo y, "lus one or more of: #hemistry, Sociolo y, Psycholo y, $eli ion Philoso"hy and %thics, P% or Health and Social #are& As lon as you ha'e at least two A()s, you can include AS)s in your total *#AS tariff count, but you cannot count the same subject at both AS and A( le'el& Please see the standard letter for +#S% re,uirements& + , a$ a-out to start an *ccess course !ith a 1ie! to -eco$in) a $id!ife' !hich $odules should , choose as $y specialities2 A Access courses normally e-"ect student to choose three s"eciality subjects at le'el .& /e usually recommend that one of these should be Biolo y, unless you already hold a ood +#S% or hi her ,ualification in this subject& 0he others can be chosen from #hemistry, Sociolo y or Psycholo y& 1f your Access course offers other alternati'es, "lease email the admissions tutor for ad'ice& Please note the 2aths re,uirements& + 3hat happens if , do not )et the re%uired )rades2

A 3emand for "laces is currently at an un"recedented le'el& 1f you are offered a "lace on the midwifery "ro ramme but do not meet the re,uired rades in the necessary subjects, it is unlikely that your "lace will be confirmed& + , already ha1e a de)ree' !ill , need to do any e4tra study in order to -e eli)i-le to apply for a place2 ) 0his de"ends on both the de ree subject and when it was achie'ed& 1f your de ree is in a Biolo ical Science, a Social Science or a Health-related subject A43 was com"leted no more than about fi'e years a o, you need do no further study, 5unless you do not meet the +#S% re,uirements&6 1f your de ree and your A) le'els 5or e,ui'alent ,ualifications6 are in unrelated subjects, we would e-"ect you to undertake a short course in a subject rele'ant to midwifery, for e-am"le an 7"en *ni'ersity 89 credit module& 1f your de ree is in a rele'ant subject area but not recent, we would ask you to undertake a short course of assessed study to brin your academic skills back u" to s"eed& 0he nature of this is ne otiable: "lease email the admissions tutor for ad'ice&

&

Standard letter. Enquiries re Pre-registration Midwifery Programme + , already ha1e a de)ree' !ill , -e a-le to )et a student loan a second ti$e around2 A :es& 2idwifery is one of the subjects that are e-em"t from the usual rule that "re'ents students from a""lyin for a second student loan& + , ha1e a place to study $id!ifery at 56# -ut a$ thinkin) of takin) a )ap year7 can , defer $y place2 A :es& 2any youn er candidates choose to take a a" year in order to de'elo" ;life skills< and we su""ort this& Howe'er, you cannot normally defer for more than one year& + , ha1e a disa-ility' !ill this affect $y chances of )ettin) onto the course2 A Places are offered "urely on the basis of the candidates) a""lication form and "erformance at the selection day& Howe'er, all candidates who acce"t a "lace on the midwifery "ro ramme do so on the condition that they under o screenin by the 7ccu"ational Health 3e"artment at *H& 1t is rare for a "lace to be re'oked on medical rounds, but as 2idwifery is a 'ery "hysically and mentally demandin "rofession, the 7ccu"ational Health team reser'e the ri ht to decide whether or not a candidate)s health is com"atible with it& + 8an , choose $y hospital site2

A /e encoura e successful candidates to choose their "referred site, but we cannot uarantee their choice& 0he sites co'ered are: West Herts Hospitals NHS Trust, based at /atford +eneral Hos"ital, East and North Herts NHS Trust, based at the =ister Hos"ital, Ste'ena e and Barnet and Chase Farm NHS Trust, based in Barnet& 0he =ister hos"ital is usually the most hea'ily o'er-subscribed + 3hat are the parkin) arran)e$ents for students2

A Students are not allowed to "ark on the *ni'ersity cam"us unless they ha'e a "ermit& 0hese are only issued to students with a disability or youn children& %'en with the "ermit, students must still ;Pay and dis"lay<& 2ost students use the "ark and ride system which is located about half a mile off cam"us and is 'ery chea"& Shuttle buses are fre,uent and reliable& 7n the clinical sites "arkin arran ements 'ary: some sites allow students to "urchase a "ermit, while others re,uire students to use the normal ;Pay and dis"lay< car "ark& Street "arkin or other off-site "arkin is a'ailable on some sites, but difficult on others& Parkin costs 'ary from "lace to "lace and are subject to increase& 1t is the student)s res"onsibility to meet the cost of trans"ort and "arkin and you are ad'ised to consider this before a""lyin &

