The point about the Newcastle course is that it is -at present- the only first-degree course available in folk music in England.  I think most of us know that such courses have been available elsewhere for rather longer, in countries which take a greater pride in their native traditions; diploma courses are another matter, and far less hard to find.  Sheffield University has for some time offered postgraduate degree courses in traditional music (tailored to whatever tradition the student wishes to specialise in) and will, as of this autumn, be offering a first-degree course also.  Diploma courses are already available at at least two Yorkshire colleges.

Comments from American singer-songwriters, particularly of the aggressive anti-intellectual kind like "Antifolk" and the invert-snob article copy-and-pasted above (Ellison to Grads) by somebody or other, are probably not relevant to this particular discussion, but I suppose we have to bear in mind that their understanding of folk music is likely to be rather different from ours, being perhaps less involved in continuing tradition and more preoccupied with personal expression and what is or is not fashionable.