Nursing - Midwifery
On completion of the BSc Midwifery, you will be recommended to the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland (NMBI) for registration as a Registered Midwife (NFQ Level 8). The course is designed to meet all the requirements and standards for Midwifery Education (ABA 2005). A broad-based curriculum helps to produce critical, analytical and reflective practitioners capable of functioning in a variety of settings as midwives.
| Award Name | Degree - Honours Bachelor (Level 8 NFQ) |
|---|---|
| NFQ Classification | Major |
| Awarding Body | National University of Ireland |
| NFQ Level | Level 8 NFQ |
| Award Name | NFQ Classification | Awarding Body | NFQ Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| Degree - Honours Bachelor (Level 8 NFQ) | Major | National University of Ireland | Level 8 NFQ |
Duration
4 Years full-time.
Specific Subjects or course requirements
Leaving Certificate Requirements
At Least six subjects must be presented. Minimum grade H5 in two subjects and minimum grade O6/H7 in four other subjects. English and Irish are requirements for all programmes unless the applicant is exempt from Irish.
The following are considered Lab Science subjects: Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Physics with Chemistry and Agricultural Science.
Applicants will need to meet the following minimum entry requirements:
English O6/H7
Irish O6/H7
Maths O6/H7
A Lab Science O6/H7
Fitness to Practise
This programme is subject to UCC's Fitness to Practise Policy.
Student Garda Vetting
All students on this programme will come into contact with the public and assume positions of trust through educational and training opportunities. To ensure the protection of the public, and to justify public trust and confidence, UCC is committed to ensuring that only suitable candidates are allowed to undertake this programme.
Vetting is carried out by the Admissions Office in UCC under the National Vetting Bureau (Children and Vulnerable Persons) Acts 2012 to 2016 (the Acts) once a student has accepted their place on the programme. This involves a police check to establish whether the individual being vetted has had criminal convictions in the past or whether any criminal proceedings are pending. The Garda Siochána provide this information for students who have resided in Ireland for a period of six months or more (including permanent residence).
All students who have resided outside Ireland for a period of six months or more must furnish a Police Clearance Certificate from their country or countries of residence. This certificate should state that the student has had no convictions recorded against them while residing there.
Further information can be found on our Student Garda Vetting page.
Leaving Certificate Vocational Progamme LCVP
UCC awards the following points to the Leaving Certificate Vocational Programme Link Modules:
Distinction 66 points
Merit 46 points
Pass 28 points
While Link Modules are counted for point scoring purposes they may not be counted as one of the six subjects to satisfy minimum entry requirements.
QQI FET Applicants General Information
Careers / Further progression
Skills and Careers Information
The course aims to provide you with good midwifery practice sound clinical skills necessary for starting your professional career as a Registered Midwife. These skills will be further developed through clinical experience and further study at postgraduate and in-service levels.
You will also develop skills in independent thinking, problem solving and analytical and clinical decision-making, as well as fundamental research utilisation and application skills.
On graduation, you may seek employment as a Registered Midwife. Midwives are highly sought-after to work in other countries, enhancing work opportunities abroad, in particular within the UK, Canada and Australia.
Further information
Approximate Available Places 3
Find out about the mature entry requirements at https://www.ucc.ie/en/study/undergrad/entryreqs/matureapplicants/
Approximate Available Places Overall 38
Entry 2025
Early online application (discounted): Fee €30 Closing Date: 20 January 2025 at 5pm
Normal online application: Fee €45 Closing Date: 1 February 2025 at 5pm
Late online application - restrictions apply (see page 3 2025 CAO Handbook): Fee: €60 Closing Date: 1 May 2025 at 5pm
Change of Mind - restrictions apply (see page 3 2025 CAO Handbook): Fee: Nil Closing Date: 1 July 2025 at 5pm
Be sure to complete any action well in advance of closing dates. You should avoid making an application close to a closing date. No extensions to closing dates will be allowed and all application fees are non-refundable.
LATE APPLICATIONS
Late Applications are those which are received after 5pm on 1 February 2025. The closing date for late applications is 5pm on 1 May 2025, subject to the restrictions listed on page 3 of the 2025 CAO Handbook. The online facility for late applications opens on the 5 March 2025 at 12:00 noon - a fee of €60 applies.
