Degree details

This program is unique and designed to transform midwifery practice. It is the first and currently only postgraduate program in the world that implements the 'Framework for Quality Maternal and Newborn Care" from the Lancet series on midwifery. 

Graduates of the program will be leaders in providing woman-centred care within maternity services where every prospective mother can access care from a known midwife. It's an ideal program for all healthcare practitioners, including midwives, who are wanting to design, implement, and evaluate leading-edge primary maternity care models.

Please note that successful completion of this program does not lead to eligibility to apply for registration as a midwife. Prospective students seeking eligibility to apply for registration as a midwife should refer to the Griffith University Bachelor of Midwifery (1354).

This program is designed for healthcare practitioners, including midwives, who are wanting to design, implement, and evaluate leading-edge primary maternity care models. 

Students with a Graduate Certificate in Primary Maternity Care may apply for admission to the Master of Primary Maternity Care (5655).

Higher education

While the Graduate Certificate in Primary Maternity Care is mainly designed for registered midwives, it is also available to other health professionals in the maternity services sector.

All applicants seeking to undertake the Graduate Certificate in Primary Maternity Care must hold:

  • a Bachelor degree (or equivalent) in a suitable professional health practice discipline such as midwifery, medicine, nursing or social work from a recognised tertiary institution.

The School of Nursing and Midwifery has instituted a Recognition of Prior Experience (RPE) procedure for registered midwives who do not have an undergraduate qualification. Applicants will be assessed on their ability to demonstrate eligibility requirements. The School of Nursing and Midwifery will determine eligibility for admission into the requested program based on application, curriculum vitae and referee reports.

English Proficiency Requirements

English language requirements apply to International applicants and other applicants whose previous study was undertaken in a language other than English. The minimum English language requirements for such applicants for entry to this program are as follows:

  • A minimum overall band score of 7.0 on IELTS (Academic) with no sub-score of less than 7.0
  • OR a minimum score of 580 on TOEFL
  • OR an internet-based (iBT) TOEFL score of 92 (no score less than 22)
  • OR no score less than 4 in each skill of the ISLPR (conducted by ISLPR Language Services only)
  • OR a minimum grade of C on the Cambridge Certificate of Proficiency in English (CPE)
  • OR an overall score of 65 in the Pearson Test of English (Academic) with no score less than 58.

English test results must be no more than two years old.

The Direct Entry Program (DEP) pathway is not accepted for this program.

Griffith University grants credit and recognition of prior learning which may relate to prior formal learning or prior informal and non-formal learning. For more information, please visit the following website:

Award Requirements

To be eligible for the award of the Graduate Certificate in Primary Maternity Care (GCertPrimaryMaternityCare), a student must acquire 40 credit points as prescribed below:

  • gain 40 credit points for the prescribed core subjects.