Universities closing courses in the arts and humanities will mean poorer students are faced with “geographical cold spots” when it comes to accessing these degrees, a union has warned.
Sheffield Hallam University has suspended the teaching of English literature as a degree course, a move the University and College Union condemned as “shocking” and “depressing”, adding that it is more likely to affect students from disadvantaged backgrounds.
It follows the University of Wolverhampton’s plan to cull 146 courses, including those in performing arts, fashion, interior design, fine art and social sciences.
In May, the University of Roehampton also announced cuts to its arts and humanities degrees.
UCU has warned that jobs may also be at risk in those departments at De Montfort University in Leicester and the University of Huddersfield.
UCU general secretary Jo Grady said the decision to shut the English literature course at Sheffield Hallam is “as shocking as it is depressing”, adding that it “seems part of a wider agenda being forced on universities by the Government against the arts and humanities”.
The decision follows a planned crackdown on courses considered “low value” by the Government, whereby universities could face penalties if less than 75% of undergraduates finish their courses and under 60% are pursuing further study or in professional jobs 15 months after graduating.
Dr Grady said: “The decision is bad news for both the staff whose jobs will be threatened by these cuts and for current and future students, many of them local to the region, who will see their education choices limited and be denied the opportunity to access higher education.
“Decisions like this, and at other universities such as Huddersfield and Wolverhampton, will be hugely damaging for access, creating geographical cold spots as many courses are dropped.
“The universities most vulnerable are those with a higher number of less well-off students and it is unconscionable to deny them the chance to study subjects like literature, art, drama and music.”
A Sheffield Hallam spokesman said: “As a large comprehensive university offering more than 600 undergraduate and postgraduate degrees, we keep our portfolio of courses under constant review to ensure that they align to the latest demands from students and employers.
“Whatever students choose to study at Sheffield Hallam, they will graduate with the confidence and skills to tackle real-world problems, having had the chance to complete work experience in every year of their chosen programme of study.”
Dr Mary Peace, a lecturer in English literature at Sheffield Hallam, described the cuts in arts and humanities degrees at post-1992 institutions as “cultural vandalism”.
Writing on social media, she said: “What kind of society will we have if there is no place for people from all social classes and backgrounds to have the chance to read and think (or to work in a bar for two years while they try to write a novel) before they have to make themselves compliant with the workplace?”
Why are you making commenting on The National only available to subscribers?
We know there are thousands of National readers who want to debate, argue and go back and forth in the comments section of our stories. We’ve got the most informed readers in Scotland, asking each other the big questions about the future of our country.
Unfortunately, though, these important debates are being spoiled by a vocal minority of trolls who aren’t really interested in the issues, try to derail the conversations, register under fake names, and post vile abuse.
So that’s why we’ve decided to make the ability to comment only available to our paying subscribers. That way, all the trolls who post abuse on our website will have to pay if they want to join the debate – and risk a permanent ban from the account that they subscribe with.
The conversation will go back to what it should be about – people who care passionately about the issues, but disagree constructively on what we should do about them. Let’s get that debate started!
Callum Baird, Editor of The National
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here