'Stop the changes to the CHS module': time to sign the petition

The petition created by Level 6 students

A petition is live in outrage at the planned halving of credits allocated to Critical and Historical Studies (CHS), giving this time instead to the Future Skills programme.

134 students have already signed the petition, which was helped organised by level 6 students at Kingston School of Art. CHS is tailored to each subject, where students have to write two essays each year about the culture in their studies and the future of sustainability within it.

Second year fashion student Sandy Dhanjal said: “I think it is ridiculous- I hate it when important people feel like they have a say in something they think they know but they don’t.

I really like CHS as I feel like it betters your understanding to your studies, taking it to another level and showing you to think critically about what you are doing and the meaning and the history behind it.”

Kingston School of Arts students feel wronged by the fact the decision was made without consulting students or CHS staff beforehand. Students who have created the petition have said: “It is not what we have signed up for when we applied to come to Kingston. This changes the terms of our agreement with the University… it limits our ability to apply for postgraduate degrees which usually require a substantial research project to be completed in undergraduate studies.”

The Future Skills programme involves assessing students on life skills employers value to succeed in future careers. International fashion student Christine Tse said “I understand the intention of creating a Future Skills programme, as there are similar in Hong Kong, but it isn’t incorporated in the modules correctly.

“I feel like I’m so busy with submission time, but then have to cut into my time to prepare to do off campus activities for Future Skills. I worry less with sticking to doing CHS, which I have plenty of time to do after hand-in.”

A protest was held at Knights Park on Thursday 20th to call for change and that Kingston University reinstate the credits to Level 6 CHS modules, whilst still delivering future skills within the existing module structure. Level 6 students have been visiting classes to speak about the matter including to second year Illustrated Animation students. Frankie Bailey in one of those classes has said: “It affects all of us. I’m glad that students are helping us keep CHS the way it is.”

The cuts involve reducing the CHS IRP module from 30 credits to 15 credits are planned to take effect from the next academic year (2025/26) across Kingston School of Art and Design course including Fashion, Fine Art and History, Illustration Animation and Graphic Design and more. Those 15 credits are to go to Future Skills delivered by an external company Gradcore.