Are my expectations for this online MA wrong?

[CalliopeCat]

I'm in week 7 of a taught Creative Writing MA which is online only and feeling a bit like there's not much actual teaching going on- no lectures have been posted, just weekly intro and round up videos for the reading materials posted. I'm a mature student and perfectly happy to do my own research but kinda expected to still have some actual lectures.

Feedback/interaction from the lecturers mostly seems to be a weekly email. They don't seem to participate much in the discussion forums (and for this module, part of the grade is made up of our participation in the forums and workshop spaces)

We get weekly reading materials and creative writing exercises which again, the lecturers rarely comment on. I'd love to hear their thoughts on some of the stuff posted- that's partly why I'm studying a formal MA rather than just reading stuff online.

Not sure if it's just my expectations that are off after graduating from my BA (at a different uni) where the lecturers were online and interacted a lot more (and we had formal lectures posted).

Thanks

I’d be disappointed. Is it a well-regarded uni?

I understand why you are disappointed but I think which uni it is matters. If it's Cambridge then it's out of order, if it's the university of the West of England or something like that then I wouldn't expect much more from them.

It's not top flight, but it's not really bad either. The course is in the top third of most rankings.

I'm really starting to regret picking it, to be honest. I don't feel engaged in the course at all because there's hardly any interaction!

I turned Lancaster and Chester down for this uni because the lecturers were really engaging and the course sounded brilliant.

Is this the Open Uni. Pretty standard in my experience

Is it the OU? Sounds just like my experience with it.

I decided to leave the course after a year and just collect my PGCert for it. Really didn't think much of the course materials or the tutor's input at all.

I'd have a chat with the lecturers/tutors directly. Let them know you are disappointed about the lack of interaction and see what they say. As a mature student, presumably who is paying, you should be able to have a straightforward conversation.

Give feedback, OP. This is poor. You’re paying (essentially) for a writer’s group, and you could get that for free or very cheaply.

Over the past ten years or so I have noticed that there has been an explosion of online based masters degrees, which are really pretty piss poor. To a large degree you are paying for a qualification that you can put after your name rather than any content.

i started noticing it with teaching degrees, mainly I think because I see more of that sector, but at least in part it seemed to be developing out of MBA programs. Teachers would take these courses in the summer in order to qualify for better pay, and they started out with some real content but became less and less worthwhile, especially once they moved online.

These are money makers for universities, but they include nothing like the level of knowledge or deeper understanding of content or process you would find in a normal masters degree.

@DrDetriment

I'd have a chat with the lecturers/tutors directly. Let them know you are disappointed about the lack of interaction and see what they say. As a mature student, presumably who is paying, you should be able to have a straightforward conversation.

Thanks. I will. It just feels kinda pointless - I could do exactly the same stuff for free! Have an assignment due in next week which I'm honestly struggling with because we've basically been told nothing about it.

Apparently this is a widespread problem with online university courses. I know someone who quit a masters course for similar reasons.

@flaviaritt

Give feedback, OP. This is poor. You’re paying (essentially) for a writer’s group, and you could get that for free or very cheaply.

I actually run a free writer's group and we give more feedback than this course. I don't think I realised just how fed up and disappointed I was until I started this thread, actually.

I'm not surprised you are unmotivated OP. It sounds very depressing. I'd push it with them though as it doesn't sound much fun and as you say, you could get the same experience for free elsewhere.

Honestly, it's only been the last couple of days when I've actually thought about it and didn't have anything to compare it to so didn't know if I was just being daft. I want to learn but I don't feel like I am right now!

i see this a ton on the law degree forums, people saying they don't get any lectures and its generally online courses such as Open University.

Whereas most Uni (inc mine) may well be online but we get either a 2 hour recorded lecture per subject per week (done by our lecturers in last few months, not last years) or a live lecture where we can ask questions as we go (all at home though) (and then usual tutorials)

So really depends what they promised in the literature. Did they say there would be lectures or not?

