‘I did Britain’s most Mickey Mouse diploma: We simply watched Lion King’
A survivor of a controversial media-studies course which was topped the final word ‘Mickey Mouse’ diploma by the federal government itself says she has no regrets about dropping out after only a time period because the lecturers are ‘obsessed’ with Disney.
The University of Hull’s media research course has come underneath hearth this week after it was revealed that graduates earned simply £16,100 on common 5 years after leaving college – the bottom within the UK.
The course, which units college students again £9250 a 12 months, claims to ‘mix arms on talent with thought-provoking idea’ and consists of modules akin to ‘screening genders’ and ‘Disney research’.
This module is described as an ‘in-depth exploration of the historical past and influence of Disney’s world leisure empire’ nonetheless previous college students have complained that a lot of the course quantities to little greater than watching movies.
One aspiring journalist was so disgusted with the course that she dropped out after simply three months and accepted that she would make a lack of £2312.50 on her £9250 funding.
The University of Hull’s media research course has come underneath hearth as a result of low salaries its graduates can anticipate
According to the Department for Education (DfE), Hull graduates of media, journalism and communications levels earned on common simply £16,100 5 years after leaving college
Ellie Johnston has no regrets about quitting the underneath hearth course after only one time period
Ellie claims elements of the course concerned watching the Disney basic The Lion King
Ellie Johnston, 18, informed MailOnline she has no regrets about quitting the underneath hearth course after only one time period and now works behind the counter in a perfume store.
She says she can be higher cultivating contacts within the media business that watching the Lion King and different movies she will see anyplace.
She stated: ‘I dropped out the media research course in December. It was not what was described. It is a mix of all totally different programs all taking the identical lessons.
I did the primary time period from September to December and it was a number of watching movies and documentaries.
‘I believe it was a complete of two essays I did in that three months. I didn’t really feel it was very academic.
‘We watched a Disney movie about speaking and singing canines. We watched the Lion King and one about ants taking up the world.
‘Numerous the movies are accessible to individuals outdoors the uni. It was a number of watching movies. Some lessons have been okay just like the movie manufacturing class with digital camera work.
‘But many classes have been simply watching a movie and speaking about it. I can do this with my buddies with out spending a small fortune on charges.
‘I believed I’d be higher of talking to somebody within the business to get a job. It is a really Disney oriented. One of the ladies lecturers was obsessive about Disney.
‘Numerous it was too broad. We have been additionally in the identical lessons as individuals doing different topics akin to artistic writing linked to movie.
‘Maybe much less individuals would drop out if it was extra focussed. To me what they’re educating is extra like stuff I did at A degree moderately than college.’
In the previous, Universities have been accused of getting a vested curiosity in operating these ‘Mickey Mouse’ programs
Sophie Charlton research psychology on the college and can’t fathom why anybody would examine media research
The University of Hull is at present ranked 76th within the UK by the Good University Guide
The University of Hull is at present ranked 76th within the UK by the Good University Guide and has been criticised previously for laying on perceived ‘Mickey Mouse’ levels.
These programs are characterised as low-cost programs in areas with low employment prospects that college students enroll in so the University can acquire £9,250 a 12 months in tuition charges.
Ellie’s buddy Sophie Charlton, 19, remains to be learning psychology on the college and informed MailOnline she had heard in regards to the media research course however was not eager.
She stated: ‘I simply felt it was a bit straightforward. It wasn’t what I needed to do actually. It isn’t a correct diploma. It isn’t a well-liked course.
‘It is simply watching movies and documentaries. It is extra like doing a movie research A degree than diploma degree.’
Fellow college students additionally revealed their bafflement on the course and expressed shock the scholars enrolled weren’t in search of extra sensible methods into the media.
Enya Pegado, 22, stated: ‘People can be higher off getting a job by work expertise.
‘I had a buddy who did the media research. He would have been higher off getting an apprenticeship or work moderately than going to college.
‘Some of the assignments he was given didn’t sound like college degree assignments. He acquired to direct some quick movies however there was no push.
