The average Exeter student pays £37.40 for one hour of tuition, a Freedom of Information request submitted by Exeposé has revealed.
But whilst 60 minutes of education costs £18.29 for medical students, some are paying over £55 for the same privilege, in other disciplines.
Philosophy, Politics and Theology & Religious studies are the most expensive courses, with History, English, Psychology and Classics also breaking the £50 an hour mark.
The figures will raise further questions about the value for money in a degree and the University’s efforts to provide an education worth £9,000 a year.
Second year Geography student James Beaney is sceptical about the recent tripling of tuition fees, arguing that University should be free and “not reserved for the alumnus of select public schools.”
“These statistics just highlight how students’ primary role at University is not to learn but to provide money for the overall running of the system.”
“I don’t think ‘cheaper’ BSC courses are a problem though – it’s important not to put students off studying science degrees,” he added.
That disparity between what students in some disciplines pay compared to others is cause for frustration amongst some undergraduates though, with BA subjects heading the list of most expensive courses per hour, despite the fact that on average BSC graduates go on to earn more.
History and Politics student Lauren Parrott said: “When you consider that BA students require less lab time and equipment, but are still expected to pay the same – or even more – for degrees that generally provide less opportunities in the jobs market, it does seem very unfair.”
A University spokesman attacked the statistics, arguing that “the figures are flawed, because they ignore the other costs of education: libraries, careers service, IT etc.”
He added: “Contact hours vary because teaching methods vary between different subject areas. What is right for one subject isn’t necessarily right for others.”
University representatives have been conscious of providing greater value for money since tuition fees rose, with minimum contact hours for first year students now being enforced, alongside heavy investment in facilities and the introduction of Opportunities Week last year.
But many will feel this has little impact on the value of their degree, which currently stands at a level that sees students lose an average of £860 per year in tuition, if they miss one lecture every week.
The statistics were calculated by dividing the number of contact hours per subject by the £9,000 tuition fees. This takes into account “the average proportion of time spent in scheduled learning and teaching,” with third years having less contact time than second years and significantly less than first years.
A detailed list of the cost of contact hours per subject is available below.
Harrison Jones, Online News Editor
Follow @ExeposeNews on Twitter and like us here on Facebook.
exeposedev 