A campaign has been set up to stop history courses being transferred from Magee Campus out of Londonderry.

The University of Ulster is being urged to rethink what campaigners fear will amount to a relocation of the history department to Coleraine.

The ‘Save Our History’ campaigners have also claimed that the university has closed future politics courses at Magee and is in the process of phasing out its language courses.

The university yesterday would not confirm whether the claims were accurate.

The Derry and Coleraine campuses currently share the teaching of history courses at the University of Ulster, with a few post-graduate level courses taught at the Belfast campus. A University of Ulster spokesman said, however: “In the context of a budget reduction of £11m a year, the university is looking at its programmes of study.

“Any changes will take place in the context of maintaining student numbers at each campus.

“We will also ensure that students will complete their course of study on the campus where they embarked on it.”

On the campaign’s Facebook page, the administrators of Save Our History, which was launched this week, claimed “there are dark rumours that history is to be moved to Coleraine”.

“Already, UU has closed politics and is phasing out languages at Magee. The same must not happen to history,” they said.

“This historic city cannot afford to lose what it’s most renowned for, its history.

“From its magnificent landmarks and buildings, to its very inhabitants, it’s indeed been our city’s history which has defined our very own culture.

“It is for this reason that we express our outrage at reports of closure of history at Magee College, and their transfer to Coleraine.

“Such a deplorable manoeuvre by the University of Ulster must not be allowed to happen.”

The statement adds: “We call on everyone that values our city’s history and culture to oppose any such moves to reduce or remove Magee College’s history faculty.”