School of Science & Health
222 Hayward Hall
School House Ln. & Henry Ave.
Philadelphia, PA 19144
Philadelphia University
Philadelphia University is an accredited, private coed university offering both undergraduate and graduate programs on campus and at a distance. Our unique curriculum blends liberal and professional studies in a way that enables our students to grow as individuals and as highly skilled health care professionals and scientists, designers, engineers, business leaders, and architects. The School of Science and Health offers professional graduate programs resulting in a Master of Science:
- MS in Midwifery (distance education program)
- Post-Masters Certificate in Midwifery (distance education program)
- MS in Midwifery Completion program for CNM/CM (distance education program)
- MS in Occupational Therapy (hybrid distance/on-campus program)
- MS in Physician Assistant Studies
- MS in Disaster Medicine
Our dedicated and talented faculty are prominent members of their fields who are here because they care about the University's dual mission: professional development in an academically diverse and integrated environment coupled with the arts and sciences. Members of our faculty are instructors, practitioners and researchers.
Master of Science in Midwifery
The Midwifery Institute of Philadelphia University offers several pathways leading to the Master of Science in Midwifery degree. The MS in Midwifery Program accepts Registered Nurses with a Bachelors degree in any field and works with the Continuing and Professional Studies department to provide an accelerated, on-line Bachelor of Science for diploma and ADN prepared nurses. Additionally, we have an advanced placement option for Foreign Educated Midwives and Nurse Practitioners who want to become certified as midwives in the United States.
The following education pathways to midwifery are currently available:
- Master of Science in Midwifery for RNs with a Bachelors degree in any field. Requires 3 credit undergraduate statistics course in any discipline. Physical Assessment course.
- Accelerated Bachelor of Science Program for RNs with Associate Degree or Diploma preparation.
- Advanced Placement Option for Nurse Practitioners and Foreign Educated Midwives who want to become certified as midwives in the United States.
- Accelerated Bachelor of Science Program for Foreign Educated Midwives without a Bachelors equivalent.
- Master of Science in Midwifery Completion program for practicing CNM/CMs.
Distance Learning
The Midwifery Institute is an American Commission for Midwifery Education accredited, asynchronous, distance learning program. Students work from home as part of a small class with two Midwife Tutors and complete their degree with the flexibility required to balance the responsibilities of work, home, and study. The Institute puts the midwifery model of care into midwifery education. Each class cohort gives students connection to each other and close contact with two faculty who follow them through their journey to graduation. Institute faculty work with you to succeed. They identify strengths and weaknesses. Through mentoring, faculty strengthen the latter and encourage you to grow into the midwife you want to become.
Our on-line program was designed by midwifery educators with years of practice and education experience. It is a structured 62 credit Master of Science in Midwifery and a post Masters Certificate in Midwifery. In addition to clinical practicums near home, it includes 3 on-campus sessions to provide hands-on, interactive learning while fostering connection to classmates and faculty.
The curriculum prepares graduates to practice as safe beginning midwives, according to the Core Competencies of the American College of Nurse-Midwives, in all care environments. Graduates are ready to provide care for women throughout the life cycle including pregnancy, well woman gynecology, and primary care. After successful completion of their course of study each student takes the national certification exam of the American Midwifery Certification Board to become a CNM.
In our Health Policy course and electives, students learn techniques for improving midwifery's place in complex health care systems. Our Critical Inquiry sequence focuses on midwifery research and challenges students to explore one area of midwifery in more depth. Many of our students have seen their work published either as stand alone articles or as part of larger publications including the fourth edition of the American College of Nurse-Midwives Life-Saving Skills Manual for Midwives and Nell Tharpe and Cindy Farley's Clinical Practice Guidelines for Midwifery Practice and Women's Health.
We are looking forward to hearing from you!