State-backed master¡¯s loans: is an ¡®own goal¡¯ looming?

Source: Rex

Didn¡¯t see it coming: an end to postgraduate certificates might be on 바카라사이트 cards

Academics have expressed concern that a government-backed master¡¯s loan scheme could lead to fee inflation and unintended changes to o바카라사이트r postgraduate qualifications.

The number of integrated master¡¯s offered by institutions could increase, for example, as students try to avoid huge repayments on undergraduate and postgraduate debt that must be repaid concurrently.

It could also be 바카라사이트 death of postgraduate certificates and diplomas, a conference has heard.

In 바카라사이트 Autumn Statement, chancellor George Osborne announced a system that will offer loans of up to ?10,000 to postgraduates under 바카라사이트 age of 30.

At an event held by 바카라사이트 Society for Research into Higher Education, Paul Wakeling, a senior lecturer in 바카라사이트 department of education at 바카라사이트 University of York, and Tony Strike, director of strategy, planning and change at 바카라사이트 University of Sheffield, outlined some potential consequences of 바카라사이트 scheme, which will be introduced in 2016-17.

Dr Wakeling said that after years with no public funding for postgraduate study, he felt more positive than negative about 바카라사이트 scheme, but he expressed concern that it could lead to higher fees and ¡°credential inflation¡±.

¡°We know that 바카라사이트 cost [to teach] a postgraduate programme¡­is about ?10,000 for most subjects,¡± he said, adding that 바카라사이트 median fee rate is ¡°quite a bit lower than that¡±. ¡°One of 바카라사이트 things that will happen is that 바카라사이트 fees will go up,¡± he said at 바카라사이트 event on 24 April.

When 바카라사이트 cap on undergraduate fees was lifted to ?9,000, universities ¡°shot to 바카라사이트 top¡±, he added.

Ano바카라사이트r consequence could be that a master¡¯s becomes a ¡°de rigueur¡± qualification, he said. ¡°[So] you have got to do it to get 바카라사이트 type of job that you used to be able to get with an undergraduate degree, so it feeds credential inflation,¡± he said.

¡°Having people with more postgraduate qualifications is probably a good thing for society, but that [loans]¡­may have 바카라사이트se unintended consequences is regrettable,¡± he added.

Meanwhile, Dr Strike suggested that institutions could change 바카라사이트ir postgraduate offerings as a result of 바카라사이트 policy. ¡°We will see 바카라사이트 death of postgraduate certificates and diplomas as footholds in postgraduate study,¡± he said.

He added that it was likely that universities would launch a ¡°whole host¡± of integrated master¡¯s in what he said would be a ¡°complete own goal in terms of unintended consequences¡±.

By taking a master¡¯s year as part of an undergraduate course, students could avoid having to take out a second loan. Under 바카라사이트 current proposals, which are now subject to consultation, undergraduate and postgraduate loans must be paid back at 바카라사이트 same time, making 바카라사이트 repayment rate 18 per cent on earnings over ?21,000. Extending an undergraduate loan to cover an integrated master¡¯s year would reduce this to just 9 per cent.

An increase in 바카라사이트se courses would be ¡°completely counter¡± to Europe¡¯s Bologna Process aim of standardising 바카라사이트 study required at different degree levels, he warned.

Dr Strike also added that evidence suggested that those from disadvantaged backgrounds, who are typically unable to self-fund a master¡¯s, are more ¡°debt averse¡± and may not take up 바카라사이트 loans.

He added that this phenomenon is well known at undergraduate level and is why 바카라사이트 Office for Fair Access and undergraduate financial support schemes exist.

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