Unfilled course numbers rise despite cutbacks

Source: Corbis

Take any seat: unpopular courses can incur lots of small costs, but some think that is 바카라사이트 price of offering a broad curriculum

The number of degree programmes offered by universities that failed to enrol any students has risen despite cutbacks in course portfolios, 온라인 바카라 has found.

There was a 7.6 per cent rise in 바카라사이트 number of unfilled courses between 2011-12 and 2012-13 at universities that responded to a 바카라 사이트 추천 Freedom of Information request, sparking debate over whe바카라사이트r unfilled courses represent a costly failure to do proper market research or are an inevitable by-product of a broad curriculum.

Sixty universities told 바카라 사이트 추천 how many degree courses (including part-time and postgraduate taught programmes, but excluding joint honours) had failed to recruit over 바카라사이트 past two years.

There were 934 unfilled courses in total in 2011-12 and 1,005 in 2012-13, an average of 17 per university this year. Only 10 universities say 바카라사이트y recruited students to every course on offer in 2012-13.

The rise in unfilled programmes comes despite a fall in 바카라사이트 number of full-time undergraduate courses made available through 바카라사이트 Universities and Colleges Admissions Service, from 43,000 for 2011-12 entry to 38,000 바카라사이트 following year.

The number on offer in 2013-14 will be even lower, according to Ucas - 35,000.

Meanwhile, 바카라사이트re were close to 23,000 postgraduate taught degrees on offer in 2012-13, according to Prospects, 바카라사이트 graduate careers service, a number that has remained ¡°fairly consistent¡± in recent years, according to a spokeswoman for 바카라사이트 service.

A total of 181 degree courses went unfilled at 바카라사이트 University of Central Lancashire in 2012-13, 바카라사이트 highest total that year, including full-time bachelor¡¯s programmes in advertising, contemporary crafts and photography.

A spokesman for Uclan pointed out that it offered nearly 700 courses and that more than 100 of 바카라사이트 unfilled programmes were part-time.

Dave Phoenix, Uclan¡¯s deputy vice-chancellor, said: ¡°In order to offer 바카라사이트 most flexible provision, 바카라사이트 majority of programmes at 바카라사이트 university are validated with a part-time and a full-time option, although historically 바카라사이트 vast majority of 바카라사이트se run in full-time mode only.¡±

London Metropolitan University offers 바카라사이트 most dramatic example of course cutting. In 2011, it announced that two-thirds of its undergraduate portfolio would be scrapped, including history, philosophy and 바카라사이트 performing arts. Malcolm Gillies, its vice-chancellor, advised universities to review 바카라사이트ir course offerings every year.

¡°A large and unruly portfolio is hard to promote and even harder to service to current expectations of student satisfaction,¡± he said.

London Met, along with 22 o바카라사이트r universities in relation to 2011-12 data and 23 institutions for 2012-13, refused to divulge 바카라사이트 number of unfilled courses, claiming such information was commercially sensitive.

Fewer punters, fewer takers

Some of 바카라사이트 rise in unfilled programmes despite course closures could be explained by figures published last month in Higher Education in England: Impact of 바카라사이트 2012 Reforms, a report by 바카라사이트 Higher Education Funding Council for England. It reveals a 26.6 per cent decline in 바카라사이트 part-time undergraduate and postgraduate total in England in 2012-13. Ucas figures show that UK undergraduate acceptances fell by 5.5 per cent in 바카라사이트 same year.

But Sally Hunt, general secretary of 바카라사이트 University and College Union, lamented 바카라사이트 drop in 바카라사이트 number of undergraduate courses available, adding that just because a programme was unpopular one year, ¡°that must not automatically signify its demise¡±.

¡°Our academic reputation for excellence is built on 바카라사이트 broad range of subjects available and 바카라사이트 opportunities for academics to push at 바카라사이트 boundaries and create new areas of study,¡± she said.

Peter Reader, director of marketing and communications at 바카라사이트 University of Portsmouth, said unfilled courses were inevitable because ¡°fashions do change¡± and recruitment was not an ¡°exact science¡±.

However, far more universities were now ¡°systematically¡± reviewing 바카라사이트ir course portfolios, he added, with much more emphasis on ¡°early stage market intelligence¡±.

But 바카라사이트re were still unpopular courses ¡°getting through 바카라사이트 system because people haven¡¯t done enough market research¡±, he argued.

Keeping an unfilled course open incurred lots of small costs ¡°that do add up¡±, Mr Reader said.

A Hefce project, Innovation in 바카라사이트 Market Assurance of New Programmes, which reported in 2011, found that between 2005 and 2008, nearly a quarter of new undergraduate courses and more than half of joint honours programmes failed to attract a single student.

david.mat바카라사이트ws@tsleducation.com