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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

To complain about my MSc

32 replies

LilaThePink · 20/06/2021 09:29

I think I need to complain about the way my master's degree is being handled, but I'm feeling a bit anxious about it, and to be honest I don't know the best way, so any advice would be helpful.

I signed up for a 3 year PT MSc pre pandemic. I also work FT. It was supposed to be on site, over 4 weekends a year with 12 weeks between modules.

Because covid it went fully online from the start in September. We have just been informed it will now be fully online for the next 2 years. This is absolutely not what I wanted and I could have started a 2 year PT online course and been done sooner. I am regretting this.

There has been no timetable all year. Seminars have been announced with a week's notice for random weekday evenings. Almost all lectures are pre recorded to watch in our own time. There have been 3-4 online workshops in the evenings, some of which I've not got to as I've had to work. The ones I have attended have been hard going and exhausting. Tbh the last thing anyone wants to do after a long shift or 7 hours of Teams meetings is a zoom workshop.

We asked for the possibility of weekend work like we planned and now there is a Saturday workshop planned, 5 hours of zoom on a Saturday mid July, when our modules should have ended in June. I'm going to be away camping.

Also, I have an assignment handed in in Feb that's still not been marked and I emailed the tutors a few times and have not had a response for over a week.

Our last assignment is due end of July and I don't have the title or any details yet.

I feel let down, fed up, out of pocket for £1000s, and I don't really know what to do. My handed in work has been far from its best as it's been rushed and stressful and not enjoyable at all. I have passed the modules, but I'm normally a straight A student, and I'm getting Cs. I'm so disappointed.

AIBU to complain, and how would I go about it? It's a proper, good, old university and this stressful shambles is the last thing I would have expected from them. My main worry is that if I complain I'll get marked even harder and fail. I'd actually like some money back, as I'm self funding and I absolutely have not received what I'm paying for.

AIBU?

OP posts:

Jammydodger1981 · 20/06/2021 09:32

YANBU at all. This is not what you paid for. Delivery may need to change etc. but this is wildly different. I’d be asking for my money back, the CMA would definitely side with you on this.

UrAWizHarry · 20/06/2021 09:33

Absolutely complain. There should be an official complaints procedure so look into that as a first step.

Jeschara · 20/06/2021 09:40

My daughter done her MSc in a year, it was very full on, she had a child of 2 as well. Work was always marked, feedback always given, and it was particularly well run.
I think if you are unhappy and the course does not meet your expectations you should say something just realise that some of it may not be there fault due to covid.
The above said, there is no excuse not to mark work and give feedback.

Original poster

LilaThePink · 20/06/2021 09:42

Thank you, that really helps.

So my worry is, there arw only really 2 professors running the course. They are extremely nice if rather distant, and I assume I'll be working with them for the next 2 years, and one of them will supervise my final dissertation.

What's the deal with them if I complain? Will they know it's me? Will a complaint have an effect on them personally? Will my grades suffer?

I'm genuinely losing sleep over this.

OP posts:

PrincessTuna · 20/06/2021 09:43

Yes I would complain. They cant change the covid aspect but the poor communication is not acceptable. Not knowing details of an assignment due next month is very poor, eapecially when you have a job to juggle and cant drop everything to cram.

I've found my part time course similar really. I feel like they take the money and then you are on your own. I did one a couple of years ago where the tutor forgot to send off my assignment for marking. Only realised when my classmates were getting their results. He had to explain to the exam board and I ended up with just a pass for that module whereas everything else had been a distinction. His slides were never proofread and he read them out as if it was the first time he'd seen them. Appalling.

Mumdiva99 · 20/06/2021 09:50

Find the complaints procedure on the web site. Follow it. Your main complaint is that the teaching should have been on the weekends and you selected the course for this reason. Whilst you understand the need for online learning you are not happy that has been in the evenings etc

LateAtTate · 20/06/2021 09:57

YANBU.
Sadly this is more common than you think. most red-brick unis see online courses as a money spinner meant to be taken by people with background anyway. As a result it is often a chaotic mess.
Why don’t you try raising a group complaint? Talk to your fellow students and see if they share your concerns
A similar thing happened with the MSc Computer Science at

LateAtTate · 20/06/2021 09:57

*the University of York resulting in a formal complaints, investigation and official response
Your complaint will be stronger as a group

Febo24 · 20/06/2021 10:10

There will be an official complaints procedure, so have a read through of that and see if that's what you want to do.

Have you got student reps and has anything been raised by them or other students already? Also check out your SU website as they'll have someone who can advise.

What you need to be clear on is if you were told something would happen and it didn't. So did they say the teaching would be delivered 1 way and in reality it wasn't etc.

In terms of you raising a complaint and it being punished, this obviously shouldn't happen and there should be quality assurance procedures that ensure marking is fair.

The pandemic has created additional pressure on delivery but I think you can expect better than that, and you could focus on the disadvantage you are placed in as a PT student who is working.

