MSc Advanced Practice (Midwifery) AMP

The aims of the MSc in Advanced Practice (Midwifery) programmes are to enable experienced registered midwives to develop an expert knowledge base, complex decision-making skills, and clinical competencies for an expanded autonomous scope of practice  in maternity care settings including the community.   The programme is designed to enhance the student’s autonomous practice, who are clinically competent and skilled in the delivery of high-quality direct care. In particular,  on completion of the programme the  registered AMP will be empowered to promote wellness, offer healthcare interventions and advocate healthy lifestyle choices for women, and their families in a wide variety of settings in collaboration with other healthcare professionals, according to the agreed scope of practice guidelines. 

The MSc Advanced Practice Midwifery programmes prepares midwives to lead in the development of services that promote health, wellbeing and dignity across the lifecycle through skilled, ethical and careful practice based on the best evidence and professional judgement. You will learn advanced midwifery assessment and diagnostic skills and develop lifelong learning skills over the duration of the programme, leading to level 9 award and professional registration with the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland.  Additionally, you will develop and enhance critical thinking skills and midwifery knowledge to an advanced level to enable you practice independently in contemporary maternity care.

The programme includes 110 ECTS (European Credit Transfer System) credits over two years (part- time), equivalent to a minimum of 2200 effort hours.

The programme comprises of combined theoretical and clinical components, which fulfil the Advanced Practice (Nursing) Standards and Requirements of the NMBI, encompassing the key concepts of person-centred care, autonomy and empowerment, professional ethics, consultation and collaboration, and professional leadership. Similarly, this programme reflects the Advanced Practice (Midwifery) Standards and Requirements (NMBI 2018) principles for AMP competencies of respect for the dignity of the person, professional responsibility and accountability, quality of practice, trust and confidentiality, and collaboration with others.

Funding

If the fees for your programme are being paid by a third party (full or partial), please ensure your funding organisation/sponsor/hospital contacts student.payments@ucd.ie. Please note this is not a student facing email address.

Student Queries

If you have any queries about your fees, please contact the Student Desk:

www.ucd.ie/askus

https://www.ucd.ie/students/studentdesk/

Application Fee

Please note that all applicants are required to pay the €70 application fee. Your application cannot be processed fully unless the application fee has been paid.

More information about fees is available on the UCD website at the link below:

• General information about UCD Fees

For midwives seeking admission to the MSc Advanced Practice (Midwifery), applicants are required to:

• Have a minimum of an honour’s primary degree in Nursing or Midwifery or equivalent.

• Hold active registration on the midwifery division of the professional register maintained by the NMBI.

• Provide evidence of support from an employer and completed Site Declaration Forms, signed by the Director of Midwifery/Public Health/authorised Midwife Manager containing confirmation of a clinical supervisor who will provide supervision, support and learning opportunities, including opportunities to practice under supervision to gain the required competencies and clinical competence to practice at an advanced level in midwifery. 

• Applicants must comply with current minimum entry requirements for admission to the programme of education for nurse/midwife prescribing; the candidate must have three years’ recent post registration clinical experience in midwifery (this must be within the past 5 years) with the equivalent of one-year full-time experience in the specific area of practice. 

• Students must continue to work in the area in which they intend to prescribe for the duration of the prescribing clinical module i.e. January - August.

• Applicants must provide nomination and confirmation of a clinical supervisor (completed Site Self-Declaration Forms, signed by the clinical supervisor) who will provide the student with supervision, support and opportunities including shadowing opportunities to gain the required competencies for nurse/midwife prescribing in his/her practice area/organisation.

• For applicants who wish to undertake the Professional Certificate-Examination of the Newborn of Graduate Certificate in Obstetric Ultrasound, these will be additional credits. The programmes are currently offered in UCD. 

• Candidates who have successfully completed the prescribing programme in the past may be eligible to apply for an exemption from this entry criterion.

Additional requirements:

In addition, applicants must:

• Possess IT competencies

Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL)

RPL may be granted in respect of individual modules if applicants can demonstrate that the modules' learning outcomes have been achieved through prior credentialled or experiential learning. In some cases, where an applicant does not meet the prerequisites for entry to a programme, an RPL application may be considered. Further information can be found in respect of this here.

Documents required

1. Certificates of midwifery qualifications or validated copies of awards
2. Transcript(s) including date and grading of degree award (non UCD Graduates only) & notarised English translations where relevant
3. A current photocopy of NMBI registration
4. Copy of Birth Certificate or Personal Page of Passport
5. Professional Reference Form
6. Evidence of Continued Professional Development
7. Evidence of proficiency in English language (applicants whose first language is not English)
8. Clinical Mentor Agreement Form
9. Director of Midwifery Support Form
10. Professional Mentor Agreement Form
11. Signed Site Declaration Form Prescribing for prescribing modules (if you are taking the prescribing pathway) 

Part Time option suitable for:

Domestic(EEA) applicants: Yes
International (Non EEA) applicants: No

The programme is for registered midwives interested in developing advanced knowledge and leaderships skills for midwifery practice. Midwives have an important role in the development of maternity services as outlined in the Maternity Strategy (2016) and the HSE clinical Leadership Guidelines (2009) and have a responsibility to provide leadership in their own specific areas of competence as a member of the multidisciplinary maternity care team. The advancement of clinical practice is reliant on practitioners who are prepared to look to the future, visualise the potential of advanced midwifery practice, and pursue that vision.