masters' students (current and former)

[hatstand]

how much informal/non-assessed feedback/assessment do you get during your course? I am getting a bit concerned that my course appears to involve a big fat zero. No essay writing, no tutorials, nothing, turn up to lectures, get on with the reading list, and that seems to be about it. I'm aware that I was spoilt as an undergrad and my Mphil (I collect them) where I had the delights of the Oxford tutorial system - essays to write every week and very often a tutor to myself for an hour. at most a tutor between 3 of us. Now I feel I've been cast into the wilderness. htf am I meant to know whether I'm heading for a big fat fail or a big fat distinction? any advice?

I think it all depends in your supervisor (and his/her moods). According to my student book, supervisors are expected to see you twice a term (first week and last one) but more than that it's up to the weather and the position of the Moon (this last thing was obviously not in the book ).

One of my supervisors was constantly "busy", another one was so damn right unconstructive and rude that I realised I was much better without his "help", the one of the final term was great and even suggested fixing meetings through out the term to insure I was right on track. So, it's a matter of luck.

BTW I got distinction so... I guess that after all, is up to you.

What about "future"? I'd love to do a masters' but not realistic for me right now with the 2 dcs being so young. How do you manage?

The load makes the donkey walk IYKWIM

don't really have a supervisor. have a personal tutur, but, lovely as she is she doesn;t teach any of my particular areas

Well, 2 years into a part time MSc and I am still to work out whether or not I have a tutor. We have a piece of coursework for each of the taught units, usually worth 30 - 40%, the only feedback we get is written notes on the coursework, a paragraph at most.

I'm looking forward to the delights of a thesis supervisor. The joy of being part time is you have effectivly assessed all of them as teachers by the time you get one assigned. I've already marked out which ones I'm going to request.

well still can't work out how I'm doing but have to say I have NO IDEA what half the other students are doing. I was in a lecture the other day and the lecturer asked if anyone had read a particular thing from the reading list and I was one of about 3 who had. Another girl said to me today - oh the work load's quite light - I haven't done any of the reading though. What exactly are these people doing all day?? I'm - just about - keeping up with the reading with two kids. Why are they bothering?!

I'm a past Masters student. I found the lack of assessment/feedback/general pats-on-head and kicks-up-bums on my course really astonishing, but I'd done my first degree at Oxford too (the masters was at London) and been thoroughly spoilt by the weekly tutes.

For one out of the 4 subjects on this Masters course, we had a kind of online tutorial and were supposed to write a mini-essay (although there was no penalty for not bothering) - the rest we just got the reading list, had the lectures and that was that.

I did the exam for all 4 subjects and just did my usual thing of cramming madly in the last few weeks and got a Merit (astoundingly, given how little I actually knew).

If you are getting stuck into the reading list properly, you will no doubt be doing fine .

hi carolina - when were you at Oxford? I was there 89-95. I'm in London now too - you weren't at LSE by any chance were you?

hi hatstand
I did a masters in SEN 4 years ago, part time over 2 years. I was astonished at how little feedback there was, any meetings were always set up by myself - I did feel very 'out there', and because pretty much everyone was working full time and had other life committments, there wasn't a lot of opportunity to get together and talk/discuss/debate etc like I remember during my undergrad degrees. I didn't really have a tutor the first year, not until I was doing my dissertation part of the degree. We did have an essay for each part of the course ( 3 each year) but even with that not a great deal of feedback, often just the grade. So frustrating
what degree are you doing this time? I would love to do another one, but no time at the moment, I love 'studying' but the time, the time just doesn't exist !

seems it's pretty much normal then. I'm doing a masters in public international law. and I need to spend every spare minute in the library so not much chance for chat either. I am finding some of the other students a bit perplexing. all of the lecturers encourage input and there are some people who just will not say a word. I'm getting increasingly intolerant in my old age. I think they should be thrown off if they won't participate (as should people who over-participate, you know the kind). In fact they should all be thrown off leaving just me and the lecturer. then I'll be happy.

I'm one of theose 'overparticipating' types. But in my defense can I say I'm a teacher, so there's nothing that annoys me more than the silent room when a question has been asked, so I always feel obliged to contribute. That and I can't abide poor spelling and grammer, so I make a point of pointing out mistakes on the class materials.

93-96. I did the Masters at Queen Mary, but it included a subject taught at the LSE .

There were a lot of silent lecturees on that course - I used to wonder if it was because English wasn't their first language and they didn't feel confident enough speaking it in front of the whole room, but maybe that was just what they'd been used to in their previous education.

in fairness I think you're probably right - LSE is something ridiculous like 70 per cent non UK now, 50 per cent non European, so the combination of language and different expectations probably accounts for a large part of it. I can remember what it's like to feel intimidated, as I used to when I did my MPhil - I was several years younger, not as well-read and less worldy wise than all the otehrs (though in retrospect I probably wasn't). Now I'm old and still no better-read or wiser but simply don;t care. rather make a twat of myself than throw several thousand punds down teh drain...