A SENIOR academic at a Manchester university has broken ranks to accuse it of 'dumbing down' higher education.
Sue Evans, an economics lecturer at Manchester Metropolitan University, said the degree courses were so easy even the students were complaining about it.
She also claimed that failing students were having their marks `bumped up' to keep them at the university and that it was no longer possible to remove students who didn't bother to attend lectures.
Ms Evans, in higher education for nearly 30 years, gave her damning account in a document submitted to MPs.
Read the full document here - Sue Evans' submission is Memorandum 34 and starts on page 167
She said: "Last week a student (from Slovakia) said to me that this university is like high school in Slovakia and that universities in Slovakia are of a higher standard than the UK."
Among her complaints was that the students were being asked simple maths questions as part of their degree course.
Ms Evans said that one undergraduate complained in a degree review: "Students who can't do maths shouldn't do economics. Don't dumb down the subject any more than you already have!"
Ms Evans said that many students were being allowed to continue their degree despite failing exams.
Attacked
She said: "Students have been accepted into the second year when they have not passed a university first year and I am aware of one student who had not passed the second year of a degree and was accepted on the third year."
She also highlighted the lack of action taken against those who do not bother to attend lectures and quoted figures for one second year unit in 2007/8 which showed attendance at tutorials was only 35 per cent.
MPs are investigating whether a massive expansion in university places has diluted standards. Ms Evans was one of dozens of researchers giving evidence to a select committee.
The accusation comes as the government announced it was trebling the amount of research cash it gave to MMU from £2m to £7m. The cash bonanza follows new league tables which rank the former polytechnic as 75th out of 117 institutions.
The university has been attacked by education traditionalists for a range of initiatives, including the launch of courses for Tesco and McDonalds' staff.
MMU officials said Ms Evans was `entitled to her opinions' but firmly denied that lecturers had conspired to pass failing learners.
A spokeswoman said: "Ms Evans expresses a lot of very personal views but presents little objective information. The department of economics is keen to sustain academic standards and is not shy of failing students.
"If anything, grades are on the low side, as any reference to the league tables of firsts and 2:1s will corroborate.
"We must be vigilant that we are offering fair outcomes for our students while also maintaining academic standards."
Read the full document here - Sue Evans' submission is Memorandum 34 and starts on page 167
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Orb, Rochdale (09/03/2009 at 09:33)
sneakerpimp2 (09/03/2009 at 09:51)
In my experience the general level of student knowledge both academically and "worldly" is woeful. Units are dumbed down to take account of the lowest common denominator and I have it on very good authority that the main role of lecturers particularly for first year students is to get as many students through to the end of the first year to keep numbers up -
regardless of their abilities. As far as I can see, the university view each student as a cash cow - it is purely and simply about money and not academic achievement or excellence.
I know that university life is meant to be a mix of fun, adventure and learning and being a mature student, my view is probably influenced by having had to work for a living but I believe that despite government initiatives and interference in aspect of every course, the general level of undergraduate entering and graduate leaving MMU is way behind that of other universities.
When did MMU last have a University Challenge team btw?
A grumpy old Hector
Anipeel, higher openshaw (09/03/2009 at 10:12)
All these inhuman and cruel means are used by the British to reap you of hard earn currency to fund their pensions system. These are the universities being advertise for foreign students to attend.
Audenshaw Bob (09/03/2009 at 10:15)
gor, mcr (09/03/2009 at 10:18)
Went to Wembley in '56, USA (09/03/2009 at 10:44)
Mark,Radcliffe. (09/03/2009 at 10:58)
Hamish Macbeth, Whitefield (09/03/2009 at 11:43)
It started when this Government started collecting and analysing statistics and using it as a tool to award grants and cash...
What would you do???? Keep fewer students and educate them well, or double your numbers, drop the quality and pocket a few extra million?
This malaise has afflicted schools, hospitals and the police - we are now all forced to chase "beans" so our bosses and the Institution concerned get extra cash, meanwhile quality falls.
Remember Enron?
Hector Blue (09/03/2009 at 11:48)
My daughter agrees with you she has just quit from MMU. I went to a Poly in the 70's in London and through the mists of time seem to remember it was hard work and the degree was earned they should have remained polytechnics and did what they did best.
