DURHAM University has confirmed a controversial shake-up despite protests from students.
A small group of students staged a silent protest on Tuesday before the university's council approved the blueprint.
The university plans to close its East Asian Studies and Linguistics departments and its courses in European Studies, sport, health and exercise - a move that could threaten up to 40 jobs. The university plans to plough £8.7m into what it says are more popular courses and subjects that have received high marks in research and teaching assessments.
Durham Students' Union and Durham Students' Forum say the university has not allowed enough time for alternative proposals to be drawn up.
They say the 90-day consultation period falls across the summer holiday, giving little opportunity to muster workable schemes and should be extended.
But a university spokeswoman said there would be no change to the consultation period.
She said the university's plan would "secure and sustain its strongest academic areas to ensure they retain their international competitiveness."
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