To be devastated they've withdrawn the course

[LaPetite]

This is all a bit first world problem I know but I feel like crying but don't want to cry with dc in the house so whinging on Mumsnet instead.

I was offered a place on a masters degree at my local uni. I had everything planned out. Enough savings to see us through and beyond even if I couldn't get a part time job. It was the perfect course for me on a lovely campus just up the road. I've been counting down the weeks till I can leave my job (luckily have not handed in notice as I only need to give a month).

And I've just got an email from the university saying they're withdrawing the course. The whole future I was envisioning has disappeared.

I could try applying to universities in commuting distance, but travel would be expensive and tiring and I wouldn't be able to just pop into the library.

Moving house to be closer to another uni isn't an option when dc is halfway through A levels.

There are universities offering this subject online but I don't think I would get as much out of it as I would from actually being there in person. And I would hate spending my days alone staring at a screen.

I know there are worse things in the world than not being able to do a masters degree but my future's just gone from looking bright and exciting to just being stuck in the same rut.

I think there's your clue. It's a huge shame from a personal development perspective but may not have added anything to your career prospects. I had so many friends who did arts masters thinking it would lead to a particular career and it just didn't. So maybe have a think whether there are other routes to the same end goal?

But I am so sorry, it's horrible to have something you are so looking forward to swept away

Is it likely they will start running the course again next year? If so, I would be inclined to let them put me forward for the similar course with the understanding that I could transfer credits if the original course became available again.

Slight tangent but why are universities in such dire straits now? Is it Brexit repercussions? Someone mentioned fewer international students, and EU students being refused a visa at the last minute?
I wonder if what’s happening in the US would make UK universities more attractive again to international students, by comparison?

I feel for you OP, it’s so disappointing!

That is upsetting. When I did my MSc I did it with a uni that was around 2 hours away. I did the majority of it online but we had residential courses so we got the brick experience too. This worked better for me with the kids, but I know it’s not what you envisioned. It may just open your options up if you have a look further afield and see what other unis offer art wise?

Consider doing it part-time. I did mine with Open and DH with Birkbeck. All his studying was in the evenings! It's a bit slower but it means you have more time to write your Master's Thesis. It also meant I only had lectures once a month in person which was easily manageable in terms of distance. I used to travel to Oxford for mine. For my thesis year, we met very rarely but at a convenient location for us both. Hopefully you can find an alternative. My course got cancelled as I was doing it so we were the last year on it. It's vicious.

Most universities in the UK are at breaking point. The fees paid by UK students don't cover the costs of delivery. If a Masters doesn't recruit enough students to cover its costs, it's cut.

Two decades of neglect and insufficient funding get you here, I'm afraid.

It’s a combination of things…national insurance changes, international students and changes to visas, brexit, undergrad fee amounts not covering the actual cost and not increasing over time. And, in our case, this all combined with poor financial management by the senior and lower leadership over an extended period.

Yes @CuriousQuestioningGal lists all the factors.

And I should add - at most universities, academic staff research & teaching is required to be able to return around 30% to the university centre. So we have to out-earn our actual costs, to pay for all of the university's central costs. It's why we're beaten with sticks to land large research grants which come with "overheads" - those overheads go towards all those centralised costs, and also often replace our salaries, so the university saves there.

The other thing that pays for the cost of university is unpaid academic staff overtime.

I am trying to think of i actually went into the library during my masters year (law) I don’t think I did.
i went to a London university as a mature student soo conmutef each day -around 1hr 20 each way. I quickly dropped in person days if just lectures as easier to watch those online. Only went in for the tutorials.

I wouldn't completely discount online learning without doing a bit more research.
I run a distance learning course and we used to offer it in person too. When our in person numbers dropped dramatically we had to move everyone online.
I had a couple of students who were adamant they wanted in person and were very reluctant. However, they gave it a go and are now evangelical about the online course!
Many of them still have a significant amount of 'live' teaching and a great community.

Might still be worth considering.

I really wouldn’t get hung up on library use. I’m a lecturer. Everything is digitised. I’ve never in my life required students to go get something from the library. Some of them do use it to study, but it’s not always best for that. I have to say I’ve only been in the library maybe 3 times in all my years there. If you need to meet with a librarian for any reason, it will almost certainly be online. I’m not sure they even offer face to face appointments anymore. I wouldn’t necessarily be put off by an online programme or one slightly further afield, especially as you may have a lot of teaching online anyway.

