Birmingham City University plans to withdraw its MA in black studies and global justice academic program in September 2024. The university cited low student recruitment as the reason for the planned closure, stating that eight students are currently enrolled in the program.
The decision to withdraw the course follows a review of the university's full postgraduate portfolio. The postgraduate MA program was launched earlier in the same calendar year before the closure decision was announced. Birmingham City University also closed its undergraduate black studies program in 2024.
Kimberlé Crenshaw, who is a professor of law at the University of California, Los Angeles and Columbia University, commented on the situation. Crenshaw said, "The systematic dismantling of black studies in the United States is mirroring a dangerous parallel in the United Kingdom, where the discipline now faces the threat of total erasure." She said, "This dismantling is not merely an institutional realignment; it is a direct attack on the production of critical knowledge." Crenshaw said, "It remains absolutely essential that the truth regarding the history, contributions, perspectives and lived experiences of black people in Britain and across the global diaspora is preserved, taught and championed."
Professor Kehinde Andrews stated that staff members and students received no meaningful opportunity to challenge the decision to close the program. An open letter calling for the closure to be reconsidered has garnered support from a number of individuals including Kalwant Bhopal, Akala, Yomi Adegoke, and Marsha de Cordova.
A university spokesperson said that a small number of postgraduate courses will be cut due to the low demand. The spokesperson also stated that existing students will be permitted to complete their studies. The university said it is consulting affected staff members regarding the decision. The institution is also exploring opportunities for alternative provision.