@suchafunnybear

Is it the OU? Sounds just like my experience with it.

I decided to leave the course after a year and just collect my PGCert for it. Really didn't think much of the course materials or the tutor's input at all.

I had a similar experience at another uni doing online courses. All reading online course materials, no 'taught elements at all. I also collected my PGCert.

I have a degree in the same, but was on campus. Teaching included three seminars and one lecture a week, plus we set up two extra workshopping sessions each week just between us students. The lecture was the research methods, seminars were per each other module.

I would at least be expecting you to have video based seminars in order to talk through the weeks readings etc, and a two hour video workshopping session with a tutor leading. Are you getting anything face to face as it were at all?

Did the information given in the course brochure/handbook set out what the format of the course was? If it says that you will be receiving lectures and are not getting them then I would suggest you complain to the university.

@suchafunnybear

Is it the OU? Sounds just like my experience with it.

I decided to leave the course after a year and just collect my PGCert for it. Really didn't think much of the course materials or the tutor's input at all.

Not the OU. It's a regional uni but it's better ranked for this subject than the uni where I studied my BA.

I did a cw masters at a north west uni but mine was in person. Although it was "taught" very little of the course was actually being taught anything. It's assumed that you will have some skills already, that you will know the formula for a successful story etc. Story arcs and character development are more of a BA level.

My course was full time over 1 year. Two evenings a week with a lot of writing and reading at home. Each term we had one night of workshops and another night about a specific module. We were expected to have shared a price of work to the group and to have read and given fed back on all other peoples work. That was the most helpful for me, but I totally could have gotten it for free with a local writers group!

One module was about the business side of things, how to get an agent, how to pitch ideas etc and how to network. One focused on screen writing, one on fiction and one on life writing. We could submit work in any area but we were encouraged to step outside of our comfort zone and try new ideas. We had lots of visiting writers talking about their craft and we heavily focused on poetics.

I have looked at several unis local (ish) for a phd in the field and am thinking Lancaster. I hasn't even looked at Chester. Where about are you op?

I did a similar MA and I'm in your area - I wonder whether it's the same place?

I found the workshops the most important and valuable exercise - we were in a group of 6, led by a tutor, and each week two of us would produce work to be critiqued. Two or three (or four, at times) of the others would wing it and would be seen frantically reading through the work minutes before class started. You have to accept that others often won't put much effort into critiquing your work, but will happily accept a shit load of notes on their own. The thing is you learn so much from critiquing other people's drafts, so don't feel bitter if this happens to you!

Our main tutor would wing it every bloody week - I was teaching and recognised it a mile off. There was no structure. The group would rarely have read the notes he'd given out. The best thing about the lectures was when they had a guest in - an author or an agent. My tip is to always read at least one of the author's books beforehand - you get so much more out of a session then.

If people aren't marking your work, then ask why they're not. Ask what the policy is on that. It's unforgiveable that someone should give in work which isn't even looked at.

I'm not at home at the moment but when I am I can give you a list of the books that really helped me.

What I did throughout my course was to focus on my own writing. Do what's needed for the MA but write, write, write. You can't edit a blank page. You can't discuss your book with an agent (if they visit) unless you have something written down. Put yourself first. Critique others' work and learn from it - make notes for yourself on what works and what doesn't. Call people up if they don't critique yours properly - it's unprofessional and unfair. Grow a very, very thick skin!

@Carishina

Did the information given in the course brochure/handbook set out what the format of the course was? If it says that you will be receiving lectures and are not getting them then I would suggest you complain to the university.

The website doesn't mention lectures but does stress that it's a taught MA.

It also says we'll get a dedicated online space for work shopping (which we have- it's a google doc) and that the lecturers will be involved (not seen that happen yet)

'You will also receive support and feedback on your work directly from the tutor, both through the online course space and by email.' Hasn't happened yet.

@CalliopeCat I've just sent you a PM.