A course failed by an entire class last year has been removed from a college's curriculum.

Inverness College, part of the University of Highlands and Islands, will no longer offer the Higher media course as part of the 2017/18 syllabus.

In the 2015/16 academic year, all 20 students on the course were given no award grades when their results came back.

As a result, an internal investigation was launched to assess whether or not the judgments met national standards.

The Higher media course will now no longer be available to students after the summer.

A spokeswoman said: "The college reviews its curriculum offer on an annual basis to ensure that it meets local and regional demand.

"This includes working closely with our partner secondary schools to provide a comprehensive range of courses for school pupils.

"The college continues to deliver a national certificate programme in media, which now provides direct progression into HND visual communications."

She added: "The annual review of the college curriculum takes account of a range of factors and is largely informed by demand, employment prospects and progression opportunities.

"The college does not comment on the process and outcome of any specific internal reviews."

The Scottish Qualifications Authority also carried out an independent investigation.

An SQA spokesman added: "We have provided specific support to Inverness College on Higher Media to ensure the national assessment standards are fully understood, and how those national standards should be applied.

"We also have an extensive Understanding Standards programme of events, as well as subject-specific material, which are available to all centres."

The move comes amid a raft of changes for the college's new study programme.

The college spokeswoman said: "New programmes introduced for 2017/18 include HNC soft tissue therapy, HNC fashion make-up and inclusion of an honours year in BSc Forestry Management.

"New Modern Apprenticeship programmes will be available in accountancy, customer service and forestry/wood products.

"Further Foundation Apprenticeship programmes for school pupils are being introduced in scientific technologies, business skills and financial services."

She added: "A new Higher in engineering science was introduced in 2016-17. As usual, some programmes have been amended or retired from the curriculum.

"NQ humanities, for example, has been removed from the curriculum and resources have been allocated to an additional NC social science programme which provides a route into advanced qualifications and direct progression into HNC social science."