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Introduction - Students 2001/02

This publication is one of four reference volumes from the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA), which present statistics about the publicly-funded higher education institutions (HEIs) of the United Kingdom (UK).

This volume draws on HESA's collection of data about students in HEIs in the academic year ending 31 July 2002, and it covers data supplied by 169 institutions.

The other reference volumes published by HESA are:

Resources of Higher Education Institutions - which draws on HESA's collection of data about finance and staff of HEIs. Tabulations are included which record and analyse the income and expenditure of universities and colleges (with data shown at institution level) and the characteristics of academic staff.

First Destinations of Students Leaving Higher Education Institutions - which includes statistics about the first destinations of graduates including employment rates, participation in further study and training, etc. A summary tabulation at institution level is included.

Higher Education Statistics for the United Kingdom - which is published in conjunction with the Government Statistical Service and which presents an overview of higher education (HE) from a statistical perspective, including statistics about applications, participation, institutional finance, staffing, student awards and loans.

The Agency also produces a number of other related products, including an electronic source 'HE Planning Plus', available on CD-ROM, which contains a significant amount of data about student characteristics and programmes of study. A series of Research Datapacks provides in depth coverage of items of special interest. More information about HESA's other publications is set out at the end of this volume.

While HESA publishes extensively from the data it collects, it is recognised that specific requirements by some interested parties may not be addressed. Therefore, the Agency undertakes to provide a service to answer enquiries about the data collected, for which a charge will normally be levied. Due to the provisions of the Data Protection Act 1998 and the Human Rights Act 1998, HESA now implements a strategy in published tabulations designed to prevent the disclosure of personal information about any individual. Such tabulations are derived from the HESA non-statutory populations and may differ slightly from those published by related statutory bodies. This strategy involves rounding all numbers to the nearest 5. A summary of this strategy is as follows:

0, 1, 2 are rounded to 0
All other numbers are rounded to the nearest 5.

So for example 3 is represented as 5, 22 is represented as 20, 3286 is represented as 3285 while 0, 20, 55, 3510 remain unchanged.

Total figures are also subject to this rounding methodology; the consequence of which is that the sum of numbers in each row or column will rarely match the total shown precisely.

Average values, proportions and FTE values prepared by HESA are not subject to the above strategy, and can be calculated on precise raw numbers. However, percentages calculated on populations which contain less than 50 individuals are suppressed and represented as '..' as are averages based on populations of 7 or less.

It is recommended that rounded data should not be used for onward data manipulation.

Students in UK Higher Education Institutions, 2001/02

In 2002 HESA collected student data from all publicly-funded UK HEIs for the academic year 2001/02 (i.e. the period 1 August 2001 to 31 July 2002). This information was collected uniformly from all of the universities and HE colleges in the UK.

This commentary summarises and analyses the data contained within the main tables and presents summary statistics and key points.

Summary of Key Points

2,086,075 students were recorded as following HE programmes in the academic year 2001/02.
A further 112,530 students were following courses at further education (FE) level.
Of the 2,086,075 HE students recorded, 60.2% were following full-time or sandwich programmes and 77.5% were studying at undergraduate level.
3,775 students were studying for the new foundation degree.
Full-time first degree students made up 45.1% of the recorded HE student population.
Women made up 56.2% of the student population and 58.0% of UK domiciled undergraduates.
Students from countries other than the UK numbered 242,755 and represented 11.6% of the total student body.
Overseas students made up 42.9% of all full-time postgraduates.
Women constituted 83.3% of students in subjects allied to medicine, and were also very strongly represented in education (72.6%), veterinary science (71.2%), languages (68.4%), social, economic & political studies (62.8%), biological sciences (62.3%) and librarianship & information science (61.9%).
Men constituted 84.9% of engineering & technology students, 74.9% of computer science students, 70.9% of architecture, building & planning students and were strongly represented in mathematical (62.6%) and physical sciences (61.1%).
Students from outside the UK were well-represented in engineering & technology, business & administrative studies, law, languages, architecture, building & planning, computer science, social, economic & political studies and mathematical sciences.
Ethnic minorities constituted 14.1% of all first year UK domiciled students of known ethnicity.
58.2% of students who obtained a classified first degree were awarded first or upper second class honours, with 10.4% being awarded a first.

