After a Year of Work I won't Obtain my Masters

LegacyUser

So I am doing my masters. All normal classes are done and were in summer term which is essentially 5 weeks of dissertation workshops. In recent weeks my finances and that of my family have taken a serious hit and ive been forced to work full time. I emailed course coordinator to tell him that I won't be able to attend the 5 weeks of workshops (they don't even go towards grade) and that I was sorry and explained my situation. His response was that I won't get my degree unless I attend them. The response has confused me, there is no grading towards participation and it all comes down to the dissertation. I am currently working from 7pm (when I get home from work) till 2am every night on my dissertation and working 9-5 every day. However, I can't take any time off work because I used all my off days getting my end of year assignments done. My girlfriend is a non-native and lost her job and I need to work to keep her in Ireland and added to that my dad is in debt and I'm working to try keep paying his repayments. I am just really upset with the course coordinators response. I've worked hard in the course all year, living on a pittance, and now everything is going to come to naught. The course coordinator advised that I should consider my options and speak with him. Theres no way I can quit my job. I would have been able to finish my dissertation though. 90 days until its due, 7 hours a night is over 630 hours of work and would have been sufficient. However now, I am not going to get my degree because I can't attend 5 seminars which aren't even counted towards my grade.

Merkin

This is too important a matter to be discussed through email. You need to go and have a face-to-face meeting with your course coordinator as soon as possible so you can reach a suitable compromise between you.

Does work know about the Masters? Is there a possibility of them allowing you to work flexi? Have you any holiday entitlements or does your company offer a study leave option? There will be a way around this but you do need to go and speak to the decision makers face to face.

Emme

Talk to your course co-ordinator face-to-face and if necessary speak to somebody over him such as the dean of the faculty or head of school. You have shown resolve and determination with all that is going on in your life.

judgefudge

I would go straight to your student advisor. From experience I have found them to be generally more accommodating than supervisors or co-ordinators.

Koptain Liverpool

As mentioned you should arrange a face to face meeting with your course coordinator straight away to clarify the situation.

Also check the official requirements for the Master's your doing. If there are no grades for attending the workshops then I don't imagine that missing them will affect your grade directly.

As long as you have completed the classes/exams and submit your dissertation on time I think you'll have fulfilled the course requirements and will be graded solely on your submitted work.

The course coordinator may not like that you miss the workshops but that's really none of his concern if you get the required work submitted.

Of course this doesn't apply if the MA guidelines state that attendance at the workshops is mandatory to pass.

P. Breathnach

If attendance at the workshops is mandatory there should, in fairness, be some opportunity to make up for missing them - perhaps by attending other workshops at a future date. It might mean deferring your graduation, but that is a great deal better than losing your degree.

Sometimes course directors lack the vision and flexibility to see that other dimensions of students' lives are also important. You might need to invoke the assistance of a student advisor, tutor, head of school, or whatever (these things vary greatly from one institution to another).

thalia_13

Definitely talk to the student advisor or the headof your department.

One thing stood out, you say your gf is non-native and you are working to keep her here. Does that mean you are in the middle if a visa process? Or is it she is unemployed and you are paying her keep?

It seems you are working all hours god gives you to pay for your dads debts and for your girlfriend to stay unemployed.
Why cant she get off her bum and find a job, if its not a visa imposed unemployment, she should be doing all she can to alleviate this pressure you are under.
And this may sound selfish but your dad is a grown man and if he big enough and bold enough to run up these debts, he should be big enough to pay them himself. Why are you paying towards them? Did he run up these debts paying for your college education?

Seriously though, look at all the stress and pressure you are putting on yourself, working full time only for it all to be soaked up by people leeching on your good nature...

LegacyUser

thalia_13 wrote: »

Definitely talk to the student advisor or the headof your department.

One thing stood out, you say your gf is non-native and you are working to keep her here. Does that mean you are in the middle if a visa process? Or is it she is unemployed and you are paying her keep?

It seems you are working all hours god gives you to pay for your dads debts and for your girlfriend to stay unemployed.
Why cant she get off her bum and find a job, if its not a visa imposed unemployment, she should be doing all she can to alleviate this pressure you are under.
And this may sound selfish but your dad is a grown man and if he big enough and bold enough to run up these debts, he should be big enough to pay them himself. Why are you paying towards them? Did he run up these debts paying for your college education?