Restrictions
As a CAO applicant you may experience one or more of the following restrictions based on your course choices, your category of application, or restrictions imposed by the HEIs that you wish to apply to. Please read the section on 'Restrictions' on page 3 of the 2025 CAO Handbook carefully. This section includes information on:
General Restrictions
1. Making a late application
2. Making changes to your course choices
Restricted Courses
3. Applying for a restricted course
Mature Applicants
4. Mature applicants
Supplementary Admissions Routes
5. Applying for DARE and/or HEAR
Course Outline
On completion of the BSc Midwifery, you will be recommended to the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland (NMBI) for registration as a Registered Midwife (NFQ Level 8).
The course is designed to meet all the requirements and standards for Midwifery Education (ABA 2005). A broad-based curriculum helps to produce critical, analytical and reflective practitioners capable of functioning in a variety of settings as midwives.
Each year of the course has two components that consist of theoretical modules and midwifery practice modules.
On completion of this course you will be able to:
- demonstrate knowledge and skills to provide safe and effective care for antenatal, childbirth and postnatal care
- effectively coordinate, organise and manage midwifery care on your own initiative and in consultation with the multidisciplinary team
- critically appraise and evaluate current research evidence and best practice for midwifery.
Placement or Study Abroad Information
Clinical Placements
The varied placement criteria and the extensive array of placement locations require students to travel to clinical placement areas throughout their nursing or midwifery programme, irrespective of their normal residence. This may also entail overnight stays, utilising accommodation in closer proximity to the assigned placement site. The purpose is to guarantee that students fulfill the clinical instruction standards outlined by the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland (NMBI). Typically travel will be within the Munster, but can be outside the region. Some of our clinical partners include, but are not limited to, Mallow General Hospital (MGH), University Hospital Kerry (UHK), University Hospital Waterford (UHW) and Tipperary University Hospital (TUH). There are also several elective placement opportunities in Dublin and with our Erasmus partners throughout Europe.
The Allocations Office and our Clinical Partners use several methods to ensure equity for students travelling eg preferred placement submissions and student rotation. In Year 3, you are encouraged to arrange an elective clinical placement of one week, to observe and participate in care in any maternity setting in the EU or any area in Ireland outside the provision of care in the local maternity placement. See our Go Abroad with UCC page for more information.
Year 1 Modules
NU1040 Infection Prevention and Control for Nursing and Midwifery Practice (5 credits)
NU1052 Pregnancy, Childbirth and the Newborn I (10 credits)
NU1053 Midwives and Professional Practice I (10 credits)
NU1055 Interpersonal Communication and Applied Psychology for Midwifery Practice (10 credits)
NU1056 Midwifery Practice I (10 credits)
NU1064 Midwifery Theory and Practice for Various Clinical Settings I (10 credits)
SC1016 Sociological concepts for Midwifery (5 credits)
Year 2
Pregnancy, Childbirth, Postnatal Care, and the Newborn; Midwives and Professional Practice; Food, Nutrition and Health for Pregnancy; Infant/Breast Feeding; Anatomy; Physiology; Care of Women with Medical, Surgical, and Mental Health Issues Neonatal Unit; Gynaecological Problems; Care in the Community; Pharmacology and Medication Management for Midwifery Practice; Research.
Year 3
Pregnancy, Childbirth, Postnatal Care and the Newborn; Midwives and Professional Practice; Midwifery Practice in Various Healthcare Contexts; Parenthood Education; Promoting Normal Birth; High Dependency Care in Maternity; On-going Vare for Medical, Surgical, and Mental Health Issues; Neonatal Unit; Gynaecological Problems; Care in the Community; Social Policy for Midwifery Practice; Research.
Year 4
Pregnancy; Childbirth, Postnatal Care, and the Newborn; Health Promotion for Midwifery Practice; Research, Midwifery and Professional Practice, Ethics and Legal Issues; Ethics (an elective module); Healthcare Informatics; Advanced Communication Skills; Complementary Therapies in Healthcare; The Therapeutic Value of the Arts: Wound Management; Contemporary Debates in Health and Illness; Multiculturalism, Gender, and Social Policy.
Clinical Practice Modules
These require you to be in supervised clinical practice in hospital, community and other healthcare settings for 35 hours per week for a number of weeks each year. In semester two (after Christmas) of Year 4, you will undertake a 36-week paid internship with your parent health service provider (HSP).
Assessment
Written exams will take place before Christmas and in May. Not all modules will have formal examinations. Many modules use other types of assessment including essays, projects, seminar presentations, assessment of clinical skills and learning, in-class tests, self and peer assessment. You will be assessed by registered midwives while on clinical placements.
Dr Margaret Murphy
mgt.murphy@ucc.ie
+353 (0)21 490 1644
http://www.ucc.ie/en/nursingmidwifery/
Eimear Corcoran
eimear.corcoran@ucc.ie
+353 (0)21 490 1521