During a Masters course at Sheffield Hallam University, it is expected that the teaching received and the facilities/software used would be of the highest standard. Particularly if said University was awarded University of the Year for Teaching Quality by The Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2020.

Multimedia Journalism, International Journalism and Sports Journalism masters students at Sheffield Hallam University have been subjected to not only 6 weeks of teaching lost to strikes, but have also lost out on significant opportunities like the NCTJ and covering the elections with ITV News.

The lack of support and guidance that we have received has significantly impacted upon our mental well-being. We understand that these are currently unprecedented times for everyone, having little to no guidance is incredibly stressful. Particularly when we are still expected to produce work that is at the same level as professional journalists, when lecturers themselves are very unsure.

We have instead been subjected to sub-par teaching standards and paying £7,200 for a course that does not even cover the basics that are part of the learning outcomes. We have not been offered work placements or screenings and we have had very few tutorials. How are we then expected to produce good quality and pay the full amount?

We as students at Sheffield Hallam want a partial refund for this course as there have been many noticeable flaws that have impacted our work quality. We also want the safety net policy to be implemented as well as additional support material to help us complete our assignments. This is a small request considering the amount we have to pay for these courses.

The purpose of this petition is to raise awareness and show support.