Midwifery

O.S.S.D. with six Grade 12 U/M courses including Grade 12 U courses in English, one of Biology (SBI4U) or Chemistry (SCH4U), and one Grade 12 U or M course in Canadian World Studies or the Social Sciences and the Humanities. 

Notes:

1. ENG4U/EAE4U is the preferred English.
2. The overall average required for consideration is 70 percent or higher in six Grade 12 U/M courses.
3. A grade of 70 percent or higher is required in each of the subject prerequisites.
4. Mature students as defined by the University are required to have the three specific Grade 12 U/M courses listed above and grades of 70 percent or higher in each of the three subject areas (or equivalent).
5. Applicants with prior or current university studies must have high school Grade 12 U/M or equivalent university courses in the three required subject areas noted above with a grade of 70 percent or higher in each course. The applicant's overall average from all university work, including the three required courses, must be 70 percent or higher.
6. Applicants with public Ontario College studies (or equivalent) must have courses that are equivalent to the three required Grade 12 U/M courses. A grade of 70 percent or higher must be obtained in each of these required courses, and an average of 70 percent or higher from at least two years of college study must be achieved.
7. All applicants are required to submit the OUAC application form, academic transcripts, Midwifery Cover Sheet, Midwifery Supplementary Application form, and the personal letter by February 1st of the year they are applying for. Visit the Midwifery program website (opens in new window)  for full details.
8. If minimum academic requirements are met, review of the personal letters is used to determine who is invited to the interview stage of the admissions process.
   
9. Admission guidelines are subject to change. Please consult the admission guidelines outlined in the Midwifery application package available on the Midwifery program website.
10. Preference will be given to applicants who have successfully completed at least one year of university studies, or other related life experience. 
11. Subject to competition, candidates may be required to present averages/grades above the minimum.

Application Procedures

Applicants must:

1. Apply through the Ontario Universities' Application Centre (OUAC (external link, opens in new window) ).
2. Arrange for submission of secondary and post-secondary transcripts to Undergraduate Admissions.
3. Submit a completed Midwifery Cover Sheet (instructions available from the Midwifery program website (opens in new window) ).
4. Submit a completed Midwifery Supplementary Form (instructions available from the Midwifery program website (opens in new window) ).
5. Submit four copies of the personal letter to Undergraduate Admissions (instructions available from the Midwifery program website (opens in new window) ).
6. Submit all materials by the deadline of February 1st to Undergraduate Admissions. When February 1st falls on a weekend, application materials will be accepted on the first Monday thereafter. 

Criminal Reference Check (Vulnerable Sector) and Immunization Requirements

The Midwifery Education Program requires all students to complete a current criminal reference/police check for the vulnerable sector and ensure immunizations are current before entering MWF 150.

The Post-Baccalaureate Program for Health Professionals typically requires two years (six semesters) of full-time study.  Applicants with a health professional baccalaureate degree, such as a Bachelor of Science in Nursing, from an accredited university, or equivalent, as well as recent and relevant maternity care experience, may be considered candidates for this accelerated stream within the Midwifery Education Program. All baccalaureate degree requirements must be completed by June 30th of the year of entry into Ryerson's Post-Baccalaureate Midwifery program. Applications are made to the four year program.  Potential candidates for the Post-Baccalaureate program must be successful through all stages of the Midwifery Education Program admissions process, before consideration for the Post-Baccalaureate program.

Criminal Reference Check (Vulnerable Sector) and Immunization Requirements

The Midwifery Education Program requires all students to complete a current criminal reference/police check for the vulnerable sector and ensure immunizations are current before entering MWF 150.

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 people with low-risk pregnancies, conduct births in home, birth centre and hospital settings, and provide care after birth for the birthing parent and their babies up to six weeks of age.

The Midwifery Education 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 the birthing parent and the newborn and at times may need to make clinical judgements under stressful or emergency situations.

The Midwifery Education Program equips students with the clinical and communication skills needed to work effectively and competently as primary maternity care providers. Students learn critical thinking and problem solving skills, how to apply research evidence to provide high quality care, and develop an understanding of the relevance of cross-cultural issues to midwifery work. The Midwifery Education Program sees its role in education and in the midwifery profession as part of a broader commitment to social justice.

