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Nurse-Midwifery
The Nurse-Midwifery DNP prepares students to provide primary care, as well as sexual, reproductive and gynecologic care.
Program at a Glance
- Time to complete: 3 years with full-time study
- Entry options: Full-time or part-time study
- Application deadline: Apply by June 1 for a fall start
- Format: Hybrid program with online coursework and 2–5 on‑campus seminars per semester in Kansas City during practicum
- Credit hours: 67 total
- Practice experiences: 1,000 total clinical hours; placements arranged with the course coordinator at the start of each semester
- Specialty accreditation: Accreditation Commission for Midwifery Education of the American College of Nurse-Midwives (ACNM)
- U.S. News & World Report ranking: 7th among public universities
- Already have your DNP? Specialize with one of our certificates.
Need more information? Join a 30‑minute info session for an overview of KU graduate nursing programs, admissions, and the application process.
Can’t join us at these times? Email soninfo@kumc.edu to schedule a one-on-one conversation with a nursing academic advisor.
Nurse-Midwifery Specific Courses
All DNP students take the same core courses, and we participate in the Nursing Education Xchange program to further tailor your learning. Those in the Nurse-Midwifery specialty take these courses as well.
| Course Number | Nurse-Midwifery Specialty Course Name | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| NURS 801 | Advanced Health Assessment and Clinical Reasoning | 3 |
| NURS 802 | Advanced Pathophysiology | 3 |
| NURS 803 | Advanced Pharmacology | 3 |
| NURS 860 | Foundations of Midwifery Practice | 3 |
| NURS 861 | Integrative Hormonal Health and Primary Care for Women | 3 |
| NURS 862 | Gynecologic Health and Clinical Management | 3 |
| NURS 960 | Intrapartum Management | 3 |
| NURS 961 | Prenatal, Postpartum, and Newborn Care | 3 |
| NURS 962 | Complex Management in Reproductive and Gynecologic Health | 3 |
| NURS 965 | Nurse-Midwifery Practicum I | 3 |
| NURS 966 | Nurse-Midwifery Practicum II | 3 |
| NURS 967 | Nurse-Midwifery Practicum III | 3 |
Learning Outcomes
With emphasis on holistic, culturally responsive approaches within midwifery primary care, students in the Nurse-Midwifery specialty courses will learn to:
Using the ACNM Core Competencies, students are introduced to the philosophy, history, and professional scope of nurse-midwifery.- Develop foundational knowledge and competencies related to endocrine function, hormonal regulation and its impact on reproductive health across the lifespan.
- Hone clinical reasoning skills to provide comprehensive, evidence-based care — including assessment, diagnosis, and management planning for common and complex gynecologic concerns — for gynecologic health at any age.
- Master the theoretical knowledge and clinical reasoning needed for nurse-midwifery care planning during the intrapartum period, including normal physiologic birth as well as deviations, complications, and emergencies.
- Learn to identify normal and abnormal conditions, apply evidence-based therapeutics, and promote health across the lifespan with a focus on care of individuals and families during prenatal, postpartum, and newborn periods.
- Gain experience in health promotion, disease prevention, risk assessment, care of well persons, identification of deviations from normal and appropriate consultation or referral.
KU NURSE-MIDWIFERY PROGRAM PHILOSOPHY AND OBJECTIVES
Students should refer to the Course Catalog for full course information. Contact Student Affairs if you have questions.
Ready to take the next step?
All applications must be received by June 1, 2026 for fall 2026 admission.
Not sure you’re ready to apply? Request information to receive details about admissions requirements, program format, and upcoming info sessions.
Clinical Practice Preceptors, Sites and Experiences
Clinical practice sites are generally located in the Kansas City metropolitan area but may extend across the state of Kansas and to other communities where students are located.
In academic year 2024-2025, KU School of Nursing had at the graduate level:
- 98 clinical sites
- 156 preceptors
During your clinical experiences you’ll obtain a beginning level of competence and prepare for entry into nurse-midwifery practice through intensive, supervised clinical experience, apply advanced clinical skills and evidence-based care in diverse midwifery settings, including gender based/women’s health and newborn care.
Recent APRN Certification Pass Rates
Graduates of the Nurse-Midwifery program are eligible to take the national certification examination of the American Midwifery Certification Board (AMCB) and to apply for the Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (APRN) license.
Midwifery Certification Rates by Matriculation Cohort
| Matriculation Year | Goal for AMCB Certification within one year of Graduation | Graduates with AMCB Certification within one year of graduation | Certification Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 90% | In progress | In progress |
| 2021 | 90% | 3 | 100% |
| 2020 | 90% | 2 | 50% |
| 2019 | 90% | 4 | 100% |
Nurse-Midwifery DNP Graduation Rates by Matriculation
| Matriculation Year | Goal for on time graduation for DNP students within 8 years | Number of DNP students matriculating in cohort | Number of DNP Graduates | Graduation Rate for DNP Graduates |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 70% | 3 | 3 | 100% |
| 2020 | 70% | 3 | 2 | 66.67% |
| 2019 | 70% | 6 | 4 | 66.67% |
Nurse-Midwifery Post-Master's Certificate Graduation Rates by Matriculation
| Matriculation Year | Goal for on time graduation for Post-Master’s Certificate students within 4 years | Number of Post-Master’s Certificate students matriculating in cohort | Number of Post-Master’s Certificate Graduates | Graduation Rate for Post-Master’s Certificate Graduates |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 70% | 1 | 0 | 0% |
| 2020 | 70% | 0 | n/a | n/a |
| 2019 | 70% | 0 | n/a | n/a |
Graduate Nurse Training Scholarships
Are you interested in the KU Family Nurse Practitioner, Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner, or Nurse-Midwifery specialties? You may be eligible for a graduate nurse training scholarship.
Graduate Nurse Training Scholarships are funded through two Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) opportunities: MIDWIVES KAN and Advancing Nursing Education Workforce (ANEW): Grow and Stay.
Accreditation
The Nurse-Midwife Program is fully accredited, "Continued Accreditation-Warning", by the Accreditation Commission for Midwifery Education of the American College of Nurse-Midwives.
Name: Accreditation Commission for Midwifery Education
Mailing Address: 2000 Duke Street, Suite 300 Alexandria, Virginia 22314
Email: support@theacme.org
Telephone: (703) 835-4565
Website: www.theacme.org
Accreditation & Recognition
The KU School of Nursing is nationally accredited and state approved. See accreditation details.
Accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education
Approved by the Kansas State Board of Nursing