Degrees in homoeopathy and herbalism could be scrapped after academics branded them “quackery” and said they would damage their university’s reputation.

In an open letter to the vice-chancellor of the University of Central Lancashire (UCLan), academics said courses such as acupuncture contain a “roll-call of quackery” and damage the institution’s hopes of being taken seriously.

Now the university has announced a review into the degrees after the first-year course in homeopathy, due to begin this term, was cancelled because of lack of interest.

Mike Eslea, a senior lecturer in UCLan’s School of Psychology, organised the letter criticising the introduction of a degree in Chinese herbal medicine.

Eileen Martin, pro vice-chancellor and dean of the faculty of health, which runs the courses, will lead the review.

David Colquhoun, professor of pharmacology at University College London and an outspoken critic of “pseudoscience” degrees, said the review could result in an "internal whitewash".

He criticised the choice of Ms Martin to lead the investigation. "(The courses) presumably generate income for her faculty, so she can hardly be regarded as being free of vested interest," he said.

A spokesman for UCLan told the Times Higher Education Supplement: "As a university we value and practise transparency and tolerance and welcome all academic viewpoints.

"With this in mind, and because we have received concerns from some colleagues as to whether the university should offer courses in homoeopathy, herbalism and acupuncture, the university has set up a working group to review all the issues."

Kate Chatfield and Jean Duckworth, who lead the homeopathy course said “relentless attacks” by the “anti-homeopathy league” had taken their toll and the review was a small victory for their opponents.

A list of universities offering alternative medicine degrees was published earlier this year by Dr Simon Singh and Professor Edzard Ernst, co-authors of Trick or Treatment, alternative medicine on trial. They found 43 institutions, including Westminster University and Greenwich, with 155 courses they deemed unscientific including Ayurvedic medicine.

Westminster University top, followed by Greenwich, Middlesex, Salford and Thames Valley.

In total they found 43 institutions offering 155 unscientific courses, including homoeopathy, traditional Chinese medicine, acupuncture, and Ayurvedic medicine, in some cases as a BSc or MSc.

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