University scraps English literature degree as ‘no longer viable’

Canterbury Christ Church University is scrapping English literature degrees because of a decline in applicants.

The university, based in Kent, said the course was “no longer viable in the current climate” and would not be offered from September 2025.

Canterbury has a played a significant role in the history of English literature, in Geoffrey Chaucer’s The Canterbury Tales and as the birthplace of Christopher Marlowe and Aphra Behn.

Students in their first or second year will be able to finish their degree and those completing a foundation year will be given the chance to switch to alternative courses.

The university is yet to confirm how many jobs will be lost from the decision, but said staff would be “supported”.

A spokesman said: “At Canterbury Christ Church University, we constantly evaluate the subjects we offer, to ensure we are able to meet the needs of future students and employers.

“For a number of reasons, we’ve seen a significant decline in the number of students wanting to study English literature in recent years and the course is no longer viable in the current climate.”

He said students competing an English degree would “continue to experience the same high-quality teaching throughout the rest of their academic journey and be able to complete the course”.

The spokesman said: “Colleagues will be supported throughout this transition in the coming months as we explore the impact with them.”

One disgruntled student told the BBC the decision was a “betrayal to the city of Canterbury”.

The news came after the Government announced it would raise university tuition fees for the first time in eight years.

Bridget Phillipson, the Education Secretary, revealed on Monday that tuition fees in England would rise in line with inflation from September 2025.

It will mean the annual price of a degree will increase from the current £9,250 to £9,535 from next year.

The move follows growing concerns that many universities are facing financial crises, with 40 per cent of English universities expecting to slump into deficit this year.

The changes are expected to affect all students in England from the next academic year, including those already enrolled at university.

The Government refused to rule out further rises in subsequent years, meaning tuition fees could be as much as £10,500 by the end of this Parliament. They have remained frozen since 2017, when they received a £250 uplift – the first since 2012.

Ms Phillipson said pushing up fees was necessary to “restore stability to higher education” as a financial crisis looms for universities.