Exeter University has confirmed it is to close its chemistry and music departments next summer, following a vote by its governing body.

The plans, aimed at cutting a £4.5m annual budget deficit, are expected to mean 130 job losses.

 

Exeter's full council on Monday ratified an earlier decision by its senate to stop teaching the subjects.

 

Parents of existing students have threatened legal action if their degree courses are cancelled.

 

'Squandered'

 

Dr Wendy Paterson, of Parents Against Cuts at Exeter, said: "It would be our only option and we are going to ensure that the university do actually meet all their contractual obligations to the students in full."

 

The Conservative Party's higher education spokesman, Chris Grayling, called the university's decision a "tragedy".

 

He said: "The UK has justly deserved reputation in science subjects that must not be squandered."

 

A Royal Society of Chemistry spokesman said: "Chemistry is necessarily more expensive to teach but adds more economic value than many other subjects. Hence it is vital to this country that it prospers.

 

 

 

Departments cut/closed

Derby - theology, colour and imaging

Durham - linguistics

East London - French, Spanish

Glasgow Caledonian - public management, consumer and trading standards, information management

Kent - chemistry

Kingston - German, history of ideas

Lampeter - Australian studies, anthropology and religion

Newcastle - pure physics, theology

Queen Mary London - chemistry

 

"Only when more money is made available for science on campuses will the threat to chemistry be lifted."

 

Exeter's chemistry department has been given a 4 rating for its research, below the top 5 and 5* ratings.

 

Under the government's funding formula, this means it gets far less money than leading rivals.

 

The university argues that this makes chemistry too expensive to teach.

 

The Exeter vote comes as a BBC survey shows one in five UK universities have closed or cut departments during the last year or plan to do so next year.

 

Some 73 of 120 higher education institutions responded.

 

 

 

Departments set to close/be cut

APU - pure chemistry

East Anglia - linguistics, German, Scandinavian studies

Exeter - chemistry, music, cognitive science, creative writing,

Huddersfield - geography, environmental science

Kingston - French, Spanish

Leeds - performing and cultural industries

Imperial - agricultural sciences

 

Seven were planning to close departments or stop teaching subjects.

 

Kent and Queen Mary London have also ended chemistry courses, with Anglia Polytechnic University planning to do so.

 

But 58 universities were looking at setting up new subjects or expanding existing ones.

 

Glasgow University said it was investing more in both its chemistry and physics departments.

 

Exeter was investing more in its biology and geography departments.

 

Others surveyed were introducing or putting more money into combined science courses, like chemistry with nanotechnology, law chemistry and physics with pilot studies.

 

The government wants 50% of people under the age of 30 to enter higher education in England by 2010.

 

Full list of courses being opened or expanded:

 

Aberdeen

Gaelic, Technology with Education

Abertay Dundee

Environmental Studies, Sociology, Computer Arts, Psychology

Anglia Polytechnic University

Journalism, Media Production, Radio & Sound Production, Film, TV & Video Production Publishing, English Language, Film Studies, Graphic Design, Retail Management, Financial Services, International Business Law, Legal Studies, Crime Investigation, Interior Design, New Media Production, Health Psychology, Veterinary Nursing, Osteopathy, Marine Biology, Ophthalmic Dispensing, Sports Science, Health & Social Care & Assessment of Elderly

Bournemouth

Food Marketing, Occupational Therapy, Occ. Physiotherapy,

Bristol

East Asian Studies, expansion of Physics Department (nanotecholgy)

Cardiff

Biosciences & Engineering

Central Lancashire

Sports, Computing, Technology, Health & Biosciences, Business Studies

City Univ. London

Politics, Social Sciences

Derby

Unable to say at this stage.

