The Office for Students, the non-departmental public body that acts as a regulator and competition authority for the Higher Education sector in England, has published a new measure linking student's prospects of finding professional level employment or embarking on further study in the 15 months after they graduate.
Proceed Measure
The 'Proceed Measure' project revealed substantial differences in these outcomes between 131 individual universities and other higher education providers, in different subjects, and in different subjects at individual universities for over 350,000 students.
For example, it showed that 95.5% of medicine and dentistry entrants are projected to find professional employment or further study.
Top 10
However, included in the top 10 British Universities with best graduate prospects — headed by Imperial College of Science Technology and Medicine in London, were the Royal Academy of Music in London (88.7%) and the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester (80.9%)
Other music establishments whose results were noted, included the Guildhall School of Music & Drama (79.9%) and Trinity Lanan Conservatoire of Music & Dance (78.7%).
50% reduction
Rates below 55% were marked in six subjects — including business and management, media, journalism and communications, sports and exercise sciences.
The report comes on the back of the recent proposal from the Office for Students that funding for Higher Education courses in England which it says "...are not among its strategic priorities — covering subjects in music, dance, drama and performing arts "are to be subject to a reduction of 50%".