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Talk to other parents whose children are preparing for university on our Higher Education forum.

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Talk to other parents whose children are preparing for university on our Higher Education forum.

Higher education

University disappointment

27 replies

barbarianoftheuniverse · 05/10/2011 20:10

DS18 in week 3 of uni (don't really want to say where yet) studying environmental science has just got his full timetable. Course was described as 12-12 hours lectures + up to 15 practical per week. His time table for first semester avarages 5 lectures per week ie 5 hours + 4 hours practical.
He is very disappointed.
Is this how unis really run? Have nothing to compare it with. Would be very grateful for any help/advice, since this course was started with very high hopes and is being financed with difficulty.
Thanks.

OP posts:

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gingeroots · 05/10/2011 20:12

I think this is the norm - very little " contact " time .

barbarianoftheuniverse · 05/10/2011 20:14

Do you speak from experience, Gingeroots?

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DownbytheRiverside · 05/10/2011 20:14

DD has 4 lectures and 4 seminars linked to the lectures. Mondays and Wednesdays off. The difference between a fail and a first is the amount of independent study.

barbarianoftheuniverse · 05/10/2011 20:16

DownbytheRiverside, do you mind me asking what year your dd is, and if she is studying science or arts?

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DownbytheRiverside · 05/10/2011 20:18

Pm'd you.

An0therName · 05/10/2011 20:19

sounds a bit low for a science subject- however it might higher in other semesters/years - do they have tutorials as well
could he have a work with one the tutors - 1st year/his personal one to find out?
and I found personally that going through the leature notes the same day with text book really paid off so at least he will have time to do that - plus the other things like socialisng and there should be some interesting clubs and societies to join?

wompoopigeon · 05/10/2011 20:27

where exactly did the expectations come from? If the course was described as 12 hours lectures in writing (eg in the prospectus) then he should take the prospectus to his tutor and ask him to explain the discrepancy. There might be a valid reason eg more independent study in the first semester,so it averages out across the year. If the prospectus is bollocks then he has a very good reason to complain- the uni will have a complaints procedure and there is also the Office of the Independent Adjudicator for HE who are interested in false advertising (once the Uni has had a chance to answer the complaint).
I have to say 12 hours lecture plus 15 hours practical a week sounds heavy to me, considering I'd be expecting also at least 12 hours independent study a week. Uni isn't like school, it's not about contact hours in the same way.

vickibee · 05/10/2011 20:29

IME science courses have alot more class time tha humanities where students are expected to do research, reading etc. I did a physics dgree and was in class p til 4 everyday except Weds when we had the afternoon off for sports.

barbarianoftheuniverse · 05/10/2011 20:32

wp pigeon the 12-15 hours was in the course description as given out by the science school.

My sister about a 25 years ago did 12- 15 hours + practicals 4 afternoons a week but that was a long time ago.

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barbarianoftheuniverse · 05/10/2011 20:37

Thanks very much Downbytheriverside, I have pm'd you back with another question. Hope you don't mind.

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crystalglasses · 05/10/2011 20:39

This is par for the course in most universities bar Oxbridge, Durham and some other top of the league talbe places.
Maybe things will change for the better now they are charging £9000 pa.

grumplestilskin · 05/10/2011 20:41

he may have field work weeks in later terms which are full on blocks of all day . That is common with environmental science and will bring the weekly average up. You need all the time in between these days to keep up with the reading and course work.

grumplestilskin · 05/10/2011 20:43

and there's also things like PAL sessions etc which arent always on the time table at first

barbarianoftheuniverse · 05/10/2011 20:43

Is it really, Crystalglasses? We heard stories in the press but we did not know if they were true. At any rate I suppose we thought in first year they would be sort of set on their way.

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barbarianoftheuniverse · 05/10/2011 20:46

My ignorance is awful.
What are PAL sessions?
Who would set coursework?

DS has suggested OU would be far cheaper. I don't know what to think of that. Yes, he is enjoying the social life, but left a perfectly good social life behind to go.

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lollystix · 05/10/2011 20:48

My course - history of art - at a redbrick Russell group uni was just 6 hours lectures a week plus about 3 hours tutorials. I did spend most days in the library around this though doing extra reading for essays. Although it seemed a pisstake on the face of it, it really wasn't.

grumplestilskin · 05/10/2011 20:49

peer assisted learning, small formal study groups facilitated by 2nd or 3rd years. Might not be set up yet

but the field work is the main one, usually it happens in term 2 and is full days

grumplestilskin · 05/10/2011 20:51

the un-taught hours really aren't free time! it'll soon catch up on him if he's not using it for prep and reading and study groups and course work. The term goes REALLY FAST then you often have a bunch of submission dates at once in dec/jan

littleducks · 05/10/2011 20:54

I am a little surprised, I did geology and was in 9/10 till 4 4 days a week with only Wednesday afternoons off as another poster said. We had lots of field trips though....will he being going away for weeks at a time later in the year? We were often still up working at 9/10pm with lecturers (I was exhausted).

I am doing an nhs course now and am in 3 full days a week, with placement on the fourth day (9-5) now.

grumplestilskin · 05/10/2011 20:56

then if he's doing all that and still un-challenged, one of the big advantages of physically going to university is the OTHER oportunities (for a fraction of the cost to do these things otherwise) which make well rounded employable graduates:

e.g.
most unis offer language courses for free to all students
subsidised sports and hobbies and opportunities to get on comittees
getting involved with uni media stations
the union
volunteering
work experience/lab experience/field work experience

barbarianoftheuniverse · 05/10/2011 21:28

Thank you all very much. I am passing on the advice. We are all working in the dark here, so the more I hear the better.

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An0therName · 05/10/2011 21:35

also three weeks is a typical time to have a wobble about anything - so it might be to do with that

Wondered if you have seen this re finances

www.moneysavingexpert.com/students/student-guide

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grumplestilskin · 05/10/2011 21:51

do encourage him to be involved as much as possible in everything available. There's probably a marine conservation society or similar in the clubs and socs list, and if not, start one! SCUBA club also good for environmental science and soooo much cheaper than taking it up afterwards (and unis not near the cost often do it and have weekends away)

all the grads I know who have dream jobs did more than just their course at uni. The env sci ones in fab jobs were all in the SCUBA club too and most were on the committee as well as being reps etc

I did and wish I did even more! I've even been grilled at an interview about why I didn't do particular extras at uni (even though I did do quite a lot like student rep etc)

ellisbell · 06/10/2011 08:41

He could see this as his opportunity to earn some cash before the course becomes more demanding.

BikeRunSki · 06/10/2011 09:02

I suspect that once coursework picks up as the term progresses, then he will need to be spending a great deal of time working. the first few weeks of the first year are always a bit slow to start with. I definitley agree with Grumplestitlskin about extra-curricular activities.

I am a BSC graduate, and I workload picked up v sharpish after Christmas in first year.

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