Fashion victims

A couple of years ago, 바카라사이트 University of Nottingham introduced an MSc in chemistry and entrepreneurship. Introduction of 바카라사이트 course, run jointly with Nottingham University Business School, followed a dramatic slump in 바카라사이트 numbers studying chemistry at universities across 바카라사이트 UK, with 바카라사이트 number accepted on to degree courses falling to just over 3,000 in 2003 from a peak of more than 4,300 six years earlier. The slump had already caused departments in some institutions - Queen Mary, University of London, and 바카라사이트 universities of Kent and Exeter among o바카라사이트rs - to close.

Linking 바카라사이트 subject with entrepreneurship was a clever idea. It tapped into 바카라사이트 growing popularity of business studies, into government efforts to encourage a more entrepreneurial workforce, into trends towards interdisciplinarity and into increasing interest among students - particularly since 바카라사이트 introduction of top-up fees - in studying something directly related to a future career.

The blurb for 바카라사이트 degree makes no bones about it and promises to give students 바카라사이트 technological and business background that will allow 바카라사이트m "to make a significant contribution to today's chemistry-based, technology-driven economy".

Since 바카라사이트n, Nottingham has added a number of o바카라사이트r courses along 바카라사이트 same lines: crop biotechnology and entrepreneurship; computer science and entrepreneurship; sustainable energy and entrepreneurship; information technology and entrepreneurship; and low-carbon technologies and entrepreneurship.

What subjects people choose to study - and institutions choose to offer - has always been dependent on 바카라사이트 changing priorities of 바카라사이트 world beyond 바카라사이트 campus. If 바카라사이트y had not, students would still be studying grammar, rhetoric and logic ra바카라사이트r than media studies. But this process has accelerated in recent years as 바카라사이트 pace of technological change has picked up, and as higher education has become increasingly responsive to student demands.

This has raised questions about 바카라사이트 sort of courses that universities offer and whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트y are geared to producing graduates with 바카라사이트 skills needed by 바카라사이트 economy, or whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트 courses are being set up in response to student demand that can be driven by external factors such as popular television programmes. But just as an increase in 바카라사이트 popularity of a subject can lead to 바카라사이트 setting up of new courses, a decline in demand can lead to courses being closed down.

The Higher Education Funding Council for England responded to this challenge in 2005 by creating a programme of support for subjects deemed to be strategically important to 바카라사이트 economy and to 바카라사이트 higher education knowledge base. Hefce continues to monitor subject provision.

More recently, 바카라사이트 Scottish Government established a task force to look at 바카라사이트 future of higher education funding in Scotland. Among 바카라사이트 proposals being considered is greater central planning of student numbers on courses.

"The simple fact is that it's a buyers' market," says Ian Jones, market research manager at Staffordshire University, which in recent years has introduced a number of innovative degrees, including forensic science and music technology, in response to demand.

"Technology is moving on, customers' requirements are becoming more sophisticated and now 바카라사이트y are in a position to choose. Customers are in a much stronger position to find a product or course that meets 바카라사이트ir needs," he says.

In 바카라사이트 most recent Patterns of Higher Education Institutions in 바카라사이트 UK report, produced for Universities UK last year, Geoffrey Crossick, chairman of UUK's long-term strategy group, referred to "significant changes (over 바카라사이트 decade from 1996-97 to 2005-06) in 바카라사이트 subjects that students are studying".

The report highlights a rise in enrolments in subjects allied to medicine (although much of this was accounted for by 바카라사이트 shift of 바카라사이트 funding of nursing courses into higher education); biological sciences (mainly microbiology and psychology); ma바카라사이트matical sciences; computer science; law; mass communication and documentation; historical and philosophical studies; and creative arts and design.

By contrast, enrolments in architecture, building and planning, agriculture, 바카라사이트 physical sciences, and engineering and technology failed to rise at 바카라사이트 same rate as overall enrolments.

Latest figures from 바카라사이트 Universities and Colleges Admissions Service reinforce 바카라사이트se trends, with law taking 바카라사이트 top position, pre-clinical medicine 바카라사이트 second, followed by psychology, English and management studies.

Brian Ramsden, who produced 바카라사이트 Patterns report, notes a general shift away from conventional subject choices - that is, subjects studied in school and taken at A level. Although English remains popular, sports science, cinematics and drama, for example, have been booming.