Student Population

In 2001/02 there were more than two million students who were studying for qualifications or credit in the 169 HEIs of the UK.

Of these, 112,530 (5.1%) were studying at FE level; these students are included for completeness in Table A below and in the first two of the main tables in this volume, but are not routinely included within the more specific analyses.

Table A - All Students by Level and Mode of Study 2001/02
	Full-time & sandwich	% of FT HE students	Part-time & other	% of PT HE students	Writing-up	% of writing-up HE students	Total	% of HE students
Higher degree (research)	53925	4.3%	31365	4.0%	21705	50.1%	106995	5.1%
Doctorate mainly by research	41940	3.3%	22650	2.9%	18530	42.7%	83115	4.0%
Masters mainly by research	11980	1.0%	8700	1.1%	3175	7.3%	23855	1.1%
Other postgraduate mainly by research	5	0.0%	20	0.0%	0	0.0%	25	0.0%
Higher degree (taught)	88845	7.1%	107460	13.7%	18210	42.0%	214515	10.3%
Doctorate not mainly by research	625	0.0%	995	0.1%	30	0.1%	1650	0.1%
Masters not mainly by research	87990	7.0%	106185	13.5%	18160	41.9%	212335	10.2%
Other postgraduate not mainly by research	230	0.0%	280	0.0%	15	0.0%	525	0.0%
Other postgraduate	43575	3.5%	102295	13.0%	2470	5.7%	148340	7.1%
PGCE	24565	2.0%	5225	0.7%	0	0.0%	29795	1.4%
All other postgraduates	19005	1.5%	97070	12.3%	2470	5.7%	118545	5.7%
Total postgraduate	186345	14.8%	241125	30.6%	42385	97.8%	469850	22.5%
First degree	939890	74.9%	108350	13.8%	590	1.4%	1048830	50.3%
Other undergraduate	129320	10.3%	437695	55.6%	385	0.9%	567395	27.2%
HND	42490	3.4%	5790	0.7%	25	0.1%	48305	2.3%
DipHE	57540	4.6%	15175	1.9%	145	0.3%	72855	3.5%
HNC	1840	0.1%	19460	2.5%	5	0.0%	21305	1.0%
All other undergraduates	27445	2.2%	397275	50.5%	210	0.5%	424935	20.4%
Total undergraduate	1069210	85.2%	546045	69.4%	975	2.2%	1616225	77.5%
Total HE students	1255550	100.0%	787170	100.0%	43355	100.0%	2086075	100.0%
Total FE students	31760		80770		5		112530
Total	1287310		867940		43360		2198610
In this table 0, 1, 2 are rounded to 0. All other numbers are rounded up or down to the nearest 5. Percentages are not subject to rounding.

Of the 2,086,075 HE students recorded, 60.2% were studying full-time or sandwich programmes and 77.5% were studying at undergraduate level.

Of the 469,850 postgraduate students, 106,995 (22.8%) were enrolled on higher research degrees, 45.7% on higher taught degrees and the remaining 31.6% on other postgraduate programmes.

Of the 1,616,225 undergraduates, 64.9% of students were studying for a first degree, with the remaining 35.1% following other undergraduate programmes (e.g. DipHE, HND, foundation degrees and other undergraduate diplomas and certificates).

All HE students by level and mode 2001/02

Domicile and Gender

Table B provides a summary of students by domicile and gender.

Table B - All Students by Gender, Mode and Domicile(#7) 2001/02
	Full-time			Part-time			All Students
	Total	Female	Male	Total	Female	Male	Total	% by domicile	Female	Male
United Kingdom	1069920	589570	480350	773400	468475	304925	1843320	88.4%	1058045	785275
Other European Union	69165	33595	35570	20970	10055	10915	90135	4.3%	43650	46485
Other overseas	116465	53995	62470	36160	16275	19885	152625	7.3%	70265	82355
Non-UK sub-total	185630	87590	98040	57125	26325	30800	242755	11.6%	113915	128840
Total	1255550	677160	578390	830525	494800	335725	2086075	100.0%	1171965	914115
In this table 0, 1, 2 are rounded to 0. All other numbers are rounded up or down to the nearest 5. Percentages are not subject to rounding. # see relevant footnote in Notes on Tables.