Durham

Physics, Chemistry

East Anglia

Speech and Language Therapy

East London

Health & Biosciences, Digital Arts, Media & Communications, Computer Games

Essex

Health & Human Sciences, Biological Sciences, Drama & Theatre Studies

Exeter

Biology, Goegraphy

Glamorgan

Media Technology, Nursing & Health related sciences

Glasgow

Chemistry, Physics, Chinese Studies, Info. Management & Preservation

Glasgow Caledonian

Fashion Marketing, International Business, Health Statistics

Gloucestershire

Psychology & RPE (religion, philosophy & ethics), Fine Art Photography, Digital Media, Photojournalism, English Language

Greenwich

Pharmacy

Heriot-Watt

Financial Mathematics, Robotics, Automotive Engineering, Forensic Chemistry, Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Psychology, Sport & Exercise Science

Huddersfield

Applied Sciences, Pharmacy, Drama, History, English

Kent

Heritage Science, Social Policy, Sociology, Social Research

Kingston

Landscape Planning, Graphic Communications, Illustration &Animation, Live Arts, History of Art, Business Management, Int. Business With French/Spanish, Computer Information, Computer Biology, Early Years Education

Lincoln

American Studies, Audio Technology, Nursing, Web Design, Web Technology

Liverpool

Evolutionary Anthropology, Archaeology of Ancient Civs., Chemistry with Nanotechnology, Aerospace Engineering, Laser Engineering, Latin American & Hispanic Studies, Comparative Literary & CulturalStudies.

Goldsmiths College London

Unable to say at this stage.

Imperial College London

Environmental Sciences

London Business School

Unable to say at this stage.

LSE

Media & Communications, Cold War Studies, Human Rights Studies, Analysis of Risk &Regulation, Applicable Mathematics, Biomedicine, Gender, Development &Globalisation, Global Politics, Politics & Communication, Risk & Stochastics, Urbanisation & Development

Queen Mary London

Business Management

Royal Veterinary College

Unable to say at this stage.

St George's Hospital Medical School

Health & Medical Sciences, Pharmacy

University College London

Crime Science, Geospace & Environmental Management

London Metropolitan University

Chemistry, Biochemistry, Physiology, Nutrition & Dietetics

Loughborough

Health-Related Subjects

Luton

Music Technology, Interior Coaching Science, Creative

Manchester

Life Sciences

Manchester Metropolitan

Robotics & Automation, Consumer Law, Product Design, Lifestyle Retailing, Arts &Cultural Enterprise, Exercise &Sport Science, Health Studies, Education, Law Chemistry, Clothing Design & Technology

Middlesex

Biomedical Sciences

Newcastle

Applied Physics, Nanotechnology, Molecular Engineering

North East Wales Inst. of HE

Art, Early childhood Studies, Radio Production & Media Studies, Product Design, Housing

Uni. of Northumbria, Newcastle

Information not yet available - but university expects to expand in a number of subject areas.

Nottingham

Veterinary Studies

Oxford Brookes

Film Studies, Arts Administration, Science & Society, Biomedical

Paisley

Forensic Science, Zoology, Pharmaceutical Science, Sports, Events Management

Plymouth

Criminal Justice & Law, Environmental Forensics, Marine Sports Science, Technology& Business

Queen Margaret Univ. College

Declined to answer.

Robert Gordon University

Business Studies, Health Care, Social Care, Computing, Art

Roehampton

Photography, Creative Writing, Managing Equality & Diversity, Dance Anthropology, Translation, Applied Psychological Research Methods, Choreography, Arts Therapy, Health & Healthcare

Salford

Physics with Pilot Studies, English Language & Linguistics, Animation, Space Science, Design, Waste Management, Radio Production, Psychology &Criminology, Psychology &Sociology

Sheffield

Nearly 100 new courses planned including Russia, Medical Genetics, Business Management, Mechatronics

Stirling

Environmental History, Aquatic Science, Knowledge & Mind, Journalism, Community Service Learning

Strathclyde

Chemistry, Physics, Physical Sciences

Surrey

Law, Health & Medicine

Thames Valley

Construction, Technology, Social work, Para-Education(eg. classroom assistants)

Warwick

Horticultural Research

West of England, Bristol

Criminology, Forensic Computing, Creative Music Technology, Film Studies

York

Film, Theatre, Television, Law, Dentistry

 

This really bugs me and is really stupid!!

Strathclyde uni are cutting out chem and pyshics?? :confused:

thats new to me!

yeeeeep...direct from the beeb :stunned:

omg! that will disappoint some ppl at my uni!

awwww

yeh u said it!

better they know than not

yup

boooooooooooooong :confused:

what was that? :lol:

smoochie boochies :kiss:

hahaha, smoocihie boochies! did u make that up? :lol:

bollox.