DD considering dropping out of MFL & business degree after Y1

[northender]

So dd is doing German, Spanish & Business & is at the end of her first year. The numbers doing German are v low & they were only offering 3 optional modules compared to 7 or 8 for French & Spanish. She had settled on her choice only to be told that it's being withdrawn due to low numbers. The other options are Dutch which would mean 4 more end of year exams or one focused on Art & literature which is just not her bag. She appears to have little option other than doing a module that she really doesn't want to do or to drop out for a year & consider her options (she would have to stay there and work as she is committed to a house for the year)
I don't know whether there is any process to appeal the withdrawal of the module or how likely that would be to succeed. She doesn't want to feel she has wasted the year & the cost/debt but also doesn't want to keep going for the sake of it & rack up more debt. I've no idea what to advise & feel pretty helpless.

What uni only offers 3 option modules for German? Is this meant to be a full degree or an add on to Business?

It's Newcastle & business is the add on to MFL. German a third, Spanish a third, Business a third. I'm so angry on her behalf

I'd appreciate any advice. The module she had chosen has only just been pulled, she has tried an informal challenge with the MFL lead but I feel there must be somewhere else she coul go with an appeal. It seems very unfair

Just heads up that if she’s in a student house but working council tax will be due…

Briefly - appealing won't make it viable if only 4 others have picked it - HE has absolutely no money to pay someone to deliver to such a small group. However is there the possibility of picking from a third year module? Otherwise to be blunt I'd advise her to suck it up. It's one module. Sometimes we have to do stuff we don't like. Not worth wasting £20k over - and dropping out now would be a waste.

I’m just wondering if the options are pared down? This is three subjects so depth must be limited. At DDs old uni it’s Management and German. One MFL only but options seem limited because they are matched to Management. So not the number the pure MFL students get.

Just one module pulled?

It isn't ideal but she'd be wise to consider whether it is really worth throwing in the towel. Surely doing one module she doesn't like is the better option, as she's throwing away a year's fees + maintenance loan.

Has she spoken to her supervisor and course rep? Are there no options in other departments?

I don't think you can do anything, she's an adult, but you being angry is going to fuel her anger, which won't help her make a sensible choice.

That's ridiculous they should refund her

Have they withdrawn the German language module for that level? Because it's really off it they have. If they've withdrawn something like German Film, that's different. I just wondered because you said she could choose between Dutch and "Art and Literature".
Can she drop the German completely if she doesn't want to do either of those modules? And take more Spanish modules?
She really needs to have a conversation with her personal tutor (or whoever her contact person is) about what her options are.
I don't think she should drop out at this stage - she might have to do one of those two options and just get on with it unfortunately.

No chance re appealing the module, forget that. If she feels the Dutch is too laborious she'll have to suck up the Art and Literature and make the best of it. Okay it's not her thing but it's hardly worth throwing away two years of her life for, come on.

So is it that there will be no German modules at all or that they’re dropping just one module?
If it’s the former then that’s taking the piss and it’s a late stage in the game to be removing an entire subject. If it’s latter I’d be saying to suck it up and take the alternative module or, at a push, ask if the university can arrange for her to attend an equivalent module at a nearby university like Durham, assuming it can fit with her existing modules. Dropping out for the sake of a single module is quite extreme.

Dropping out for the sake of a single module is quite extreme. This. It is not uncommon to have to do one shit less enjoyable module.

I agree with others, she may just have to suck it up. What module has been dropped and what is the A&L module? Is it German? I presume there are other compulsory German modules?

What was the one she wanted to do? Could she pick it up as a focus in her dissertation maybe?

I agree there is no point appealing. What can the uni do - it won't run a module with too few ppl. Dd had something she longed to do in her final year but wasn't allocated it - turned out not enough people chose it. Luckily she was able to work on it in a different way - which is why I suggested your dd consider her diss.

Thanks for all your replies. The German language module is running & is compulsory. The optional German modules are Dutch & the German Art/literature one. Her personal tutor is the lecturer who should've been delivering the withdrawn module. She has been really supportive. One option may be to do a French module as she has A level French too.
She signed up for a course with 6 optional y2 modules, which was reduced to 3 and now 2. She would've chosen French if that was known from the outset. For context, the assessment profile of her Y1 modules (across the board) has been 80% exams, 20% group work, no essay writing or chance to demonstrate critical thinking so not exactly what she was expecting. She has struggled & this feels like the final straw for her.
I hope she finds a way to continue.

I suppose what I'm trying to say is that she wouldn't be withdrawing because of one module, the German part of the degree has been beset with problems already but she has really gritted her teeth & got through. She'll weigh up her options & come to the best decision for her

I am very sorry to hear this and feel for your DD but I am not surprised in the least - particularly as the affected module is German. Language degrees are being culled so much (abolished in some unis altogether) and even the RG unis such as Newcastle (always respected for languages) are now cost-cutting by reducing modules in every language apart from French and Spanish. It is an issue future language students need to be aware of, very regrettably. If in doubt, pick French or Spanish as they will have widest choice of modules. However, in your DD’s case, this is JUST ONE module and it would be absurd to drop out of uni because it is not her first choice! No point appealing either.

OP, considering your DD did French A-level only one year ago, could she drop German and join the ab initio French stream instead - the students doing French for past year (from scratch) will be at about her level now so she could slot straight in with them for Y2? Just a thought

There are only a tiny number of unis that allow TWO languages alongside business (33% Lang one, 33% Lang two, 33% business) - off the top of my head they are Birmingham, Nottingham, Newcastle, Leicester and Sheffield Hallam. Most unis only allow one Lang and business (50-50 split). In my view, if you love languages, go for pure MFL. A 33% business element does not make graduates more competitive - particularly as they often don’t choose business because they are interested in it; rather, because their school/college/parents think that a more directly vocational string should be added to MFL’s bow

That’s ridiculous. Optional (non-core) modules are never guaranteed - as every single uni website makes clear. The uni is not at fault here!

Oh sorry I assumed they were guaranteed.

Ignore me. Sorry

You can't just attend a different university. You haven't paid your fees there for a start.

This was the course she wanted to do, not because of advice from us or college. I just wish we knew then what we know now & she probably would've gone for French, Spanish & business instead, but hey ho.

Thanks, yes she's looking at that kind of option now or moving to an international business course with one language.

@OopsIhadbetternamechange I think the split means it’s too broad. I cannot see what is wrong with Art snd literature myself. Most DC at academic unis would expect this to be included!

I think one subject plus MFL is a lot more sensible. Or joint MFLs. Most training jobs will teach the business. DD did MFLs and now has to get involved with business/divorce finance. You definitely can learn!

@TizerorFizz I completely agree - splitting the degree three ways (either 2 languages plus business or 3 languages) means insufficient depth in my view. Joint honours or two languages is better. But I see so many students seeking to avoid the literature element (sadly) and opting for either business or a third language enables them to do that. Seems to be a trend :-(