Students from countries other than the UK numbered 242,755 and represented 11.6% of the total student body.

Overall, women made up 56.2% of the student population. They were in a majority among both full-time and part-time students, although they were slightly more predominant among part-time students. The proportion of female students did however vary according to domicile, with 46.9% of overseas students being female, compared with 57.4% of UK domiciled students.

Some 49.6% of all overseas students were following postgraduate level programmes. Table C provides a more detailed breakdown:

Table C - Postgraduates by Gender, Mode and Domicile(#7) 2001/02
	Full-time			Part-time			All Students
	Total	Female	Male	Total	Female	Male	Total	% by domicile	Female	Male
Research for a higher degree
United Kingdom	30410	13720	16690	38015	17170	20845	68430	64.0%	30895	37535
Other European Union	6975	3000	3970	4855	2130	2725	11830	11.1%	5135	6695
Other overseas	16540	6195	10345	10200	3730	6470	26740	25.0%	9920	16815
Taught course for a higher degree
United Kingdom	38255	19090	19165	105770	56560	49210	144030	67.1%	75650	68375
Other European Union	15195	6865	8330	7115	3090	4020	22310	10.4%	9955	12350
Other overseas	35395	16185	19210	12780	5700	7080	48175	22.5%	21885	26290
Other postgraduate
United Kingdom	37665	24475	13190	99300	60435	38865	136965	92.3%	84910	52055
Other European Union	2430	1445	985	2070	1090	975	4500	3.0%	2535	1960
Other overseas	3480	1680	1800	3400	1525	1870	6875	4.6%	3205	3670
All postgraduates
United Kingdom	106335	57285	49045	243090	134170	108920	349425	74.4%	191455	157970
Other European Union	24600	11310	13285	14040	6315	7725	38635	8.2%	17625	21010
Other overseas	55410	24055	31355	26380	10955	15425	81790	17.4%	35010	46780
Non-UK sub-total	80010	35365	44645	40415	17270	23145	120425	25.6%	52635	67790
Total	186345	92650	93690	283505	151440	132070	469850	-	244090	225760
In this table 0, 1, 2 are rounded to 0. All other numbers are rounded up or down to the nearest 5. Percentages are not subject to rounding. # see relevant footnote in Notes on Tables.

Overseas students made up approximately quarter (25.6%) of the postgraduate student population in the UK and 42.9% of all full-time postgraduates. 67.9% of all postgraduate overseas students came from outside the European Union (EU). Non-UK students were particularly prominent on higher degree programmes, making up 43.6% of full-time research higher degree students and 56.9% of students on full-time taught higher degree courses.

Overall, 52.0% of all postgraduates and 54.8% of those domiciled in the UK were female, but there were considerable differences between the different types of programme and different areas of domicile. Female students constituted the majority of non-degree level postgraduates (programmes which are dominated by Postgraduate Certificates in Education (PGCEs)), but made up just over half of the students on taught higher degree courses, and only 42.9% of all research higher degree students. Whereas 44.9% of higher degree research students from the UK and the EU were women, only 37.1% of research students from other overseas countries were female.

Chart 2 illustrates these differences.

Gender of postgraduates by domicile 2001/02

A different pattern may be observed at undergraduate level, as is shown in Table D:

