(c) About the Programme Approval Process
What is the expected timeline for education providers to seek approval of their clinical, counselling and educational psychology programmes by the Registration Board?
In advance of the opening of the registers, the Board has published its pre-registration education and training requirements (Standards of Proficiency and Criteria for Education and Training Programmes across the three specialisms). These documents will be central to the programme approval process that the Board will undertake in order to ensure that all education and training programmes that are used for entry onto a register prepare entrants to meet the same threshold level of proficiency for safe practice.
Following the publication of the Board’s Standards and Criteria, the Education Quality Assurance (EQA) Unit in CORU will commence a series of engagements with education providers to explain the programme approval process. As part of these engagements that the EQA Unit will be in a position to communicate timelines specific to each programme.
More broadly, the programme approval process will be completed during the 2-year transition period following the opening of the registers. By the close of the transition period, the Board will have set what is known as its Approved Qualifications Bye-Law which lists the qualifications it has approved for entry to its registers.
The opening of registers for the three specialisms requires a number of technical amendments to the Health and Social Care Professionals Act 2005 (as amended). CORU is working collaboratively with the Department of Health to progress these amendments. Considering this ongoing legislative process, the opening of registers for clinical, counselling and educational psychologists is now expected during 2027
If an education or training course is currently accredited with a professional body is this considered for CORU programme approval?
No. The Registration Board sets education and training standards that are separate and distinct from professional body accreditation. The Board sets regulatory standards for the purposes of establishing the threshold level of knowledge and skills required for safe practice in Ireland. Programme accreditation by a professional body is not linked with CORU’s programme approval process and will not have an impact on the outcome of the programme approval process undertaken by the Registration Board.
Are there any requirements around how a programme should be designed and delivered?
No. The Registration Board does not stipulate how an education provider should structure an education and training programme.
The education provider has flexibility around how it designs and delivers its programme. The Board’s requirements, as detailed in its Criteria, is that the programme has the systems and mechanisms in place to continually ensure that graduating students have met and achieved all the standards of proficiency and are able to practice safely as autonomous practitioners upon entry to the register.
It does not fall under the Board’s regulatory remit or responsibility to set the academic requirements for programmes.
Does the Criteria include minimum level entry requirements for entry onto a programme?
No. The Board does not stipulate admissions requirements for entry onto an education and training programme. All minimum entry level admission requirements are determined, set and applied by the education provider.
The Board’s Criteria requires that the education provider clearly articulates its admission requirements and that there are procedures in place for ensuring the stated entry criteria – that the education provider has determined – are consistently applied to all applicants.