Students at Hull University are being told to use gender neutral language in their essays – or risk losing marks.

According to documents obtained by the Sunday Times, students are told to "be aware of the powerful and symbolic nature of language and use gender-sensitive formulations. Failure to use gender-sensitive language will impact your mark."

The document, which was released following a Freedom of Information request, was part of a course on religious activism being taught at the university.

A senior lecturer in religion at the university said: “Should any student use language which is not deemed gender-neutral, they will be offered feedback as to why. Deduction of marks is taken on a case-by-case basis.”

Academics criticised the move, calling it “linguistic policing”.

Frank Furedi, emeritus professor of sociology at Kent University, told the Sunday Times: “Usually such threats are implicit rather than spelt out as in the case of Hull.

"This linguistic policing is used as a coercive tool to impose a conformist outlook. The alternative is to pay a penalty of being marked down.”

It has become increasingly common for universities to advise their students to use gender-neutral language, but this is the first time a university has said not doing so will affect a student's mark.