Master of Nursing Science Program in Nurse-Midwifery

Nurse-midwives are advanced practice registered nurses who specialize in the care of women.

They are known for their evidence-based care, which is grounded in affirming the power of women, honoring the normalcy of their lifecycles, and prioritizing compassionate partnerships with women. Nurse-midwives care for women across the lifespan, from adolescence through menopause and beyond.

In addition to pregnancy and childbirth care, nurse-midwives also provide primary care, well-woman gynecology, family planning, fertility, and newborn care during the first 28 days of life. While most nurse-midwives across the United States work in hospital settings, nurse-midwives are also licensed to provide care in birth centers or home settings.

Midwives provide care to all those who seek it.

Click here for more information about nurse-midwives in the United States!

Nurse-midwives practice across Arkansas in private practices, federally qualified health centers, home birth practices, and specialty clinics.

While Arkansas has a relatively low percentage of midwife-attended births, recent policy and legislative efforts have emphasized the importance of recognizing the value of midwifery care and increasing access to care by nurse-midwives.

Obstetric care provided by certified nurse-midwives is consistently associated with fewer cesareans, more spontaneous vaginal deliveries and successful vaginal birth after cesareans, and higher breastfeeding rates. Midwife-led births are also associated with shorter hospital stays, increased patient satisfaction, and significantly lower healthcare costs.

Certified nurse-midwives have full-practice authority in Arkansas, meaning they can practice to the full extent of their scope and prescribe medications without requiring a contract with a supervising physician.

Click here for more information about nurse-midwives in the UAMS Health system!

This program is a full-time Master of Nursing Science program for the first year, then part-time for the remaining 1.5 years while students complete specialty courses.

Students must have completed a BSN and hold an unencumbered license as a registered nurse prior to the start of the program.

The program consists of 47 credit hours and 840 clinical hours.

Upon completion of the program, students are prepared to take the American Midwifery Certification Board Examination, apply for APRN and DEA licensure, and subsequently begin practice as safe, entry-level midwives.

Year 1

Total Credits for Year 1: 23

Type (Core or Speciality)	Semester	MNSc Courses	Credit Hours
Core	Fall I	NURS 51003: Research Methodology	3 Credit Hours
Core	Fall I	NURS 51033: Advanced Phys & Patho	3 Credit Hours
Core	Fall 1	NURS 71053: Theoretical Foundations for Advanced Nursing Practice	3 credit hours
Core	Spring I	NURS 53053: Advanced Health Assessment and Diagnostic Reasoning	3 Credit Hours
Core	Spring I	NURS 51043: Clinical Pharmacology & Therapeutics	3 Credit Hours
Core	Spring I	NURS 72103: Evidence-Based Practice	3 Credit Hours
Speciality	Summer I	NURS 51303: Fundamentals of Midwifery	2 Credit Hours (pending)
Speciality	Summer I	NURS 51342: Fundamentals of Maternal/ Neonatal Anatomy and Physiology	3 Credit Hours (pending)

Year 2

Total Credits for Year 2: 17

Type (Core or Speciality)	Semester	MNSc Courses	Credit Hours
Speciality	Fall 2	NURS 52372: Midwifery Reproductive Health, Gynecology, and Primary Care Theory	3 Credit Hours
Speciality	Fall 2	NURS 51373: Midwifery Management of Reproductive Health, Gynecology, and Primary Care Practicum (140 clinical hours)	2 Credit Hours
Speciality	Spring 2	NURS 51353: Midwifery Care of the Pregnant Woman: Antepartum Theory	3 Credit Hours
Speciality	Spring 2	NURS 52352: Midwifery Management of the Pregnant Woman: Antepartum Practicum (140 clinical hours)	2 Credit Hours
Speciality	Summer 2	NURS 52363: Intrapartum, Postpartum, and Neonatal Midwifery Care Theory	4 Credit Hours
Speciality	Summer 2	NURS 51364: Intrapartum, Postpartum, and Neonatal Midwifery Care Clinical (210 clinical hours)	3 Credit Hours

Year 3

Total Credits for Year 3: 7

Type (Core or Speciality)	Semester	MNSc Courses	Credit Hours
Core	Fall 3	NURS 59951: Outcomes Portfolio	1 Credit Hours
Speciality	Fall 3	NURS 52331: Complex Peripartum and Neonatal Conditions	1 Credit Hours
Speciality	Fall 3	NURS 52385: Full Scope Midwifery Integration (350 clinical hours)	5 Credit Hours

Total

Year	Hours
Year 1 Credit Hours	23 Credit Hours
Year 2 Credit Hours	17 Credit Hours
Year 3 Credit Hours	7 Credit Hours
Total Credit Hours	47 Credit Hours
Total Practicum Hours	840 Practicum Hours

We will post information about these topics once it is available.

For tuition and fee information, see the UAMS College of Nursing financial information page.

For more information, contact the Nurse-Midwifery program director:

Samantha Crouch DNP, CNM, IBCLC
CNM Program Director
Assistant Professor
Email: SCCrouch@uams.edu

The UAMS College of Nursing’s MNSc nurse-midwifery track is pre-accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Midwifery Education, 2000 Duke Street, Suite 300, Alexandria, Virginia 22314, https://theacme.org/.

Bachelor of Science in Nursing

Present proof of earned baccalaureate degree in nursing from a program accredited by either the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing or the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education, or equivalent degree from a comparable foreign institution.

Pre-Requisites

Courses in Microbiology, Chemistry, Anatomy & Physiology

Applicants must have completed each course with a letter grade of “C” or better.

