My university course sucks. Can I get my tuition fees back?

Question

I'm doing a part time MA in Film which I started September 2005.

It consists of 4 essays of 4000 words each and a 20,000 word dissertation. Although I have a choice of actually making a film instead of doing a written dissertation.

I have a film I want to make which is really the only reason I started this course. I figured if I was going to make a film, why not do it as part of a university course and get a degree out of it?

But the course was advertised as a 'Taught MA' and the only contact I had was 8 weeks of seminars at the start, doing 3 modules that were optional for me, and none had anything to do with film. My supervisor has little knowledge of film and I have had little contact with him. Plus they do not like lending me cameras when I have filming to do - I get them for very short amounts of time and must prove it is for academic work.

I can't believe I paid £3000 for this. If I drop out now, even at this relatively late stage, could I get my fees back?

"I don't see why you should. It was up to you to ask all the questions and get satisfactory answers before you coughed up the cash."

I asked "Is it a taught masters?" they said "Yes". That was a satisfactory answer. But they haven't delivered on that, that's the problem.

46&2 - I'm aware that most people make their way in film through sheer hard work and experience. That's what I'm doing. The film I'm making is above and beyond what is required for the course and will give me experience and something to show for it. If I can get an MA while I'm at it, then why not?

PhD - You're missing the point of the question. I may have had little contact with the supervisor during my MA, but I knew him during my undergrad years too and his specialty is not film, yet he was assigned as my supervisor. The previous film lecturer has left and they have not yet replaced him - I did not know he was leaving when I applied. Hence any film modules I could have chosen were not available when the course started and, as I said, there were only 3 on offer - literary theory, research methods and scholarly writing - nothing directly related to my work. I am passionate about film and have essays I want to write but have no suitable supervisor to guide me.

Answer 1

Well I had the very same problem on MA Fine Art. The course tutors didn't turn up for tutorials and when they turned up for seminars they were either asleep or drunk!!! NO lie. So I wrote to the Dean of Faculty and complained. He didn't respond, and I refused to pay the outstanding fees when I dropped off the course 10 weeks before the end. They tried to pursue those fees through a solicitor but I refused for three years. They didn't take it further. What I should have done, and regret, was write to the adjudicating board that monitor that college. You should do that!

I wasted £10,000 on that course - that is how much I had to borrow.

Good luck!

Answer 2

This is an easy question to answer: no, you cannot get your fees back!

It is clear from what you say in your question that you signed up for a taught film MA although in fact your only interest was the film you want to make. So you were setting yourself up for disappointment because what you wanted to do was not what you signed up for. It is a bit like going to the butcher's shop and being disappointed because they do not stock cream trifles!

If what you are doing is titled as a Film MA, then I find it hard to believe that all the modules you had to pick from had no relation to film. You seem to be very ready to judge a supervisor whom, by your own admission, you have had little contact with! On what basis do you judge him?

And of course you have to prove that cameras you wish to take out are to be used for academic work! After all, that is what you are supposed to be there for...

If I were you I would knuckle down, get on with the work that you need to complete, and emerge with an MA and perhaps, a little more humility! Next time you feel an urge to shoot a film, use the money you have for that purpose, rather than spending it on something that you do not seem to actually want.

Answer 3

Okay, firstly if you are going to complain with a view to getting your money back, you need to get a move on. The longer between shortfall and complaint, the more difficult it will be to justify that you have a case. Otherwise they may suspect that you simply don't like the course and are trying to swindle them.

The general committee for investigating students complaints is The Office of the Independent Adjudicator for Higher Education, or OIA for short (who can be found here: http://www.oiahe.org.uk/ ) HOWEVER... they will expect you to have pursued your complaint through your university's official complaints procedure first. This means that your first port of call should be your uni's website for your official complaints procedure (all unis have one). Unis should consider complaints relating to the "standards of academic provision (for example, the basic academic framework such as course design, content and structure; resources and facilities; arrangements for assessment; and information provided to you about your course)" as well as "dissatisfaction with the quality of supervision and tuition" and "deficiencies in standards of service". These all seem to relate quite well to your case. Now, most unis follow very similar complaints procedures:

-1- Informal complaint to tutor/staff member involved or staff-student committee. If no joy, then...
-2- Formal written complaint directed to the head of your school. If still no joy, then...
-3- Formal complaint at University level, usually done through the University Union, or through a Complaints Officer, who will then normally instantiate a *very* thorough investigation. Most complaints stop here. However, on the off-chance that you *still* have no joy, *then*...
-4- Formal complaint directed to the OIA.

Finally, if you do get an offer of being reimbursed, I wouldn't expect your entire fees back. They may insist on a pro rata refund, i.e. you've attended 20% of the course, therefore 80% of your fees will be refunded, or similar. Or they may offer you an alternative instead, such as starting another MA in the next academic year, although you may not be thrilled with this idea after all you've been through so far.

Anyway, I hope this is a bit more helpful than some of the answers you've had so far.

Answer 4

Fakulti Perubatan Ijazah (Doktor Perubatan) Period of Study : 5 years Fees : Approximately USD 9000

Answer 5

Well, your first problem seems that you went for a MA in Film. My best friends sister works in a big film studio in LA and when I visit her she learned everything cold-meaning off the streets-through people and experiences. I always asked her how she got so far with that and she claims that's how most of the movie makers are and that a few courses in udergrad was all that was need-the rest is up to individual stride and motivation. As fo a refund, check your school's policy.

Answer 6

I'm afraid you've got more chance of finding a freezing snowflake in the burning depths of hell than of getting your tuition fee refunded.

Answer 7

The important to unlock the power to make cash from house is locating the correct on-line interface for writers

Answer 8

I don't see why you should. It was up to you to ask all the questions and get satisfactory answers before you coughed up the cash.

Answer 9

I would contact your acidemic counsiler today. Do not wait. She/he will be able to answer this question for you.

Answer 10

yeah man storm the deans office with a shot gun and demand a refund and threaten him that you will blow him up along with whole building if you dont recieve it