Dear Amy,

Thank you for taking the time to contact me about the proposed changes to the Department of History, Languages and Translation.  I can inform you that the consultation has now concluded and, although you may already have heard of it from colleagues at Aston, I wanted to update you on the outcome.

We have received a lot of thoughtful and considered feedback in response to the consultation from colleagues directly impacted by the proposals, students, alumni, external examiners, professional associations and others. Having carefully considered this feedback, we have made some changes to the original proposals. The implications for each of the subject areas is as follows.

History and Translation Studies

In response to the feedback given in the consultation, we can see that there is some alignment of the History and Translation Studies disciplines with the strategic focus of the University. This alignment is sufficiently plausible for the original proposal to be amended. This means that the following courses will continue to enrol students in 2022/23, with a further assessment of their contribution to the University strategy in January 2023:

Combined BSc History programmes with Politics, International Relations and English Literature.

MA TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of other Languages) and Translation Studies, and MA Translating for Businesses and International Institutions.

Modern Languages

As originally proposed, recruitment to courses in Modern Languages will be discontinued after the 2021/22 intake. This includes joint honours BSc French and BSc Spanish programmes, as well as BSc International Business and Modern Languages (IBML).  We will now begin to ‘teach out’ on the affected courses over the next four years. Please be assured that the University remains committed to providing our students with the same high quality teaching and student experience for the duration of their course.

University-wide Language Programme (UWLP) and Languages for All

In light of the removal of language programmes, credit bearing academic language modules through the University-wide Languages Programme (UWLP) will be discontinued for entry after 2021/22.  The Languages For All (LfA) programme was out of scope of this consultation, but a review is under way and a further announcement will be made in due course.

I appreciate this has been a difficult time for all involved in the consultation and we appreciated the feedback and your constructive and considered contribution throughout the process.  

Kind regards

Alec