Degrees and Pregnancy

Katrina-trying_to_save!?!

This is just a question...

If i fell pregnant through my course time (I'm now in 2nd yr) would i be able to leave have the baby and then return and finish 2nd yr and move to 3rd?

Basicaaly - is it ok to take maturnity leave from uni and be able to go start when wanted??

tracy1_2

my sil is only 6 months into a midwifery degree and fell pregnant(obviously hadn't learnt about the contraception bit lol;) ) and she will leave at the end of her 1st year and return a year later -think she gets stat mat pay etc - speak to your student office.

Katrina-trying_to_save!?!

Thanks Tracy1 x.

clairec79

That's because she's on an NHS course, nurses midwifery etc all now get maternity pay (basically they pay your grant for 9 months) I don't think a regular student would, unless you did part time work then you may qualify for maternity pay

holstar

ask the uni welfare people, or at your students union. Im not sure what 'maternity leave' would mean in this case as you aren't earning money from them...see how long they let you have off studies before they start classing it as absence.

It might also depend on when in the academic year you want to start maternity leave,,for example, if you started maternity leave NOW...they would probably want you to re-start at the beginning of the autumn term, so that you don't miss anything, in case lectures have changed at all, course content changed, etc..and also more liklihood of making friends within your new year group

emma_b_4

as a student nurse you get a 6mths or a year off, im child branch so get ayear and you get bursary for that time. you start at the time you left but with the year below, if you know what i mean!

lellie

You would be expected to complete the second year in most cases although it might vary per course and uni - ask at the SU. Then you could take a year sabbatical leave before restarting in the 3rd year.

sockospice

It depends on the course and uni. I've a friend who's taking a year out from a social work course to have a baby, but it's going to take her an extra 2 years instead of one because she was unable to complete her first year placement.

SunnyBrighton_2

You could always ask to 'intermit'. This means you can leave in the middle of a year, and return a year or two later to take up where you left off. Many unis have this option for certain circumstances, usually illness, but I would imagine pregnancy would count too.

One possiblity is to take 2 years off, which will give you the opportunity to make sure your baby is well nourished by breast-feeding (which is also financially brilliant - no sterilisers, bottles, powdered milk and other equipment! also, baby will be healthier and you'll need to take less time off for sick care when you're back!) and then you will have time to gradually introduce your baby to child care so that it won't be such a huge wrench when you go back to uni.

You would most likely be eligible for benefits during this time, but I'm not sure on that.

Please do talk to your tutor at uni. S/he will know all the ins and outs of this, and should be sympathetic to your wish to keep on going with your course in the future.

Penelope_Penguin

Hi, Katrina! Having done a degree and having 2 children 5 and 7 years later, I wouldn't advise that you plan to have a child whilst doing your degree. Getting a good degree is hard work, but can be worth it if that's what you want to do.

Having children is the most rewarding thing I ever did, but couldn't contemplate the sleepless nights and then have to study too.

HTH, Penny. x

Justie

it will depend a bit on your degree but most degrees now are based on a credits structure where you get credits for each module completed. If you can finish a full module then it's easier than leaving part way through but modules are term or semester based so it shouldn't be a problem to leave mid year. Depending on the degree will depend on whether you have to do the exact same time you've missed or just an equivalent. For example if you're doing an English degree as long as you do the requisite number of year 2 modules it shouldn't matter if they're first term/semester or second but for a law degree it will as different topics are needed for the full degree.

Speak to your studies advisor in the first place and see how flexible the courses are. We've had new born babies in lectures before now... it's hard work to do both at once but it's your choice.

There will be no problem about taking a break from studying and then returning either to your current course or another similar subject, it happens a lot and universities are much more flexible than even when I did my degree a few years ago.

Good luck with the baby.