Midwifery Education Programs

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Per the ACNM position statement, Mandatory Degree Requirements for Entry into Midwifery Practice, approved by the ACNM Board of Directors in March 2006, a graduate degree will be required for entry into practice by 2010.

The following options may be available at the education program:

Baccalaureate degree (BA/BS) to RN and CNM option (typically 3 year programs commonly referred to as "graduate entry" or "direct entry")

Diploma or associates degree (AD) RN to CNM 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.

DNP option

Post master's certificate option

Master's Completion option

Certificate option

Distance Education
Alliance for Nursing Accreditation Statement on Distance Education Policies. This policy has been adopted by the Accreditation Commission for Midwifery Education (formerly Division of Accreditation) Governing Board. 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 ACNM Accreditation Commission for Midwifery Education (formerly Division of Accreditation), 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.