Seriously though, look at all the stress and pressure you are putting on yourself, working full time only for it all to be soaked up by people leeching on your good nature...

Hey guys,

My girlfriend is out searching for a job everyday its not like shes just sitting at home enjoying being unemployed. My dad, is in serious debt and has been a very good man. He paid for years of my education including this masters and would move the earth to ensure that we all got what we wanted as kids. My brother and my younger sister are also working to support him and I'm not going to cut off my dad for a degree.

I don't think anyones leeching on my good nature. My dad has had a mild heart attack recently because hes under so much financial stress and other than 2 weeks rest he is still going to work everyday to try keep his business. Meanwhile my girlfriend bursts into tears almost daily over her employment situation and spends hours commuting to places as far away as Kildare and Navan to try see if there are jobs.

To be honest I'm shocked at the lecturer. Another girl emailed the class to say she was going to miss 3 of the 5 seminars because shes away on vacation but shes got the all clear. Does it really matter if I miss two more than her? Especially considering my circumstances compared to hers. I'm beginning to think the lecturer doesn't like me.

Considering going to the student body about it. I mean why cant I just be judged on my actual dissertation? I emailed him asking if he could meet with me days ago and he still hasnt replied. Really feeling under pressure. And starting to feel angry.

LegacyUser

Is it possible that you misinterpreted what was said?

That rather than "If you do not attend you will automatically fail" he meant "If you do not attend these workshops you will not have the information on the proper structure and format for your dissertation and you will have no hope of passing".

I know my husband had to completely re-write his masters thesis last year becasue his thesis supervisor left during the year and he was working in the dark. (Part time course so the supervisor was the only point of contact). There was nothing wrong with the work he had done, he just was not presenting in the format that his college wanted.

The fact that your classmate got the ok to only attend 2 workshops makes me think that is the case, she'll hopefully pick up what she needs to in this 2 sessions, and maybe has made arrangements to get notes from someone, or meet with the supervisor when she gets back or whatever.

I think you are putting yourself under a lot of pressure and panicing. I defintely talk to someone and clarify what was meant.

pauliebdub

nomaster1 wrote: »

I emailed him asking if he could meet with me days ago and he still hasnt replied.

It's a very urgent issue so i would stop emailing and start phoning him instead to arrange a meeting. Ring several times a day.

Boombastic

Go talk to your course coordinator. Long Term, you will be in a better position to help your dad out financially if you get your masters. can you take the days off work the workshops are on?

thalia_13

Ok sorry for saying they were leeching off you, from the intial post thats the impression I got.

Call into the college, emails get put on the long finger by staff if it requires alot of work. Go in and find out what can be done. Surely this workshop can be skipped if its only a deemed extra and not something required to pass.
Especially if a class mate is able to skip them too.

Good luck to you, and fair play to you for all the support you are giving your dad and partner at the moment. It must be exhausting working so much on top of college

judgefudge

I can't recommend going to the student advisor enough! They are there to look after the welfare of their students, whereas supervisors are sometimes so involved in what they are researching that they think everyone else should be too.

If there are no credits going for these modules and another girl has gotten away with missing 3 for a holiday, I can't imagine there will be any issues for you. Try not to worry about it. Go in and talk to someone ASAP to put your mind at ease

Emme

nomaster1 wrote: »

HConsidering going to the student body about it. I mean why cant I just be judged on my actual dissertation? I emailed him asking if he could meet with me days ago and he still hasnt replied. Really feeling under pressure. And starting to feel angry.

If your course co-ordinator still hasn't answered your email go over his head and don't waste any time. Point out that somebody else in your class (don't name names) will be missing 3 sessions but will still get her exams. Point out that you are in hardship and that you have responsibilities outside college.

I can't believe your course co-ordinator's attitude. I work in a college and the lecturers here would bend over backwards for students.

Does your college have a student charter? I would check that out. Also a session with student counselling might help. Don't let your course co-ordinator stop you getting your masters.

As somebody else pointed out you will be in a better position to support yourself and help your Dad when you get your masters.

Is your girlfriend entitled to any benefits she might not be claiming?

Merkin

STOP with the emails! You need to have a face-to-face discussion as soon as possible or if that is not feasible at least a decent chat on the phone. I have no doubt whatsoever you will get this sorted so have that conversation today to put your mind at ease hon.