History students at Bristol University launched an impassioned protest outside their university this week, to oppose cuts in teaching time that have left final year students with just over two hours a week, a reduction of around two-thirds.

Students' are concerned by a lack of contact time with academics. They say they came to Bristol because of the world-class historians, but they spend very little time with them. Students, who signed up to a course three years ago that has been radically altered, are particularly angry.

Final year student Kasia Gorska said: "We're just not getting good value for money. The tutors have less teaching to do and more time for their research, while we have more work and fewer contact hours. I chose to come to Bristol University specifically because of the course, but the whole principle of it has changed. I cannot believe that they have taken such an important learning element away from us."

Third year student, Isla Logan agreed: "I understand that the third year requires a lot more individual research, but I never once envisaged that I would be spending all day, nearly every day on my own." Another affected undergraduate, Felix Tanzer said: "There is much less social interaction within the department and a lack of shared tuition can stifle the opportunity for more widespread critical debate."

The course changed after a restructuring of the History department at the beginning of this academic year. The university felt that the course needed to be revamped, and in the light of pressures on resources that head of department Brendan Smith described as "incredible", the department has had to make difficult decisions about the allocation of funds. They chose to keep expensive seminar based courses where groups of ten to fifteen students engage in discussion with historians. But while the quality of the teaching is not disputed, the quantity of contact time that students have with academics has become a matter of great contention.

Disgruntled historian, Lizzie Edwards declared: "I thought I was paying to be educated by leading academics, not for library membership and a reading list." Her colleague Rachel Bishop complained: "I'm basically just feeling really let down by the university."

At the start of the year, both staff and students seemed reconciled to the existence of the new system. But an article in the Epigram, Bristol's student newspaper was picked up by The Times, triggering a media storm.

The head of teaching in the department, Tim Cole responded: "We recognise that the new syllabus places considerable demands on students, particularly third-years, but we believe it is all the stronger for that and that Bristol will continue to produce some of the country's most thoughtful, independent-minded and in-demand History graduates. That's where value for money lies - not in a crude equation between tuition fees and contact hours."

Decreasing contact time is coming at the same time as increasing fees. It seems that universities and students are feeling financially stretched. With the new intake of students now paying £3000 a year for their degree, many feel they are being turned into consumers. Bristol West MP and Liberal Democrat Shadow Higher Education Minister Stephen Williams (himself a history graduate of Bristol) explained that under the new system: "We can expect to see many more examples of arts students demanding value for money."

The student history society - aptly named 'Revolution' is holding a meeting with lecturers and university management on Monday.

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