Trinity and UCD students ‘shocked’ to learn their degrees aren’t accredited

Students at two of the country’s most prestigious universities were ‘shocked’ to learn their high-points degree courses are not accredited by the national regulatory body.

It has also emerged that Trinity College Dublin and UCD have not even applied to get their Biomedical Science Degree accredited by CORU, the State regulator for health and social care professionals.

The university courses lack accreditation because they do not provide the practical, hands-on training required for medical science professions.

This means Trinity and UCD biomedical science degrees are not considered fully qualified by the industry regulator.

A CORU spokesperson told Extra.ie: ‘It is the responsibility of individual education providers to apply for programme approval, and CORU has not received an application for approval for these programmes.’

Jagoda Ennis, who is heading into her fourth year of Biological, Biomedical and Biomolecular Science at UCD – a course that required 566 CAO points when she sat her Leaving Cert in 2022 – said she was never informed about the lack of accreditation.

She told Extra.ie: ‘It’s nonsense. I’m going into my final year, and I have heard nothing about CORU or that my course isn’t registered with it.’

Trinity College Dublin offers three biomedical-related undergraduate degrees across different disciplines. These are Human Health and Disease, Biological and Biomedical Sciences and Biomedical Engineering, none of which are CORU accredited.

UCD offers two relevant degrees that are not accredited: Biomedical Health and Life Sciences and Biological, Biomedical and Biomolecular Science, both of which have entry requirements of between 555 and 600 Leaving Cert points.

UCD and TCD also offer master’s courses in Biomedical Science, which are also not accredited.

Ms Ennis, 21, said the other pathways to becoming an accredited biomedical scientist in Ireland are ‘difficult’.

The Tallaght student said: ‘I’d have to do a masters in TUD or Limerick to even get CORU recognised. Otherwise, it costs €410, and they might reject me because I don’t meet their requirements. And I’d have to find an internship. There are barely any in Ireland for my course. It makes no sense.’

Social Democrats education spokeswoman Jen Cummins said she was ‘flabbergasted’ to learn the courses are not accredited.

She told Extra.ie: ‘If they’re offering courses and there is no career progression, that needs to be clarified. If people are paying fees and then they’re not able to do what they’re supposed to be doing, they need to know that.’

Other medical students have chosen to study abroad because of issues in the third-level sector.

Dubliner Udaiveer Parihar said he opted to study medicine at University College London (UCL) because of a ‘lack of opportunities’ and the Health Professions Admissions Test (HPAT), an admissions test all medicine students are required to take in Irish universities.

Mr Parihar told Extra.ie: ‘The HPAT is a really outdated measure of gauging a person’s ability or affinity for medicine and London has a greater and wider scope of opportunities than can be found back at home.’ The 19-year-old student said it was ‘deeply concerning’ to learn that Trinity and UCD biomedical degrees are not accredited.

‘It seems almost implied that these institutions would, given their reputation, provide degrees that are aligned with these professional requirements of their field.

‘It’s a serious oversight that not only misleads students but also contributes to lowered graduate employability.’

Mr Parihar also called for greater transparency from Irish universities.

He told Extra.ie: ‘The provision of non-accredited training at a time of healthcare shortages creates a workforce of capable yet unqualified graduates and represents a serious policy failure. There should be more light shed on uncovering the issues present with the academic framework governing these degrees and bringing these programmes into line with guidelines.’

In response to queries, Trinity College Dublin said: ‘[We] are under no obligation to advertise what our course is not. Our students receive a large amount of information on careers in relevant research and other related fields of application and study.’

Asked why the university did not apply for accreditation, a spokesperson said the biomedical degree course is ‘not a professional course’ it is a broader academic course which includes biological sciences’.

UCD did not respond to requests for comment. The Department of Further and Higher Education was also contacted for comment.

Reporting by Kate Lynch