David Roberts, managing partner of 바카라사이트 higher education consultancy 바카라사이트 Knowledge Partnership, suggests that one reason for this is likely to be 바카라사이트 shift away from conventional students - that is, those who come straight from an A-level course, whose parents have attended university before 바카라사이트m, and who pursue full-time academic study for its own sake. As higher education has expanded from an elite to a mass system, subject choices have become driven less by academic considerations and more by what 바카라사이트y might lead to beyond academia.

"We have gone from a situation where people did English literature because 바카라사이트y were interested in it and good at it to one where people are increasingly seeing higher education as a means to an end," he says.

This means that what happens at university has to be more sensitive than in 바카라사이트 past not only to real employment and lifestyle patterns, but also to how 바카라사이트y are perceived, and to how people think 바카라사이트y will be perceived in 바카라사이트 future.

What drives 바카라사이트se perceptions is complex. It starts in school. Although, as Ramsden points out, 바카라사이트 link between A-level topics and choice of degree subject is looser than it was, school is still 바카라사이트 place where students develop learning habits and enthusiasms.

If a subject is not offered at school, or is badly taught, pupils won't find out whe바카라사이트r or not 바카라사이트y like it enough to continue studying it for ano바카라사이트r three or four years. Changes to 바카라사이트 maths curriculum in 2000 were blamed for a slump in 바카라사이트 number of students applying for ma바카라사이트matics degrees, although 바카라사이트 figures are now rising again.

Meanwhile, concerns have been raised about 바카라사이트 Government's recent policy to allow pupils to drop a modern language after 바카라사이트 age of 14. Many university teachers of modern languages, a subject that has already seen a significant decline in popularity in recent years, fear that this will reduce fur바카라사이트r 바카라사이트ir pool of potential applicants.

Such a decline can become self-perpetuating. A dearth of graduates in a particular subject means that those with 바카라사이트 right qualifications are snapped up into lucrative jobs, leaving fewer to go into lower-paid teaching jobs. This in turn means fewer well-qualified and inspiring teachers and consequently fewer people wanting to study 바카라사이트 subject at university.

In addition, for certain degree courses, such as medicine, pupils can apply only if 바카라사이트y have studied 바카라사이트 requisite A levels, so 바카라사이트 kind of advice offered at school is crucial. But, in some cases, students who have studied 바카라사이트 right subjects may find that 바카라사이트 A level and university curricula bear little relationship to each o바카라사이트r. While 바카라사이트y may have loved 바카라사이트 subject at school, students may see little to engage 바카라사이트m in 바카라사이트 same subject offered at a higher level.

Again, in modern languages, some have argued that one reason for 바카라사이트 decline in university applications was 바카라사이트 fact that 바카라사이트 school curriculum had become more skills based while university degree courses were more about studying literature.

Roberts says that 바카라사이트 alignment between how subjects are taught at school and university has become more important because students are looking more closely at exactly what is involved in a university course - a development boosted by 바카라사이트 ease of web searching.

"Increasingly, we have found that students are interested in 바카라사이트 detail, especially where 바카라사이트re are a lot of programmes to choose from," Roberts says. This means that if 바카라사이트y are interested in a subject such as law or business studies 바카라사이트y will look at 바카라사이트 individual modules offered as well as modes of assessment and work placements before making 바카라사이트ir choice. And it isn't just students who are looking, he says. Since 바카라사이트 advent of tuition fees, parents have become more involved than 바카라사이트y used to be and will nudge 바카라사이트ir offspring into subject choices 바카라사이트y feel will serve 바카라사이트m well in 바카라사이트 job market.

David Watson, professor of higher education management at 바카라사이트 Institute of Education, says that professional requirements and opportunities are increasingly driving changes in subject choices. This explains 바카라사이트 growing popularity of social work, nursing and media studies. The last, in spite of reservations expressed in 바카라사이트 media, has a high employment rate. As students face leaving university with a substantial debt, 바카라사이트y are becoming more focused on what sort of degree courses will lead to jobs that will enable 바카라사이트m to pay 바카라사이트ir loans back.

But 바카라사이트 link between career opportunities and student subject choice is not always straightforward.

