Universities across the UK are shedding thousands of jobs in humanities and social sciences, sparking fears that certain degrees will become extinct. Analysis by the British Academy reveals a staggering 4,000 academic positions have been cut in just one year – with many non-Russell Group institutions struggling to cope.
The financial strain on universities is so severe it's now affecting traditionally popular subjects like business studies and law, leaving behind 'cold spots' where access to degrees like languages, classics, and theology is becoming increasingly limited. Students from lower socio-economic backgrounds are likely to bear the brunt of these cuts.
Hetan Shah, chief executive of the British Academy, warns that this crisis not only threatens higher education but also social mobility, young people's careers, and the UK economy's future skills needs. 'This is a wake-up call,' he says – as even Russell Group universities are now feeling the pinch.
Among the subjects hardest hit were social work (9% reduction), English and classics (both down 8%), anthropology (down 7%), and linguistics (down 6%). Business and management lost the highest number of academic posts, with 930 redundancies. Education and social work combined saw nearly 1,000 job losses – while English suffered 440, media and journalism 235, performing arts 230, languages 225, and law 215.
The data also highlights a concerning regional disparity: some subjects are becoming virtually unattainable at less selective universities. Classics is now largely inaccessible outside the Russell Group in North and South-West England – while theology degrees are difficult to pursue in many parts of the UK for students with lower entry requirements. With over 1,000 more job losses proposed at top-tier institutions like Exeter, Nottingham, Edinburgh, and Glasgow, these 'cold spots' are only set to expand.
Proposed cuts threaten a future where students from disadvantaged backgrounds can no longer access a broad range of degree options – exacerbating existing inequalities in higher education. As experts warn of an impending crisis for social mobility and the economy's skills needs, what does this mean for the future of university education?