From the moment a woman becomes pregnant, it’s the start of a journey leading to one of life’s greatest miracles: the birth of a baby. The term “midwife” means “with woman”. Midwifery is a wonderful profession and if you are interested in working with women, their newborn babies and their families during pregnancy and childbirth, then midwifery is the career choice for you. The focus and philosophy of midwifery in UCD is the promotion of women-centred care.
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This course is available through the following application route(s)
From the moment a woman becomes pregnant, it’s the start of a journey leading to one of life’s greatest miracles: the birth of a baby. The term “midwife” means “with woman”. Midwifery is a wonderful profession and if you are interested in working with women, their newborn babies and their families during pregnancy and childbirth, then midwifery is the career choice for you. The focus and philosophy of midwifery in UCD is the promotion of women-centred care.
About This Course
The initial focus is on the foundational knowledge and skills required for midwifery practice. Each year, these will be developed and strengthened through theory and practice. In your final year, you will also focus on professional issues. Modules include:
First Year
Essence of Midwifery Practice • Scholarship of Enquiry • Anatomy, Sciences & Physiology • Psychology Related to the Profession of Midwifery • Communication & Interpersonal Skills • Practice experience in a hospital setting for 11 weeks
Second & Third Year
Midwifery Practice during Normal Pregnancy & Childbirth • Complexities in Pregnancy & Childbirth • Complexities of the Newborn • Pharmacology • Patient Safety • Ethical & Legal Aspects of Midwifery Practice • Practice Placement
Fourth Year
Research, Leadership & Management • Obstetric Emergencies • Enhancing Knowledge & Clinical Skills for Midwifery Practice • Practice Placement/Internship
Assessment is through a combination of end-of-trimester exams and continuous assessment, including assessment of performance on practice placements.
Professional Work Experience
Practice Placements, which form a significant part of the BSc Midwifery Degree programme, are completed across a number of sites within HSE Dublin and South East Health Region. Practice placements occur in the National Maternity Hospital (NMH), Wexford General, Regional Hospital Mullingar and St Luke’s General Hospital, Kilkenny. Students will be placed in any site on one or multiple occasions during their programme to enable them to achieve the necessary clinical learning outcomes.
Proposed changes to be introduced in September 2025 may mean that students will undertake the majority of their practice placements in only one of the sites: National Maternity Hospital (NMH), Wexford General, Regional Hospital Mullingar and St Luke’s General Hospital, Kilkenny.
Successful completion of your degree entitles you to register as a Registered Midwife (RM)‡ with The Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland (NMBI). On registration, numerous career opportunities are available to you in both hospital and community settings in Ireland and abroad, including Europe, Australia and New Zealand. You can also pursue further specialist qualifications through graduate diplomas, and Masters and PhD degrees.
Registration in Ireland does not automatically provide a licence to practise abroad.
UCD Nursing Midwifery and Health Systems Programme Office
Health Sciences Centre
Belfield,
Dublin 4
Tel: +353 1 716 6407
Email: nursing@ucd.ie
Web: www.ucd.ie/nmhs
Below is a list of all modules offered for this degree in the current academic year. Click on the module to discover what you will learn in the module, how you will learn and assessment feedback profile amongst other information.
Incoming Stage 1 undergraduates can usually select an Elective in the Spring Trimester. Most continuing undergraduate students can select up to two Elective modules (10 Credits) per stage. There is also the possibility to take up to 10 extra Elective credits.
