Yet another question sorry

Sorry about all my questions i bet your all sick of me already LOL

I was thinking, a couple of years ago i started an access course at college but only went for the first day then had to stop due to personal reasons but all the women wanting to be midwives in my group were applying through nmas to do the diploma not the degree.

Just wondering what the difference is apart from the obvious that ones a diploma and ones a degree??

Is the work load different? Can you get better paid jobs if you do the degree?

I was also told that if you do the diploma you can complete the degree in the last year if you want to, also you can do the diploma part time can you do that with the degree also?

And one more then i will shut up lol
How many hours a week to you have to be at uni or are you always in hospitals, so roughly how many hours a week do you have to spend out the house? Just thinking about child care and stuff lol

Thanks if you got this far, and a big thanks for any replies i get

As far as I know there is no diploma any more - only the degree. If you are doing direct entry its a choice of 3 or 4 years but most unis only offer the 3 year course which does not go over an academic year (alas!) but over a calendar year which means you are pretty much full time. Most unis give you 7 fixed weeks holiday which are spread over Christmas/Easter/Summer etc. So an abosolute nightmare from a childcare point of view. I don't know about placements yet (lol) you may need to do shifts on them.....

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Question everything. Always.

Hi Bexster
Good luck with applying by the way.
As MsWroe says there is no diploma anymore (some places are still running it but this yr is the last yr)
Uni wise - you tend to be in uni for full days ie 9-4 or 5 (never earlier than 9 or later than 5 as some people have to travel quite far) and it tends to be 3 or at most 4 days a week; we've never done 5 and sometimes its 2. BUT its never the same days each week. Childcare does have to be quite flexible as you WILL have to do shift work in the hospital.
Earlies 7.10 - 14.40, Lates 14.10 - 21.40, and we do have to do a certain amount of nights but I think its only about 60 hours equivalent to 6-7 nights over the whole 3 years.
You also have to make up any sick hours as you have to complete a minimum number of hours in the programme to qualify.
June x

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Second year

Hi Bexster. The diploma has indeed been withdrawn - the only route into Midwifery now is via the degree.

The amount of hours you are actually at Uni appears to differ quite dramatically between Unis; I haven't started my degree yet, but I believe where I'm going, for example, I can expect to actually be at the Uni campus around three days a week during my theory blocks.

The course is usually 45 weeks a year and, as MsWroe pointed out, the holidays will not necessarily fall within school holidays (again this differs between individual Unis). Some Universities offer a part-time course over 6 years, and some do full-time over 4 years with longer holidays.

With regard to placements, at most Universities you will do several weeks' theory based at college, followed by several weeks' clinical practice at a hospital, midwifery led unit, in the community etc. On your placements you will usually do the same shifts as your mentor, so this could be nights or weekends.

What Uni(s) are you hoping to apply to? Maybe someone already there will be able to give you some more specific answers. Hope that helps a little,

Clare X

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Student Midwife Greenwich May 2009!! Hooray!!
The great thing about being a pessimist is that you're never disappointed.....

Bex, you are asking the same questions I wanted to ask!! Apart from the diploma, I had noticed it was being withdrawn!! I had started an access course 9 years ago, but left as I had a miscarriage.

Where are you applying to??

Well im in lincoln but i think you have to go through nottingham uni, i rang up and asked once, but apparently i will do most of it in lincoln and only have to go to nottingham occastionally which i dont really understand to be honest.
Because if i have to be at uni a couple of times a week where would i be doing the uni stuff in lincoln, obviosly the practical side of it i would be at lincoln hospital i guess but the other stuff i have no idea lol

We are in uni 5 days a week when we are there, usually the hours are 10 - 4pm at the latest.

In placement we have to do earlies which are 7:30 - 2:15, lates 1:30 - 9:30 pm, and nights 8:45 - 7:45am.

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Midwifemissy x

Student Midwife 2007
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