University of Portsmouth — Local services in Portsmouth

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Poorly organised compartmentalised departments that don't talk to each other, show little interest in students, take your money and offer little. As an older student with an already established career, you can spot just how poorly ran the "business" is. It's possible that perhaps the younger students may just accept this as normal as they don't know any better.

As an remote learning , part time student already in full time employment , the courses were advertised as a flexible means of study. They are not. The online course I am on was aimed at established professionals that want to gain a degree in a flexible manner alongside their employment.

Once enrolled the dynamic soon shifts to you are a student, and your employment should not be your priority. This is a direct result of the compartments not talking with each other, and the university not having an operational strategy to operate a remote learning system. They have applied the rigid structure already in place to what should have had more flexibility as marketed.

In short, they have seen a potential market with the advancement of remote access and communication technology, taken money from people with the promise of a flexible means of study, and not thought about how it will be delivered; the slapped on the traditional university/student management approach is all they know.

There is also limited access to resources with most of the university library content not being available online. In fact there is more value in a subscription to Scribd for £10.99 per month than the university's library online content - a service I have had to use for assignments.

Following on with online access, as a part-time student with a full time employment priority, any spare time you get must be spent on your studies. Something not a problem as it is usually enjoyable to pursue continued professional development. However, on this occasion, the issue you'll face is when you do get an opportunity to spend time on your studies, you can't get access to the portal/system due to IT difficulties. As it stands, I am 3 weeks and still waiting on a resolution to not being able to access the university portals, due to an outdated security system in place and access is designed to be granted whilst on the campus network. Something the IT department will deny, but unofficially the staff will tell you over the phone.

As it stands I am committed to persevere through this dreadful experience to come out on the other side with something more than a very expensive headache.

I would give this 1 star if not for some of the friendly advisors I have dealt with.

If you're considering this university, learn to spot fake reviews and consider your options until you are certain there has been a vast improvement. As it stands, they are not up to scratch, and won't listen to any complaints...

I can wholeheartedly recommend the University of Portsmouth. As a mature student at the age of 37, hailing from Hungary and having lived in Portsmouth for the past 8 years, I am currently enrolled in the photography course, despite dealing with significant ADHD challenges.

My tutors have been nothing short of exceptional, boasting an impressive depth of knowledge. Dana and Jonathan possess an encyclopedic knowledge of renowned photographers' names. Whenever I bring up a project idea, they readily offer valuable insights to aid in its development. Initially, Roel might appear somewhat reserved, but once you get to know him, you'll discover his warm and caring nature.

I must also extend my gratitude to David, Billie, and Andy, who form the technical team. Their unwavering support has been instrumental in my journey through this course.

In my experience, I've found the University's community to be exceptionally supportive. As an individual with ADHD, handling critiques has never been my strong suit. Fortunately, my tutors have approached this challenge with remarkable patience. Despite my initial tendency to respond to feedback like a 4-year-old, replete with cynicism and sarcasm, Jonathan has consistently given me the space I need to process and react to their feedback when I'm ready.

Moreover, the open lines of communication with my tutors have been a tremendous asset. I've felt comfortable reaching out to them about a broad spectrum of topics. There were times when I doubted my abilities, feared I couldn't realize the projects I envisioned, and confided my deepest insecurities to them. In response, they offered open arms, a welcoming atmosphere, and invaluable assistance in bringing my ambitions to fruition.

I must also extend my gratitude to the Wellbeing team and ASDAC, as both of these departments have played a significant role in my journey with ADHD. Throughout my time here, I've consistently felt that the university offers outstanding support, creating a safe space where both my unique personality and I are truly valued.

I must also take a moment to acknowledge my classmates. These individuals could easily be my children in terms of age, yet they've not only welcomed me but provided unwavering support. Their kindness and care shine through as they lend a helping hand whenever I struggle to grasp a concept or find myself at a loss for words. In their company, I've found a sense of belonging, where we know each other by name, engage in heartfelt conversations, and openly share our fears and...

I would NOT recommend this university to anyone, they only care about getting money and not fulfilling their job. they will literally have any kind of student on their course, especially if they DON’T speak English! sadly there were several students who committed suicide and the university swept it under the rug, there was no emails or condolences, no support for mental health. the well being service is absolutely RUBBISH, I saw a horrific lady (Naomi) who was atrocious. the university was AWFUL regarding the covid period, they didn’t even offer to reimburse or reduce the costs of the fees. the vice chancellor, ‘GRAHAM GALBRAITH’ is an AWFUL RUDE man, he only cares about lining his pocket, he DOES NOT care about the students. I had a lecturer who was my tutor too, I informed her I was having suicidal thoughts, which ended up to me being hospitalised, she NEVER responded to my email, the university had done NOTHING about it. during my masters course, my class was full of Bangladeshi students who spoke NO ENGLISH, bearing in mind my course was based on the English language. they spoke their language during class and was very rude and distracting, I had spoken and written emails to (Nick) about this who simply disregarded it, which lead to me not attending class due to my stress levels and concentration being affected, especially my anxiety. I had a class where the lecturer ‘n vince’ arrived over half an hour late and brought alone a very loud and distracting child, she did not have the decency to apologise for her lateness, bearing in mind the classes are 45mins long. I have had communications with her on emails and her attitude stinks and she should not be a lecturer at all. I have voice my concerns to nathalie a ‘worker’ who was less then helpful and of course was biased towards the university. I was unfortunately one of the unlucky students who had to deal with the issues of ‘STANHOPE HOUSE’ which the university offered NO SUPPORT, when they said they would during a very stressful time. honestly I would not recommend this university to ANYONE. AVOID AVOID AVOID. parents of students, please don’t consider this university, it has severely damaged my mental health to the point that I was prescribed anti-depression medication. future students, for the sake of your sanity, mental health, concentration and stress levels please don’t even bother with this ‘university’ this university is an absolute joke and should be closed down for good. I am a...