Worried about the non-accreditation of my Biochemistry Course

at Salford University. The RSC (Royal Society of Chemistry) has not accredited my course- so does this mean my course is pointless?
Will no employer employ me? Does accreditation concern the NHS?

Help Please!

http://www.rsc.org/Membership/join/AccreditedCourses/index.asp

If you look at the bottom of the page, there is a list of universities that have their courses accredited.

Yours Faithfully

Magic_007

Reply 1

Schmaris

9

It just means that you do not become part of the RSC - It doesn't make your degree worthless, but having an accredited course has significant benefits when looking for jobs within research and similar areas of work in Chemistry.

The skills you gain will help you get a job, as Chemistry isn't a walk in the park...

Reply 2

Evabell

My personal opinion is that if there is accredation in the subject / course your taking then it isn't worth taking a course without that. It doesn't make a degree worthless to not be accredited, it's just that your going to be competing with accredited people for jobs and from what I have read many employers will ask for that.

Did you not know about accredited courses when you applied? What year of study are you in?

Edit: I just looked through the list and there are very few Biochemistry courses on there. Are you sure Biochemistry is normally included with the RSC?

Reply 3

Magic_007

OP

13

Evabell

My personal opinion is that if there is accredation in the subject / course your taking then it isn't worth taking a course without that. It doesn't make a degree worthless to not be accredited, it's just that your going to be competing with accredited people for jobs and from what I have read many employers will ask for that.

Did you not know about accredited courses when you applied? What year of study are you in?

Edit: I just looked through the list and there are very few Biochemistry courses on there. Are you sure Biochemistry is normally included with the RSC?

I've finished my second year study, I am start this biochemistry course in September. When I did apply on UCAS, during my first year I did not know about accreditation. I think with the RSC, they accredit Chemistry courses more so.

I think it's too late to reapply and retake another year in college and apply for Biochemistry at Manchester University as my grades don't fill their requirements.

Reply 4

Magic_007

OP

13

I've just read that the biochemistry is not accredited but recognised. What is the difference between recognition and accreditation?

Reply 5

Evabell

Magic_007

I've just read that the biochemistry is not accredited but recognised. What is the difference between recognition and accreditation?

Is this the course your doing? : http://www.salford.ac.uk/course-finder/course/34

It sounds pretty good! Look at that teaching quality score! I'm not sure if there actually is a difference, as some also use the words "approved courses". If they are on a list of another organisation as approved / recognised / accredited I think these are equivalent. I don't know that for certain though but nothing came up on a google search.

Who is the course recognised by? Where did you read it?

Reply 6

poisoned_rose

2

I just did a Biochem degree that had no accreditation and I've had three pretty good job offers. It depends on what sort of job you'll be going for, but most won't care about accreditation, or thats been my experience anyway.

Reply 7

Magic_007

OP

13

Evabell, yes that is the course I am doing.

I'm sorry I think I may have misled you. While I was looking at the RSC website of the list courses I saw that Biochemistry was recognised rather than accredited at the Universities that are members of the RSC. It's not Salford I was talking about, it was the universities mentioned on the website.

Reply 8

Kinkerz

15

I don't think a biochemistry degree earns you accreditation with the RSC.

Reply 9

Evabell

Magic_007

Evabell, yes that is the course I am doing.

I'm sorry I think I may have misled you. While I was looking at the RSC website of the list courses I saw that Biochemistry was recognised rather than accredited at the Universities that are members of the RSC. It's not Salford I was talking about, it was the universities mentioned on the website.

Actually it says the difference between recognition / accredation on your link. The former gives associate membership and the latter is gained by more detailed and thorough approval of the course. They do seem to suggest accredation is a more rigorous process.