The curriculum includes courses from basic sciences, social sciences, health sciences, gender 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.

Students in the part-time program may complete their studies in five or six years. The sequence of courses and course load are arranged individually. All first, second and third semester non-clinical courses must be completed before students can proceed to the first clinical placement, MWF 120. Upon entering MWF 120, full-time participation will be necessary for all students in the five or six year streams for the duration of the program.

The maximum length of time to complete the program is seven years.

The Post-Baccalaureate Program for Health Professionals is offered on a full-time basis only.

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.

Students may pursue any Minor offered by Ryerson (with some exceptions). Please refer to the Minors chapter of this calendar for further information on individual Minor requirements and exclusions.

Undergraduate students wishing to pursue a continuing education certificate program should be aware of possible program exclusions. Please refer to the Certificate Registration section of the Curriculum Advising website (opens in new window)  for complete details.

† Students must attain a minimum grade of 'B-' in MWF 250 before proceeding to higher level Midwifery courses. Students with less than a 'B-' will be placed on academic probation and students who receive less than a 'B-' for a second time in MWF 250 will be REQUIRED TO WITHDRAW from the program.

NOTE:

• Students require a CLEAR Standing before enrolment in MWF 120 in 4th semester.
• Students must complete five out of six of the following courses with a minimum grade of 'C-': MWF 108, MWF 109, MWF 11A/B, MWF 113, MWF 114 and MWF 201 between 1st and 3rd semester. 
  
• No more than four years may elapse between the completion of the first clinical course MWF 120 and the completion of MWF 410.  

REQUIRED:

* This course is graded on a pass/fail basis.

NOTE:

• Students who fail MWF 320, MWF 410 or MWF 420 may be requested to enrol in MWF 370 to assist them in obtaining additional clinical experience before repeating their original failed course.  

* This course is graded on a pass/fail basis.

NOTE: No more than four years may elapse between the completion of MWF 120 and completion of MWF 410.

NOTE: Students who fail MWF 320, MWF 410 or MWF 420 may be requested to enrol in MWF 370 to assist them in obtaining additional clinical experience before repeating their original failed course.

* Students must attain a minimum grade of 'C-' in BLG 10A/B before enrolment in MWF 201 (3rd semester).

† Students must attain a minimum grade of 'B-' in MWF 150 before proceeding to higher level midwifery courses. Students with less than a 'B-' will be placed on academic probation and students who receive less than a 'B-' for a second time in MWF 150 will be REQUIRED TO WITHDRAW from the program.

NOTE:

† Students must attain a minimum grade of 'B-' in MWF 250 before proceeding to higher level Midwifery courses. Students with less than a 'B-' will be placed on academic probation and students who receive less than a 'B-' for a second time in MWF 250 will be REQUIRED TO WITHDRAW from the program.

NOTE:

• Students require a CLEAR Standing before enrolment in MWF 120 in 4th semester.
• Students must complete five out of six of the following courses with a minimum grade of 'C-': MWF 108, MWF 109, MWF 11A/B, MWF 113, MWF 114 and MWF 201 between 1st and 3rd semester. 
  
• No more than four years may elapse between the completion of the first clinical course MWF 120 and the completion of MWF 410.  

* This course is graded on a pass/fail basis.

†NOTE:

• Students must attain a minimum grade of 'B-' in MWF 344 before proceeding to higher level Midwifery courses. Students with less than a 'B-' will be given a PROBATIONARY Standing, and all students who receive less than a 'B-' for a second time in MWF 344 will be REQUIRED TO WITHDRAW from the program.
• Students must attain a minimum grade of 'B-' in MWF 345 before proceeding to higher level Midwifery courses. Students with less than a 'B-' will be given a PROBATIONARY Standing, and all students who receive less than a 'B-' for a second time in MWF 345 will be REQUIRED TO WITHDRAW from the program.
  

REQUIRED:

* This course is graded on a pass/fail basis.

NOTE:

• Students who fail MWF 320, MWF 410 or MWF 420 may be requested to enrol in MWF 370 to assist them in obtaining additional clinical experience before repeating their original failed course.  

