With the university currently facing a budget deficit by £19.3m, a letter addressed to students written by the university has proposed that a number of undergraduate courses may be either cut or merged in an effort to cut costs and “maximise the opportunity for high graduate outcomes”.
A UoN spokesperson announced: “We are currently consulting on seven undergraduate courses in regard to possible suspended entry for September 2025 and 15 undergraduate courses are under review for the possibility of merger/consolidation next year. But no decision has yet been made and current students will not be affected.”
Courses such as BA Politics and International Relations and, BA Illustration are at risk of being cut, with current Illustration students even kickstarting a petition in efforts to save their course, fearing that course cuts and faculty redundancies will harm their education.
"Our higher education sector needs urgent support"
Mike Reader, Labour MP for Northampton South
UoN’s deliberation concerning course cuts is announced amid plans of a second ‘voluntary severance’ scheme after the university recieved 97 applications in July following their first voluntary severance.
The decision was blamed on several factors, including frozen tuition fees and rising energy costs. According to the BBC, the University of Northampton is just one in the three quarters of universities in England facing financial hardship within the next year, despite rising tuition fees.
Local MPs have expressed alarm at the impact on both students and the local economy. Labour MP for Northampton South, Mike Reader, told LDRS: “The announcement of a second round of voluntary redundancies at the University of Northampton is a warning that our higher education sector needs urgent support.
“I have already raised my concerns with the Secretary of State, Bridget Philipson, especially around the funding of courses that are key to Northampton’s economy. The current financial crisis facing universities is a direct result of years of underfunding, exacerbated by the Conservatives VISA and Immigration policies which have created a toxic culture for overseas students.
“I will continue to push for stable, long-term funding for our university sector in Parliament… The university is crucial for developing the talented workforce our town needs. It is vital to our local economy and town centre.”