Ahh so they don't recognize Biochem at Salford then? I would say It may affect some job opportunities but there are so many areas to work I wouldn't think this will stop you getting a job :smile:

Reply 10

Magic_007

OP

13

Evabell

Actually it says the difference between recognition / accredation on your link. The former gives associate membership and the latter is gained by more detailed and thorough approval of the course. They do seem to suggest accredation is a more rigorous process.

Ahh so they don't recognize Biochem at Salford then? I would say It may affect some job opportunities but there are so many areas to work I wouldn't think this will stop you getting a job :smile:

I hope its not the 'be all end all' scenario. I'm sure with a 1;1, I could get into a good well-paid profession. Thanks for your help and other TSR users. :smile:

Reply 11

Schmaris

9

Magic_007

I hope its not the 'be all end all' scenario. I'm sure with a 1;1, I could get into a good well-paid profession. Thanks for your help and other TSR users. :smile:

If you are doing a BSc, if you get a second class degree and higher you could probably apply for a Masters at an accredited university. It could be a different route if you have difficulty finding jobs which don't require an accredited degree.

Good luck with everything though :smile:

Reply 12

Magic_007

OP

13

Schmaris

If you are doing a BSc, if you get a second class degree and higher you could probably apply for a Masters at an accredited university. It could be a different route if you have difficulty finding jobs which don't require an accredited degree.

Good luck with everything though :smile:

Hopefully Oxford or Cambridge! :biggrin:

Reply 13

Schmaris

9

Magic_007

Hopefully Oxford or Cambridge! :biggrin:

Cambridge for me :biggrin:

hehehee. For a Phd, my York course sets me up with a Masters beforehand so I've got a good shot if the field I want to study in is good at Cambridge :biggrin:

Reply 14

ChemistBoy

16

You only need to worry about your course being recognised as having sufficient chemical content to be admitted as an associate member of the RSC, you can upgrade to full membership status at a later date through professional experience and possibly an interview to demonstrate masters equivalence. Accreditation means that the RSC has examined the course itself and assessed it to meet their requirements - this only applies to full chemistry courses not biochemistry courses and generaly is a guarantee that the course contents core chemistry content of the required standard to meet the academic requirements of full chartered chemist status.

Reply 15

Magic_007

OP

13

ChemistBoy

You only need to worry about your course being recognised as having sufficient chemical content to be admitted as an associate member of the RSC, you can upgrade to full membership status at a later date through professional experience and possibly an interview to demonstrate masters equivalence.

From what you are saying, there is a way of my biochemistry course becoming recognised by the RSC by applying to be an 'associate member'.

Are you suggesting that I should apply when I complete my degree course?
Because I don't understand when you say you can upgrade to full membership status at a later date through professional experience and possibly an interview to demonstrate masters equivalence.

What do you consider by a 'professional experience and what do you mean by an interview? What do you mean by 'masters equivalence'?

Please could you clear this up for me.

Thanks again :smile:

Reply 16

ChemistBoy

16

Well you are a biochemist, not a chemist so there shouldn't be any suprise that you don't meet all the academic requirements for Chartered Chemist with a biochemistry degree. All graduate members enter the RSC at associate level until they have gained 3 years post-graduation experience in chemistry. At that point you can upgrade to full membership and apply to start a 2 year period of professional development to gain your chartered status. Part of the requirements is that you have a chemistry degree of MChem standard or equivalent, if you don't have that qualification then you have to have an interview to demonstrate that you have chemical knowledge of an equivalent standard (which I don't think would be hard for a biochemistry graduate working in a chemical field).

You have to remember that chemistry and biochemistry are quite distinct subjects. It is just the same as a physicist becoming a member of the RSC - it's quite possible, but you may not completely meet the academic criteria for chartership directly with your degree.

As for becoming a clinical biochemist in the NHS, this has nothing to do with the RSC and RSC membership is not neccessary to get a job in the NHS as a clinical scientist.

Reply 17

rachaelllllllll

3

What type of job offers where you going for and did you get?

Worried about the non-accreditation of my Biochemistry Course

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