Medicine, Dentistry and Law sees highest proportion of BAME students

Medicine, Dentistry and Law courses see the highest proportion of Black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) students at over a third, a study has found.

RS Components reported that Veterinary Science and Agriculture see the lowest participation of BAME students in contrast, alongside a 4% increase in the number of these students opting for apprenticeships over a decade.

Based on data published by the government, the trading company analysed that Medicine, Dentistry and Law had the highest uptake of BAME students; with Medicine and Dentistry at 36% – 19,100 of 53,765 students in total.

This was followed by Law at 34%, Business and Administrative Studies at 33%, Computer Science
at 28% and Engineering and Technology at 26%.

Although “subjects allied to Medicine” saw the highest number of BAME students at 68,365, this amounted to 26% of the total number of students.

‘Subjects allied to Medicine’ saw the highest number of BAME students at 68,365, this amounted to 26% of the total number of students

Subjects with the lowest uptake of students were Agriculture and Veterinary Science, at 6% and 5% respectively.

The percentage of BAME students choosing to undertake an apprenticeship has also risen from 6% in 2008/09 to 10% in 2017/18.

Citing data from Universities UK (UUK)’s report from May, RS Components reiterated the attainment gap across universities where white students “who graduated in 2018 achieving a first- class or 2:1 degree were 13% more likely to do so” than BAME students.

They are also “at a disadvantage throughout their time at university and also when applying for a job” after graduation, which shows that while “great steps…have been made towards equality, it is shocking that in 2019 race and ethnicity impacts a student’s grade.”

The trading company acknowledged “the role that universities and the senior leadership team play in driving positive change in the sector and to improve inclusivity and grading for BAME students”.

They added: “Initiatives at improving equality at universities and higher education institutions need to be driven towards a full strategy for inclusivity rather than programmes which lack real
substance.”