More than half the academic and professional jobs will go from Sydney College of the Arts as the University of Sydney downsizes its fine arts program and moves it to the main campus, following the collapse of a planned merger with UNSW's art school.

Jewellery, ceramics and glassmaking programs, described as "more resource intensive mediums", will be scrapped, and the university will not accept any commencing students in visual arts degrees in 2017.

Senior lecturer in jewellery Dr Karin Findeis, who is expecting now to lose her job, said "there is great sadness" among staff who were surprised by the level of job cuts.

The university's plans for its fine arts school have been laid out in detail for the first time in a "change proposal" document that was given to staff and students on Tuesday, indicating 25 of the 43 full-time equivalent positions will be cut.