Higher Education marketing in the UK: An appraisal analysis of evaluative language in undergraduate prospectuses

Rezaie, Hossein 2024. Higher Education marketing in the UK: An appraisal analysis of evaluative language in undergraduate prospectuses. MPhil Thesis, Cardiff University. Item availability restricted.

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Abstract

This research investigates how the marketisation of higher education (HE) is reflected in the language of undergraduate prospectuses, focusing on how evaluative language is used by universities to magnify their strengths and obscure weaknesses. Previous research has often treated marketisation as a binary phenomenon, focusing on whether or not it is present in university promotional materials. However, this study fills a critical research gap by exploring how different aspects of marketisation are strategically employed by universities in a non-uniform way, depending on their rankings, target student populations, and institutional values. Using Appraisal Theory, this study examines the prospectuses of three UK universities that differ in their rankings and educational focus, namely Warwick University (Top), Aberystwyth University (Middle) and Solent University (Low). The findings show that the high-ranked university uses evaluative language to emphasise global prestige, research excellence, and employability, aligning themselves with a high-achieving international student market. The middle-ranked institution focuses on career-readiness and practical experience, using language that appeals to students seeking immediate employability. The lower-ranked university, on the other hand, employs inclusive and supportive language to attract a more diverse student body, promoting community engagement and personal development as key selling points. The analysis reveals that these universities carefully craft their narratives to highlight their strengths—whether in research, employability, or student support—while subtly downplaying or avoiding mention of their weaknesses, such as lower rankings or limited global recognition. This demonstrates that marketisation in HE is not a unitary concept but a flexible strategy tailored to each institution's unique position within the competitive landscape. This study contributes to the field by providing a more nuanced understanding of marketisation in HE, showing that universities use evaluative language not only to promote their strengths but also to strategically manage their weaknesses. This represents a departure from the previous research which delt with marketisation as a +/- present phenomenon.

Item Type:	Thesis (MPhil)
Date Type:	Completion
Status:	Unpublished
Schools:	Schools > English, Communication and Philosophy
Subjects:	P Language and Literature > PE English
Date of First Compliant Deposit:	15 May 2025
Last Modified:	15 May 2025 15:36
URI:	https://orca.cardiff.ac.uk/id/eprint/178294

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