In all honesty, I'd be surprised if they weren't half expecting it. They must know they're not delivering a quality experience.

HotChocolateLover · 20/06/2021 10:11

My husband is having the exact same with his Masters and he’s really gutted too. His work pays for his and his colleagues but they are all miffed and none of them feel as though they’ve got the same learning curve experience. I’d say you should complain, they all have. Nothing happened but at least they made their feelings known.

HotChocolateLover · 20/06/2021 10:12

Not sure where the word ‘curve’ came from but it all still makes sense (I hope) 😂

thereinmadnesslies · 20/06/2021 10:17

There will be a complaints process. I work in a uni complaints team. The department and the academics involved will see your complaint and be asked to provide a response. If you are worried that this will have other impacts (eg potential bias where they will be marking your assessments) raise this in your complaint and measures should be put in place to protect you. In my uni, we would not let the subject of a complaint mark the work of a complainant.
It seems to be considered reasonable across the sector to replace in person teaching with online. But the chaotic scheduling and lack of feedback doesn’t sound acceptable.

Original poster

LilaThePink · 20/06/2021 10:33

Thanks all. This is great and sensible advice.

We do have a WhatsApp group, and I get the impression everyone is pissed off.

So plan is, to write down pretty much as I have in the OP, ask if anyone else feels the same and send to complaints dept as per online instructions.

Fingers crossed.

OP posts:

Original poster

LilaThePink · 20/06/2021 10:34

What are the chances of a full or partial refund of fees for all this nonsense?

It feels so unfair.

OP posts:

Febo24 · 20/06/2021 10:40

You will have a bigger fight regarding fees, I would focus on achieving an improvement to the next couple of years.

And if you stay with the course, seriously engage with the student voice element. Get a rep, voice your concerns through them and get it all minuted.

thereinmadnesslies · 20/06/2021 10:52

If you have received teaching, it’s highly unlikely that you will get a full refund. It’s more likely that they will seek to put things right, such as extra teaching for missed content.

Original poster

LilaThePink · 20/06/2021 10:52

if you stay with the course, seriously engage with the student voice element. Get a rep, voice your concerns through them and get it all minuted

The thing is, I haven't really got time for getting involved. I work 40 hour weeks with approx 60 hours overtime a month. I need to study if I want to pass this course and I really do, I've also got 2 teenagers, 2 dogs and a DP who would like to see me occasionally, other than the back of my head in front of a screen.

OP posts:

LateAtTate · 20/06/2021 11:01

Also try posting/searching on The Student Room - it’s the most active student forum and most people looking to do a course search here for reviews. A thread about how bad the course is does a lot of damage here.

The uni I mentioned had many people go off it because of a thread on there

LateAtTate · 20/06/2021 11:05

@LilaThePink

if you stay with the course, seriously engage with the student voice element. Get a rep, voice your concerns through them and get it all minuted

That’s perfectly understandable. I never understood why students aren’t treated like consumers when it comes to customer service - only when unis want our money. Student reps, student bodies etc etc may be all well and good if you’re an undergraduate looking to beef up your CV. But as a part time student you barely have any time to do your course itself let alone all these extras. And because the choice is so limited for any specific degree the unis offering distance learning have the power and they know it.

LateAtTate · 20/06/2021 11:06

Also adding @LilaThePink sorry for the long posts but this is likely to happen to me too - I’ve been researching part time degrees and almost all of them have similar issues...

Febo24 · 20/06/2021 11:06

Sorry, not for you to do it. But make sure there is a rep, you know who they are, and that they engage with the opportunities to feedback etc.

TheDevils · 20/06/2021 11:11

You absolutely should complain. I'm a university academic and I run a masters programme and this really isn't acceptable.
I have a strict set of policies and procedures which I have to follow with regards marking and assessment - I have to turn it around within 3 weeks. I set my timetable the start of each term and any major changes to the programme have go through a validation process and if the changes impact current students then they need to be consulted.

Most universities have a 3 stage complaints process. Stage one is direct to your department and they will try to address it at departmental level. If you aren't happy you can take it to stage two which usually involves registry and stage 3 goes to the vice chancellors office.
There is an additional stage which involves going to the office of independent adjudicators but universities will go to huge efforts to rectify any issues before this stage.
You should be able speak to the students union for advice.

4PawsGood · 20/06/2021 11:19

I don’t think it would take that much time to message other students and ask them to send concerns to the student rep? And then send your own?

LateAtTate · 20/06/2021 11:26

@4PawsGood

I don’t think it would take that much time to message other students and ask them to send concerns to the student rep? And then send your own?

OP’s already stated that she will message the other students.

Being a ‘student rep’ is a completely different thing and I personally take umbrage at the idea. Like any normal business universities should have people trained to deal with these things. Not dump the responsibility onto a student who is paying for the service.

4PawsGood · 20/06/2021 12:45

No one suggested she should be a student rep?

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