What’s the real worth of ‘low-value’ degrees? | Letters

Rishi Sunak’s definition of a “low-value” degree – one that doesn’t lead to a graduate job, postgraduate studies or starting a business – has a very narrow focus (Sunak to force English universities to cap numbers of students on ‘low-value’ degrees, 14 July).

It takes no account of first-in-family students, for whom attending their local university is a massive achievement. Most of these aren’t Russell Group universities, but they are institutions valued by their local community. Many taking “low-value” degrees will be working class, ethnic minority, disabled or mature students, some of whom are unable to relocate for their higher education or any subsequent professional role due to a lack of resources or because of familial commitments.

This policy fails to acknowledge deep-seated regional and structural inequalities, the lack of graduate roles in some parts of the country, and widespread discrimination in the job market against many of the types of students who study “low-value” degrees.
Siân Lawrence
Mature, working-class, first-in-family PhD student, Durham University

Government proposals to cap the student numbers on what they define as low-value degrees show once again the limits of market-driven thinking when applied to education. The value of a university degree can manifest itself in many ways after graduation.

Higher education is a public good as it produces better-informed citizens trained in academic methodologies, whether in Stem (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) or the humanities, who can make evidence-based decisions in their communities and families, thus strengthening and enriching our society as well as our economy. Other OECD countries recognise the benefits of mass education in the era of knowledge economies and have higher rates of participation than the UK.
Julian Preece
Council for the Defence of British Universities

One of the very many depressing things about our prime minister’s crusade against low-value degrees is that value to him automatically means “economic value”. That makes a kind of sense in a context where degrees are funded by a fee-based model that encourages students to think of themselves as consumers buying a product.

Yet there’s an irony in that it’s degrees that are often treated as low-value (such as the one I teach, English) that encourage students to reflect on the ways that different systems of value – moral, aesthetic, political, economic – overlap, pull apart and conflict with one another. It’s a shame that conversations about degrees tend to prioritise one kind of worth over all others.
Dr Chris Townsend
Christ’s College, Cambridge

Robin Walker MP, the chair of the education select committee, said: “Given the substantial amounts of public money that go into supporting students to go to universities, I think it’s legitimate for government to look at where that delivers value.” Would he like to look at the value of the Oxford degree in politics, philosophy and economics (PPE) given to three out of the last five prime ministers? David Cameron held the referendum that took us out of the EU. Liz Truss broke the economy. Rishi Sunak is not in line to reach his objectives. The track record of PPE suggests it is of low value to the country.
Ann Lynch
Skipton, North Yorkshire

The massive expansion in student numbers has meant that many young people now feel forced to go to university just to have the same career prospects as someone with A-levels or similar a few decades ago. Limiting the number of low-value degrees will reduce this pressure and be advantageous for 18-year-olds.
Richard Mountford
Hildenborough, Kent