Midwifery Education Programs
Per the ACNM position statement, Mandatory Degree Requirements for Entry into Midwifery Practice, approved by the ACNM Board of Directors in July 2009, a graduate degree is required for entry into practice as of 2010.
The following options may be available at the education program:
Baccalaureate degree (BA/BS) to RN and CNM/Graduate option (typically 3 year programs commonly referred to as "graduate entry" or "direct entry")
Diploma or associates degree(AD) RN to CNM/Graduate option (these are sometimes referred to as "bridge" programs)
Fully Distance = student does every part of the study plan at a distance location, except for occasional retreats.
Partially Distance = options for some web based courses that are done at a distance and some campus based courses done on location.
Post master's certificate option
Certified Midwife option
Per the ACNM postion statement, Mandatory Degree Requirements for Entry into Midwifery Practice, a graduate degree is required for entry midwifery practice. All midwifery education program provide the necessary education for graduates to be elegible to take the examination offered by the American Midwifery Certification Board (AMCB) and become Certified Nurse-Midwives; in addition, two of the education programs provide the necessary education for graduates to be elegible to take the AMCB examination and become Certified Nurse-Midwives.
Distance Education
Alliance for Nursing Accreditation Statement on Distance Education Policies. This policy has been adopted by the Accreditation Commission for Midwifery Education* Board of Commissioners. All accredited programs that use distance methodologies must demonstrate how they meet the same criteria as traditional programs.
Freestanding Institutions of Higher Education
Program Definitions
One of the essential activities of the ACNM is to develop the criteria by which education programs are assessed in order to receive Accreditation status. This work is done by the Accreditation Commission for Midwifery Education (ACME), which is recognized by the U.S. Department of Education as an accrediting agency for nurse-midwifery education programs and direct entry midwifery education programs for the non-nurse.
Program Types
This article explains the criteria that serve as the the basis for the accreditation process.