‘Dublin Business School has questions to answer’

Students in Dublin Business School who have spent significant sums on a degree in Applied Social Care deserve answers about why the course has not been accredited by the regulator, according to Social Democrats Education Spokesperson Gary Gannon.

“Students in this degree programme were notified earlier this month that the course has not been accredited by CORU – Ireland’s health and social care professional regulator,” Deputy Gannon said.

“The net effect of this is that students, who graduate from the degree, will not be able to use it as a basis to work as a social care worker.

“This is devastating blow for the students involved, who have spent thousands of euro on this degree in the expectation that it would result in a professional qualification that entitled them to work as social care workers.

“Dublin Business School has said they are now working on a revised programme, but what use is this to students who are nearing the completion of their degree – having invested years, and significant financial resources, in their education?

“This country has an acute shortage of social care workers, so it beggars belief that this degree course – dedicated to this field – does not qualify graduates to work as social care workers.

“Given this course was first established in 2018, Dublin Business School now has serious questions to answer about why it has not been accredited by CORU – four years later.

“The college must engage with the students, impacted by this devastating decision, and provide credible solutions to help them realise their ambition of working as social care workers.

“At a minimum, students should be provided with options to allow them to bolster their qualifications, in areas that CORU has deemed the course to be deficient, so that they can work in their chosen field. The college must also engage with students on the issue of refunds.”