Page 3 | Summer terms at uni - Is there any tuition?!!!

bamboowarrior · 2023-04-25T11:17:29+00:00

Am hearing reports that the third term doesn't really exist - that it's just reading week and exams- is this your experience/ understanding? When did it change?....

MrsCharlesFrere · 26/04/2023 08:45

TizerorFizz · 26/04/2023 07:47

One exam each? When did they start? Mid September?

Yes, started around 17th September.

Officially they have had 2 x 12 week terms, but that includes non contact weeks eg introduction week, a reading week and a writing week, so they have each had 2 x 9 weeks contact time!

There have been some assessed essays this term. Those plus this 1 exam are what the year is graded on.

MrsCharlesFrere · 26/04/2023 08:48

It's cost £15.5k for the two of them and was not the most expensive option by a long way at either Uni.

Neither wanted to stay because most friends are going home to save money!

EVHead · 26/04/2023 08:53

When I was at uni 40 years ago we were finished by mid-May and didn’t start up again until October. I got a job in between times.

CorsicaDreaming · 26/04/2023 09:21

@MrsCharlesFrere - I'd be interested to know what Uni that is - is it the UK and at UG level or Masters?

Our poor students seem to get assessed to death now - I feel the whole degree process seems to be geared to assessment rather than pedagogy tbh. It's a real shame.

phishfoodforlife · 26/04/2023 09:27

My lectures ended before my final student loan/fees payment. Nothing after the end of march except essay marking and maybe one tutorial if needed.

No exams to revise for, just assignments.

Most of us had gone home before we paid our summer term rent.

titchy · 26/04/2023 09:33

EVHead · 26/04/2023 08:53

When I was at uni 40 years ago we were finished by mid-May and didn’t start up again until October. I got a job in between times.

And you could get unemployment benefit in the holidays!

MrsCharlesFrere · 26/04/2023 09:48

CorsicaDreaming · 26/04/2023 09:21

@MrsCharlesFrere - I'd be interested to know what Uni that is - is it the UK and at UG level or Masters?

Our poor students seem to get assessed to death now - I feel the whole degree process seems to be geared to assessment rather than pedagogy tbh. It's a real shame.

Both are UK universities, 1 in London and the other in the South East. They are both in the first year of 3 year undergraduate courses.

Interestingly both unis have very similar approaches and formats although they are quite separate and the subjects are very different, although both Arts.

They both know in advance the question they will be answering in the exam but not which specific text / topic it will be on so are revising by answering the question multiple ways for each option. It's rather odd.

TearsforBeers · 26/04/2023 11:07

i wouldnt have a problem with this if they could only pay 2/3 of the tuition fee and only take 2/3 of any mainetance loas - but of course they can't ..

This is ridiculous comment.

Tuition fees aren't just paying for teaching hours in a classroom. Unless people don't want assignments and exams marked and moderated or exam boards to go ahead?

Not to mention other support such as careers, disability, well being etc.

YukoandHiro · 26/04/2023 11:09

"So what do students do between midmay and September??...."

Work to save up for next year, to travelling, enjoy being young and free of responsibilities.

God I'd love to go back, just for a short time...

TizerorFizz · 26/04/2023 11:58

@MrsCharlesFrere
Early start, early finish. It’s the new way!

MrsCharlesFrere · 26/04/2023 12:20

I guess so, this is it now, but I find it frustrating tbh. Some degrees could surely be condensed into 2 years so at least students can save a year of rent and living costs even if the tuition is increased proportionately.

DD has had a busy social life, attended her 6 hours pw contact time (!) and done so much work and reading along the way but still had time to spare.

phishfoodforlife · 26/04/2023 12:26

TearsforBeers · 26/04/2023 11:07

i wouldnt have a problem with this if they could only pay 2/3 of the tuition fee and only take 2/3 of any mainetance loas - but of course they can't ..

This is ridiculous comment.

Tuition fees aren't just paying for teaching hours in a classroom. Unless people don't want assignments and exams marked and moderated or exam boards to go ahead?

Not to mention other support such as careers, disability, well being etc.

What about halls though, students are paying a fortune for rooms most aren't using for a whole term! I can see why they're pissed off.

mast0650 · 26/04/2023 12:28

My son is at Lancaster and has quite a lot of teaching until half way through the 10 week term. First year.

I work at Oxford and it is a full term of teaching for everyone other than finalists. Second years mostly don't have exams and my own first years have exams just after the end of term. And even they get a fair bit of revision classes etc until the point where there exams start (half way through for my students).

