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Wednesday, October 06, 2004

SURF's DOWN


From this morning's BBC NEWS:

COLLEGE CANCELS SURFING DEGREE

A degree course in surf management which was criticised as a "Mickey Mouse" degree has been dropped.

Swansea Institute said it had pulled the BA in surf and beach management to protect its image.

In July, a teachers' conference delegate claimed the degree devalued both academic and vocational education.

Swansea Institute's principal, David Warner, said it was "extremely sad" a "very good" course was being discontinued because of "bigots".


'Poking fun'

He added: "We decided we would not have an intake this year because, after three months at least of attempting to explain to people that indeed this was a management course, nevertheless it was impossible to stop people poking fun at it."

Professor Warner also said: "We do not want to get an image for doing anything other than serious vocational work, and others were just making fun of it.

"This is not fair to all our other students to be tarred with the brush of this."

Students who enrolled on the course have been found alternative studies.

The college had been overwhelmed with approaches about the course and it had not been cancelled due to any lack of interest, Prof Warner said.

Applicants had required at least two D grades at A-level, while the course was set to include modules on managing surf expeditions and surf destination planning.

No decision has yet been made on whether to run the degree in future years.

During the Professional Association of Teachers' conference this summer, Swansea teacher Peter Morris said hobbies were not worthy of being subjects for serious academic study.

He added: "Clearly, surfers need a qualification in safety but I question whether that needs to be a degree.

"If it is to be a degree, surely it has to be in something that adds to the country's heritage and our nation, like classics."