The Devil's Advocate, M11 born and bred, East Stand Lower 104 (09/03/2009 at 12:22)
Mad Welsh Scotsman, Cadishead (09/03/2009 at 12:40)
I also think that the internet opens up much better research facilities than was available many years ago
Joe Mercer's Ghost, Ramsbottom (09/03/2009 at 13:27)
A Mancunian, Manchester (09/03/2009 at 13:50)
It's an absolute disgrace. I feel sorry for many of today's graduates who are caught up in this mire.
GOD IS A BLUE, Failsworth (09/03/2009 at 14:08)
FRANK N FURTER, RED/PLANET EARTH IN A WEB/BERLIN (09/03/2009 at 14:25)
He is doing a cardiology and psyiology 4 year degree course and he loves it.
! thing he told me is a psychology course is the course if you just want a degree as it has no wrong or right ansers,its just really a debate.
So if you want a degree chose psychology.......
gor, mcr (09/03/2009 at 14:38)
G (09/03/2009 at 15:11)
"Over the past twenty or so years there has been a systemic failure to maintain
appropriate academic standards in British higher education."
"The obvious conclusion is that students now receive upper degree classifications for work that
would have previously been graded with a lower degree classification. For my final year
course I have received essays that were almost impossible to follow, largely empty of content,
a regurgitation of lecture notes or basic textbooks and factually incorrect. I routinely awarded
these essays low grades but have been brought under pressure, internally and externally, to
provide higher grades."
Additionally, my husband is involved in tutoring some of the undergraduates at Manchester University (not MMU) and the general view of the tutors is that the standard of student is, as Joe Mercer's Ghost said, un-publishable.
star-a-d, Altrincham (09/03/2009 at 15:49)
I am now in fourth semester. At the begginig of every other term we would have a recap on apostrophe, because a lot of students still use it incorrectly. A few days ago a fellow student has asked what was superlative. The same person uses the word 'like' several times in a 20 words sentence. These are future journalists!
I am not a perfect student: I make certain grammar mistakes, I still have pretty strong accent and I don't sit with my nose in the books when I'm off from uni. I don't have to. I know I will get a good grade anyway.
In the first year I didn't pass one out of eight exams. I got 38 points. I didn't do great with the rest either- on average I gained 45-48 points from every other subject. And yet, at the end of the year my failed exam had been compensated, so I went straight to the second year. Although I was very happy I didn't have to rerpeat the first year- I still feel I did not deserve to pass.
Last September, my school announced strict attendance policy. Everyone who misses a class has to provide written document from an appropriate body to justify any absence. Everyone who misses four classes in one semester will have points taken off their assignment grade. Already several people in my group disregarded the rules and as far as I know- didn't face any consequences.
On a full time course, I spend EIGHT hours a week at uni. And pay over £3000 a year! I could do the whole degree in a year, if only I was allowed, but apparently 30 hours a week at school is too much to handle for UK students (no offence intended). In Europe it is a minimum, at least in first two years. And in my country- doesn't cost anything.
I feel lucky to be at a foreign uni, especially a British one, because it was a dream of my life. Now that the dream came true- I am disappointed, but still full of hope the education will improve. Both students and future employers deserve better!!!
Salfordonian, Pendlebury (09/03/2009 at 15:57)
A Mancunian, Manchester (09/03/2009 at 16:16)
Mad Welsh Scotsman, Cadishead (09/03/2009 at 16:45)
Mike S, Manchester (09/03/2009 at 17:23)
Frostee, Oldham (09/03/2009 at 19:44)
An angry student, Manchester (09/03/2009 at 20:41)
As a final year student (and having worked hard to gain good marks in my previous years), I am currently applying for jobs. Is it not difficult enough to try and secure a job in this current economic climate without the University’s reputation being tarnished to potential employers? Surely an Economics lecture would understand this?
Although there are admittedly some easy aspects to my course (which is not economics), I have worked extremely hard for my degree as I’m sure most other students from other universities have. It is the job of an external exam board to monitor both MMU’s degree awards and compare them to other universities to ensure they are fair.
gladys rowbotham, Manchester (10/03/2009 at 06:14)
It's not easy writing in a foreign language - especially English!
Honest and well argued! A true journalist in the making (a few minor grammatical flaws but, hey, - it's what your lecturers should be correcting!
Just a couple of questions to add to the debate - how many non-British students are on your course?
How many EU students?
How many EU students claim student loan for their studies? Do you?
Nothing personal - its just that sometimes these discussions lack hard facts.
Look forward to reading your articles in the future!