A private third-level college yesterday denied a former student's claim that a course she enrolled on was completely different from the one she took up.
LSB College, Dublin, is fighting a claim for the refund of course fees of £721 plus damages and expenses for breach of contract from an Athlone woman, Ms Maria Nugent.
On the first day of what she thought was strictly a counselling course, Ms Nugent learned the qualification after the first two years had been changed to "applied social studies/counselling".
The case, which opened in Dublin District Court yesterday, was adjourned until May. An application from LSB's lawyer for reporting restrictions until it is completed was rejected by Judge Michael O'Leary.
Ms Nugent told the court that in 1998 she enrolled in the four-year BA in Counselling and Psychotherapy. It had been stated that the course consisted of three parts, the first year leading to a certificate in counselling skills, the second to a certificate in counselling theory and practice and the third and fourth leading to the BA.
When the course started, concern arose among the students that qualification for the first two years had been changed to National Certificate in Applied Social Studies/Counselling. There was also no certificate after the first year as promised in literature about the course.
Ms Nugent already had, from a previous course, a Diploma in Social Studies and she was not going to spend another two years getting a Certificate in the same area. "I did not want to pay exorbitant money and travel 2,700 miles [each term] for that," she said.