Degree details

The Master of Primary Maternity Care is unique. 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.

Studying the program is a rich experience for all. You’ll learn with students from all over the world as you study online with us. Your fellow students will have experience of different maternity services and a range of valued and diverse points of view to share with students and faculty.

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

Upon successful completion of this program, graduates will be prepared to design and deliver primary maternity care and women's health services within a wellness model.

Graduates will be recognised for their expertise and ability to apply professional knowledge and skills in maternity care. They will possess high levels of skills and knowledge in the following areas:

  • Legal, professional and ethical issues in practice
  • Synergy in practice to meet current and future maternity reform agenda
  • Interactions of cultural diversity and their implications for practice
  • Principles of partnership working
  • Effective midwifery care and service provision.

Higher education

All applicants seeking to undertake the Master of 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 with a GPA of 4.0 or above
  • OR a Graduate Certificate in Primary Maternity Care from Griffith University (students will be eligible for 40 credit points of advanced standing and will be required to complete 80 credit points in the program).

Note: Applicants are not permitted to defer an offer. Should you be unable to accept an offer, you must re-apply for entry in the following year.

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 Master of Primary Maternity Care (MPrimaryMaternityCare), a student must acquire 120 credit points as prescribed below:

  • Standard pathway:
    • gain 70 credit points for core courses;
    • gain 10 credit points for a research elective course;
    • gain 40 credit points for listed elective courses.
  • Dissertation pathway:
    • gain 60 credit points for core courses;
    • gain 10 credit points for a research elective course;
    • gain 10 credit points for a listed elective course;
    • gain 40 credit points for dissertation courses.