Table D - Undergraduates by Gender, Mode and Domicile(#7) 2001/02
	Full-time			Part-time			All Students
	Total	Female	Male	Total	Female	Male	Total	% by domicile	Female	Male
First degree
United Kingdom	848605	456425	392180	103195	64230	38965	951800	90.7%	520660	431140
Other European Union	40625	19805	20825	2205	1070	1140	42835	4.1%	20870	21960
Other overseas	50660	24220	26440	3540	1705	1830	54195	5.2%	25925	28270
Other undergraduate
United Kingdom	114980	75860	39125	427115	270075	157040	542095	95.5%	345935	196160
Other European Union	3940	2480	1460	4720	2670	2055	8665	1.5%	5150	3515
Other overseas	10395	5720	4675	6240	3610	2630	16635	2.9%	9330	7305
All undergraduates
United Kingdom	963585	532285	431300	530310	334305	196005	1493895	92.4%	866590	627305
Other European Union	44570	22285	22285	6930	3740	3190	51495	3.2%	26025	25475
Other overseas	61055	29940	31115	9780	5320	4460	70835	4.4%	35255	35575
Total	1069210	584510	484700	547020	343365	203655	1616225	-	927870	688355
In this table 0, 1, 2 are rounded to 0. All other numbers are rounded up or down to the nearest 5. Percentages are not subject to rounding. # see relevant footnote in Notes on Tables.

Overseas students made up 7.6% of the total undergraduate population, with students from the EU being less likely to undertake undergraduate level study than students from other overseas countries.

Overall, the gender balance shows women in a majority: 58.0% of UK domiciled undergraduates were women, compared with 50.5.% of other EU students and 49.8% of students from other countries. Women were particularly prominent among students of non-degree courses, on which they represented 63.5% of the total: subject considerations are influential here - as shown in the following section.

Subject of Study

Table E shows the percentage of students at different levels who were following programmes of study in each subject area.

Table E - All Students by Subject Area, Level and Mode 2001/02														Percentages
	First Degree			Other UG			Higher Degree (Research)			Higher Degree (Taught)			Other PG
	Total	Full-time	Part-time	Total	Full-time	Part-time	Total	Full-time	Part-time	Total	Full-time	Part-time	Total	Full-time	Part-time
Medicine & dentistry	3.0	3.3	0.1	0.1	0.2	0.0	8.2	6.8	9.7	2.1	1.8	2.3	1.7	1.0	2.0
Subjects allied to medicine	8.5	6.1	29.0	22.0	50.4	13.6	5.4	4.9	5.8	6.9	2.4	10.1	6.9	2.5	8.7
Biological sciences	6.6	7.0	3.1	0.7	1.2	0.6	11.5	13.7	9.4	3.3	3.8	3.0	1.0	0.8	1.1
Veterinary science	0.3	0.3	0.0	0.0	0.1	0.0	0.4	0.5	0.4	0.1	0.1	0.0	0.1	0.3	0.0
Agriculture & related subjects	0.7	0.8	0.3	0.8	2.4	0.3	1.4	1.5	1.3	0.7	1.0	0.5	0.3	0.1	0.3
Physical sciences	4.3	4.6	1.6	0.7	0.7	0.8	11.3	15.3	7.1	2.4	3.3	1.7	0.4	0.5	0.4
Mathematical sciences	1.5	1.7	0.4	0.2	0.5	0.1	2.1	2.8	1.4	0.7	0.8	0.6	0.5	0.1	0.6
Computer science	6.6	6.7	5.7	4.5	8.3	3.3	3.6	4.1	3.1	8.0	11.3	5.7	1.6	3.3	0.9
Engineering & technology	7.7	7.8	7.0	3.0	4.5	2.6	13.2	15.3	11.0	7.7	9.4	6.4	2.7	1.7	3.1
Architecture, building & planning	2.5	2.1	5.6	1.2	1.5	1.1	1.7	1.5	1.9	3.1	2.3	3.7	2.7	4.3	2.0
Social, economic & political studies	7.9	8.2	6.1	5.2	3.4	5.8	9.9	9.3	10.6	10.0	12.8	8.0	4.7	3.1	5.3
Law	4.0	3.9	5.1	0.4	0.6	0.3	1.8	1.7	1.9	3.8	5.2	2.8	6.5	13.2	3.8
Business & administrative studies	11.7	11.8	10.9	7.5	11.0	6.4	4.8	3.7	5.8	26.2	25.0	27.0	13.9	4.1	17.9
Librarianship & information science	2.1	2.2	0.8	0.5	1.0	0.3	0.6	0.5	0.7	2.9	3.3	2.5	1.0	1.7	0.7
Languages	5.6	5.9	2.9	4.5	2.1	5.2	6.4	5.8	6.9	3.4	4.3	2.8	0.7	1.1	0.5
Humanities	3.5	3.5	3.1	3.2	0.2	4.2	7.4	6.4	8.4	3.3	3.0	3.6	0.4	0.4	0.4
Creative arts & design	8.3	8.9	3.4	2.7	5.7	1.8	2.7	2.2	3.1	3.8	5.4	2.6	1.1	2.6	0.5
Education	4.9	4.8	5.8	4.0	1.8	4.7	6.1	2.4	9.8	9.4	2.2	14.5	40.8	57.9	33.6
Combined	10.3	10.4	9.1	38.8	4.4	48.9	1.7	1.6	1.7	2.2	2.6	1.9	13.1	1.2	18.0

