De Montfort University

I'm writing to voice my worries about the university's most recent adjustments to its academic regulations. Although I recognise the necessity of regulations, I think it's critical that they be applied consistently. I've learned that the institution changed its retake policy for modules this year. In the past, failing students had the chance to retake a module one year later. But it appears that this policy has altered without warning, which has an impact on present pupils. Numerous students—including those from abroad—invest a substantial amount of money in their education, frequently with the help of their families' savings. It is depressing to realise that these abrupt policy changes may prevent these youngsters from having an equal opportunity to achieve.

If you want to pursue BA Hons Fashion design; Firstly, you’re only paying the uk tuition fee or the international students fee to attend the sessions. You have to pay a lot for the projects, such as sketchbooks, paints, pencils, pattern makers, fabrics and printing. You do get a university bursary, one hundred and fifty for the first year, three hundred for the second year and five hundred for the final year. This doesn’t fully cover the whole year in comparison. Furthermore, depending on each lecturer, the design of teaching staff is poor. For instance, when it comes to getting criticism from feedback, half of it would be vague. Therefore, it would be difficult to act upon it for future projects. During the studio sessions, I get the impression that each lecturer has a favourite student and tends to work on their improvement, compared to the other students. As part of the course, we do digital sessions by creating CAD drawings and spec packs. The digital lecturers would often be frustrated if we were stuck on something or didn’t seem to get it straight away. Also, the final years has priority over the first and second year groups. Which is unfair as each year is important to graduate. In the studio, there are good facilities with three sewing rooms, a knitting room and loads of big tables to pattern cut, sketchbook work or even garment construction. The two sewing technicians are somewhat helpful, but it depends on who they are helping. This is because they are the only ones for first, second and final years. Personal tutors have never helped me or even stayed in contact to see how I was. During the year, the whole year group and the personal tutors had a meeting on what needed to be improved. All the students voiced their opinions on what needs to be improved. However, I get an Impression that, the personal tutors seem to be defensive and arguing their point, not being able to listen and help us all. Self-direct study is heavily used on this course as we would have to do our own research, sketches and illustrations. As well as the final pattern cut and final garment make. This is because all of the lecturers are vague, didn't seem to want to help you and didn't listen to understand what needs to be improved.

It's difficult to know where to start with this uni. I posted a review that didn't show up so I'm posting again now I have left the uni after 2 years and 2 different courses I have a very good idea of what it's like. This uni is in the bottom 10 on the current Guardian league tables for good reason. BE WARNED. Not just the course itself but the uni management, course leaders, course reps, mental health/autism services and DMU global have all been horrendous and I regret everything about coming here and am now transferred elsewhere. It feels less like a uni and more like a secondary school. This is due to the immature behaviour of students and classroom layouts of the course which is not usual for a university. It really did feel like going back to year 9 and considering I owe DMU almost £20000 from 2 years there it really leaves a bad taste in my mouth. I gave DMU another chance after the disaster of Concept and Comic art. I joined creative writing which was also a disaster. I believe this is a problem with the uni all around not just specific courses. Work is only nominated to be put forward as a vote of popularity contest and favouritism, rather than the content of the work. It's all unfair and based on which students are the most popular. You are frequently humiliated by your tutors and feedback is oftentimes completely unconstructive and negative. There are about a million different issues I have had with this uni that range from mildly irritating to shockingly illegal. There simply is not space on here to highlight everything but be assured that the uni simply DOES NOT CARE enough to do anything about seriously glaring concerns. When I brought concerns to a certain course rep I was blamed for having CPTSD and autism which is honestly a huge shock to me. Issues should be dealt with rather than pointing fingers at someone for having a disorder. Would you blame someone for being in a wheelchair or being deaf/blind? The treatment of those with mental health diagnosis has honestly been shocking. I suspect the uni will respond to this requesting a way to rectify things. But what I have learned that any feedback/complaints are ignored. I submitted plenty of feedback via course leaders, reps, surveys etc and even submitted two official complaints to the uni about the autism leader Claire Squires and the DMU global trip to Amsterdam due to the unprofessionalism involved in both. Including the group staff leaders deciding to stop us all to gawk at the body of a man who had DIED on the side of the road for 15 minutes and a DMU student on the trip who screamed extremely ableist things at me in public when we were in the middle of Amsterdam and harassed me the entire trip due to wearing a sunflower lanyard for being disabled. Those who wear sunflower lanyards beware. Because despite the fact uni hands them out they do NOTHING to prevent harassment for wearing one. I still have trauma from this months later and it's made me scared to ever go abroad again. But will the uni actually do anything or care about this? Absolutely not. Because they didn't care then, so won't care now. But every single time I gave the uni another chance or tried to voice my concerns absolutely nothing changed. In the words of another student the uni is "held together with duct tape." It looks impressive and shiny on the outside but inside you quickly realise this is nothing more than a for-profit business that does NOT care about students. As much as I and many others wish it otherwise this is the truth. Unless management is fundamentally changed at DMU nothing will ever change. So now the only reason I turned to Google reviews was because the uni refused to deal with the issues I brought to their attention. Hopefully by writing this review people will consider a different uni because quite frankly, DMU doesn't deserve a dime from anyone.

As someone has already mentioned, the Art degree course leader is always gossiping amongst the students and telling tales about 'specific' students, staff, technicians, and the university management itself. Sour unprofessional covert bullying by a very senior member of staff, stoking up involvement from 'students' where she can't officially be seen to take action herself. Students beware, if you become a teachers 'target'. Everyone on eggshells. #tutors #course #experience #management #staff #professional #lecturers

DO NOT GO HERE! Extremely Unprofessional Tutoring. Worst experiences. The main BA Fine Art / Contemporary Art Masters course leader gossips all the time and about other tutors' staff, the university, the management, the system, the course structures, and, worst of all- other students to the STUDENTS! Openly. Daily. It's so bad. Creates all sorts of tension within the staff and one huge cess pit of a toxic environment for students who feel let down and betrayed by staff leaders and the University as a result. Staff should not constantly trash talk about the University to students as routine. Blame passing. She also takes time off to prioritise personal work throughout the course at crucial times and doesn't give feedback on students' grades because too busy with her own work. DMU needs leaders who are not practising second careers elsewhere that can focus on the students as a priority. Moonlighting is bad for the students who need consistency, priority, and dedication. Sharing personal and private sensitive information and descretions about students should be kept STRICTLY in the staff room on a 'need to know' basis only. I'm horrified at the unnecessary stress and conflict and tears caused to students that we have witnessed. Go to Loughborough or Birmingham University instead. Far better. I'm just sad we found out the hard way how shocking the management behaviour is. #Poor #Lecturers, poor #value, #waste of #money, #fees, #studying, understand, #learn

An awful University. I can say the whole experience was a waste of time and money. Throughout Covid and lockdown lecturers provided very little help with work and had put barely any effort into teaching and the quality of the online lectures provided. In 2021, my course was classed as essential course by the government. The government had said that face-to-face teaching and practicals could resume for my course, however DMU still continued with everything being online, even in the final year of my course. Due to all three years of my degree being online I feel totally uneducated and unknowledgeable about the subject I have a degree in, and I don't even feel like I have enough knowledge to start a career in the subject I studied.