Standard letter. Enquiries re Pre-registration Midwifery Programme

6o! !ill , )et to the hospital site2

A You are strongly advised to provide your own transport. 0here is a subsidised *ni'ersity bus ser'ice which runs from the *H cam"us to all clinical sites& *H Buses and local buses co'er most of the county as well, but trans"ort to some of the more remote community "lacement areas can be difficult on "ublic trans"ort& 1t is the student)s res"onsibility to ensure that they can et to the rele'ant clinical site on time so this should be considered carefully before a""lyin & + 8an , !ork part/ti$e and still study $id!ifery2

A :ou will need 'ery fle-ible terms of em"loyment& All students are e-"ected to work shifts in "ractice, which are often irre ular and may be i'en at fairly short notice& >obs which in'ol'e occasional hours rather than a fi-ed contract, such as a ;bank< health care assistant or bar work, are usually "ossible& Howe'er, you would be e-"ected to fit your workin hours around the midwifery course, not the other way around& All students ha'e the o""ortunity to re ister as student ambassadors and thereby earn money at *ni'ersity e'ents, such as o"en days& + 8an , arran)e $y annual lea1e to coincide !ith $y children9s school holidays2 A Annual lea'e is enerally set in ad'ance and althou h there may be some fle-ibility, there is no uarantee that any of it will coincide with school holidays& 1f this is a matter of concern for you, it would be wise to "ost"one your a""lication until you ha'e robust childcare arran ements in "lace& Please note that *ni'ersities do not ha'e half-term breaks + 8an , )et help to!ards the cost of child care2

A Some students may be eli ible for assistance, de"endin on "ersonal circumstances& Please contact the Student #entre, 2ercer Buildin , #olle e =ane cam"us for ad'ice by tele"honin 98?9?-(@A999 and askin for student finance& Alternati'ely you can email them at studentfinanceBherts&ac&uk. + , need to drop off $y children at school for 0:"30" 3ill it $atter if , start a -it later in the $ornin)s2 A :es it will& 0he *ni'ersity day starts at 9C&99 and some clinical shifts start much earlier& All students are e-"ected to be "unctual for both& Please make sure you ha'e firm arran ements for takin children to and from school&

Standard letter. Enquiries re Pre-registration Midwifery Programme + 3hat happens if $y child is sick and , cannot lea1e hi$(her2

A /e understand that from time to time situations occur when students 5and staff6 are une-"ectedly unable to work& /hen this ha""ens, students must contact the *ni'ersity or clinical site without delay& 2issed theory sessions and missed "ractice hours must be made u" as soon as reasonably "ossible& =ea'e of absence can be authorised by the "ro ramme tutor in the case of 'erified lon -term sickness& + 6o! can , )et so$e !ork e4perience -efore applyin) to the course2 ) /e enerally find that students who ha'e worked in a relevant health or care-related field find the transition to midwifery easier to mana e& /e e-"ect a""licants who are not comin strai ht from schoolDcolle e and are o'er 8@ to ha'e some e-"erience 5"aid or 'oluntary6 in a field related to the care of women or amilies& Some ideas include: ! 2aternity units 5Health #are Assistant E a "aid role6 Sure Start centres ;Home Start< Self-hel" rou"s such as the 4#0 Peer su""ort rou"s such as 0he Association of Breastfeedin 2others Antenatal classes 5you may find a local midwife willin to let you sit in on a series of classes6 /omen)s refu es Prison 'isitin 5women)s6 2other and baby rou"s Hos"ital 'olunteer work Where "an # ind out a$out wor%&voluntary wor% opportunities'

A Search your lo"al paper, "iti(ens) advi"e $ureau and noti"e $oards in "laces like li$raries and "hur"h halls or "ommunity "entres to find out which self-hel" rou"s are acti'e in your area& 1f you know of a "articular rou", try lookin it u" on-line& ! How mu"h e*perien"e should # aim to get'

A 0his is 'ery fle-ible and de"ends on the nature of the e-"erience& For e-am"le, if you held a "lacement on a re ular basis, such as a weekly 'olunteer in a maternity unit, we would e-"ect this to be a fairly lon -term commitment o'er se'eral months rather than just a ;one off<& 1f you were to et access to antenatal classes, we would e-"ect you to attend one full set of classes 5usually about A-F consecuti'e weeks6& 7b'iously the more e-"erience you can et, the betterG A

Standard letter. Enquiries re Pre-registration Midwifery Programme This infor$ation !as correct at the ti$e of !ritin) -ut please -e a!are that chan)es to the pro)ra$$e $ay occur and !ill not necessarily -e included in this F*+ i$$ediately.