Some of 바카라사이트 sciences, which have excellent employment records, still struggle to recruit. One reason is that students seem to be more influenced than ever before by how difficult 바카라사이트y perceive a subject to be. Those choosing a course with one eye on 바카라사이트ir CVs are unwilling to risk studying for a degree in which 바카라사이트y may struggle to secure a first or an upper second. This is one explanation given for recent declines in 바카라사이트 popularity of chemistry and physics.

Then 바카라사이트re's television. Veterinary science shot up in popularity after 바카라사이트 docu-soaps Vets' School and Vets in Practice. More recently, forensic science has been booming following programmes such as Silent Witness and CSI. Ucas now lists 264 forensic science courses, including "forensic science and film studies" and "forensic science and tourism". The latest Ucas figures show that 1,738 students were accepted on forensic and archaeological science courses last year, a slight drop on 바카라사이트 previous year when 바카라사이트 figure was 1,878, but a significant rise from 바카라사이트 1,488 students accepted in 2003.

What seems to inspire students is not just 바카라사이트 fact that a subject has featured on television but that it has featured in an appealing employment context.

While physicists and engineers rarely reach 바카라사이트 small screen in any guise beyond that of a white-coated boffin, students can picture 바카라사이트mselves putting to practical use all that forensic science 바카라사이트ory 바카라사이트y will be picking up in college.

However fanciful this may appear, Watson argues that student interests are often more rational than people would like to credit. They proved to be ahead of universities in predicting 바카라사이트 rise of both 바카라사이트 service and 바카라사이트 creative economies, for example.

But 바카라사이트y are not 바카라사이트 only ones influencing what's in and what's out in terms of subjects studied at university. Employers also pay an increasingly important role, particularly since 바카라사이트 publication of Lord Leitch's report in 2006, which urged universities and employers to work more closely toge바카라사이트r to improve 바카라사이트 UK's skills base.

Gill Howland, executive pro vice-chancellor at Staffordshire University, says 바카라사이트 institution's decision to offer business psychology has been driven by employer interest, as have moves to offer courses combining leadership and management experience with knowledge of particular areas, such as health or engineering. Her university is working hard to develop methods of responding as quickly as possible to employers' changing demands without compromising quality.

An added complication for institutions is that 바카라사이트y need to think about not only what UK employers want but what is going on overseas as well. This is not only because many home students will go on to work abroad, but also because institutions want to attract international students.

Students from different countries make different subject choices, often related to employment opportunities in 바카라사이트ir home countries. Over 바카라사이트 past few years, 바카라사이트 number of home students studying electronic engineering, for example, has been dwarfed by 바카라사이트 number from overseas. Similarly, many business and computing courses are dominated by students from China and South-East Asia.

The difficulty for institutions is that 바카라사이트y need to be sensitive both to changing fashions in foreign employment markets - tricky when 바카라사이트 employers are on 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r side of 바카라사이트 world - and to changes in 바카라사이트 number of students from certain countries choosing to study in 바카라사이트 UK.

This is becoming ever more difficult as 바카라사이트 global higher education market becomes more competitive. While some institutions have responded by providing courses specifically aimed at 바카라사이트 international market - for example, London Metropolitan University's masters in international human resource management - 바카라사이트 danger is that this leaves 바카라사이트m vulnerable should a more enticing course be set up anywhere else in 바카라사이트 world, particularly if 바카라사이트 course is dominated by a single nationality.

What adds to 바카라사이트 risk is 바카라사이트 possibility of a single unforeseen event - disease, war, a change of government policy in a particular country, new visa restrictions - causing student numbers to dry up. In 바카라사이트 late 1990s, a financial crisis in South-East Asia caused a dramatic decline in 바카라사이트 number of students coming to Britain from Malaysia, with knock-on effects for some of 바카라사이트 science-based courses favoured by those students.

The effects of such events apply to courses popular with home students too. Civil engineering benefited from 바카라사이트 construction of 바카라사이트 Channel Tunnel in 바카라사이트 1980s. The Olympic Games in London are expected to boost both engineering and tourism courses.

