Midwifery Sciences B.Sc., Primary Qualification, Vocational Study, with Integrated Practical Work.

 

All over the world, midwives see themselves as professional companions to women and their families during the period of pregnancy, birth and postpartum until the child's first birthday. They see this period as a natural phase of life, but it is one that is accompanied by drastic changes on a physical, psychological and social level. Therefore, these women often require professional support. The goals of midwifery work are to maintain and to promote the health of the mother and child beyond this phase of life.

The increasingly complex needs in the health care system, but also the necessary implementation of the EU Directive 2005/36/EC, required a reform of midwifery training in Germany.

Starting in the winter semester of 2022/2023, the Medical Faculty of RWTH Aachen University will offer the Midwifery Sciences program, which concludes after seven semesters with professional certification as a midwife and a Bachelor of Science degree.

Since graduates are allowed to work in practice directly on their own responsibility after graduation, the new course concept is practice-oriented and competence-based. Theoretical and scientific modules that focus on knowledge, skills and attitude reflection are offered in each semester. Practical skills are tested in the stress-free environment of the SkillsLab at the University and they are deepened and practiced in directly subsequent practical phases at cooperating hospitals, with freelance midwives and in midwife-led facilities. The practical phases make up approximately half of the study time and are closely supervised by the University. During the entire degree period, students receive remuneration from the responsible practical institution.

 

Degree Content

The theoretical courses teach physiological expertise: Medical basics, traditional midwifery knowledge, and midwifery skills. In addition, there are methodological skills such as interviewing, conceptual and business organization of midwifery work, scientific working, and emergency and crisis management. The program is rounded off by personality-building seminars on individual professional profile development, ethical and political issues of the profession, and on various cultural and social environments of the families to be cared for. In the SkillsLab, students learn examination methods, nursing activities, and obstetrics-relevant hand movements and procedures, as well as interview and counseling training.

The study program is characterized by a close interlocking of theoretical and practical contents, which is achieved by two special features of the course concept:

1. Temporal proximity of theory and practical content: The theory phase is followed in each semester by a practical phase in an appropriate obstetric facility or with freelance midwives in the region, in which the respective theoretical content is deepened and practiced under the guidance of experienced practitioners.
2. Integrated practical guidance and practical support: The students are regularly accompanied by teachers from the University during the practical assignments and, together with the experienced practical instructors, theory content is practiced, deepened and reflected upon in specific situations. In this way, the applicability of theory in practice is tested and critically evaluated. Conversely, the University's practical supervisors incorporate practical experience and problems into new research projects.

In the course of the studies, the practice situations become increasingly complex as the students get to know irregular and pathological deviations, institutional and real-world conditions, as well as by the inclusion of further disciplines and professional groups in the care of the women and their families. As such, the demands on the students' competencies increase continuously with each semester.

Programs Abroad

During the internship with a freelance midwife, 160 hours can generally be completed abroad.

Structure of the Course

Semester	Competence Level	Theoretical Contents	Practical Contents
1	Level 1: Working in a manner that conforms to the rules	Physiology and experience of pregnancy, childbirth and postpartum, scientific working, professional knowledge, SkillsLab: physical examinations, first aid	Working in the delivery room: Observing, accompanying and monitoring pregnant women, women in labor and delivery, and newborns.
2		Accompanying and nursing midwifery activities, pharmacology and hygiene, communication, relationship building and guidance, SkillsLab: nursing activities, conversation techniques, guidance situations.	Working in the delivery room and postpartum ward: Observing, accompanying, examining, and caring for pregnant women, women in labor, women who have just given birth, and newborns
3	Level 2: Understanding of rule violations, consideration of institutional and real world conditions	General theory of disease and gynecology, pediatrics, concepts of care and business framework of midwifery, Family lives	Working in a pediatric clinic, gynecological nursing ward, gynecological operating room, pediatric clinic: Getting to know care concepts
4		Pathology in pregnancy, birth and postpartum, ethics in obstetrics, midwifery care of women in childbirth in special situations. SkillsLab: Obstetric handgrips and maneuvers.	Working as a freelance midwife, delivery room and maternity ward: Applying concepts of care, organization of freelancing.
5		Midwifery care for families in special situations, individual counseling and training, midwifery research. SkillsLab: counseling training	Working in the delivery room and being a freelance midwife: Care concepts of clinical and out-of-hospital obstetric care.
6	Stage 3: Development of individual solutions for complex situations	Managing emergencies in obstetrics interprofessionally, interdisciplinary research project, professional and health policy, SkillsLab: Simulation Emergency Training	Working in the delivery room: Tailoring complex birthing situations to each patient
7		Individual solutions for complex case situations in obstetrics State examination Bachelor's thesis	Working in the delivery room, outpatient clinic for pregnant women, postpartum ward: Tailoring complex situations during pregnancy and birth to each patient

