Acadia School of Midwifery & Women’s Health
Bridging Ancestral Wisdom and Clinical Excellence
We aim to democratize access to midwifery education, facilitate knowledge sharing, and foster community-led midwifery.
More than an educational journey, this is a path to restore safety and dignity to our birthing community and beyond.
Through hybrid-education, immersive clinical placements, and mentorship from experienced faculty, we support the development of confident, ethical, and culturally responsive midwives committed to advancing reproductive justice, equity, and maternal well-being.
The Path to Knowledge, Skill & Competency
Bachelor’s Degree in Midwifery
The Bachelor’s Degree in Midwifery provides students with the full scope of perinatal midwifery care. The program trains primary care midwives to competently, skillfully and compassionately support women and families through pregnancy, labor & birth, and the postpartum period up to 12 weeks.
Master’s Degree in Midwifery
The Master’s of Midwifery & Women’s Health expands the scope of practice beyond the perinatal period to encompass the full spectrum of sexual and reproductive health across the lifespan. The program prepares midwives to offer advanced, evidence-based, and compassionate care from menstruation through menopause, including reproductive health & fertility support.
Non-Degree à la Carte Courses
Acadia School of Midwifery offers non-degree, à la carte courses drawn directly from its Bachelor’s and Master’s level curricula. These courses allow midwives, birth workers, and health professionals to access advanced, academically rigorous content without committing to a full degree pathway.
Our philosophy as clinicians, researchers, and educators is grounded in the belief that honouring these principles not only safeguards the dignity of the birthing person but also protects the dignity of the practitioner.
Who are these programs for?
These program are for those who aspire to become primary care midwives — licensed or otherwise — and those who will carry the profound responsibility of walking with women and families through the childbearing continuum.
Our programs are for students who wish to hold space with unwavering respect for women’s sovereignty, and to co-hold the medical responsibilities with the parents, with a practice rooted in the art and science of midwifery, trauma-informed care, and a woman-centered approach.
This is an invitation to join a movement of authentic Women’s Health Practitioners, dedicated to confronting and preventing the harm of the birth industrial system, decolonizing birth practices, and embodying a deep commitment to honoring women’s autonomy and the sacredness of their journey.
Our philosophy as clinicians, researchers, and educators is grounded in the belief that Evidence-Based, Trauma-Informed, and Person-Centered Practices not only protect the Dignity of the Birthing Person, it also protect the Dignity of the Practitioner.
Pillars
Frequently Asked Questions
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No, Acadia School of Midwifery is currently applying for MEAC accreditation. If granted, our graduates will be qualified to sit for the North American Registry of Midwives (NARM) exam and may pursue midwifery licensure if they choose.
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The program is designed to take a minimum of three years full time to complete. In order to graduate, students must:
Successfully complete all required courses,
Fulfill a minimum of 3,100 hours of clinical practice,
Demonstrate the required number of clinical exposures across the spectrum of care (prenatal, intrapartum with graded levels of responsibility, and postpartum), and
Complete a final capstone project.
Because midwifery education is competency-based and exposure-based, the exact length of the program varies. Students entering with extensive prior training or clinical experience—such as those transferring from another school—may qualify for an accelerated pathway. On the other hand, students who need additional time to balance study with personal or family commitments may take up to seven years to complete all requirements.
At Acadia, we honor both the rigor of midwifery training and the diverse life structures of our students, ensuring the program is both thorough and flexible.
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Yes. Most courses at Acadia School of Midwifery can be taken à la carte, meaning you do not need to be enrolled in the full program to participate. However, some courses are designed as part of an integrated module and cannot be separated.
For example, you cannot register only for Trauma-Informed Care for Prenatal Practices—you must take the full Trauma-Informed Care for Birth Practitioners module, which covers prenatal, intrapartum, and postpartum care altogether.
This structure ensures that courses taught as part of a module retain their depth, coherence, and educational integrity, while still giving students and professionals the flexibility to choose stand-alone offerings where possible.
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No, it is up to each individual to licensed or not after graduating from our School. But, if we are committed to providing yo with the necessary education and support to licence if you so wish.
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Yes. Students who have completed coursework or clinical training at another recognized midwifery program may be eligible to transfer credits or clinical experiences into Acadia School of Midwifery. Each case is reviewed individually to ensure that prior learning meets our academic and clinical standards.
If accepted, transfer students may qualify for an accelerated pathway, reducing the overall time needed to complete the program. However, all transfer students must still demonstrate competency in Acadia’s required courses, clinical benchmarks, and capstone project before graduation.
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Students are invited to share their preferences for clinical sites and preceptors, and Acadia will do its best to honor them. However, all internship placements must be approved by the school to ensure they meet accreditation requirements, provide adequate learning opportunities, and uphold our standards of woman-centered and trauma-informed care.
Students may propose a preceptor or site they already have a connection with, but the school will review and formally contract with the site before placement. In cases where a student does not have a preferred site, Acadia will assist in securing appropriate clinical placements.
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Yes. We recognize that life circumstances can change, and students may need to pause their studies. You may take a temporary leave from the program, provided you remain within the overall seven-year maximum completion time.
During a pause, you will not lose credit for coursework or clinical hours already completed, though you may be required to refresh certain skills or repeat specific competencies if a significant amount of time has passed before returning.
Our goal is to support students in balancing their education with the realities of life, while ensuring that all graduates meet the highest standards of safe and competent midwifery practice.
Additionally, students may choose to pause or withdraw their membership; however, re-enrollment may require payment of a re-registration fee.
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Yes, most workshops and trainings are available for both students of Acadia School of Midwifery and non-students.
You simply need to enroll, show up and enjoy!
PS: We will give priority to our students.
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At this time, courses are available only in English. If you require another language, you may inquire—depending on the course, we may be able to provide a subtitled version.
We are currently developing a French-language edition of the program.
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We provide several international clinical sites for your internship placements. You may also propose additional international sites; if approved, they will count toward your International Clinical Experience credits. Please note that births attended outside the United States cannot be counted toward NARM’s required numbers.
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