* This course is graded on a pass/fail basis.

NOTE: No more than four years may elapse between the completion of MWF 120 and completion of MWF 410.

NOTE: Students who fail MWF 320, MWF 410 or MWF 420 may be requested to enrol in MWF 370 to assist them in obtaining additional clinical experience before repeating their original failed course.

This program is offered on a full-time basis only.

NOTE:

• Students must attain a minimum grade of 'B-' in MWF 150 and MWF 250 before proceeding to higher level Midwifery courses. Students with less than a 'B-' will be given a PROBATIONARY Standing, and students who receive less than a 'B-' for a second time in any of the courses, will be REQUIRED TO WITHDRAW from the program.
• Students must attain a minimum grade of 'B-' in MWF 345 before proceeding to higher level Midwifery courses. Students with less than a 'B-' will be given a PROBATIONARY Standing, and students who receive less than a 'B-' for a second time in MWF 345 will be REQUIRED TO WITHDRAW from the program.
  
• Students require a CLEAR Standing before enrolment in MWF 120 in 2nd semester.
• Students must complete three of the following courses with a minimum grade of 'C-': MWF 113, MWF 114, MWF 155 and MWF 201.
  

REQUIRED:

* This course is graded on a Pass/Fail basis.

NOTE: Students who fail MWF 320 may be requested to enrol in MWF 370 to assist them in obtaining additional clinical experience before repeating their original failed course.

• MWF 42A/B is a multi-term course that carries over to 5th semester, has a Course Count of 2.00 and is graded on a Pass/Fail basis.  Students who fail MWF 42A/B may be requested to enrol in MWF 370 to assist them in obtaining additional clinical experience before repeating their original failed course.
• MWF 41A/B is a multi-term course that carries over to 6th semester, has a Course Count of 2.0 and is graded on a Pass/Fail basis.
  
• MWF 220 is graded on a Pass/Fail basis.
• Students must attain a minimum grade of 'B-' in MWF 344 before proceeding to higher level Midwifery courses. Students with less than a 'B-' will be given a PROBATIONARY Standing, and students who receive less than a 'B-' for a second time in MWF 344 will be REQUIRED TO WITHDRAW from the program.

REQUIRED:

• MWF 41A/B is a multi-term course, continued from 5th semester that is graded on a Pass/Fail basis and has a Course Count of 2.00.
• Students who fail MWF 41A/B may be requested to enrol in MWF 370 to assist them in obtaining additional clinical experience before repeating their original failed course.

In addition to the general criteria used to determine Academic Standing, students in this program must also meet the following conditions:

• A Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA) of at least 2.33 AND meeting the minimum course grade requirement in each enrolled course will result in a CLEAR Standing.
• A Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA) of less than 2.33; a grade of less than 'C-' in two or more Midwifery foundation courses (MWF 11A/B, MWF 108, MWF 109, MWF 113, MWF 114, MWF 155, MWF 201); OR a grade of less than 'B-' in MWF 150, MWF 250, MWF 344, MWF 345; OR a grade of less than 'C-' in BLG 10A/B; OR one failed grade in any course listed above or in any MWF required course will result in a PROBATIONARY Standing.
   

Students with a PROBATIONARY Standing may not continue their program studies until a specific plan of studies has been authorized by their program and recorded with the Office of the Registrar. Such a plan will set out a group of specific courses (including all requirements for the failed course) that if successfully completed, could result in a CLEAR Standing within not more than three academic terms of study. Students who fail to have a probationary plan of studies (i.e., probationary contract) approved by their program will have their course intention requests or course enrolment cancelled for the semester in which they are on PROBATION.

A student must meet the minimum course grade requirement for the course being repeated and maintain a Term Grade Point Average (TGPA) of 2.33 for the duration of the PROBATIONARY period.

Students should note that under certain circumstances, it may be impossible to achieve a CLEAR Standing without repeating and upgrading, as part of the PROBATIONARY program of study.

