College FAQ

Can I come visit the school?

Yes! To schedule a tour of the school call the College office at 503-760-3131. We also encourage potential applicants to sit in on a session of a Core class - just let us know in advance when you would like to come, so we can arrange it with the course instructor.

How do I get to Birthingway?

We are located in Southeast Portland, on Foster Road just before 122nd Avenue. Our address is:

Birthingway College of Midwifery
12113 SE Foster Rd.
Portland, Oregon 97266

Bus Service: TriMet line #71 stops immediately in front of Birthingway on Foster Rd. Line #10 stops at 122nd Ave. You can plan your trip online at the TriMet Website

To drive here from Portland International Airport:

• Take Airport Way east to Interstate 205
• Take I-205 South to Exit 17 (Foster Rd)
• At Foster Road, go left (East)
• Continue going east on Foster for about one mile
• Birthingway is on the left (North) side of the road in a two story white house, 12113 SE Foster. There is a sign out front. Parking is in the rear.

Google Map

Admissions and Graduation

How do I enter the midwifery program and when does it start?

Admission to our program is by application and we admit students once per year. The application deadline is October 15th, with the new class starting Spring term.

How do you decide who gets admitted?

Because there is very limited space for students, we take our application process very seriously. Student acceptance is determined by the Admission Committee, which is made up of current students, faculty, staff, and the college Student Affairs Coordinator. Applicants are chosen based on their answers to the application questions, their personal interview, their prior academic and life success, and the need for midwives in their area or culture.

I do not have a high school diploma – can I still attend your school?

No, you must have a high school diploma or equivalent (such as a GED) to attend Birthingway.

What is the difference between graduating with the degree and the certificate?

The certificate shows that you have completed the midwifery components of the program at our school – you are prepared to become a practicing midwife, become nationally certified, and become licensed in Oregon state. Completion of the degree means that, in addition to the above, you have met the requirements (General Education, etc.) of an undergraduate degree and will graduate with a Bachelor of Science in Midwifery (BSM).

Why do you have prerequisites?

We feel that the prerequisites help students to become familiar with some aspects of midwifery, so that when admitted they will already have some idea whether midwifery is right for them and have a strong base of knowledge on which to build their future learning. In addition, the writing prerequisite allows students to all begin the program with the same foundation of written communication skills.

Kinds of Classes

Do matriculated students get preferential course registration?

Core courses are reserved for students in their matriculation year, while all other classes are "first come, first served." The Community Registration Start-Date is set a little later than that for matriculated students, in order to give students a chance to enroll in classes they may need to graduate. However, no student is "bumped" from any class - once a community student is registered, they will not lose their place to a matriculated student.

What is the difference between core, supplemental, and elective classes?

Core classes are open only to students admitted to the midwifery program and meet on the same day and time throughout the three years of the program - they are considered the "core" of the midwifery program and are designed to be completed sequentially.

Supplemental classes are open to non-admitted students, may be taken at any time, and are scheduled as demand and opportunity allow.

All core and supplemental classes must be completed in order to graduate.

Elective courses are similar to supplementals in that they are open to non-admitted students and may be taken at any time. The difference is that only 3 elective courses need to be taken to complete the program. Electives are courses such as "Spanish for Midwives" that are valuable, but the necessity of which depends on the midwife's interests and choice of practice.

Financial Matters

How much does the midwifery program cost?

The cost to attend Birthingway is slightly different for each year. The costs below reflect the 2006-07 school year and are calculated based on our recommended course sequence. Your actual costs will vary.

	Tuition and fees	Texts, equip.	Total
1st year	$ 11,355	$1,559	$12,837
2nd year	$ 12,605	$971	$13,576
3rd year	$ 12,965	$784	$13,749
TOTAL (Entire Program):	$ 36,925	$3237	$40,162

The cost to live in the Portland area is an estimated amount used to calculate eligibility for financial aid. Expect approximately $7003 for room/board, $2594 for transportation, and $3772 for personal expenses per academic year. Individual student costs will vary depending on lifestyle choices and personal living arrangements.

What kind of financial aid do you offer?

Birthingway is approved to offer Federal Student Aid ("Title IV funds"). We participate in the Pell Grant, Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (FSEOG), Oregon Opportunity Grant, and Direct Loan programs.

As a Title IV school, we are authorized to accept Americorps as long as the student submits a valid Voucher and Payment Request Form. We are also approved by the Oregon State Department of Education to train veterans and are listed as an eligible training provider with the Oregon Department of Workforce Development.