I'm sorry to hear that. That exact same thing happened to me. It was perfect and I had everything planned out, with savings. I was devastated. The university have (2 years later) put a similar course on, after nothing for a while. My savings have dwindled and I've settled into a new job that I love now. I believe something better will come along for you, keep looking

Thanks everyone for responding. I'm taking all your comments on board.

There is another course I'm thinking of applying to. It's available either in person or online.

I think the commute might be a bit long for me, over an hour and a half, and recently I seem to find travelling so draining. I'm not sure I would have the energy to learn and take part in seminars after that.

So it looks like online will be best, but they only offer it part time, which is good in a way because I could keep working full time, but my current job is exhausting and I'm not sure if I could cope with a masters on top of it. Also I feel like if I do a masters I would want it to be the main thing in my life (after dc of course) and not something I'm squeezing in around my job.

Anyway I'll keep thinking about it.

@Hdjdb42 Sorry the same thing happened to you. I'm glad things worked out well for you in the end!

I can't. A Masters in the arts costs nothing to run unless you're bringing in external people to teach on it.

I did mine part time alongside my full time job. Mine was online. One of the best things I’ve ever done. Also an arts subject. Don’t throw the baby out with the bath water - find the same course at a different uni.

I'm glad you are feeling a little better.

On the library thing - everything is online these days, especially at masters level. From a practical perspective, you can take a laptop and go to your local community library.

I can't. A Masters in the arts costs nothing to run unless you're bringing in external people to teach on it.

There are still significant costs involved and they will need a minimum number of students to make it worth running.
If they don't get the numbers they won't run it at a loss.

I’ve been studying for my MBA PT whilst working FT in a senior and demanding role. Thankfully I’ve no kids to manage (just 3 big dogs and a DH!) as part of the mix.

Your social life will suffer, as a mix of deadlines, study time etc will mean having to say no to some activities that would clash. It is a lot but it definitely is doable. I made sure I blocked out study time at weekends and evenings to help keep me disciplined (an old boss of mine who had done his MBA years before used to go into the office on Saturday mornings to do his studying as he found that environment better to get into the mindset than being at home. Also luckily I was able to negotiate 10 days of (paid) study leave with my employer, to be used at any time during my course (either in chunks or individual days as needed). I was also lucky my DH was happy to pick up the slack with the house, dogs etc when assignments were due and I needed to shut myself away upstairs to concentrate.

Whatever you decide as a way forward, wishing you all the best of luck. It’s a tough slog, but it really is worth it!

There might be other prospective students in the same position who might be able to lift share with you to a different university? Thats what I did when I did my undergraduate degree as a mature student.

Quite often 'the universe' sorts these things out for us. What seems like a setback now, might turn into a blessing in disguise. You could go in a different direction which ultimately could be much better in the long term. This sort of thing has happened so many times in my life. Good luck!

Tell me you know nothing about how to run a university without telling me ….

But of course, staff time at university costs nothing at all!

Lecturers are salaried, most of the teaching on a Masters is in practice voluntary.

Take for example the University of Nottingham. An arts MA has fees on average £5000 (home) £23000 (INT)

Teaching 4hrs, research group seminars maybe 2 hrs.

There's no way a Masters in the Arts is not running at a profit, there simply aren't the same costs as in the sciences.

The University of Nottingham recently announced cuts to staff in order to save £50 million. Consultancy fees over the previous 3 years £80 million, a year.

You're not the vc there are you?

Fees for research led masters. For taught, about £9000 (home).

Lecturers are salaried, most of the teaching on a Masters is in practice voluntary.

This is completely incorrect. Academic staff work on a work load model that assigns them hours for all aspects of their work. Modules have a standard number of hours attached to them for teaching, marking, moderation and tutorials. A module leader will have hours for admin.
If a member of staff is teaching on a masters programme then they have fewer hours available to teach on other programmes.
I have staff who are ONLY employed to teach on masters programmes.

There's no way a Masters in the Arts is not running at a profit, there simply aren't the same costs as in the sciences.

They'll only run at a profit if you get enough students to cover costs. I've had to close MA programmes recently because they don't recruit enough students to be financially viable.

This. Staff time is costed and low-recruiting programmes are not financially viable, so are being pulled in many universities. Bear in mind that income has to not only cover staff time but space costs, central (university) charges, etc. In my arts department, we need to make a 45% surplus to cover these charges.