Students with PROBATIONARY Standing will be eligible to continue their studies as long as they achieve a Term Grade Point Average (TGPA) of 2.33 or higher with no failed grades ('F', or 'F-S') during each term of their PROBATIONARY program, even when their Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA) has not been raised to 2.33 (67 percent). Students who, while on PROBATION, raise their Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA) to a minimum 2.33 and meet the minimum course grade requirements and have no failures during their PROBATIONARY studies, will normally receive an Academic Standing of CLEAR. Students require CLEAR Academic Standing in order to enrol in the first Midwifery clinical placement, MWF 120.

Notwithstanding the above, students are required to meet the terms of the PROBATIONARY contract agreed to with their Program Department, unless changes are subsequently agreed to, in writing, with their Program Department. Failure to meet the terms of their PROBATIONARY contract may result in the assignment of a PERMANENTLY WITHDRAWN Standing from their program. Specifically, failure to successfully complete (either through failure or withdrawal without written permission of the Program) all courses stipulated in the student's PROBATIONARY plan of studies, will result in a PERMANENTLY WITHDRAWN Standing.

A failed grade in two non-clinical courses in an academic term; OR a failed grade in any two clinical courses; OR a second failed grade in the same course; OR failure to achieve the minimum required grade in the same course for a second time; OR a Term Grade Point Average (TGPA) less than 2.33 or a failed course at the end of a PROBATIONARY period will result in a PERMANENTLY WITHDRAWN Standing.

The Midwifery Program reserves the right to determine a student's eligibility to participate in the clinical component of any course.

The Midwifery Education program reserves the right, at any point during the term, to remove a student from a clinical placement or laboratory setting if the student exhibits unsafe clinical practice or behaviour that places clients or others at risk and/or violates the Midwifery Act of Ontario. Such removal will result in the student receiving an 'F' grade and may result in dismissal from the program. In this circumstance, students must have established rights of appeal; however, they cannot remain in the course while the appeal is underway. The appeal will be conducted promptly in order to protect students' rights.

The student may be PERMANENTLY WITHDRAWN from the Midwifery Education Program for reasons of unprofessional behaviour or professional misconduct.

All Midwifery clinical placement courses must be completed within four years of completing the first clinical course. For example, no more than four years may elapse between completion of MWF 120 and completion of MWF 410 or MWF 41A/B.

In addition to fulfilling the general academic requirements for graduation, students in this program must also meet the following conditions:

1. a minimum grade of 'B-' in MWF 150, MWF 250, MWF 344 and MWF 345 in order to proceed to higher-level midwifery courses. Students with less than a 'B-' will be placed on academic PROBATION and students who receive less than a 'B-' for a second time in MWF 150, MWF 250, MWF 344 or MWF 345 will be REQUIRED TO WITHDRAW from the program.
2. a minimum grade of 'C-' in BLG 10A/B before proceeding to MWF 201.
3. a minimum grade of 'C-' in all but one of the following courses: MWF 11A/B, MWF 108, MWF 109, MWF 113, MWF 114, MWF 155, MWF 201. A grade of 'D' or above in at most one course from the above list is acceptable. Students who receive less than a 'C-' in more than one of the above courses will be placed on academic PROBATION and students who receive less than 'C-' for a second time in the same course will be REQUIRED TO WITHDRAW from the program.
4. an overall academic performance of at least a cumulative grade point average (CGPA) of 2.33 in graded Ryerson courses.
5. completion of all studies within seven years of first approval.
   

A Program Advisory Council (PAC) is a group of volunteers that provides expert advice to a school or department on program related matters such as curriculum, program review, technology and trends in the industry, discipline or profession. For more information, see  (PDF file) Senate Policy #158 (Program Advisory Councils).

Elizabeth Allemang
Faculty
Ryerson Midwifery Education Program

Juana Berinstein
Association of Ontario Midwives

Deborah Connerty
Social Worker
Women's Counselling Services

Kelly Dobbin
College of Midwives of Ontario

Sabina Fella 
Graduate
Ryerson Midwifery Program

Karen Fleming
Family Medicine Maternity Care

Christie Lockhart 
Midwifery Preceptor

Bridget Lynch
International Confederation of Midwives

Monica McKay
Director, Aboriginal Initiatives
Ryerson University

Ensieh Taeidi  
Graduate
International Midwifery Preregistration Program

Yvonne Osondu
Consumer

Naomi Mendes
Student
Ryerson Midwifery Program