Declining School-Age Population and Financial Struggles Lead to Neglect of Humanities... The Disappearing Spirit of Scholarship in Universities [Humanities Losing Ground]②

School-age population decreases by 2 million every 10 years
Financial difficulties lead to cuts starting with unpopular departments
Concerns over hindering 'Convergence Talent Development'

Universities, which have begun to take a direct hit to their financial income due to the decline in the school-age population, are tightening their belts and focusing on popular departments. Humanities departments, which are relatively disadvantaged in employment, are naturally being merged or disappearing. Experts warn that a red light has been lit on the collapse of basic academic disciplines in Korea.

The neglect of the humanities is not a recent issue. The number of language and literature departments in humanities at four-year universities nationwide decreased by 93, from 957 in 2018 to 864 in 2023. During the COVID-19 pandemic period, departments such as the Chinese and Japanese language departments at Samyook University in 2021 and the German and French language departments at Dongduk Women's University in 2022 were merged or closed.

On the rainy weekend night of the 20th of last month, young people are studying at a library in Gyeonggi-do. Photo by Heo Younghan

The difficulties universities face in maintaining humanities departments are interpreted as being influenced by frozen tuition fees and the declining school-age population. Duksung Women's University, which abolished its German and French language departments on the 24th of last month, also cited the same reasons and stated that it is experiencing financial difficulties. Most universities have not been able to raise tuition fees for 16 years in line with the government's tuition freeze policy. This is because the Ministry of Education only supports Type II national scholarships for universities that freeze or reduce tuition fees.

According to the Ministry of Education and the Korea Council for University Education, the average annual tuition fee burden per student this year was calculated at 6,827,000 KRW. This is about 32,000 KRW (0.5%) higher than last year (6,794,000 KRW).

Considering the inflation rate is around 3%, the increase is relatively low. Ultimately, among 193 four-year general and education universities this year, 26 raised tuition fees. The remaining 166 universities (86%) froze tuition fees, and only one university reduced them.

The declining school-age population due to low birth rates is also a factor. According to Statistics Korea's 'Projected Population by Major Age Groups,' the school-age population aged 6 to 21 decreased significantly from 9,181,000 in 2014 to 7,092,000 in 2024. It is expected to drop to 5,121,000 in 2034, decreasing by about 2 million every ten years. Universities with relatively insufficient finances or conditions have no choice but to adopt a strategy of 'selection and concentration' by merging unpopular departments.

The fact that universities still serve primarily as a 'ladder to employment' also lowers the value of humanities departments among students. Jeong, a senior at Korea University's Business School, said, “These days, since it is difficult for humanities students to find jobs, students often prepare for the Law School Admission Test or the Certified Public Accountant exam at least once.” He added, “Even outside exam periods, many people study in the reading rooms.” Kim, a senior in the English Language and Literature Department at Dongguk University, also said, “Many students prepare for employment for over a year,” and confessed, “Sometimes I regret choosing the humanities track.”

Lim Seong-ho, CEO of Jongro Academy, said, “It is now hard to find students who apply to humanities departments purely for the sake of humanities.” He diagnosed, “Humanities students take the Law School Admission Test as soon as they enter university; if they find it suitable, they prepare for law school, and if not, they prepare for other professional qualification exams. In this situation, the university only serves as a bridge.”

In particular, there is a forecast that the non-major admission system, which will be implemented at all universities starting from the 2025 academic year, could further worsen the situation of humanities colleges. Lim predicted, “There are more science students among the top-ranked students in school records, so science students have a much greater advantage in non-major admissions.” He added, “As a result, humanities departments may lose their quotas, leading to a natural restructuring.”

Professors affiliated with humanities colleges also focus on the correlation between the marginalization of humanities and the Ministry of Education's policy to expand non-major admissions. New university students take various courses across multiple majors to explore their career paths and aptitudes, then choose a major when entering their second year. There is concern that students will flock to popular departments, accelerating the disappearance of unpopular departments. The National Association of Deans of Humanities Colleges at National and Public Universities (Gukin-hyeop) and the National Association of Deans of Humanities Colleges at Private Universities (Sain-hyeop) held a press conference in January and criticized that “the purpose of non-major admissions to cultivate convergent talents cannot be properly realized.”

Kang Chang-woo, president of Gukin-hyeop and professor of German Language and Literature at Seoul National University, argued, “To cultivate convergent talents, universities must provide various materials necessary for students to acquire convergent knowledge. However, if the concentration of students in certain departments intensifies and unpopular departments disappear, it contradicts the purpose of convergence.”

A professor at the College of Humanities at Duksung Women's University also criticized, “The Ministry of Education's intention is to break down barriers between majors to create synergy, but convergence cannot occur without majors.” He added, “It is like trying to bear new fruit without planting seeds.”

President Kang warned, “Universities are places where various academic fields are researched and education is conducted based on those research results. The disappearance of basic academic disciplines is like building a building starting from the second floor without a first floor, which will ultimately hinder national academic and industrial development.” He emphasized, “The government must prevent the collapse of basic academic disciplines, including the humanities, at the national level.”