A significant proportion of students were following other undergraduate and part-time first degree programmes in subjects allied to medicine (which include nursing). Other subject areas which were popular at other undergraduate level (i.e. mostly diplomas and certificates) were computer science, social, economic & political studies and languages. However, at this level and also among first degree students, the most popular specific subject area was business & administrative studies. The large proportion following part-time programmes in combined studies is significantly influenced by The Open University, whose students are enrolled on a combined programme of study. The sciences and engineering & technology had significant numbers of research students, but taught postgraduate courses were dominated by students of business & administrative studies, social, economic & political studies and education. The different patterns of subject participation according to gender and domicile are shown in Table F.

Table F - Distribution by Subject Area, Gender and non-UK Domicile 2001/02
Percentages
	% female	% non-UK	% non-EU
Medicine & dentistry	54.9	13.0	9.8
Subjects allied to medicine	83.3	5.9	3.6
Biological sciences	62.3	9.7	4.5
Veterinary science	71.2	12.4	9.2
Agriculture & related subjects	55.7	12.9	6.6
Physical sciences	38.9	11.2	5.8
Mathematical sciences	37.4	13.3	8.4
Computer science	25.1	13.7	9.8
Engineering & technology	15.1	24.6	14.7
Architecture, building & planning	29.1	14.6	8.6
Social, economic & political studies	62.8	13.5	8.1
Law	58.6	16.7	11.5
Business & administrative studies	50.9	19.2	13.1
Librarianship & information science	61.9	12.8	7.4
Languages	68.4	15.9	9.5
Humanities	55.7	8.1	5.1
Creative arts & design	59.7	10.8	6.0
Education	72.6	6.8	4.8
Combined	57.4	4.8	3.0
Total - All subject areas	56.2	11.6	7.3

The table shows that women were a significant majority in subjects allied to medicine and were also very strongly represented among students of biological sciences, veterinary science, social, economic & political studies, librarianship & information science, languages and education. Men were a significant majority in engineering & technology, computer science, architecture, building & planning, and strongly represented in physical and mathematical sciences. Students from outside the UK were well represented in engineering & technology, business & administrative studies, law, languages, architecture, building & planning, computer science and social, economic & political studies.

Expected Length of Study

Table G shows the expected length of the study programme reported for full-time students who commenced studying on programmes leading to first degrees in the academic year 2001/02.

Overall, 68.6% of first year students were following programmes of up to three years duration; 27.8% were on programmes expected to last between three and four years; and 3.6% were following programmes expected to last over four years. There were, predictably, significant differences by subject area. 50% of engineering & technology students were expected to study for four years, as well as over 40% of students in computer science and education. Programmes of five or more years were the norm for students of clinical subjects and also for some students of engineering & technology and architecture, building & planning. It is relevant to consider these figures alongside information about work placements, and therefore the following section looks at sandwich study.

