BSc Hons Midwifery

4 Years On Campus Bachelors Program

Trinity College Dublin TCD

Program Overview

The Bachelor in Science (Honours) in Midwifery at Trinity College Dublin is a four-year degree that prepares you to become a confident, compassionate midwife who supports women and families through pregnancy, birth, and early parenthood. It is ideal for students who want a meaningful healthcare career combining scientific knowledge, hands-on clinical training, and strong human connection.

Curriculum Structure

Year 1 – Foundations of Midwifery
In the first year, students are introduced to the world of midwifery through modules such as Introduction to Midwifery 1 and Introduction to Midwifery 2 – Sharing the Woman’s Experience. Alongside this, Biological Sciences Underpinning Health and Wellbeing and Foundations for Professional Practice build an understanding of the human body, pregnancy, and professional healthcare responsibilities.

Year 2 – Developing Clinical Understanding
During the second year, learning moves deeper into women’s health, communication, and professional care. Students continue to build their clinical confidence through structured placements while studying the psychosocial and health-promotion aspects of pregnancy, childbirth, and postnatal care, helping them understand the physical and emotional needs of women and families.

Year 3 – Advanced Midwifery Practice
In the third year, students strengthen their clinical and decision-making skills while working more independently in maternity settings. Teaching focuses on applying evidence to practice, managing different stages of pregnancy and labour, and developing professional judgement through extended hospital placements.

Year 4 – Internship and Professional Readiness
The final year includes a 36-week internship-style clinical placement, where students work as part of real maternity care teams in partner hospitals. This year also develops leadership, complex care management, and the ability to integrate research into practice, ensuring graduates are fully prepared for professional registration.

Focus Areas (in a string)

Woman-centred maternity care, clinical midwifery practice, biological sciences, communication and relationship-based care, professional and ethical practice, health promotion, research awareness

Learning Outcomes (in a string)

Provide safe and evidence-based midwifery care, support women throughout pregnancy and birth, communicate effectively with families, make sound clinical decisions, and practise professionally and ethically in maternity services

Professional Alignment (accreditation)

Graduates are eligible to register with the Midwives Division of the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland (NMBI), allowing them to practise as professional midwives in Ireland and apply for recognition in many other countries.

Reputation (employability rankings)

Trinity College Dublin’s School of Nursing and Midwifery is ranked first in Ireland, 4th in Europe, and 20th globally for Nursing, giving graduates a strong academic reputation and excellent employment prospects in maternity services worldwide.

Experiential Learning (Research, Projects, Internships etc.)

At Trinity College Dublin, the Midwifery degree is built around real-world experience, so you don’t just learn about maternity care — you practise it. From your first year, you’ll train in modern simulation suites and clinical skills labs before moving into hospital placements, allowing you to build confidence in a safe environment before working with real patients. Throughout the four years, your learning is closely connected to maternity hospitals, digital learning tools, and small-group clinical training that prepares you for professional practice.

This hands-on learning comes together through a powerful mix of facilities, placements, and learning activities:

Clinical placements in leading maternity hospitals, including The Coombe Women and Infants University Hospital and The Rotunda Hospital, where you work directly with women, newborns, and families under the guidance of experienced midwives
Trinity Simulation Suite and Clinical Skills Centre, where you practise labour, delivery, neonatal care, and emergency scenarios using realistic medical equipment and simulation technology
Supervised practice modules and internship-style placements, allowing you to gradually take on more responsibility and transition into professional-level midwifery by your final year
Small-group, enquiry-based learning, where you work with classmates on real clinical scenarios, building problem-solving, communication, and reflective practice skills
Erasmus clinical exchange opportunities, giving you the chance to complete part of your training in a European maternity hospital and gain international experience
Access to Trinity’s world-class library and research resources, supporting evidence-based practice, academic study, and clinical research.

Progression & Future Opportunities

Graduates of the BSc (Honours) in Midwifery at Trinity College Dublin step into a profession where their skills are in high demand and their work has a lasting impact on families and communities. Many go on to become registered midwives, maternity care specialists, maternal health educators, or clinical team leaders, working in hospitals, community maternity services, and specialised care units across Ireland and internationally:

Career support from Trinity Careers Service, offering CV guidance, interview preparation, employer networking, and access to healthcare recruitment opportunities
Strong employment prospects, with nursing and midwifery graduates in Ireland consistently achieving very high employment rates shortly after graduation
Close links with major maternity hospitals, giving students real clinical experience and direct pathways into the Irish health system
Professional registration with the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland (NMBI), which allows graduates to practise as midwives and supports long-term career progression in Ireland and abroad
Graduate outcomes that include leadership, specialist, education, and research roles within maternity and women’s health services

Further Academic Progression:
After completing the midwifery degree, graduates can continue into postgraduate study such as a Master’s in Midwifery, Advanced Practice, or Leadership, or move into research-based degrees including an MSc or PhD. These pathways allow midwives to specialise further, move into teaching or policy roles, or take on senior clinical and management positions in maternity care.