Science communication department head Prof Jesse Bering this week announced significant cuts to the division in an email addressed to students.
"As you might imagine, this has been a difficult letter to write.
"I wish it could be a different outcome, but the forces that be are much larger than us," he said.
However, yesterday a university spokesman said the email was sent out prematurely and proposed changes to the course had not been finalised.
"We have today advised staff and students that the information they received from the department about possible changes to science communication was premature.
"We are finalising a proposal for changes to the curriculum, which will be sent to them later this month for feedback.
"Whatever the final decision may be, students will be able to complete their current degree."
Prof Bering’s email said from 2024 the department would be downsized and incorporated as one programme within a larger sciences department.
Only two full-time academic staff would remain.
The department’s longstanding film programme, which many of its graduates had received awards for, would no longer be offered.
Master of applied science in science communication student Millie Gillard (23) said the extent of the cuts in the original email shocked staff and students.
"Immediately everyone went to the pub," she said.
"Everyone was pretty upset and the staff were upset, too."
The plan came as a surprise as this year’s cohort had been larger than previous years.
Half the intake was international students, who had waited patiently through the pandemic to take the course.
She said students were concerned cuts to the extent outlined in the original email would damage their attractiveness to employers.
Master of applied science majoring in science communication student Richard Marks (23) said the cuts outlined by Prof Bering were significant.
"For any and all future students it’s one of the biggest, for lack of a better phrase, kick in the nuts.
"I’d feel very bad for a lot of the current students that are going to be there."
He had heard about impending cuts for a long time, but the extent came as a surprise.
"Even getting the email and reading through it, just the sheer size of how much stuff is being taken out ... It makes me worry about the bigger courses."
