Uni has cancelled Dads course

[MixedPeel27]

Not sure what we are supposed to do now.

Uni has just announced that they will no longer be offering DDs degree, she is in her second year of three.

Some lecturers are being made redundant this summer and others have openly said they are looking to leave because they know they won't have a job much longer.

No clear info from the Uni about what will happen to students currently in their first and second year, except that they will be offered "other appropriate modules", but these are unlikely to be specifically for her subject which is quite narrow and specific. It's part of a wider department but they are in fact closing the whole department.

It's particularly upsetting for DD as the third year counts for 70% of her degree.

I don't understand how they can do this? She literally has no choice but to stay there and do some random modules she has no interest in, to finish her degree. She isn't doing it to just get a qualification, she really wanted to study this topic and learn.

I would be looking for another university. This happened to our university, the students relocated.

Is that even an option to go somewhere else just for the final year?

Are there other universities offering this subject? I'd be getting her to enquire there. What an awful situation. Commiserations.

Yes Open university you can transfer credit from other courses as long as a set number of points go just to that degree 120 I think which Is 1 years worth. I’m not sure about others but I’m sure there’s similar and it doesn’t hurt to ask.

This is really bad. When my uni stopped doing the degree I was going in the geographical location they at least completed all who had started the programme and just didn’t take a new intake on. Mine was a vocational degree though so maybe they had to do it.

Your DD need to look and see where else offers and what her options are. Then find accommodation etc.

Ring round the departments or admissions of the places where they do the course and see if she can move for 3rd year. They will soon tell you.
It could be that the current uni stopping the course they will still see it out for current students.

What a shitty thing to do/to happen. Many other universities will be doing the same degree though, maybe even open university so she can do her final year from home... What a PITA though!

I moved for my third year.

They can either just give you general credits or they can map it to her course looking at the actual content.

What is she doing and where? Does it come with some kind of professional accreditation/qualification, like psychology or nursing or teaching? If it doesn't, that probably gives her more options.

Poor thing though. I think that's a rotten thing to do to the students (and the staff too).

Thanks everyone, we are waiting to hear exactly what the other modules might be but aren't holding out much hope they will be very close to what she is currently studying.

As suggested we will try ringing around other universities to see if she can move.

It isn't a vocational / professional course so hopefully there might be flexibility.

Which uni/course is it?
I know many unis are having financial problems at the moment - I bet it's an art/humanities course. They always seem to be the first to go :(

Sadly I think there will be more of this to come in the near future. Universities are losing money on home students, 30 universities are in significant financial difficulties. Many are looking at dropping their largest loss making courses. Once they close to new recruits then the staff will look at leaving to go elsewhere which of course puts current students in jeopardy. So yes, look at transferring but be aware you may encounter similar issues still. Alternatively if one or 2 lecturers stay on then the course may limp on to the end without even needing to do modules from a different course.

I think some universities may go under or at least merge in the next few years.

I would definitely look at other unis. People transfer between unis quite rountinely.

If you think about it from the point of view of what really matters to universities (MONEY!), then her existing uni won't want to lose her third year of fees so will offer her alternative modules and a new uni will welcome her with open arms as they will get fees that they otherwise wouldn't have got.

Yes, it's a small course within a small department in an Arts subject. So not a priority I guess.

Can you say which uni OP?

I think a transfer is possible, the universities offering the degree may have students that don’t make it into their third year so may have space and welcome a student who is keen to complete the course.

Might be worth your DD looking at the latest prospectus information for a steer and then contacting admissions or asking the course leader for information about how they plan to support students to transfer.

Is this the University of Kent? I read they are making redundancies and cancelling courses, and closing a campus. Appalling. I'm so sorry for your DD and other students affected.

It's ridiculous the position the government has put universities in. We should be proud of our HE and instead it's underfunded like everything else (I know students pay tons but this is coupled with a huge shift in the funding procedure over the last ten years that hasn't kept up with costs).

It's gutting for your DD but she will have options

The OIA - the ombudsman for higher education - has a briefing note on what universities should do in the event of course closure. https://www.oiahe.org.uk/media/2528/briefing-note-on-course-campus-or-provider-closure-nov-2020.pdf
In theory, there should be teaching provided until all students complete. There should also be a high level of communication. if that’s not happening, use the uni complaints procedure.

Are you joking? They don't pay tax, they profit from extending their loopholes to actual businesses who also use it to avoid tax, they make a fortune from each foreign student, a fortune from owning buildings and land, a fortune from student accommodation, a fortune from renting out events space and business spaces, save loads by getting PHD and masters' students to teach undergrads instead of people who are actually qualified, are always advertising for donations, do dodgy council dealings, do dodgy property developer dealings.

Our local uni spent £200,000 on a (rubbish) statue with zero meaning. It looks half finished. Apparently the money came from an "anonymous donor". Of course it was some other tax dodge or way to funnel money around. They also have 2 hotels, buildings they rent out to big businesses, and a conference centre on their land, among other things.

Corruption is absolutely rife. If they're going downhill it's because of mismanagement and people funnelling money into their own pockets.

They make a loss on every home student and can’t increase fees. How many businesses would you expect to have their fees set by the government and told to carry on. International student numbers have fallen off a cliff this year and next year looking worse, mainly due to the government’s new immigration rules. International students were the only thing keeping some universities afloat.

Yes, it is Uni of Kent.

They have dozens of other income streams, I mentioned just a few of them above. There are also gyms, pools, renting out sporting areas, weddings, charging certain brands for onsite spaces (banks, branded food outlets etc).

Also not sure on how they're losing money on each home student when they aren't paying for proper university lecturers and they charge so much for accommodation (in some places here in the midlands it's £1000 a month for a studio room).

If they were making a loss on home students then they wouldn't want more home students in because it would increase their losses, yet here they bus sixth formers in from all over to get them to visit and apply, they are so short on accommodation there are literally students paying full price to live in portakabins on campus grounds, etc.

I do get there’s other income streams and possibly some mismanagement but not all universities have the stuff you talk about. I work as a lecturer at one and there’s no weddings or hotels. No idea how much they make on accommodation but my uni is not doing amazing financially and we’ve been told to prepare for a bumpy ride. So they are looking at ways of tightening up and are not the only one. Obviously a course which loses money hand over fist will be up for the chop. They’re businesses at the end of the day. Maybe they shouldn’t be? But then the government doesn’t value arts subjects so will be no help.

f they were making a loss on home students then they wouldn't want more home students in because it would increase their losses, yet here they bus sixth formers in from all over to get them to visit and apply,

the course I teach on loses money on every student. I struggled to understand why they still want to run it but apparently it’s all to do with reputation and getting research grants. 🤷🏻‍♀️. All above my pay scale I’m afraid