Scottish university will no longer offer single degrees in modern languages

Students at a Scottish university will no longer be offered single degrees in modern languages, meaning budding linguists will have to take a language as part of a joint-degree.

Students joining Aberdeen University in the next academic year will not be able to study French, German, Spanish or Gaelic alone, following a decision made by university court, the establishment’s government body.

The University and College Union warned the decision is “not enough” in saving the teaching of modern languages at the university.

The university court made the decision based on a recommendation from senior vice principal Professor Karl Laydecker.

The university says it will continue to offer joint honours degree programmes in Modern Languages.

The recommendation comes as part of a consultation at the university on the future of modern languages, including Gaelic.

Aberdeen University will now make offers to applicants looking to enter in September 2024, but will not offer single honours degrees in the modern languages.

The university previously said only five students joined the single honours modern languages course in September 2023.

The consultation period is also being extended by a month to allow more time for discussion on ideas put forward to increase student recruitment and make the delivery of provision more efficient in order to address a £1.5 million deficit for Modern Languages in 2023.

The university will also now consider how it can continue to support research in modern languages, including Gaelic.

Professor Leydecker, who chairs the steering group looking at language provision, said: “The university absolutely understands how much our community and the wider public care about modern languages, including Gaelic.

“We have been heartened by the many offers of support and advice on maintaining degree programmes and the ideas that colleagues have brought forward to address their sustainability.

“We will also make concerted efforts to increase the uptake of the opportunities we offer to all our students to learn languages.

“As a result, we’re extending the consultation period by a month to allow time for further detailed discussions on how to grow demand and address financial sustainability.”

He added: “We have always said that we will continue to teach languages at the university.

“Today’s decision means that we will continue to offer joint degree programmes in modern languages, including Gaelic.

“We have listened to the compelling arguments about the importance of language degrees, continuing to be available in the north east of Scotland.

“As a result, before the consultation period ends, we are homing in on the first option on the table in the consultation.

“Like others in the sector, our university has a very challenging period to weather but we are working to build firm foundations to ensure a bright long-term future ahead with language provision an important part of that.”

Jo Grady, general secretary for the University and College Union, said: “The employer has blinked. They are moving under the pressure that the campaign to save language teaching at Aberdeen has built. But it is not enough.

“There should be no cuts to provision and no cuts to jobs.

“It’s been inspiring to see everyone come together on this. We need to keep going.”