Table G - First Year Full-time First Degree Students by Subject Area and Expected Length of Programme(#8) 2001/02
	Expected Length of Programme
	<=3 years		>3 years & <= 4 years		>4 years & <= 5 years		>5 years
Medicine & dentistry	1105	14.5%	155	2.1%	5195	68.4%	1145	15.1%
Subjects allied to medicine	15030	72.3%	5415	26.1%	320	1.5%	15	0.1%
Biological sciences	18140	78.5%	4930	21.3%	40	0.2%	15	0.1%
Veterinary science	120	14.4%	85	9.8%	570	67.6%	70	8.2%
Agriculture & related subjects	1570	60.6%	985	37.9%	0	0.1%	35	1.4%
Physical sciences	8155	60.0%	5075	37.3%	365	2.7%	10	0.1%
Mathematical sciences	3250	61.7%	1975	37.5%	45	0.9%	0	0.0%
Computer science	12285	49.8%	12080	49.0%	210	0.9%	75	0.3%
Engineering & technology	10560	41.8%	12630	50.0%	1930	7.6%	150	0.6%
Architecture, building & planning	3400	52.9%	2350	36.6%	480	7.4%	195	3.0%
Social, economic & political studies	24830	89.7%	2830	10.2%	20	0.1%	5	0.0%
Law	11905	89.7%	1355	10.2%	20	0.2%	0	0.0%
Business & administrative studies	24555	59.8%	15855	38.6%	330	0.8%	310	0.8%
Librarianship & information science	7255	88.3%	955	11.6%	0	0.0%	0	0.0%
Languages	11000	62.9%	6360	36.4%	115	0.7%	0	0.0%
Humanities	10475	91.0%	1010	8.8%	10	0.1%	20	0.2%
Creative arts & design	26400	85.2%	4575	14.8%	20	0.1%	0	0.0%
Education	8800	57.2%	6455	41.9%	125	0.8%	5	0.0%
Combined	29610	79.0%	7575	20.2%	265	0.7%	30	0.1%
Total - All subject areas	228440	68.6%	92645	27.8%	10060	3.0%	2080	0.6%
In this table 0, 1, 2 are rounded to 0. All other numbers are rounded up or down to the nearest 5. Percentages are not subject to rounding. # see relevant footnote in Notes on Tables.

Sandwich Students

In most of the tables of this volume, sandwich students are included within the full-time category. It is however of interest to note that students on sandwich programmes constitute 7.8% of all undergraduates and they are considerably more prominent within some disciplines.

The following table provides a breakdown by qualification aim and subject area:

Table H - Undergraduate Sandwich Students 2001/02
	First degree	Other UG	Sandwich students as a percentage of all undergraduates
Medicine & dentistry	0	0	0.0%
Subjects allied to medicine	5445	1080	3.1%
Biological sciences	5775	25	7.9%
Veterinary science	190	45	6.9%
Agriculture & related subjects	2055	880	24.2%
Physical sciences	3660	40	7.5%
Mathematical sciences	1405	0	8.1%
Computer science	24290	900	26.5%
Engineering & technology	16770	710	17.8%
Architecture, building & planning	7100	90	22.3%
Social, economic & political studies	2675	165	2.5%
Law	905	0	2.1%
Business & administrative studies	36315	1350	22.8%
Librarianship & information science	1020	0	4.2%
Languages	2480	0	3.0%
Humanities	10	0	0.0%
Creative arts & design	3985	30	3.9%
Education	655	80	1.0%
Combined	5905	140	1.8%
Total - All subject areas	120655	5525	7.8%
In this table 0, 1, 2 are rounded to 0. All other numbers are rounded up or down to the nearest 5. Percentages are not subject to rounding.

As the table indicates, sandwich study is particularly common in the areas of computer science, agriculture & related subjects, architecture, building & planning and business & administrative studies.

Age of Students

Table Ii shows the percentage of students within age groups among first year UK domiciled undergraduates.

Table Ii - Age Distribution of First Year UK Domiciled Undergraduates(#6) by Mode of Study 2001/02
Percentages
	First Degree			Other Undergraduate
	Total	Full-time	Part-time	Total	Full-time	Part-time
18 & under	43.3	48.2	1.3	6.3	24.7	2.1
19	20.2	22.4	1.4	4.3	16.0	1.6
20	7.1	7.7	2.6	3.1	8.9	1.8
21-24	11.1	10.6	15.7	11.4	16.6	10.3
25-29	5.4	3.9	17.5	13.5	10.5	14.2
30 & over	12.9	7.1	61.6	61.4	23.2	70.0
Total	100.0	100.0	100.0	100.0	100.0	100.0
# see relevant footnote in Notes on Tables.

