Declining enrollment threatens humanities departments in Kufa University

NAJAF — The Department of Media at the College of Arts in Kufa University, located in Najaf’s Kufa district, has reported a sharp decline in student enrollment for the new academic year.

Only six students were admitted to the first-year program, a third of last year’s numbers.

The drop is part of a broader trend affecting humanities and social sciences, attributed to the lack of public sector job opportunities for graduates, lack of proper promotion and the growing tendency towards medical and engineering departments.

Alaa Al-Muraibi, the department coordinator, described the enrollment decline as alarming. “Over the years, admissions to the Department of Media have fluctuated significantly. Initially, we had hundreds of students, but this number has gradually decreased to dozens, and now we are down to just six first-year students,” Al-Muraibi said.

“If this trend continues, there is a real risk of the department closing.”

He emphasized the need for intervention to address declining interest in humanities, stressing their foundational role in building a knowledgeable and specialized society.

Zainab Saad, a third-year student in the department, called for better promotion of the media program to attract students.

“Three years ago, around 30 students were accepted into the department. Since then, the number has steadily declined, and this year, only six students were admitted,” she said. “We believe the main reason is insufficient promotion of the program.”

Saad also challenged the perception that humanities graduates face limited job opportunities. “Media graduates have extensive employment options in both public and private sectors, yet many people incorrectly assume there are no jobs for them,” she added.

Aiham Ali, a law student at Kufa University, noted the growing preference among Iraqi students for medical fields due to public sector placements, which guarantee employment after graduation.

“Students flock to medical fields, but this oversaturation creates its own employment problems,” Ali said. “Meanwhile, departments like Arts and Archaeology have very few students. Some classes in medical programs have 100 students, while humanities departments often have only two or three.”