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Bailey, Susan E. K. (2008) The development of consumer sciences and consumer studies at degree level in higher education in the United Kingdom. Doctoral thesis, London Metropolitan University.
This research investigated the development of Consumer Sciences and Consumer Studies, as a relatively young interdisciplinary degree subject in higher education in the United Kingdom. The literature survey revealed limited published research on the subject heritage or its disciplinary identity in the United Kingdom. To frame the research, development and changes within the late nineteenth and twentieth centuries were outlined, focusing on higher education for women and the development of household science as an early applied science acceptable for women to study at degree level from the 1920s. Progressive changes in society, technology, employment, higher education and second wave feminism were seen as influences on the heritage degree subject of Home Economics developing from the mid 1970s. Consideration was given as to how the subject of Consumer Studies and Consumer Science developed from the mid 1980s and how an understanding of disciplinary identity has been influenced by post modernism, making comparisons with American, Canadian and Australian theorists. The major subject review in 1992 undertaken by the Council for National Academic Awards (CNAA) prompted the research investigation of subject heritage, the development of a new degree subject, disciplinary identity and the perceptions of practicing academics in the area. The research therefore involved a fifteen-year survey of development and change of institutions and degrees, secondly a content analysis of course outlines and benchmarking to reveal changing trends in how the subject was conceptualised, and thirdly a thematic analysis of interviews with practicing academics. Firstly, the fifteen-year comparison used data from 1992, 1999, 2003 and 2007 to map degree course and institutional changes. External and internal political and economic factors influenced subject growth, decline and development. Findings were that the number of degree course titles had remained relatively stable, with still a balance between BA and BSc degrees, but that this disguised many changes in institutions and degree titles. Secondly, a content analysis of trends was undertaken, comparing 1992, 1999, 2003 and 2007. Subject benchmarking statements introduced in 2002 were compared with course content themes in 2003 and 2007. The content analysis showed that the overall approach (principles), areas of study, context, aspect (perspective) and activities (processes) for degree courses at undergraduate level had developed noticeably over the last 15 years and had been clarified by benchmarking. Thirdly, practicing academics in the subject were interviewed. A thematic analysis using Nvivo identified themes of market demand and employability, benchmarking and research issues and subject constriction and epistemology. Academics were aware of the issues of status and definition as an interdisciplinary subject, but valued strengths in employability and contemporary relevance. A model was proposed to illustrate the current conceptualisation of the subject in the United Kingdom at degree level and Chenowth's (1985) definition of Consumer Sciences and Consumer Studies was redefined for the United Kingdom. It was agreed that increased research was essential. It was recommended that there should also be more theoretical reflection on the interpretation and development of the subject
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