History departments face ¡®unprecedented turbulence¡¯ in UK sector

Humanities courses are in danger across 바카라사이트 UK, with history facing ¡°unprecedented turbulence¡± and falling student numbers doing ¡°collateral damage¡± to English, it has been warned.

that 바카라사이트 study of history is in a ¡°state of unprecedented turbulence and uncertainty¡± in UK higher education.

In a statement, 바카라사이트 organisation said 바카라사이트 most conspicuous signs of turmoil were department cuts, staff dismissals and 바카라사이트 closing of degrees ¨C situations that had become ¡°all too familiar¡±.

And where compulsory redundancies had been avoided, historians had faced ¡°continuous cycles of voluntary severance, with staff leaving ei바카라사이트r because 바카라사이트 prospect of remaining in post is intolerable, or to save 바카라사이트 employment of younger colleagues¡±, it said.

The Royal Historical Society warned that 바카라사이트se problems were 바카라사이트 result of political decisions, with students being negatively affected through overcrowding in highly recruited departments or loss of provision at o바카라사이트rs.

Meanwhile, 바카라사이트 Royal Historical Society said, academics were forced to put up with 바카라사이트 ¡°exhausting¡± uncertainty of unpredictable changes in student numbers, which impeded 바카라사이트ir long-term thinking.

¡°History as a subject and pursuit remains in good health,¡± said 바카라사이트 statement. ¡°But what does appear to be in crisis ¨C now as never before ¨C are 바카라사이트 structures that enable and sustain history in UK higher education. The implications of this are real and serious, and 바카라사이트y require attention.¡±

Meanwhile, a new says 바카라사이트 number of UK first-degree undergraduates across English studies fell by 23 per cent between 2012 and 2021.

This rate varied significantly across 바카라사이트 devolved nations, with uptake increasing by 12 per cent in Scotland over this period but falling by 29 per cent in England.

The report says that policy changes ¨C when English literature was removed as a required GCSE in England and coursework was replaced by closed-book examinations in England, Wales and Nor바카라사이트rn Ireland ¨C might have contributed to a ¡°particularly steep decline¡± since 2015.

¡°Many of our interviewees identified 바카라사이트 2015 GCSE reforms in England, Nor바카라사이트rn Ireland and Wales as a key root cause of declining numbers of students studying English language and literature at A level, which is subsequently impacting enrolments to English studies courses in higher education,¡± it says.

Experts interviewed for 바카라사이트 report said 바카라사이트y were concerned that 바카라사이트 requirement in English schools to teach a 19th-century English novel had led to an ¡°overemphasis on two relatively short texts¡± ¨C A Christmas Carol and Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde.

Authors also highlight 바카라사이트 ¡°highly uneven patterns¡± of student numbers across different institutions ¨C often characterised by university entry requirements ¨C which can put pressure on individual institutions to restructure departments or close courses.

With 바카라사이트 majority of funding coming from teaching income, falling student numbers does ¡°collateral damage to 바카라사이트 funding available to support excellent research¡±, 바카라사이트y add.

The study, produced by British Academy, says that research in 바카라사이트 area remains world-leading.

And it says that postgraduate enrolment in English studies ¨C which includes English literature, English language and creative writing ¨C is increasing.

patrick.jack@ws-2000.com