Is this fair [part 2]?
 

In another edition of "my life is blowing up in my face and it's nobody's fault but mine except that doesn't seem right either", I've now run into problems with the faculty I study in at my university. As part of my degree, I study a foreign language as one of my two disciplines, and so my degree runs thusly:

1st year
2nd year
3rd year (abroad)
4th year
5th year

I recently completed my 4th year and am starting my 5th and final year in September. Ahead of 4th year starting, we had a meeting where the layout of the next two years was explained. Each year we have to study 120 credits, so 240 credits over the two years for the German department. We were told that 60/120 credits each year would be taken up by German language classes, and the remaining 60 would be doled out between overall performance (20 credits), and the remaining 40 credits would in 4th year be dictated by two courses (20 on each one) and in 5th year would be on one course (20 credits) and the other 20 would be decided by a final Speaking exam, in lieu of doing one in 4th year. We were told that the three courses (2x 20 credits in 4th year, 1x 20 credits in 5th year) were option courses, so we would get to indicate preferences and we would be assigned courses based on our choices. Of these three courses, two had to be 'German' courses, and this was explained to us as being two courses taught by German staff and one course from any subject within in the Modern Languages faculty.

So, last year I studied Faust II and Vampires & Vampirism to fulfill the 'German' requirements. Both were taught by German lecturers. Neither were taught in German and both were open to all Modern Languages students (i.e. someone doing their non-'language' course could choose to do it in either of these courses) so I was led to believe that I had fulfilled my two 'German' course requirements and had a free choice this year - so I wished to study Beginners Russian as it will help with my dissertation and I think would look great on a CV (I've studied some Russian before which helps too)... I've since been informed by the secretary that the Vampires course is considered Comparative Literature and not German, despite the fact it was taught by a German lecturer (there are only 3 of them at my uni) and it followed the exact same entry requirements as the Faust course - so I have been placed on a German Film course instead of Russian. Now, don't get me wrong, I'm sure I would love the film course - but here's the bitter irony - it's taught by the same lecturer who did the Vampires course. A lot of toing and froing went on before the secretary deferred me to the lecturer who replied at the weekend saying she would "try and sort this out" which doesn't exactly inspire me with confidence. I've since informed all of the others who took the Vampires course what's happening and they're all angry too. We were led to believe we were fulfilling our German requirements and now we're being told that isn't the case. I enjoyed that course but there is no way I'm sticking that on a CV! Sent the lecturer a reminder email today so hopefully this will be resolved today in my favour but I am really sick of petty middle management misleading me with policies that don't match up with what we're being told face to face. :mad:!

...no it's not fair Zee but something not too dissimilar happened with one of my sons and unfortunately there was little he could do in his case but he and some others did get a part refund on their fees for that year, which wasn't that much consolation for his stress at the time....I hope it's resolved today for you ok....


..I don't mean to make light of it because I honestly feel for you and all the rubbish thrown at you, which I actually think you're handling really well btw but have you watched the Curious Case of Benjamin Button and the 'lightening guy' who was struck 7 times or something...strangely he sprung to mind when I read your thread...

****ing Twilight.

Yeah I've seen it :laugh: it's just one pointless disaster after another... probably doesn't help that I'm of a nervous disposition anyway, I'm forever worrying about things going wrong (because they always seem to) and such... :(

..one of the good things though is the crabs is starting to look like one of your high points, so there's always a bit of positive to everything I guess...

:laugh3:

awww Greg :hug:

At least it gave me purpose, you know? Like, what am I going to do today, oh I know, I'm going back to the doctor and covering myself head to toe in cream and not showering for another 8 hours. It passed the time. It was a hobby, almost.

..yeah, I can see that Zee, almost like a family pet really..maybe it all started to go wrong when you lost that pet..I don't know, they might have in someway been your lucky charm and protected you from evils and now you don't have them some of the bad luck is happening...

But yeah, your university sounds ****. Demand a refund if they can't sort it out.

:( I've made a huge mistake... no wonder I'm so crabby nowadays, just trying to fill the void...

..it's a shame you didn't keep some little specimens in a jar, then you could have put them in the books before you sent them back...I think that might have made you feel slightly better about it, to not be the only one feeling crabby atm...

:laugh2:! That reminded me of that news story about someone finding mediaeval plague scabs in the pages of a library book I think it was... something like that anyway!

Ouch. That royally sucks. I'll repeat what I said in the other thead: talk to your personal tutor rather than just the lecturer concerned and department staff. If you can get someone working on your behalf and navigating the bureaucracy from within it really helps.

I don't even have a personal tutor, the university has completely failed me in that respect throughout my academic career - I was assigned one but he was absolutely terrible at his job, he would never reply to emails, was never in his office during his advertised office hour for seeing students and ultimately I filed a complaint and got switched to a new adviser, who I subsequently never met or had any correspondence with and then he left the university too - so now my adviser is listed as "Arts staff" and I do not have, to my knowledge, an actual adviser who is responsible for me. I don't even know who I would contact about that; because the replacement adviser I was given after complaining about the first one was the head of the Arts faculty and now he's gone (temporarily - he will be back as head of faculty but his advising duties have been dissolved)...

Feeling very let down by the system! :/

Wow. That's appalling. I am genuinely shocked. They are absolutely failing in their pastoral duties.

Maybe, if it is affecting a group of you, putting a letter together to the vice-chancellor of the university might be a good idea.

Also: do you have an active student union? Might be worth seeking their advice.

Zee

Maybe you should work
climb a company
Its possible

He's already worked. He's* four years into a five year degree. That's a lot of time and effort invested.








*or she...I don't really know who people are on here yet, so my apologies for making that assumption if I am wrong.

Yes Very True


But for example he could have started serving in a McDonalds
at a low level and , by working hard
would now have a company car
and be High Paid Area Manager
getting other youngsters trained.

Thats Business Education and Fast Cash



Life In The City

I do have an active student union and I'm actually friends with the new student president of it, I'll get in touch with him and see if he can do anything or at least put me in touch with someone. It's pretty diabolical to be honest, the only reason I've never made a fuss is because I've never felt like I particularly needed an adviser, I've just struggled through any minor problems by myself or colluded with friends... But yeah this is affecting a few of us so unless the lecturer can sort it out today, I'll get everyone together and get in touch with someone higher up the chain.

That's my plan for sure. I've worked every summer since I was 17 at big companies and I've always had jobs during term time at uni too; so I think I've got a good balance... I'm going to a convention at the start of September to try and sell myself to certain companies, see if I can get myself a graduate job before I've even graduated :laugh:!

He :D it is always hard to tell if someone's username isn't their name, isn't it!