We (the undersigned) oppose the planned halving of the credits allocated to the Critical and Historical Studies (CHS) Independent Research Project (IRP) module that we take as part of our L6 final year work from 2025-6.

• We understand that cuts reducing the CHS IRP module from 30 credits to 15 credits are planned to take effect from next academic year (2025-26) across KSA Art & Design courses: Fashion, Fashion Promotion & Communication, Filmmaking, Fine Art, Fine Art & Art History, Graphic Design, Illustration Animation, Interior Design, Photography, Product & Furniture Design.
• We understand that this reduction is planned to make way for a new 15 credit Future Skills ‘Apply’ module to be delivered by an external company Gradcore.
• This decision was made without consulting students (e.g. via Student Voice Committee) or CHS staff.

As students studying on these courses, we are against this decision because:

• It is not what we signed up for when we applied to come to Kingston. This changes the terms of our agreement with the University.
• It undermines the work we have put into CHS over the course of our degrees so far. This devalues our efforts and impedes on our IRP preparations
• CHS modules have provided critical awareness and help us situate our practice in wider social, cultural, and historical contexts. The cut would hinder our time to develop and learn these crucial skills
• It affects the amount of time and work we can afford to dedicate to developing our IRPs. This would affect the quality of this important self-directed research project
• It undermines our career prospects. The IRP allows us to demonstrate skills in research, independent enquiry, communication, critical thinking, analysis, reasoning, self-motivation, information literacy, etc. needed in our future careers and many workplaces
• It limits our ability to apply for postgraduate degrees. These usually require a substantial research project to be completed in the final year of undergraduate studies.
• It devalues our degrees. For example, the QAA Subject Benchmark Statement for Art and Design (2019), which defines the academic standards expected of a graduate, underlines research as an essential criterion in terms of both subject-specific and general graduate skills. To reduce the weight of self-directed and self-initiated research inquiry in our final year undermines this and makes our degree less significant.

We demand that Kingston University:

• Reinstates the 30 credits to the Level 6 CHS modules.
• Discusses with studio and CHS staff how future skills / employability content can be delivered by subject experts within the existing module structure.