21.7% of UK domiciled new students on full-time first degree courses were aged 21 and over; 50.4% of new students on full-time other undergraduate courses were also 21 or over. 61.6% of part-time first degree entrants were 30 & over.

Table Iii presents equivalent information for postgraduates.

Table Iii - Age Distribution of First Year UK Domiciled Postgraduates(#6) by Mode of Study 2001/02			Percentages
	Total	Full-time	Part-time
Under 21	0.4	0.6	0.2
21-24	29.5	54.7	10.6
25-29	19.3	19.1	19.4
30 & over	50.9	25.5	69.8
Total	100.0	100.0	100.0
# see relevant footnote in Notes on Tables.

Ethnicity

HESA receives from institutions information about the ethnicity of students where this is known. The ethnicity coding frame has been revised this year to take into account the Census 2001 ethnicity categories. Please refer to the definitions for further explanation of this new coding frame.

Ethnicity is known for 87.1% of UK domiciled first year undergraduates and 83.9% of UK domiciled first year postgraduates. In respect of all UK domiciled students (including continuing students), the information is available for 90.1% of undergraduates and 82.0% of postgraduates. Although HESA presents in Table 10b ethnicity information for the student population as a whole, the Agency advises caution in analysis at postgraduate level.

In any case, the latest trend in relation to ethnic minority participation is best judged by considering first Year students only: Table J shows the participation rate of ethnic minority students among new undergraduate and postgraduate students.

Table J - Ethnic Minority Students as a Percentage of UK Domiciled First Year Students of Known Ethnicity 2001/02
	Percentages
Research for a higher degree	11.5
	11.6
	11.3
Taught course for a higher degree	16.9
	20.9
	13.9
Other postgraduate	9.2
	9.7
	8.9
First degree	16.9
	17.3
	14.0
Other undergraduate	11.6
	19.7
	9.5

Overall, ethnic minorities constituted 14.1% of all first year UK domiciled students whose ethnicity was known, and were more strongly represented among full-time undergraduates and taught postgraduates. They were less strongly represented among research students and among part-time students generally.

Within the ethnic minority student population there are significant differences in gender participation. The following chart shows, for ethnic minorities among all undergraduates, the gender balance by ethnic group.

Female UK domiciled undergraduate students of known ethnic group by mode 2001/02

Qualifications Obtained

In the 2001/02 academic year, a total of 521,500 qualifications were awarded at HE level. Of these awards, 52.6% were first degrees, with other undergraduate qualifications (including HND/DipHE) making up 17.6%. Postgraduate level qualifications accounted for 29.8% of the total.

Table K gives more detail.

Table K - Qualifications Obtained by Level of Qualification, Mode and Domicile 2001/02
	All qualifications	First degree	HND/DipHE	Other UG quals	Doctorates	Other higher degrees	PGCE	Other PG quals
Full-time
All students	380915	244120	29400	10915	10660	50945	20625	14255
UK domiciled	310840	216230	27250	8645	6460	21570	19855	10830
Overseas domiciled	70075	27895	2145	2270	4200	29375	770	3425
Part-time
All students	140580	30320	6910	44575	3550	25215	1865	28150
UK domiciled	131880	28960	6720	43475	2670	21375	1850	26825
Overseas domiciled	8705	1360	190	1100	875	3840	15	1325
All students	521500	274440	36310	55485	14210	76160	22495	42400
Percentage of all qualifications	100.0%	52.6%	7.0%	10.6%	2.7%	14.6%	4.3%	8.1%
UK domiciled	442720	245190	33970	52120	9135	42945	21710	37655
Overseas domiciled	78780	29250	2335	3370	5075	33215	785	4745
In this table 0, 1, 2 are rounded to 0. All other numbers are rounded up or down to the nearest 5. Percentages are not subject to rounding.

Table L presents a summary of the classification of first degrees awarded and shows the percentage awarded in each classification, by mode of study, domicile and gender.

