{"id":319716,"date":"2026-02-27T07:43:07","date_gmt":"2026-02-27T07:43:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/319716\/"},"modified":"2026-02-27T07:43:07","modified_gmt":"2026-02-27T07:43:07","slug":"university-of-galway-plans-to-end-and-replace-arts-course-amid-fall-off-in-interest-the-irish-times","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/319716\/","title":{"rendered":"University of Galway plans to end and replace arts course amid fall-off in interest \u2013 The Irish Times"},"content":{"rendered":"

The University of Galway <\/a>is proposing to discontinue and replace its general arts course due to an international downward trend in popularity as students are increasingly attracted to \u201cdirect routes to employment\u201d.<\/p>\n

An internal report seen by The Irish Times notes that reform of the university\u2019s undergraduate provision within its College of Arts, Social Sciences and Celtic Studies has become \u201curgent\u201d.<\/p>\n

A review of arts courses was initiated by the college executive committee (CEC) in 2024 in response to a \u201csustained decline\u201d in student numbers.<\/p>\n

This decline, described in the report as \u201cnot cyclical but structural\u201d, is seen across the college\u2019s Bachelor of Arts degree (GY101), which has 23 subject options, and a number of its direct-entry denominated programmes, such as computer science and mathematical studies.<\/p>\n

Its GY101 degree, in particular, which has seen a continuing decline in student numbers since 2011, dropped by 35 per cent from 749 registrations in 2019 to 491 in 2024.<\/p>\n

The report describes projections for CAO<\/a> first preferences for arts degrees at the university over the coming years as \u201cconcerning\u201d, with a forecast predicting a continued year-on-year decline, falling from 1,768 first preferences in 2023 to 1,184 by 2030.<\/p>\n

While all arts courses had an entry threshold above 350 points in 2025, points required would have been lower if not for a \u201cstrategic reduction in domestic intake\u201d, the report notes.<\/p>\n

The limit on intake was not due to increased demand, but to ensure students who are accepted are \u201cready for education\u201d.<\/p>\n

\u201cWithout applying a points cap and aiming to fill programmes to capacity, some courses would have experienced significant reduction in CAO points,\u201d it reads.<\/p>\n

[\u00a0Choosing a third-level course: How rewarding is a degree in the arts?Opens in new window<\/a>\u00a0]<\/p>\n

It outlines a number of processes driving the current downward trend in first-preference applications and student registrations, including the \u201cdrift away\u201d from arts courses both nationally and internationally.<\/p>\n

The report suggests this drift reflects the \u201cperceived lower occupational return\u201d from such degrees, noting that students are increasingly attracted to programmes perceived to offer \u201cdirect routes to employment\u201d.<\/p>\n

This is alongside a \u201cshift in emphasis within higher education\u201d towards Stem (science, technology, engineering and math) and business degrees.<\/p>\n

An \u201calready narrowing applicant pool for arts programmes\u201d and demographic changes are also noted as contributory factors, with secondary school enrolments on a downward trajectory.<\/p>\n

Difficulties in sourcing accommodation may also increasingly shift demand towards institutions with more affordable housing options, or alternative degree pathways, such as studying abroad or online.<\/p>\n

\u201cThese pressures are not unique to Galway; students at other major Irish universities are experiencing similar difficulties,\u201d it says.<\/p>\n

The CEC recommended a \u201ctransformation\u201d of its course offering to reverse the declining trend.<\/p>\n

Under the proposal, the GY101 degree and direct-entry programmes would be discontinued and replaced by a new suite of \u201ccontemporary programmes designed to meet the learning needs of students\u201d.<\/p>\n

While such a transformation is viewed as potentially high-risk, \u201cto the extent that we are abandoning a model that we know can sustain us at least in the short-to-medium term, in favour of a blue-sky offering\u201d, it is also possibly \u201chigh-gain\u201d.<\/p>\n

These contemporary programmes, which would embed skills development, are likely to attract new domestic and international students, the report says.<\/p>\n

Although the risk associated with the proposed transformation could be deemed \u201ctoo great\u201d at a later stage, a roadmap estimates that new courses could begin from September 2028.<\/p>\n

A spokesman for the University of Galway said it is \u201cconscious\u201d of changing demographics and students\u2019 interests and is exploring options for a range of \u201cnew and exciting courses in arts\u201d.<\/p>\n

He added that \u201cno changes are being introduced at this time\u201d.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is an early stage consultation, in line with best practice in higher education, where we ask our academics to reimagine how arts courses are offered.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"The University of Galway is proposing to discontinue and replace its general arts course due to an international…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":319717,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[43491,61,60,43,5761],"class_list":{"0":"post-319716","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-ireland","8":"tag-cao","9":"tag-ie","10":"tag-ireland","11":"tag-news","12":"tag-university-of-galway"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/319716","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=319716"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/319716\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/319717"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=319716"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=319716"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=319716"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}