Graduate Certificate in Midwifery Diagnostics and Prescribing

At the completion of this graduate certificate program students will be able to:

1. Detail the specialised knowledge and skills required to undertake midwifery diagnostics and prescriber practice essential to have a notion as a midwife with scheduled medicines endorsement with the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia (NMBA).
2. Initiate, plan, implement and evaluate diagnostic and prescribing methods to review, analyse and synthesise information obtained to solve complex diagnostic problems in midwifery.
3. Critically evaluate midwifery prescribing ideas by demonstrating creativity, personal autonomy, professional judgement and accountability.
4. Make independent professional judgements to communicate complex midwifery prescribing and diagnostics information to a variety of audiences.

This course will provide you with the detailed specialised knowledge and skills required to undertake midwifery diagnostics and prescribing including the ordering and interpreting of investigative tests for childbearing women, as well as the safe and effective prescribing of scheduled medicines for your clients.

This course has a focus on critical evaluation to enable you to initiate individualised holistic care plans across the childbearing continuum in line with leading professional guidelines.

Recommended study pattern

As a guide, you will be required to complete the following core units:

• Screening and Diagnostics in Midwifery
• Pharmacology and Prescribing for Midwives.

As part of your application, you’ll be guided through how to get the right degree structure in place for you.

Award requirements

Students are required to complete 60 credit points.

Open Universities Australia is a not-for-profit organisation. You will not pay any fees for using our services.

Indicative total fee $2,350

The amounts shown here are indicative for an Australian citizen studying full-time, which is typically 8 subjects per year.

Fees may vary depending on:

• the subjects you choose
• credit from previous work experience
• your eligibility for government funding loans or subsidies such as HECS-HELP or a Commonwealth supported place.

To learn more, go to Fees or contact a student advisor.

ECU is ranked one of the world’s best young universities and Australia’s best public university for teaching quality. That quality extends to more than 30,000 students, many studying online through Open Universities Australia. ECU offers the same quality of teaching to you, regardless of where you’re studying in the world. Their flexible study solutions include a huge range of online courses, recognising your need to juggle work, family or other commitments.

Learn more about ECU.

Explore ECU courses.

QS World University Ranking 2025, within Australia:

29

Times Higher Education World University Ranking 2025, within Australia:

24

The following course-specific admission requirements are mandatory and must be satisfied by all applicants. These requirements are in addition to or supersede the minimum requirements outlined within the Academic admission requirements band section below.

All applicants are required to be currently registered as a Midwife with the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia (NMBA).

Academic admission requirements (Band 6) may be satisfied through completion of one of the following:

• Bachelor degree; or
• Equivalent prior learning including at least five years relevant professional experience.

In addition to satisfying ECU minimum English standard requirements for this course, all applicants must also demonstrate English language proficiency as specified in the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia (NMBA) English language skills registration standard. (https://www.nursingmidwiferyboard.gov.au/Registration-Standards/English-language-skills)

These requirements are as follows:

• IELTS Academic with a minimum overall score of 7.0 and a minimum score of 7.0 in each of the three components of listening, reading, and speaking, and a minimum score of 6.5 in the writing component. This includes IELTS One Skill Retake (OSR).
• Note: Test results must be from one test sitting or two test sittings in a 12-month period. When using two test sittings, no score in any component of the test(s) for either test sitting can be below 6.5, or
• Occupational English Test (OET) with a minimum score of B in each of the three components of listening, reading, and speaking), and a minimum score of C+ in the writing component from any profession specific OET.
• Note: Test results must be from one test sitting or two test sittings in a 12-month period. When using two test sittings, no score in any component of the test(s) for either test sitting can be below C+, or
• Pearson English Test (PTE) Academic with a minimum overall score of 66 and a minimum score of 66 in each of the three communicative skills of listening, reading, and speaking, and a minimum score of 56 in the communicative skill of writing,
• Note: Test results must be from one test sitting or two test sittings in a 12-month period. When using two test sittings, no score in any component of the test(s) for either test sitting can be below 56, or
• TOEFL iBT^
• Cambridge C1 Advanced or Cambridge C2 Proficiency^

^Please refer to the School of Nursing and Midwifery Band 5 English Proficiency Band requirements for details of the required individual test scores and test validity periods at https://www.ecu.edu.au/future-students/course-entry/english-proficiency-bands.

Alternatively, if English is your primary language and you have completed education in English in a recognised country, this may be accepted.  Please refer to the School of Nursing and Midwifery Band 5 English Proficiency Band requirements for details of the approved combined prior education pathways and recognised countries at https://www.ecu.edu.au/future-students/course-entry/english-proficiency-bands.

If you have completed units of study in another postgraduate course or have relevant professional experience, you may be eligible for Credit and Recognition of Prior Learning (CRPL).

To assess your eligibility for credit, we first need you to apply for and accept an offer in your course of interest with us. You can then submit an Application for Credit and Recognition of Prior Learning via your Student Portal.