Job Discussion Forums

[Miyazaki]

I was reading the news and came across an article recently about The University of Southern Queensland. I was not surprised by the closing of this campus at all.

The University of Southern Queensland Dubai Campus Forced to Close Due to Excessive Student Complaints

I really have had a a number of bad experiences as a student with this school in the Applied Linguistics program.

First I've had assignments that were never returned to me. The assignments that I did get back were returned late and after the due date for the submission of the next assignments. Consequently, I didn't have the feedback from the preceeding assignment to use in order to improve my next assignments.

Furthermore, the feedback that I have received on my assignments has been next to nothing - completely useless, actually.

Next, upon further investigation, I found out that my assignments were not even graded by the instructor of the course but sent out to markers who do are not even teachers at The University of Sourthen Queensland.

Overall, I give this school a big thumbs down in the quality of the program and the quality of customer service.

I now regret not going to another school.

[Gordon]

You sound much like a poster, by the name of Rice Paddy Daddy. Seems you have a chip on your shoulder about the school too.
I am now finishing my degree with them and have had a great experience. A lot of work, nothing like you describe.
A diploma mill? Not even close.

[Miyazaki]

Did you not read my post.

I have had very bad experiences with this university.

Please explain why I have a 'chip on my shoulder' after paying high fees and not being provided with quality service.

You don't make sense.

[Gordon]

I guess we have had very differing experiences. Granted, assignments take too long to mark in my opinion as well. I think the quality of materials and assignments is good and I have recommended them to a number of friends. Certainly no school is perfect, but I do not regret studying with them. When I have had a problem I found they were quite flexible and willing to make special allowances.
I am sorry you had bad experiences. I take back the remark about the chip on the shoulder though.

[donfan]

I did my Bachelor's degree there and found it to be a quality university.

[Miyazaki]

Gordan,

Fair enough.

I see that there are people who've had positive experiences as well.

I'm wondering if my cases has just been the unlucky exception or if it there is a trend to the low quality of customer serivce with this school.

The University of Southern Queensland has caused me nothing but grief and I'm thinking about taking legal action against them.

If they're not going to provide me with qualified instructors and proper and timely feedback, then give me my money back and I'll go and study somewhere else.

I heard Maquarie is pretty good - anyone have comments on this school?

Also LaTrobe I heard was okay.

[Aramas]

I'm currently doing a distance BA through Macquarie, and my cousin did her degree on campus there.

An important thing to bear in mind with MQU is that their distance education courses consist of 99% online content. Some subjects have lectures on CD, but most only provide online course notes and masses of PDF files. Assignments are submitted by email in Word format, but the marked assignments are posted back promptly. I can't help but get the feeling that they are milking it for every Australian Peso that they can get, but it's still early days for online education and there's always room for improvement.

However, that said, the course notes are of consistently high quality, and the instructors are helpful, knowledgeable and accessable (via the subject forums). Overall I recommend it.

In contrast, Griffith Uni is more old-school, and posts out reams of paper containing everything you need apart from the textbooks. The subjects can be completed without even accessing the internet. I had no luck at all contacting the tutors, although the comments on marked assignments were helpful. Luddites and old farts are usually happy with GU's approach, though I found it too 'distant' for my tastes. A former flatmate is in his final year of an engineering degree (on campus) there and he seems quite satisfied.

I have also heard good things about the external education program at UNE (my mother did her BA there), and the MA in Applied Linguistics that Monash Uni offers through OUA.

[sojourner]

Miyazaki,

Sorry to hear about your experiences at USQ.What degree are you currently enrolled in ? How many units have you completed ? It might be possible to transfer to another university AND also to receive full credit for the units that you have already completed.

Re Applied Linguistics, one Australian university that has a good reputation in that discipline is Macquarie University. Check their website, and follow the links to the M.App.Ling. programme. In your studies, have you ever come across the name of David Nunan ? He's well known in the field of SLA research - he was once on the teaching staff at Macquarie.

As for your problems with USQ, before taking legal action, you should contact the university ombudsman's office. Also, it might be worthwhile to send a letter to Dr Brendan Nelson, the Federal Minister of Education, outlining your problems with USQ. Do a google search for his address.

Regards,

Peter