Grade Point Average

Applicants must hold a GPA of 3.00 or above (on a four-point scale) for admission. GPA will be calculated from the last cumulative 60 hours of nursing undergraduate coursework for applicants with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing only, or from cumulative graduate coursework for applicants with a graduate degree in nursing. Additionally, a separate GPA measuring achievement in science courses (chemistry, anatomy, physiology, pathophysiology, pharmacology) of greater than 3.25 is recommended.

Official Transcripts

An official transcript from every institution previously attended or currently attending must be submitted with the application.

CV / Resume

Provide an up-to-date CV / resume. The CV should, at a minimum, include education, relevant licenses and certifications with expiration dates, relevant work history, and honors / awards. Additional information or sub-categories, such as leadership experience, service, presentations, publications, etc., are welcome but not required.

Proof of License

Provide evidence of an unencumbered Arkansas or unencumbered compact state RN license. All UAMS College of Nursing students who are or have been licensed as a nurse (RN, RNP, APRN, etc.) must maintain that nursing license “in good standing” with the appropriate State Board of Nursing throughout their enrollment in the College of Nursing. Students may not continue to be enrolled in any courses or have any contact with patients/clients if their license is expired, encumbered, probationary, suspended, or surrendered.

It is the student’s ethical and professional obligation to inform the College of Nursing Student Services Office immediately upon any change in licensure status. Failure to do so will be considered a breach of the College of Nursing Scholastic Non-Cognitive Performance Standards and the College of Nursing Honor Code, and the student will be dismissed from the College of Nursing.

Prior Nursing Experience

Nursing experience in the field of obstetrics or women’s health is preferred but not required for admission.

A minimum of two (2) years of clinical experience is strongly recommended prior to application. The UAMS College of Nursing requires a minimum of 2,000 verified registered nurse experience hours prior to enrollment in the Advanced Health Assessment & Diagnostic Reasoning theory and practicum courses (NURS 53052 and NURS 53061). The Arkansas State Board of Nursing requires a minimum of 2,000 verified experience hours as a registered nurse prior to the application process for advanced-practice licensure.

A minimum of two years of clinical experience is recommended but not required.

Certifications

Basic Life Support (BLS) certification must be maintained throughout the program.

Neonatal Resuscitation Program and Advanced Life Support in Obstetrics certifications are preferred but not required prior to admission.

Letters of Reference

Two letters of recommendation are required from persons with knowledge of the applicant’s work performance and experience.

Referees must address the applicant’s ability to successfully complete a graduate-level program and must be able to speak to the applicant’s academic potential, clinical skills, knowledge, and involvement in leadership or professional activities.

A recommendation from the applicant’s most recent supervisor as one of the referees is preferred.

Applicants will upload their letters of reference to their Workday application.

In-Person Interview

Applicants meeting admission criteria and selected for further admission consideration must participate in an interview for the purpose of evaluating communication and decision-making skills, educational goals and current leadership, scholarship, and practice roles and activities. The interview will be in-person and face-to-face, unless extraordinary circumstances warrant other arrangements. The director of the Nurse-Midwifery program is charged with the responsibility for making decisions related to “extraordinary circumstances.”

Do I need to be a nurse first?

You must have successfully completed a Bachelor of Science in Nursing program and achieved RN licensure prior to admission to the program. Nursing experience is not required, but is preferred — particularly in the specialty of obstetrics or women’s health. A minimum of 2,000 verified experience hours is required prior to enrollment in the Advanced Health Assessment & Diagnostic Reasoning course, which occurs in the first year of study.

Is experience in Labor and Delivery required prior to application?

No, but preference is given to candidates with experience in women’s health or maternal/infant care.

What if I am not a nurse? Can I still apply to the program?

Unfortunately, we do not have an “accelerated direct entry to nurse-midwifery education.” Potential applicants must first complete their Bachelor of Science in Nursing, then apply for this program. UAMS does offer both traditional and accelerated BSN programs, linked here.

Where do midwives practice?

Certified nurse-midwives are licensed to work in hospitals, clinics, free-standing birth centers, and home settings. Most CNMs across the United States, and specifically in Arkansas, work in a clinic or hospital setting. There are currently no birth centers in Arkansas, but there is one CNM-owned home birth practice in Northwest Arkansas.

Where can I learn more about nurse-midwives?

The American College of Nurse-Midwives is the professional body that represents Certified Nurse-Midwives and serves as a great resource to gather information about the profession, as well as education and career opportunities. You can access the website here.

How many applicants do you accept each year?

At this time, we will accept up to six (6) students per cohort. We will admit once per year in the fall semester.

Will all applicants get an interview?

No, not all applicants will be contacted for an interview. The Admissions Committee will review all applicants and determine which applicants to select for an interview.

Is the GRE required?

No, the GRE is not required for application/admission to the nurse-midwifery program.

What can I expect during the interview?

The interview will be a panel-style interview. Potential participants could be the nurse-midwifery program director, midwifery faculty, core faculty, and/or clinical faculty/preceptors.

Can I work while enrolled in this program?

The first year of this program is a full-time program of study, so it will require a significant amount of time. It is not recommended that students work during the first year. The following 1.5 years of the program, during which midwife-specialty courses are taken, are part-time. This portion will consist of both didactic work and clinical hours. It would be possible to work while completing the specialty portion of this program; however, it is expected that the program remains the student’s top priority while enrolled. Work hours must be arranged around the course and clinical responsibilities.

When is the application deadline?

All required admission documents must be postmarked to the UAMS College of Nursing Student Services Office by March 1 for applicants seeking admission in the fall semester.

Are clinical placements guaranteed?

The UAMS Nurse-Midwifery program has clinical placement sites throughout the state of Arkansas that reflect rural, urban, academic, and community settings. The UAMS Midwifery Practice has seven full-time midwives who offer full-scope care to patients in central Little Rock. While the university will secure clinical placements for students within the state, it will be each student’s responsibility to access a clinical placement.