Certificate in Midwifery

The program meets or exceeds all requirements for CPM and/or licensing in US states that offer licensing for .  Some states have specific requirements that will be offered separately. 

The program consists of 168 quarter credits, 100 didactic and 68 clinical. This is the equivalent of 1000 classroom hours and 1350 clinical practicum hours (hands-on experience).

The Certificate Program is designed for those who do not need or want an undergraduate degree. It is more credits than other certificate programs, in order to encompasses the broadest number of state requirements, to be the foundation for undergraduate degrees, and to offer the level of depth and knowledge to meet the Aviva Institute Standards.

This is a comprehensive community–based educational program designed to train competent and skilled practitioners in the midwives model of care.

Program Structure: Academic coursework is online following specific schedules based on quarter terms. Fall, Winter, and Spring terms are 12 weeks, with Winter, Spring and Breaks; Summer term is 10 weeks.  See academic calendar in catalog for details. Most courses are divided into two credit courses, which last for three weeks, or four credit courses which last six weeks.

Clinical practicum, or hands-on training, is done in your home community with an approved preceptor, or at one of our affiliated clinical sites. Most clinical is done in the second and third year, but may occur anytime during the program, depending on your individual situation.  

Cohort Groups:  Courses are taken as a group of 15-21 students who have met the prerequisites and have been accepted into the program. This is to assure the faculty has time for each student, as well as to promote student interaction. Cohort groups are considered a key component in providing quality distance education: Students are not expected to learn in isolation; relationships forged with other midwifery students are an important part of the overall experience.

Course work is asynchronous: This means you can log in any time of day that fits your schedule. However there are specific time frames for homework, quizzes, participation and assignments each week. You are required to log in and participate five out of every seven days. Coursework is structured and graded.

Time for Completion: It is a three-year program, although it is possible to do it in a shorter period of time with transfer credits, or full time acceleration, or it may take longer depending on the number of births done during that time.

Academic Rigor: Although the certificate program is designed for those who already have a college degree or do not want one, it meets core requirements for undergraduate degrees. This is a college level academic program; students should expect the same level of academics as they would from any university course. While we believe that strong academics are the foundation for good midwifery care, we also believe that the qualities that make a great midwife are often not taught in any classroom. The abilities to connect with and listen to women, to inspire confidence, to know your limitations, and the wisdom of midwifery are learned working one-on-one with your preceptor and with families. We can teach you the science, but learning the art of midwifery comes from hands-on experience.

Time for Study: Due to the flexible nature of distance learning, a common mistake students can make is not allowing enough time to study. According to generally accepted standards, one (1) distance education credit requires forty-five (45) hours of course work, including study, presentations, projects, reading, papers, research, quizzes and tests, and other assignments as required for meeting the course objectives. While some courses may not take that much time, please plan at least 15-20 hours a week for study and online activities.

Aviva Institute is committed to providing the highest standard of education, not only at a distance, but anywhere.

Prerequisites for Admission:

1. Hold a high school diploma or GED.
2. Non-native English speakers must have a TOEFL iBT score of 79 or higher.
3. Must be able to be online five out of every seven days. Any time of day is fine, but must be able to devote time to study, estimated time 20-30 hours a week.
4. In cases where there is not an approved preceptor in your area who does enough births to meet graduation requirements in a reasonable amount of time, you must be able to travel or relocate to an Affiliated Clinical Site.
5. Two letters of reference from someone not related or living with you describing why you would make a good midwife.  
6. You must have a commitment to the midwives’ model of care, and completing your midwifery training as a CPM.
7. Successful completion of the following courses:
   

• Orientation and Study Success (must be taken at Aviva)
• Medical Terminology (may transfer if two or more credits)
• Human anatomy & physiology course with a focus on female reproduction 
• Complete an approved birth doula course. Aviva is offering a distance doula course if one is not available in your area.  

Computer Requirements 

• Have over three years experience using a computer; be comfortable and confident with basic computer tasks such as email, attaching files, word processing, managing your hard drive.
  
