Late on Monday 26 April, the Dean of the School of Arts & Humanities, Ed Esche, informed staff in Philosophy that the University executive had “accepted his recommendation” to close all Philosophy programmes: undergraduate, postgraduate and MPhil/PhD.
Philosophy is the highest research-rated subject in the University. Building on its grade 5 rating in RAE 2001, it was awarded a score of 2.8 on the new RAE scale in 2008, with 65% of its research activity judged “world-leading” or “internationally excellent”. It is now widely recognised as one of the most important centres for the study of modern European philosophy anywhere in the English-speaking world.
The MA programmes in Philosophy at Middlesex have grown in recent years to become the largest in the UK, with 42 new students admitted in September 2009.
The Dean explained that the decision to terminate recruitment and close the programmes was “simply financial”, and based on the fact that the University believes that it may be able to generate more revenue if it shifts its resources to other subjects – from “Band D” to “Band C” students.
The University currently expects each academic unit to contribute 55% of its gross income to the central administration. As it stands (by the credit count method of calculation), Philosophy and Religious Studies contributes 53%, after the deduction of School admin costs. According to the figures for projected recruitment from admissions (with Philosophy undergraduate applications up 118% for 2010-11), if programmes had remained open, the contribution from Philosophy and Religious Studies would have risen to 59% (with Philosophy’s contribution, considered on its own, at 53%).
In a meeting with Philosophy staff, the Dean acknowledged the excellent research reputation of Philosophy at Middlesex, but said that it made no “measurable” contribution to the University.
Needless to say, we very much regret this decision to terminate Philosophy, and its likely consequences for the School and our University and for the teaching of our subject in the UK.
Professor Peter Osborne
Director, Centre for Research in Modern European Philosophy
Professor Peter Hallward
Programme Leader for the MA programmes in Philosophy,
Dr Stella Sandford
Director of Programmes, Philosophy and Religious Studies.
Professor Éric Alliez
Save Middlesex Philosophy 
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First grants for students are abolished, which means with the prospect of impending debts a student is likely to choose a course t hat pays off debt rather than his or her true vocation.
Now Middlesex University ‘a top university in the field of philosophy’ is closing down its Philosophy department………….
We are now approaching a dumbed down , media/ celebrity led society of philistines.
A society that has been taught not to question why we are invading and occupying distant lands but to question only why there were not enough helicopters or why the soldiers did not have the right type of boots……………….