Trends in Language students at 
Higher Education Institutions 
in the UK, 1998/9 to 2003/4

The data

The data comes from the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) Student Records of individual enrolments at HE institutions, extracting the language subject groups mainly from JACS codes R and T (see below for the full list). Please note that the accuracy of the data depends on how individual institutions code and report their figures to HESA.

The figures represent headcounts of all students, across all years of study, registered on a higher education programme that includes studying a language as a single honours, major honours, one of a joint double, one of a triple or as a minor subject combination. This includes students combining more than one language as well as those studying languages with another discipline.

Students from the UK, EU and other overseas countries are all included as well as both full and part time students.

In 2002/3 HESA introduced a new subject classification called the Joint Academic Coding System (JACS). While most of the language codes were not changed, caution should be exercised in comparing data to previous years. A column separates 2002/3 and 2003/4 with previous years in the tables provided and percentage changes are calculated over the past year.

The languages and JACS subject codes extracted from the HESA dataset cover Q5 Celtic Studies, Q91 / 92 Translation studies or theory, R1 French, R2 German, R3 Italian, R4 Spanish, R5 Portuguese, R6 Scandinavian languages, R7 Russian and East European languages, R9 Other European languages, T1 Chinese, T2 Japanese, T3 South Asian languages, T4 Other Asian languages, T5 African languages, T6 Modern Middle Eastern languages, T9 Other non-European languages.

Note: rounding strategy
Data is rounded according to the HESA rounding rule for published figures. 0,1,2 round down to 0, all other figures to the nearest 5 (as a consequence, the sum of figures in a row or column rarely matches the total shown precisely). Percentages are not affected and are calculated on the raw data. 

Total number of language students (UG and PG) 
at HE Institutions in the UK

Table 1:  Number of language students by level of study

All HE language students (UG and PG)
Level of Study	1998-99	1999-00	2000-01	2001-02		2002-03	2003-04	% change last year	
									
Undergraduate first degree	44750	43170	41095	38730		39665	38675	-2%	
Other Undergraduate 1	9550	9185	8775	12355		22035	254901	+16%	
									
Postgraduate	5000	4845	4820	5035		4855	6450	+33%	
PGCE 	1820	1615	1765	1720		1835	2105	+15%	
									
TOTAL	61125	58820	56455	57845		68390	72720	+6%	
									
Total HE students	1 845 755	1 856 330	1 990 625	2 086 075		2 175 115	2 247 440	+3%	

1.	The 2003-04 Other Undergraduate figures comprises 13145 students on Institution UG credit courses and 10130 students on Other UG diplomas and certificates, 1915 Certificates of HE, amongst others.

Open University undergraduate first-degree figures were recorded for the first time in 2003-4, a total of 795 UG first degree students and 1650 other UG students

Table 2:  Students of other disciplines taking a language course accredited to their degree in 2002-03

All HE students (UG and PG)
Level of Study	2002-03	
Accredited language modules	58905	

These are all HE students from other disciplines studying a language module accredited to their degree (includes students of other disciplines on postgraduate, undergraduate first degree and other undergraduate courses). 
No data available for previous years. Awaiting data for 2003-04.

Non-credit bearing language courses in 2002-03

Total HESA figures for enrolments on non-credit bearing language courses were 29,685 for the year 2002/03. 
 
However, please note that this data should be treated with caution.  From an initial check by individual Higher Education institution it seems that some HEIs with many students of this type are not included in the HESA figures, possibly not returning the separate collection format of non-credit bearing courses to HESA.  

UNDERGRADUATE FIRST-DEGREE 
Language students in the UK

Table 3: UG first-degree language students by LANGUAGE

UG first-degree students only
Language	1998-99	1999-00	2000-01	2001-02		2002-03	2003-04	% change last year	
									
French 	17835	16965	15825	14410		14400	14130	-2%	
Spanish 	7095	7030	7155	7295		8225	8255	0%	
German 	7155	6795	6285	5915		5875	5805	-1%	
Italian 	3075	3085	3015	2915		3005	2885	-4%	
Celtic studies	1455	1325	1245	1275		1415	1385	-2%	
Russian & East European languages	1800	1695	1605	1535		1535	1585	+3%	
Modern Middle Eastern languages	865	815	745	785		805	920	+14%	
Japanese 	830	755	685	635		685	715	+4%	
Chinese 	715	655	615	600		605	685	+13%	
Portuguese 	395	415	415	415		620	665	+7%	
Scandinavian languages	225	185	165	140		175	175	0%	
South and Other Asian languages	305	335	295	325		395	395	0%	
African languages	170	170	145	145		170	180	+6%	
 						 		 	
OTHER LANGUAGES1 2	12420	12135	11565	10470		10470	9545	-9%	
  - Other European Languages 						8985	8245		
  - Other Non- European Languages 						1485	1295		
								 	
Translation studies or theory	. 3	. 3	. 3	. 3		225	305	+36%	
						 		 	
TOTAL4	44750	43170	41095	38730		39665	38675	-2%	

1.	The high numbers in the Other categories suggests that these codes are being used in place of the specified language code, hence unfortunately the individual totals for each language may not adequately reflect the true numbers (i.e. an under-representation of the true totals).
2.	Latin American languages are included in OTHER for 1998-99 to 2001-02 but not in subsequent years due to the new JACS coding placing these in the American studies code.
3.	Separate translation codes were created with the new JACS coding system, these were previously placed within each individual language entry.
4.	Totals will not add up to the sum of column entries due to both rounding and joint/ combined honours students studying 2 languages being counted in each individual language row. The total however does not double count these students.		 					

