PLANS to close courses at Bournemouth University have been labelled as “terrible” and sparked fears over the future offering from the institution.

The Daily Echo’s report in yesterday’s paper also attracted responses from industry-leading professionals.

Bournemouth University defended the Transforming Our Departments to Enable BU2025 report, which it said was a “working document”.

The report outlined a variety of changes to the structure of the University.

It also set out plans to grow certain courses, but implement phased closures of scores of degrees.

This includes Bachelor of Arts (BA) in international hospitality management, BA events management and computer animation arts/ animation and visualisation.

Ade Balogun, Student Union at Bournemouth University president, said: “There will be no changes to courses for the next two years. The plans are still drafts. It is about understanding what students need from courses.”

Following yesterday’s article, there was reaction online and on social media.

Bournemouth-based visual effects firm Outpost VFX said in a tweet: “What we got from this was that animation is taking a backseat while something more VFX-specific is in the growth column. Could be a positive although ultimately depends on the content of the course. Animation and VFX go hand-in-hand.”

Bournemouth is also planning to scrap its BA in law.

Adrian Cormack, managing partner of law firm Coles Miller, said: “It would be terrible if Bournemouth University closed this law course – it’s a vital source of excellent law students. This decision would make it more difficult to recruit talented lawyers in this area.” Mr Cormack is welcoming three BU law students to his team next month.

Writer and publishing consultant Susan England said: “I would say they’re trying to establish a range of niche subject areas, especially those that will attract overseas students generating big income. Staff overheads being cut is always what happens in these reorganisations.”

Paul Clarke, cluster general manager for Hallmark Hotels locally, had not heard about the planned closure of the international hospitality course, but said: “We’ve had a close relationship with the university and supported them for the benefit of the town and for them to do this would be disappointing.”

Dr Darren Lilleker, who heads the corporate and marketing communication academic department, said advertising and public relations would continue under a wider BA in marketing communications. “In line with industry trends and the integration of advertising and public relations into a broader communication framework, we decided as your report says to close those programmes. However these have been superseded by a BA (Hons) marketing communication programme that offers a pure pathway plus pathways in advertising, public relations and digital media. The new programmes are designed to produce highly employable graduates, one of the key selling points of our degrees,” he added.

Dr Joyce Costello, who teaches PR and leadership at the university, said in a Facebook post that some degrees aren’t ceasing and have been instead revamped to meet needs of the profession.