General Education

1) What are the General Education requirements?

General Education is a requirement for students in our Bachelor degree program. They are non-midwifery classes in the humanities, social sciences, natural sciences, and English Composition. Although these classes may not seem important to a career in midwifery, they give students a greater understanding of the world around them, further their ability to think critically, and improve skills for expressing their thoughts. Students are required to complete 30 semester credits of General Education, with a minimum of 6 credits in each category, the equivalent of their Freshman year in College.

2) Do you offer General Education courses at Birthingway?

It is outside our scope to offer a full selection of General Education courses here at Birthingway. Most students attend an accredited 2 or 4 year college and transfer in their courses.

There are two midwifery program prerequisites that can also be accepted towards General Education, as long as they were taken at Birthingway or another accredited college or university: A&P can be accepted towards the Natural Sciences requirement, and Writing towards English Composition.

3) Do I have to complete the General Education requirements for the degree before admission to Birthingway?

You don't have to, but we strongly recommend it. It's practically impossible to attend Birthingway full time, as well as another school even part time. Some students complete them after their coursework at Birthingway, but since by this time most students are already in midwifery practices as assistants or primary midwives, it can be difficult to attend another school while working and on-call.

4) Can I count a transferred class towards both my General Education and Midwifery program requirements?

No, transferred courses may meet either the Midwifery component or the General Education component of coursework, but not both. i.e. a genetics course can either replace GN421 OR count towards your Natural Sciences requirement in General Education, but not both. (Prerequisite courses are different - see above.)

5) The General Education requirements are so broad! Can you just tell me which classes I should take?

These requirements are broad so that students have some freedom in choosing their courses. Although we're happy to tell you if a class can meet one of our requirements, we don't like to limit student options by dictating which specific classes they "should" take.

6) I already have a Bachelor Degree. Do I have to complete new courses to meet the General Education requirements?

Not if courses you took for your first degree meet the General Education requirements. When you apply to the midwifery program, send us transcripts from all the schools you've attended, including the school you graduated from. We'll process your transcript just like any other.

Out of State/Distance

Do you have a distance or online program?

We're an entirely on-site school and have no distance programs. However, clinical requirements (apprenticeship credit and client care documentation) don't have to be completed in the Portland area, or even in Oregon, as long as they're completed with an approved preceptor.

I want to practice in a state other than Oregon. Can I go to your school?

You're very welcome to attend our school! But, it's up to you to determine the legal status of midwifery in your state. We've assisted many students with this process, although until we've worked with a particular state, we can't be certain that education at Birthingway will meet its licensing requirements.

We're approved by the states of Alaska, California, and Washington as an educational site for state licensure. If you're planning to practice in one of these states, you'll need to complete some additional clinical work prior to graduation. Your advisor can assist you in planning your program.

I want to practice in another country. If I graduate from your school, will my credentials be valid there?

We would be very happy to have you at our school, although we can't guarantee that an education at Birthingway will meet your country's requirements. Legal codes related to midwifery vary vastly between countries (and sometimes between provinces within a country!) We're happy to provide information on the education provided at Birthingway for you to pass on to your country's credentialing body.

Birthingway is currently unable to sponsor student visas. If you're not a US citizen, you need to already legally reside in the United States in order to attend our midwifery program. You should not need a student visa to attend our Labor Doula or Childbirth Educator certification, because these are short-term programs of less than 18 hours per week. For these programs, you should be able to travel on a regular visitor visa. (Check with your local US Embassy or Consulate, or go to the US Department of State's Visa Site for more information.)

Transfers

I already have some births/clinicals. Do I still have to complete the same number of new births to graduate?

Not necessarily. Although we cannot award retroactive Apprenticeship Credit, if your previous births were properly supervised by a midwife who meets our preceptorship requirements, and all births are well documented, we may be able to allow some to count towards your clinicals for graduation.

I attended college in another country. Can I transfer my courses?

Yes, your classes are eligible for transfer as long as your school is accredited by a recognized accrediting body. Classes will still need to meet all our other transfer requirements.

I have already studied midwifery at a different school – can I transfer my classes?

It depends on the school and the classes. We don't usually let students transfer into the middle of the program, although we make exceptions on an individual basis.

Due to state regulations, we're only able to accept credits in transfer from accredited two and four year colleges. If you have coursework from a midwifery school that doesn't meet our transfer requirements, you can attempt to receive credit through our Life Learning Portfolio program.