| Trimester | Credits | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
Stage 1 Core Modules |
NMHS10360 | Academic Writing & Reading in Nursing and Midwifery | Autumn | 5 |
Stage 1 Core Modules |
NMHS10390 | Essence of Midwifery Practice | Autumn | 10 |
Stage 1 Core Modules |
NMHS10480 | Sci Principles Healthcare 1 | Autumn | 10 |
Stage 1 Core Modules |
NMHS10490 | Intro Psychology&Communication | Autumn | 5 |
Stage 1 Core Modules |
NMHS10370 | Labour and Birth | Spring | 5 |
Stage 1 Core Modules |
NMHS10380 | Clinical Practice 1 (M) | Spring | 15 |
Stage 1 Core Modules |
NMHS10400 | Promoting Women's Health | Spring | 5 |
Stage 1 Core Modules |
NMHS10460 | Sci Principles Healthcare 2 | Spring | 5 |
Stage 2 Core Modules |
NMHS20690 | The Newborn Infant | Autumn | 5 |
Stage 2 Core Modules |
NMHS20700 | Maternal Health and Lactation | Autumn | 5 |
Stage 2 Core Modules |
NMHS20740 | Patient Safety & Microbiology | Autumn | 5 |
Stage 2 Core Modules |
NMHS20770 | Midw: The Wider Perspective | Autumn | 5 |
Stage 2 Core Modules |
PHAR20030 | Pharmacology | Autumn | 5 |
Stage 2 Core Modules |
NMHS20820 | Clinical Practice 2 (M) | Spring | 30 |
Stage 2 Options - A) Min 0 of: You must register to one (1) option / elective module in the AUT trimester which can be selected from either one of the non-mandatory elective (option) modules offered in the school or an elective module elsewhere in the university. Please do not select an elective in the SPR trimester as you will be on clinical practice |
NMHS10100 | Health across the Lifespan | Autumn | 5 |
Stage 3 Core Modules |
NMHS33390 | Complexities of the Newborn | Autumn | 5 |
Stage 3 Core Modules |
NMHS33430 | Clinical Practice 3 M | Autumn | 25 |
Stage 3 Core Modules |
NMHS32290 | Ethical&Legal Context Prof Pra | Spring | 5 |
Stage 3 Core Modules |
NMHS33400 | Complexities of Pregnancy | Spring | 5 |
Stage 3 Core Modules |
NMHS33410 | Complexities in Labour & Birth | Spring | 5 |
Stage 3 Core Modules |
NMHS33420 | Sociol &Social Issues Mat Care | Spring | 5 |
Stage 3 Options - A) Min 0 of: You must register to two (2) option / elective modules in the SPR trimester which can be selected from either the non-mandatory elective (option) modules offered in the school or elective modules elsewhere in the university. Please do not select an elective in the AUT trimester as you will be on clinical practice |
NMHS32480 | Introduct to Health Systems | Spring | 5 |
Stage 4 Core Modules |
NMHS30290 | Leadership & Management | Autumn | 5 |
Stage 4 Core Modules |
NMHS33690 | Evidence Based Practice HCare | Autumn | 5 |
Stage 4 Core Modules |
NMHS33710 | Transitions to Midwifery Prac | Autumn | 5 |
Stage 4 Core Modules |
NMHS33720 | Mid Leader & Empower | Autumn | 5 |
Stage 4 Core Modules |
NMHS33730 | Prac Plac Supernumerary 4 (M) | Autumn | 5 |
Stage 4 Core Modules |
NMHS33820 | Obs Emerg & Crit Ill Woman | Autumn | 5 |
Stage 4 Core Modules |
NMHS33970 | Prac Plac 4B Internship (M) | Spring | 10 |
Stage 4 Core Modules |
NMHS33980 | Prac Plac 4A Internship (M) | Spring | 10 |
Stage 4 Core Modules |
NMHS33960 | Prac Plac 4C Internship (M) | Summer | 10 |
Whilst studying this course, I have learned what it truly means to be a midwife. I have been given the opportunity to be a support to so many families during their pregnancy, labour and postnatal periods in clinical placements all around Ireland, which is honestly a gift! We are lucky to have clinical skills facilities here in UCD to hone our skills, as well as passionate lecturers that make sure we become the best versions of ourselves. I am really enjoying this course so far and I would 100% recommend the UCD BSc Midwifery course to anyone.
Joy Adekanmbi Baka, Student
Please note: Applicants who have previously failed to meet programme requirements in any Nursing or Midwifery programme or have any issues which would affect their registration with the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland will not normally be eligible.
Other: Health Screening & Garda (Police) Vetting: Entry Information
How to Apply
General application route(s) for Irish/UK/EU applicants* for International (non-EU) applicants* to Midwifery:
| ROWCLASS | Apply to | Application Type | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| showAudience-audienceInt | NSS4 Midwifery |
Full-TimeCommencing 2025/2026 September Commencing 2025/2026 September |
N/A | Not available to International (non‑EU) applicants |
| showAudience-audienceEU | DN452 Midwifery Bachelor of Science |
Full-Time Commencing September 2025 |
Application through CAO | Apply via CAO |
* you can change options at the top of the page