English Literature degree scrapped from university because it is 'no longer viable'

The decision comes as a notable blow to Canterbury's rich literary heritage, with the city being the setting for Chaucer's Canterbury Tales and birthplace of literary figures Christopher Marlowe and Aphra Behn.

The university confirmed the course is "no longer viable in the current climate" as student numbers continue to fall.

The announcement coincides with the first university tuition fee increase in eight years, with costs to rise from £9,250 to £9,535.

Current students will not be immediately affected by the closure of the English Literature programme.

The university has confirmed that first and second-year students will be able to complete their degrees as planned.

Students currently undertaking foundation years will be offered the opportunity to transfer to alternative courses.

One student expressed strong disapproval of the decision, saying it represented a "betrayal to the city of Canterbury".

The university has yet to confirm the number of staff positions that will be affected by the closure.

A university spokesman explained: "At Canterbury Christ Church University, we constantly evaluate the subjects we offer, to ensure we are able to meet the needs of future students and employers."

"For a number of reasons, we've seen a significant decline in the number of students wanting to study English Literature in recent years and the course is no longer viable in the current climate," he added.

The university assured that current students would "continue to experience the same high-quality teaching throughout the rest of their academic journey."

Regarding staff impacts, the spokesman stated: "Colleagues will be supported throughout this transition in the coming months as we explore the impact with them."