Table L - First Degree Classifications by Mode, Domicile and Gender 2001/02
	Total first degree	First class	Upper second class	Lower second	Third class/ Pass	Unclassified
Total full-time	244120	23860	111605	78040	15770	14850
Percentage of classified degrees	-	10.4%	48.7%	34.0%	6.9%	-
UK domiciled	216230	20880	101385	68410	12620	12930
Female	120915	11175	61500	36525	5025	6695
Male	95310	9705	39885	31885	7600	6235
Overseas domiciled	27895	2985	10220	9630	3145	1915
Female	13560	1360	5465	4715	1170	840
Male	14335	1620	4750	4910	1975	1075
Total part-time	30320	2595	9635	8610	3855	5625
Percentage of classified degrees	-	10.5%	39.0%	34.9%	15.6%	-
UK domiciled	28960	2550	9380	8200	3375	5450
Female	17325	1490	5900	4855	1725	3355
Male	11635	1065	3480	3350	1650	2095
Overseas domiciled	1360	40	255	410	475	175
Female	665	25	145	195	200	100
Male	695	15	115	215	275	75
All students	274440	26455	121240	86650	19620	20470
Percentage of classified degrees	-	10.4%	47.7%	34.1%	7.7%	-
UK domiciled	245190	23430	110765	76615	16000	18380
Percentage of classified degrees	-	10.3%	48.8%	33.8%	7.1%	-
Female	138240	12660	67400	41380	6750	10050
Male	106950	10770	43365	35235	9250	8330
Overseas domiciled	29250	3025	10475	10040	3625	2090
Percentage of classified degrees	-	11.1%	38.6%	37.0%	13.3%	-
Female	14225	1385	5610	4910	1375	940
Male	15030	1635	4865	5130	2250	1150
All domiciles	274440	26455	121240	86650	19620	20470
Female	152465	14050	73015	46290	8125	10990
Percentage of classified degrees	-	9.9%	51.6%	32.7%	5.7%	-
Male	121975	12405	48225	40365	11500	9480
Percentage of classified degrees	-	11.0%	42.9%	35.9%	10.2%	-
In this table 0, 1, 2 are rounded to 0. All other numbers are rounded up or down to the nearest 5. Percentages are not subject to rounding.

Overall, 58.2% of students of known classification who obtained a classified first degree were awarded first or upper second class honours, with 10.4% being awarded a first. A slightly higher percentage of part-time students than full-time students obtained a first class degree while 9.7% more full-time students obtained an upper second classification. Overseas students obtained a higher proportion of first class degrees but a markedly lower proportion of upper seconds.

Meanwhile fewer female students obtained first class degrees than their male counterparts but a markedly greater proportion obtained upper seconds, as is shown in the following chart.

Percentage obtaining each classification by gender 2001/02

All of these observations should however be considered in the context of the subject of study. The following table shows the percentage of students obtaining a first or upper second class award in each of the non-clinical subject areas (degrees in clinical subjects are predominantly awarded without classification).

Table M - First Degree Graduates in Non-clinical Subjects Awarded First or Upper Second Class Honours as a Percentage of Classified Degrees 2001/02
			Percentages
	First class	Upper second	First or upper second
Subjects allied to medicine	11.9	50.4	62.3
Biological sciences	10.8	50.2	61.0
Agriculture & related subjects	8.3	44.4	52.8
Physical sciences	16.2	41.3	57.4
Mathematical sciences	25.5	34.0	59.4
Computer science	12.3	38.3	50.6
Engineering & technology	16.5	39.0	55.4
Architecture, building & planning	7.9	44.2	52.1
Social, economic & political studies	7.7	50.5	58.2
Law	4.4	52.1	56.5
Business & administrative studies	6.0	44.4	50.4
Librarianship & information science	6.9	52.7	59.6
Languages	11.5	60.1	71.6
Humanities	10.4	61.3	71.7
Creative arts & design	10.8	48.4	59.2
Education	6.5	46.1	52.6
Combined	10.3	47.7	58.0
Total - Non-clinical subjects	10.4	47.7	58.1

Table M reveals that a considerably greater proportion of first class degrees were awarded in mathematical sciences, engineering & technology and physical sciences - subjects in which we have noted a significant majority of male students (see Table F).

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