This innovative program has been offering midwifery education since 1993 in partnership with McMaster and Laurentian universities.

The baccalaureate degree program prepares graduates to be eligible to apply for registration as midwives in Ontario, and meets recognized national and international standards. Graduates work as registered health-care professionals who provide primary care to women with low-risk pregnancies, conduct births in home and hospital settings, and provide care after birth for women and their babies up to six weeks of age.

Our program prepares graduates to engage in lifelong learning. Working as a midwife requires a keen intelligence combined with flexibility and compassion. Midwives need a thorough understanding of normal and complex conditions affecting pregnancy, birth and the postpartum care of women and the newborn.

Graduates must draw on a large body of knowledge and sometimes make clinical judgements under stressful or emergency situations. Midwives collaborate with other healthcare providers such as physicians, nurses and social workers. The program prepares students to develop good communication skills and an understanding of cross-cultural issues in health care. Clinical skills are developed under the supervision of clinical midwifery preceptors.

CURRICULUM INFORMATION

The curriculum includes courses from basic sciences, social sciences, health sciences, women's studies and electives in addition to clinical midwifery courses. A variety of course formats are used, most often small group tutorials.

Students enrolled in the non-clinical Midwifery courses must attend classes at Ryerson. In addition to the normal University wide policies on Academic Standing and Graduation Requirements, the Midwifery program has variations which may affect a student's studies. Please see the Registrar's Office section for Academic Standing Variations and Graduation Requirement Variations for specific information.

Students in the part-time program may complete their studies in five to seven years. The maximum length of time to complete the program is seven years. The sequence of courses and course load are arranged individually. Periods of full-time participation in clinical placements will be necessary for all students in the five, six, and seven year streams.

All first, second and third semester non-clinical courses must be completed before students can proceed to MWF 120.

Course Identification

Part-time courses are administered by either the program department or The G. Raymond Chang School of Continuing Education. The mode of delivery is not reflected in this calendar. Continuing education courses are identified in your course selection enrollment package with a 'C' prefix.  These identifiers are for internal use only and do not affect the equivalency.

GENERAL ACADEMIC INFORMATION

Transfer Credit

Applicants with previous university courses may be exempt from electives or other non-clinical courses in the first three semesters. The actual amount of transfer credit awarded to an applicant will not be determined until the conclusion of the overall admissions process; each application will be assessed on an individual basis. An Offer of Admission does not guarantee that transfer credits will be awarded. Generally, transfer credits will not reduce the time required to complete the program.

Minors

Students may pursue any Minor offered by Ryerson (with exceptions), and are eligible for only one Minor. Please refer to the Minors Policy section of this calendar for further information on individual Minor requirements and restrictions.

The G. Raymond Chang School of Continuing Education Certificates

Undergraduate students wishing to pursue a continuing education certificate program should be aware of possible restrictions. Please refer to the Curriculum Advising website at www.ryerson.ca/curriculumadvising for complete details.

FULL-TIME DEGREE PROGRAM

The Midwifery Education Program also offers its four-year program on a full-time studies basis. Please refer to the 2011-2012 Full-Time Undergraduate Calendar, visit our website: www.ryerson.ca/midwife or, call the Midwifery Education Program at (416) 979-5104 for further information.