VincentVaguer · 26/04/2023 12:54

MrsCharlesFrere · 26/04/2023 12:20

I guess so, this is it now, but I find it frustrating tbh. Some degrees could surely be condensed into 2 years so at least students can save a year of rent and living costs even if the tuition is increased proportionately.

DD has had a busy social life, attended her 6 hours pw contact time (!) and done so much work and reading along the way but still had time to spare.

My dd is in two sports teams, is getting steady 2.1s, has a huge social life and had so much free time she now works in Starbucks 2 days a week! Humanities degree at an RG uni.

TearsforBeers · 26/04/2023 12:55

What about halls though, students are paying a fortune for rooms most aren't using for a whole term! I can see why they're pissed off.

But this comment wasn't referring to halls though? They were specifically referring to tuition fees which are completely separate.

The accommodation issue isn't straightforward. Some people choose to use their rooms all term, others need to use their rooms and some choose to move home as soon as teaching/exams have finished. Ultimately it is clear when you sign your contract how many weeks you are paying for and the choice is yours whether you choose to use the room for that length of time.

titchy · 26/04/2023 12:56

MrsCharlesFrere · 26/04/2023 12:20

I guess so, this is it now, but I find it frustrating tbh. Some degrees could surely be condensed into 2 years so at least students can save a year of rent and living costs even if the tuition is increased proportionately.

DD has had a busy social life, attended her 6 hours pw contact time (!) and done so much work and reading along the way but still had time to spare.

And some places do offer accelerated degrees over two years.

MrsCharlesFrere · 26/04/2023 12:57

@VincentVaguer Exactly! When they can do all this on top of properly committing to their studies it suggests to me that the degree timeframe is being stretched unnecessarily. And at great cost.

Bapbap · 26/04/2023 12:57

TearsforBeers · 26/04/2023 12:55

What about halls though, students are paying a fortune for rooms most aren't using for a whole term! I can see why they're pissed off.

But this comment wasn't referring to halls though? They were specifically referring to tuition fees which are completely separate.

The accommodation issue isn't straightforward. Some people choose to use their rooms all term, others need to use their rooms and some choose to move home as soon as teaching/exams have finished. Ultimately it is clear when you sign your contract how many weeks you are paying for and the choice is yours whether you choose to use the room for that length of time.

It's impossible to justify. I'd imagine as students work through the system people will become more demanding about what they get for their money.

TearsforBeers · 26/04/2023 12:58

It's impossible to justify. I'd imagine as students work through the system people will become more demanding about what they get for their money.

That's already happening......

Bapbap · 26/04/2023 12:59

TearsforBeers · 26/04/2023 12:58

It's impossible to justify. I'd imagine as students work through the system people will become more demanding about what they get for their money.

That's already happening......

Good.

titchy · 26/04/2023 13:09

My dd is in two sports teams, is getting steady 2.1s, has a huge social life and had so much free time she now works in Starbucks 2 days a week! Humanities degree at an RG uni.

The expectation is that she puts in 30 hours a week self study/context time. That's still a lot of the week left for pt work, pubs and sport.

Or are you suggesting that people with FT jobs don't have enough time for overtime, hobbies or socialising?

VincentVaguer · 26/04/2023 13:25

titchy · 26/04/2023 13:09

My dd is in two sports teams, is getting steady 2.1s, has a huge social life and had so much free time she now works in Starbucks 2 days a week! Humanities degree at an RG uni.

The expectation is that she puts in 30 hours a week self study/context time. That's still a lot of the week left for pt work, pubs and sport.

Or are you suggesting that people with FT jobs don't have enough time for overtime, hobbies or socialising?

What? Who rattled your cage?

Skybluepinky · 26/04/2023 13:39

Depends which uni and which course, some gave teaching through to middle of August.

titchy · 26/04/2023 13:41

No cages rattled, just confused at your implication that your dc has so few hours she can do lots of stuff outside of studying. She could well be studying 30 hours a week and still have time for the same non-study activity!

CorsicaDreaming · 26/04/2023 13:48

@MrsCharlesFrere - wow, that does sound quite odd! My mind is now going into over drive thinking how that works.

I guess if you're doing English Lit you could have a question on the portrayal of race and racism within the novel, and then three novels from entirely different periods and genres... sounds fun but rather convoluted.

I wonder if it's to try and get round the issues now thrown up by Chat GPT ?