Table 4: UG first-degree language students by BALANCE of language in degree

UG first-degree students only
Balance	1998-99	1999-00	2000-01	2001-02		2002-03 	2003-04 	% change last year	
									
Single	16575	15505	14495	13885		11935	12435	+4%	
Joint double	21225	21040	20295	19150		19645	18215	-7%	
Major	1740	1685	1625	1455		1485	1550	+4%	
Minor	5495	5375	4865	4195		5220	4930	-6%	
Triple	375	280	435	520		1785	1995	+12%	
									
TOTAL 1	44750	43170	41095	38730		39665	38675	-2%	

1.	The column entries will not add up to the total. Students studying two languages in a major/minor combination are counted twice, once in each row. However, the total does not double count these students. Note that joint honours students in two languages are only counted once. 

Table 5: Joint honours language students, most popular subjects of combination in 2002-3

UG first-degree joint honours students only
Joint subject of combination	2002-03	
		
Two languages	7665	
		
Business Studies (incl. Management, Finance etc)	3805	
English	1580	
History	1135	
Social Studies (incl. Economics, Sociology, Human Geography etc)	860	
Politics	805	
Law	785	
Creative Arts and Design (incl. Drama, Music, Photography etc)	600	
    Linguistics	570	
    Philosophy	340	
Mathematical and Computer Sciences	315	
Psychology	165	
		
Other subjects	1010	
		
TOTAL	19645	

POSTGRADUATE 
Language students in the UK

Table 6:  Number of postgraduate language students by type of study

PG students only (excluding PGCE students)
Level of Study	1998-99	1999-00	2000-01	2001-02		2002-03	2003-04	% change last year	
									
Higher degree taught 	2285	2145	2105	2285		2525	3530	+40%	
Higher degree research	2435	2365	2395	2370		1980	2535	+28%	
Other postgraduate1	280	330	320	375		350	385	+10%	
								 	
TOTAL	5000	4845	4820	5035		4855	6450	+33%	
1. Other postgraduate includes PG diplomas, certificates and professional qualifications.
NOTE: The data has recently moved to whole year count data from December counts which may affect the trend comparability across years, the December count excluding students starting in January. This is being investigated further, in relation to the increase in 2003-04.

Table 7: Postgraduate language students by LANGUAGE

PG students only (excluding PGCE students)

Language	1998-99	1999-00	2000-01	2001-02		2002-03	2003-04	% change last year	
									
French 	570	530	570	535		425	510	+20%	
Spanish 	285	325	315	305		275	300	+9%	
German 	380	375	355	345		290	325	+12%	
Italian 	135	130	140	165		135	170	+26%	
Celtic studies	360	305	315	305		255	370	+45%	
Russian & East European languages	240	285	255	270		305	365	+20%	
Modern Middle Eastern languages	415	375	355	385		425	530	+25%	
Japanese 	185	180	165	220		265	255	-4%	
Chinese 	75	80	90	125		185	225	+22%	
Portuguese 	20	15	15	360*		25	45	+80%	
Scandinavian languages	10	15	15	15		15	15	0%	
South and Other Asian languages	125	115	125	140		185	265	+43%	
African languages	85	70	60	65		85	150	+76%	
 						 		 	
OTHER LANGUAGES 1 2	2145	2065	2080	1845		1360	1885	+39%	
  -  Other European Languages 						1145	1630	 	
  -  Other Non- European Languages 						215	255	 	
								 	
Translation studies or theory	. 3	. 3	. 3	. 3		725	1205	+66%	
 						 	 	 	
TOTAL 4	5000	4845	4820	5035*		4855	6450	+33%	
1.	The high numbers in the Other categories suggests that these codes are being used in place of the specified language code, hence unfortunately the individual totals for each language may not adequately reflect the true numbers (i.e. an under-representation of the true totals).
2.	Latin American languages are included in OTHER for 1998-99 to 2001-02 but not in subsequent years due to the new JACS coding placing these in  the American studies code.
3.	Separate translation codes were created with the new JACS coding system, these were previously placed within each individual language entry.
4.	Totals will not add up to the sum of column entries due to both rounding and joint/ combined honours students studying 2 languages being counted in each individual language row. The total however does not double count these students.
* In 2001-02, 345 students were recorded by Bath University as studying postgraduate Portuguese. No students in other years at Bath University were recorded as studying Portuguese. The 2001-02 figure needs verification.