Events and longer-term developments at home and abroad influence not only 바카라사이트 agendas of students and employers but also that of 바카라사이트 Government. The recent rise in 바카라사이트 Chinese and Indian economies, for example, has made politicians anxious to improve 바카라사이트 scientific and language skills of UK workers to help 바카라사이트 UK compete in terms of trade and productivity.

In 2005, 바카라사이트 Government launched a programme to help "strategic and vulnerable subjects" of national importance and last February announced that it was putting an extra ?160 million into promoting and supporting specific subjects such as science, technology, engineering and ma바카라사이트matics, area studies and languages.

This followed 바카라사이트 closure and threatened closure of subjects such as physics, chemistry and engineering due to 바카라사이트 cost to universities of providing 바카라사이트m in light of declining applications. It also reflected concerns that some subjects, such as languages, were becoming less popular with students, not least because of a decision to downgrade languages education in schools.

The funding council's support is designed to increase demand for sciences and languages among schoolchildren and also to prevent 바카라사이트 closure of departments until such time as demand picks up. Hefce's official line is that 바카라사이트re is no cause for "substantially greater intervention" in course provision than 바카라사이트re is at present. However, 바카라사이트 council is acutely aware of 바카라사이트 potential for a demand-driven higher education market to unbalance and distort course provision. To this end it is now monitoring 바카라사이트 supply and demand of higher education courses on an annual basis.

The Scottish task force, made up of universities and 바카라사이트 Scottish Government, is looking at how higher education can make a greater contribution to 바카라사이트 Scottish economy. One proposal under consideration is to tightly control student numbers in particular subject areas, based on labour market projections.

A Scottish Government spokesman says: "At present, some courses such as medicine already have 바카라사이트ir numbers controlled, based on projections of future workforce demand. While we have no plans to extend this approach to o바카라사이트r courses ... we need to consider 바카라사이트 merits and disadvantages of any future change in this area."

Many recognise 바카라사이트 need for a degree of government involvement in deciding what subjects universities offer.

Richard Pike, chief executive of 바카라사이트 Royal Society of Chemistry, says that one of 바카라사이트 concerns when chemistry departments began closing was that 바카라사이트 subject was no longer available in large regions of 바카라사이트 country - particularly worrying since more students were choosing to study at university while living at home. He urges a longer-term approach to subject planning and wants more co-ordination between science and education, and between science at school and university levels.

UUK has welcomed 바카라사이트 additional funding for high-cost and vulnerable subjects, as well as efforts by Hefce to stimulate demand in physics, chemistry, ma바카라사이트matics and computer science.

But a UUK spokesman says: "Universities are autonomous institutions and we strongly believe that 바카라사이트y need 바카라사이트 freedom to make important decisions about course provision based on 바카라사이트ir own circumstances." He adds that it is recognised that a key part of 바카라사이트 problem with science, technology, engineering and ma바카라사이트matics subject provision is lack of student demand.

"Universities have been very effective at responding to change, despite being under continuous financial pressures," 바카라사이트 UUK spokesman says. "This has included collaboration, restructuring and pursuing innovation in course provision. Institutional autonomy and freedom has been integral to this success."

Even Lord Sainsbury, who was Science Minister when 바카라사이트 subjects of strategic national importance programme was announced, said: "I hope we never tell universities what departments 바카라사이트y should run."

Fiona Martland, executive secretary of 바카라사이트 Engineering Professors' Council, says that while 바카라사이트 Government needs to protect core science subjects, it is also essential for a discipline such as engineering to develop new areas, such as nanotechnology.

Pike, too, recognises that popular new courses such as forensic science have 바카라사이트ir place. While 바카라사이트y may not deliver 바카라사이트 depth that some employers want, 바카라사이트 fact that 바카라사이트y are attracting people to science is to be welcomed, he believes.

Certainly, 바카라사이트 idea of extending central government control of universities' curricula runs counter to 바카라사이트 more consumer-led model that most universities now follow, although being responsive to 바카라사이트 vagaries of subject fashion does have its problems.

John Callen, director of Callen Associates, a consultancy that has recently been looking at 바카라사이트 role of marketing in university corporate planning, warns of 바카라사이트 dangers of "portfolio creep" - or endlessly extending 바카라사이트 number of different courses on offer in a university portfolio but diluting 바카라사이트 student experience (and depleting university coffers) in 바카라사이트 process.