  
• Have a computer system in your own home (exceptions made for International students without electricity).
  
  
• PCs must have an XP or Vista operating system. Mac operating system 9.1+ and OS X
  
  
• Computers should have at least 1 GB RAM, and suffficient hard drive space to hold files.
  
  
• Broadband Internet connection such as Cable/DSL/Satellite. All rural areas in the US are covered by satellite now. Dial up connections only accepted in special circumstances.
   
  
• Speaker and microphone
  
  
• Additional software and hardware may need to be purchased for some courses. For the list of free software and plugins needed to access courses please vist the computer requirements page.

Click for more information about :

• Tuition and Fees
• How to Apply
• Frequently Asked Questions about the midwifery programs
• Midwifery Program Catalog for an academic calendar and a more detailed course description.  You need Adobe Acrobat to view it.
  
  

See Key for explanation of course numbers, which shows credits and the order courses are taken.

Download the Midwifery Program Catalog for an academic calendar and a more detailed course description.  You need Adobe Acrobat to view it. 

Prerequisite Courses are offered as extension  courses and do not require an application process or acceptance into the program. After a student has applied and been accepted, course work is considered transfer credits and apply towards the 100 didactic credits needed for graduation.

Clinical Experience

Your hands-on experience takes place in your home community, guided by an Approved Preceptor who is a midwife or other health care professional who has met the qualifications thereof and meets our clinical teaching requirements. If there is not an Approved Preceptor in your community, we will help you find one; you may have to drive a distance.

In addition to preceptors, we have Affiliated Clinical Sites, which are State-Licensed Birth Centers, whose preceptors have met additional criteria meeting the standards of Aviva Institute. An Affiliated Clinical Site may take students from Aviva as well as other midwifery programs. Sites accept students based on the numbers of births they do a month, their own criteria, as well as factors such as compatibility with their practice style and/or philosophy. If an opening is not available for an apprenticeship or intern position, Affiliated Clinical Sites are available for students needing specific clinical skills, such as taking vitals, or palpation.  Some Affiliated Clinical Sites charge an additional fee above clinical fees the students pay to the school.

In order to complete the required births more quickly, many students travel to one of the higher volume birth centers for a few months. However, to meet the CPM continuity of care requirements, you will need to be able to care for the same woman though her pregnancy and postpartum. This may require moving for at least six months if there is no approved preceptor or site in your area.

Clinical requirements for completing the Certificate Program:

I. As an active participant, you must attend a minimum of 20 births.

II. Functioning in the role of primary midwife* under supervision, you must attend a minimum of an additional 20 births:

A. A minimum of 10 of the 20 births attended as primary under supervision must be in homes or other out-of-hospital settings; and

B. A minimum of 3 of the 20 births attended as primary under supervision must be with women for whom you have provided primary care during at least 4 prenatal visits, birth, newborn exam and 1 postpartum exam.

C. At least 10 of the 20 primary births must have occurred within three years of application submission.

III. Functioning in the role of primary midwife* under supervision, you must document:

A. 75 prenatal exams, including 20 initial exams;

B. 20 newborn exams; and

C. 40 postpartum exams.

COURSE NUMBER KEY

Academic  Course Numbers:
Example:   BIOL 1406
BIOL the first four letters are what area, BIOL =biology, MDWF=midwifery, etc.  
1  the year of the program
4  the number of credits,  
06 the order in which the course is taken that year   

0  proceeding the number means it is a prerequisite

10 classroom hours = one credit (quarter)                 

Clinical Course Numbers
Clinical Credits are the based on the formula of 20 hours = one clinical hour
A total of 68 credits or 1350 hours are needed, meeting CPM  and MEAC requirements.

Example:  CLNC 21-ANTP
CLNC  refers to it is a clinical practicum course
21 = the number of credits
ANTP refers to what area, in this example Antepartum (prenatal)
No year is referenced on clinical course numbers due to variation on times that students do their practicum.

If there are only three digits i.e. ENG 402, it is a course that is open and does not have to be taken in any particular order, with the exception of prerequisites.