<nettime> Awful education at HRC Westminster University

["wit-forum" <fred.mac@wit-forum.co.uk>]

The Worst Media Studies Course in the world.

www.fmcgrath.dircon.co.uk/mysite/hrc/hrc.htm



Hi Gilson


You ask me why I wouldn't recommend the HyperMedia (HRC) MA at Westminster
University, well that is a good question! I could write at some length on
the subject, I'll try to keep it brief, but you did ask. I can't stand idly
by knowing you could be wasting a lot of time and money without warning you.


My experiences of the 'School of Media' were sterotyphical of the criticisms
I've read in the more enlightened press: trendy, trivial and minor. But
things were worse, the staff I meet weren't technically fluent, couldn't
answer simple questions,never answered e-mails or phone calls and didn't
care about the course or the students. The staff would regulalry fail to
turn up to give lectures or arrive late and unprepared (like they had left a
burning building).The technical equipment (computers, video equipment etc.)
were badly maintained, broken or difficult or impossible to get access to.

The whole course was disorganized and and unplanned: it had no backbone,
soul or heart: "there was no--there--there".

 The campus is a long way from central London (about 20 miles), our
postgraduate room was uncomfortable and badly ventilated so most of the
other students on the course stayed away, consequently, there was no sense
of community, no debate or exchange with others. Otherwise everything was
fine!

Courses are offered to seduce students and  obtain their fees, not primarily
to educate them. The head of the University earns over 110,000 pounds
stearling/year so students are a fiscal necessity regardless of their
suitabiliy for their choosen course and there is a pressure on staff to
continually come up with new courses titles to attract more students
--"Cognitive CyberStudies and NeddleWork".

Students are attracted to careers in "The Media",  they are prepared to put
up with a second rate service for the glamour and fame such a career could
offer. They are less likely to complain and make a fuss, consequently, staff
aren't kept on their toes and standards slip.

I dropped-out of the course and submitted a lengthy official complaint
which was ignored, it would appear the unhappy student has a very
unclear legal position when in contention with a university: the university
is a law unto itself and decides the validity of a complaint internally.
Foriegn students are particularly vunerable, they may not be able to stay
in the UK for extended periods to pursue a dispute. This unfair position is
something I intend to expose, and in my own small way, make the world a
better place for the disempowered student, the legal relationship between a
student and university should be contracturally enforceable, the terms and
conditions of the contract should be clearly written down and understood by
both sides, is isn't now.


Others students on the MA course, and students from other departments were
also very disappointed by the attitude of the staff and the level of service
delivered by the university. In the bar afer a few drinks, one student asked
a member of staff where her course fees were going, she was told "most of it
will go up my nose!"


I would NOT recommend a course on E-Commerce, the subject is very young and
subject to change. I can't see how any staff member I know could be familiar
with the subject. I have attended a number of free E-commerce seminars and
the subject changes on a weekly basis. This subject may be more efficiently
pursued on a marketing course or a basic HTML course.

The course is very poor value, fees are about 7,000 pounds sterling, you
would make more progress working for an IT company for no pay, attending
free industry seminars and reading books/magazines at home.

If it is too late for you then --- enroll on the course but don't pay the
fees untill you are happy with the service delivered, many students didn't
 pay and left.

The reason students didn't pay the course fees was because the college
literature indicated sponsorship would be sought by the department, this
promise was not delivered. I tryed bringing up the subject with Richard
Barbrock:
he just wasn't interested the times I met him in the bar he was so drunk he
was uninteligible.

In order to ensure you receive an  unbiased description of the course I
intend to circulate this e-mail widely and if anyone disagrees with the
content they can let you know. I have had my email blocked by the department
so this my not work.

I hope this has been of some help, if you have any futher queries don't
hesitate to get in touch.

Best regards

Frank Mcgrath

See

----------------------------------------------
From: Tufnell Park N.London ( hub of the universe )
----------------------------------------------


---------------------------------------------------------------------------
 > Dear Frank,

 > Thank you very much but I don't think that I have time to change now,
 > how about the Msc E-Commerce do you know anything about? I'll try more
 > information about and if you can tell me why you found it
 > unsatisfactory I would like to know.



Gilson Teixeira

--- frank mcgrath <fmcgrath@dircon.co.uk> escreveu:
> >
> >
> > Hi
> >
> >
> > I just received an e-mail from Nick Lawerence, he
> > tells me you are
> > interested in the MA HyperMedia course at
> > Westminster University. I was on
> > the course and found the it unsatisfactory, I
> > wouldn't recommend it.
> >
> > There were two Brazilians on the course, I'll try to
> > find their e-mail
> > address for you and they can pass on their views to
> > you.
> >
> >
> > Regards
> >
> > Frank McGrath

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