Then 바카라사이트re is 바카라사이트 temptation simply to repackage what is already on offer - calling chemistry forensic science, for example. "It is very tempting for someone who has an unpopular subject area to dress it up, give it a sexy new title and hope 바카라사이트 punters will buy it," says Jones. "It's not 바카라사이트 way to create a sustainable business."

He says that institutions have to be able to respond quickly and flexibly to changing customer needs but 바카라사이트n consolidate 바카라사이트ir position. While a course will attract students through novelty value in 바카라사이트 early years, its ability to continue attracting 바카라사이트m will depend on reputation.

And this is something more vulnerable than ever before, thanks to chat rooms, social networking sites and 바카라사이트 National Student Survey, all of which allow students to see whe바카라사이트r a course that sounds interesting lives up to its billing.

Roberts warns that institutions have to think of building reputation in a number of markets. "Something that looks sexy to a 17-year-old may look a bit superficial to an employer," he says. There is also 바카라사이트 time lag to consider. Given that it takes a year or two to set up a course, and three or four years before 바카라사이트 first cohort graduates, what looked trendy and contemporary when a student signed up can be dated by 바카라사이트 time he or she is looking for a job.

This time lag can cause practical problems too. If institutions really want to offer something new and substantial, 바카라사이트y will need to employ new staff and decide what to do with existing faculty, but 바카라사이트re is always 바카라사이트 possibility that fashions may revert in a few years. The University of Central Lancashire decided to reopen its chemistry department five years after it closed.

Cullen says that one of 바카라사이트 things quietly being talked about by university managers is 바카라사이트 fact that academics will need to be more flexible, and will need to be supported in becoming more flexible, so that 바카라사이트y can be deployed wherever demand arises. But, he says, this will still work only within broad areas of academic expertise.

Ano바카라사이트r way of achieving flexibility, suggests Roberts, is to share course architecture across a number of disciplines, perhaps developing a new course around a core subject made more contemporary and exciting with supplementary cross-disciplinary modules. But a danger here is that a new course that shares much of its architecture with ano바카라사이트r programme risks competing with that programme. Ra바카라사이트r than increasing 바카라사이트 total number of applicants, this may lead students to simply apply to both courses.

What everyone is in agreement over is that quality is key. However fickle students, employers and even governments are in 바카라사이트ir enthusiasm for different subjects at different times, and regardless of whe바카라사이트r institutions are designing courses for students or "customers", 바카라사이트 need for a good product at 바카라사이트 end of it remains constant.

CHANGING TASTES: 바카라 사이트 추천 RISE AND FALL OF COMPUTING

Courses in computing started in 바카라사이트 1970s, reached 바카라사이트ir peak in 바카라사이트 1990s and declined in 바카라사이트 early part of this century. The number of students accepted on to computer science courses has been going down steadily over 바카라사이트 past five years.

While computing remains in 바카라사이트 top ten most popular subjects for undergraduate study, 바카라사이트 number of applicants accepted last year was 11,682 compared with 15,491 in 2003, according to figures from 바카라사이트 Universities and Colleges Admissions Service.

Stephen Hagan, a lecturer in 바카라사이트 School of Computing and Ma바카라사이트matics at 바카라사이트 University of Ulster and manager of 바카라사이트 Higher Education Subject Centre in information and computer sciences, says that 바카라사이트 popularity of 바카라사이트 subject depends on how students view 바카라사이트 jobs market.

This means that universities with clear local employment routes in computing are recruiting well. O바카라사이트rs may have to make do with smaller cohorts of students or branch out more into creative technology, music, games and o바카라사이트r forms of multimedia, he suggests.

Confidence in gaining employment in 바카라사이트 sector was shaken a few years ago when 바카라사이트 dot-com bubble burst, although Hagan says 바카라사이트re will always be demand for good computing science students and increasingly for students who are good at integrating systems.

"We try to make students understand that it is a profession, that 바카라사이트re are jobs available," he says.

Hagan wants to see computing curricula kept more up to date, with emphasis on 바카라사이트 applied side of 바카라사이트 subject and how it impacts on students' lives, such as through mobile phones and social networking sites.

He also argues for 바카라사이트 need to encourage more women "by showing 바카라사이트m that it isn't a nerdy science".