What can you do with a midwifery (pre-registration) degree?

Things to consider when choosing a career or considering further study after studying a (pre-registration) midwifery degree

Knowledge and skills

Through evidence-informed theoretical study and a variety of clinical practice opportunities, you will gain the skills, knowledge and experiences needed to join the midwifery profession when you graduate:

person-centred communication skills to promote engagement with women from a range of backgrounds in a sensitive and empathic way
assessment, planning and evaluation skills to manage care in a range of settings
ability to apply research-based evidence to woman and family centred practice
the ability to co-ordinate care for people with complex health needs
management, leadership and team working skills within multi-professional teams
the ability to reflect on your practice and learn from your experiences.

Career options

15 months after graduating*

98% of our midwifery graduates are in highly skilled work or further study

98% of our midwifery graduates agree that their current activity is meaningful

98% of our midwifery graduates say their degree was a formal requirement for their job or gave them an advantage

Studying midwifery at the University of Plymouth will enable you to commence a rewarding career within the health sector. With an ongoing demand for midwives across the UK, employment prospects for midwifery graduates remain very good.

As the healthcare sector moves towards more integrated, home and community-based services, the range of opportunities available for newly qualified midwives has never been greater. Our midwifery graduates work in a variety of settings, including hospitals, GP practices, birthing centres, children’s centres and in continuity of care teams. Most midwives are employed by the NHS, however opportunities also exist in private hospitals, independent practices and the armed forces.

As your career develops, you could take on a specialist role. Specialisms exist in a range of settings, including antenatal screening, breastfeeding advice, home birthing, intensive care, neonatal care, fetal medicine or public health for example. With experience you could progress into a leadership role, such as team manager, unit manager or consultant midwife. Alternatively, you could take on an education role, leading on the training and development of midwives within the NHS or training student midwives in higher education. Opportunities also exist in clinical research and with training you could move into other professions such as health visiting. Working overseas is a further option that some graduates move into.

*Data is from the Graduate Outcomes Surveys covering the three years of 2019/20 – 2021/22. Graduates were surveyed 15 months after graduating. Data displayed is for UK-domiciled, first degree, full-time graduates who are working, studying or looking for work.

Researching your career options

Midwifery can be an incredibly rewarding career where you can make a real difference to people’s lives. At the same time it can be physically demanding and emotionally challenging. Additionally, given the diversity of career options within the profession, it is important to research and explore these fully so that you can make informed decisions about your future.

The following websites will help you with your decision making:

Employment opportunities

Below is a snapshot of what University of Plymouth midwifery graduates told us they were doing 15 months after graduation:

Advanced Health Improvement Practitioner
Band 5 Midwife

Senior Midwife
Staff Nurse

Employers

Our graduates are found in most NHS Trusts as well as the private healthcare sector.

Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Great Western Hospital
Livewell Southwest
NHS Musgrove Park Hospital, Taunton
NHS Lothian Scotland

NHS, Royal United Hospital, Located In Bath
Northern Devon Healthcare NHS Trust
Oxford University Hospital Trust
Royal Cornwall Hospitals NHS Trust
Royal Devon & Exeter NHS Foundation Trust

Somerset Partnership NHS Foundation Trust
Torbay and South Devon NHS Foundation Trust
University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire NHS Trust
University Hospital Of Southampton NHS Foundation Trust
University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust

Things to consider when choosing a career or considering further study after studying a midwifery degree

Discover employment and further study opportunities that you could consider once you graduate with a midwifery degree and learn how you can stand out to graduate employers.

Throughout their degrees, we encourage our graduates to:

undertake career planning and research
build your networks, meet employers and graduates
gain essential work experience during your course
attend career fairs and events
continually develop your skills and knowledge
get involved with relevant clubs and societies
visit the Careers Service for advice.

Further study

The University offers registered midwives the opportunity to further develop their knowledge and skills through a range of specialist postgraduate programmes. These include:

MSc Advanced Professional Practice (Nursing and Midwifery Professions)
MSc Advanced Neonatal Nurse Practitioner
PgDip Advanced Critical Care Practice

You should consider the financial implications of further study as well as selecting a programme that suits your interests, learning style and future career direction. The following websites are a good starting point for exploring postgraduate options, but you may also benefit from talking to a Careers Consultant about your particular situation.

It is also worth investigating what further study options the University has to offer as you may find the perfect course for yourself in an institution you already know. There are also sometimes financial benefits of staying on such as a fee discount to Alumni – find out your funding options .

Careers Service support

Accessing support from the Careers Service couldn’t be easier, come along to the Careers Service Helpdesk in the Student Hub or access 24/7 online resources .

There is a wide range of support available from accelerate skills workshops to events, placements and internships advice, 1-2-1 appointments and help getting started with LinkedIn.

Our bite-sized Skills Workshops can give your career the boost it needs. Choose from a range of topics:

effective career planning
job hunting techniques
finding part-time work
CVs and interviews
mastering LinkedIn
and more.

Workshops are delivered by the Careers Service; however, they are also an opportunity to learn from your peers, share experiences and ask questions. Visit myCareer to see the full range of activities and to book your place.

Connect with graduates

Build your network and job sector knowledge using LinkedIn's alumni tool. This will allow you to see the career journeys of graduates from your programme, the qualifications they completed, the skills they developed and employers they worked for. You can then ‘connect’ with people of interest.

search LinkedIn for ‘University of Plymouth’
select ‘Alumni’
filter the results by subject, sector, company or location.

For more information about the alumni tool select LinkedIn alumni tool guide. If you are looking for help to set up or learn how to make the most of your LinkedIn profile, select the LinkedIn guide for students or come to one of our workshops .

Other advice and guidance

Work experience

Midwifery programmes at Plymouth offer a variety of clinical placements working with real women and their families alongside skills development activities at the University. Some students choose to supplement their studies with part-time work in the healthcare sector or elsewhere.

The University of Plymouth Students’ Union also offers a wide range of volunteering opportunities.

In addition to enhancing your midwifery skillset, a varied set of work experiences can open up new opportunities and bring you into contact with people who may be able to assist you at the beginning of your career.

Clubs and societies

Engaging in a sport or society shows employers you are engaged and seek out opportunities, it also helps you improve your teamwork, communication and negotiation skills. Committee members can develop leadership, diplomacy and organisational skills and will gain experience of meetings, handling funds, and society promotion.

You may choose to join a society that is specifically linked to midwifery or take the opportunity to explore the huge range of clubs, societies and sports, all of which can help you to broaden your horizons and explore new interests.

Tutor and academic support

Your tutor and other academic staff are an excellent source of support for your career development. They will have experience and contacts across industry and academia, so do approach them for advice and insights into careers you are considering. Your tutor will ultimately be writing references for your employment or further study applications, therefore establishing a positive relationship with this person is invaluable.