‘It was extra like GCSE media.’
Another feminine pupil stated: ‘All I find out about that course is that buddy of mine did and he has struggled to discover a job ever since.’
A male pupil added: ‘Media research course are a operating joke all throughout the nation and everybody on campus is aware of that is Mickey Mouse diploma.’
Outside of the University campus, Hull’s notoriously no-nonsense locals additionally expressed shock that college students have been being drawn into ‘Mickey Mouse’ levels (pictured Richard Harries and Enya Pegado)
Outside of the University campus, Hull’s notoriously no-nonsense locals additionally expressed shock that college students have been being drawn into levels with very obscure prospects on the finish of it.
Richard Harries, 71, stated: ‘I’ve acquired a level however a very long time in the past.
‘I went in my 40s within the 90s to Leeds Met college. There have been diploma programs then in regards to the strangest issues that I believed would by no means result in a job.
‘I used to be a supervisor at Leeds City Council and employed company employees. We had one woman who had an MA in medieval poetry and was doing a doctorate in medieval one thing else.
‘There she was vastly certified on £9 an hour taking a look at grass slicing which had been outsourced once they removed the parks service.
‘I’d ship her out together with her two levels to determine if the verges wanted strimming which is one thing my 9 12 months outdated granddaughter may have finished.
‘Numerous diploma programs even then have been resulting in nothing – aside from a life in college. On my diploma course you had every kind of unusual modules akin to ‘What is Racism?’.
‘I’ve all the time fairly preferred Disney movies. I watch them with their granddaughters however can’t think about learning them even when they’ve conquered the world globally.’
Cafe employee Meg Thomson, 24, stated: ‘It feels like a proper Mickey Mouse course. I’ve labored since leaving college and do not see the purpose of a course like that.
‘I can’t perceive why anybody would pay to do one thing like that.’
The University of Hull’s media levels relate to their 2014/15 cohort’s PAYE salaries within the 2020/21 tax 12 months.
The University of Hull has stated these figures usually are not a mirrored image of the programs they provide at the moment.
Across your complete UK, media research graduates on common earned round £24,800 5 years after they graduated – the fourth lowest within the UK.
Degrees that ranked decrease included Celtic research (£24,700), artistic arts and design (£22,400) and performing arts (£22,000).
In 2022, the DfE urged all universities to incorporate knowledge on what number of graduates get a good job in addition to what number of truly end their three years to assist college students spot programs much less more likely to result in a steady job.
A spokesman for the University of Hull informed MailOnline: ‘These statistics relate to college students who graduated virtually 10 years in the past and usually are not a mirrored image of programs we provide at the moment.
‘We regularly overview all our programmes to make sure they tackle the present market wants regionally, nationally and globally and to make sure they meet the expectations of our college students.
‘Over the previous few years, we now have reworked our media associated programmes introducing programs akin to media manufacturing, graphic design and sport design.
‘These programs all align with sector and business wants, making our graduates engaging to employers throughout this rising and various sector.’
Last 12 months, the federal government promised to crackdown on poor-quality levels by putting caps on the numbers who could be recruited on to programs which might be ‘not well worth the paper they’re written on’.
Degrees with excessive dropout charges and poor employment prospects will probably be restricted by the Office for Students, the schools watchdog.
At the identical time, there have been new measures promised to spice up entry to options to college akin to apprenticeships.
Nearly three in ten graduates don’t progress into extremely expert jobs or additional examine inside 15 months after graduating, in keeping with the Office for Students.
And the Institute for Fiscal Studies estimates that one in 5 graduates can be higher off financially if they’d not gone to college.
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak was supportive of the transfer, saying on the time: ‘Too many younger persons are being bought a false dream and find yourself doing a poor-quality course on the taxpayers’ expense that does not provide the prospect of a good job on the finish of it.
That is why we’re taking motion to crack down on rip-off college programs, whereas boosting abilities coaching and apprenticeships provision.
‘This will assist extra younger individuals to decide on the trail that’s proper to assist them attain their potential and develop our financial system.’