 

Prerequisites

Application

To enroll at RWTH, you must have an academic midwifery education contract with one of the responsible practice institutions:

• Uniklinik RWTH Aachen
• Luisenhospital Aachen

The application for this practice contract must be made centrally via the Practice Center of the Midwifery Sciences program at the Christian Educational Academy for Health Professions. It provides further information on the application procedure and the required documents on its website. Direct applications to one of the responsible practice institutions will not be considered.

Enrollment Requirements

• Successful application to the Practice Center of the Midwifery Sciences program at the Christian Academy of Education for Health Professions and contract for academic midwifery training with one of the responsible practice facilities
• Suitable level of health, proven by means of a current health certificate upon conclusion of the contract with the responsible practice facility
• Presentation of a current extended police certificate of good conduct without any entries at the time of conclusion of the contract with the responsible practice facility
• Proof of completion of RWTH's Psychology Self-Assessment. The result of the self-assessment has no influence on the allocation of a study place, but rather only serves as a self-assessment.

 

Decision Aids

The following characteristics and personality traits are advantageous for the profession of midwifery:

• Interest in the biological changes that occur during the reproductive phase of women's lives
• Interest in the life stories of women and in their subjective view of their individual life situation
• Empathy
• Ability to work in a team
• Perseverance and patience

Voluntary Pre-Study Internship

A pre-study internship is not mandatory for this degree program. However, we strongly recommend that applicants spend about four weeks of experience in the field of midwifery. This allows prospective students to see how they handle birth situations, to reflect on how these situations affect them, and how they react personally. They thus gain a realistic impression of the working conditions and stresses of midwifery work. Such an internship is a useful aid in deciding on a course of study that demands a high level of personal skill.

 

Career Prospects

Currently, midwives are sought after in all areas of the profession. After graduation, there are many opportunities to work as a midwife or to gain further qualifications. The following options are open to graduates:

• Midwife in delivery room or birth center
• Freelance work as a midwife in the areas of pregnancy, birth, and puerperium
• Midwife in the area of premature deliveries – after appropriate qualification
• Assumption of tasks in the area of leadership and management
• Further academic qualification: Master's degree, doctorate, post-doctoral thesis (habilitation)

 

Module Handbook and Examination Regulations

The module handbook provides a description of all modules of a degree program and offers a comprehensive insight into the program contents.

The examination regulations are comprised of legally binding provisions on learning objectives, prerequisites for study, the course structure and processes, and examination procedures.

Regulations that generally apply to all Bachelor's and Master's degree programs, including information on language proficiency requirements, can be found in RWTH's General Examination Regulations. These general regulations are further specified and complemented by the subject-specific examination regulations.

If two examination regulations are valid for a degree program during a transition phase, the most current version shall apply to students enrolling in the program for the first time.

Please note that only the German examination regulations are legally binding.

Module Handbook
Subject-Specific Examination Regulations
RWTH's General Examination Regulations

 

Faculty

The Midwifery Sciences program is offered by the Faculty of Medicine.