Failed

That sounds completely unfair, you should've been given at least a pass as they are given a marking scheme for grading your behaviour in the lab. My supervisor and I weren't the best of pals but he still gave me a 67. I suggest you contact the head of school or course leader to see if they can look into it further.

Seek out help as soon as you can so nothing gets delayed.

Omg I complained about her twice and the university are strongly on her side. She is one of the senior supervisors and high at the top so looks like everybody is scared to challenge her.
The other thing is all my marks was between 50 and 65 but anything she grades is 30.. which I find very odd. That was something the university also refused to comment on. However, failing me based on her negative feelings and personality. is not fair. I failed my whole masters because of her.

Although three people urged and warned me not to choose her for my project, I thought I did not want to judge her because I'm a very non-judgmental person. I had several issues with her from the start of the term, but I always kept it to myself with the hope she will change. I also kept in mind that it might be me not her, and was careful all the time adhering with all the rules and policies.
This supervisor gave me a set of instructions that I spent six weeks repeating over and over. She gave me so much feedback and advice that I repeated and followed them all step by step, but nothing worked for once. In my final week, I was still doing repeats of week one. But when I complained the university said I might not have followed them correctly and they can see how helpful she was.

When I complained about why I'm getting 30 through her and 50-67 on everything else, they refused comment because it's not their policy to question grades.

When I complained about failing me the lab element based on opinion the university said they discarded that and it will no longer have an effect on my grade.

In general, I think they failed me to keep their stats right. There must include a certain number of fails each year. I believe in myself I was very determined to pass this course because I had an offer so I compromised so much and cut down all my leisure activities to pass the course. but now I lost it all and I didnt even get my masters because of his witch

You haven't answered any of my questions, so I'll repeat:

1) Did you complain through your university's official formal complaints procedure? If not, then you didn't actually escalate the complaint to a level in which it would be further investigated.

2) Have you finished your masters or are you currently still enrolled on it?

3) I understand that you want to believe that universities have to fail a certain number of people as that idea is comforting to you, but that's just not true. Universities do not benefit from failing people.

Yes I did complain and the university was on the supervisor's side, they looked at emails she sent me containing advice and feedback and said to me she has been very helpful and my complaint accusations is unfunded. Even though none of her advice worked

I have finished my masters last summer but until now due to the corona virus still not got the award. I passed everything else but I failed the project. so I'm still enrolled and I can log in to my university website and read emails

Have you been contacted about whether you'll be awarded a PGDip in that case? Usually if you fail the dissertation element (or decide not to do it) then you get awarded the next highest award which would be a PGDip.

If you are still unhappy with the outcome of the complaint, you can take it to the OIAHE. I've never dealt with them personally, but you may have to discuss why the university didn't address your complaint properly.

I have attended all my lab sessions for my taught masters project my attendance was 100%, I kept all my work session clean, my manners were excellent, obeyed all the lab rules and my supervisor's rules. I had no complaint. However, at the very end I received a fail on that part. and the reason was because she "felt" I was not doing well. I had others warning me of this supervisor, so thanks for my phone I now have concrete proof of what she said.
I just want to know if is it right to fail a student like that based on feeling? Even if that laboratory part is only %10. Would that make it right?

My next step is to take a legal action, but please advice me.
Thank You

Ultimately this comes down to what are the requirements of the assessment, did you meet them.

The other stuff is basically treating it professionally which is good but is unlikely to carry much weight grade wise.

I would check the academic assessment criteria if you feel you have been marked unfairly, then gather evidence, highlight specifically where you have been marked down and complain through official channels.

Of course I met them. I had excellent attendance and lab performance, her procedures never worked for once the entire 6 weeks I repeat and repeat and repeat nothing worked. She basically thought I did not understand and failed me when it is her procedures that are messed up.

She doesn't have an evidence to fail me on, so her evidence is her negative feelings. I have a recording of her saying she failed me because she felt I did not understand what I was doing in the lab and because a she felt I did not know how to follow procedures..

That's why I want to take a legal action, you can't treat someone like that based on feelings. It is wrong and not fair... especially for someone like her who is also the Equality and diversity manager of the university.

If you have filed formal complaints and they haven't ended in your favour, then you can escalate it to the OIAHE. Once they have made their decision, it's basically final. If you then want to take legal action against the university/lecturer/whoever, you will need to know under what grounds you want to sue (which I presume is what you want to do), and what outcomes you'd like from your case. Unfortunately your recording won't be admissible in court if you recorded it without her consent.

If you take legal action, what do you want to happen from that? A mark increase?

it's under the ground that She judged me based on her feelings. I think that is enough reason to take her to court, isn't it?
I want her to learn a good lesson that in her work place she can't do that. Imagine if she did the same to every student.

You need to have legal grounds to sue someone, not just that you disagree with their academic judgement. Take a look at this link: https://www.contactlaw.co.uk/48-nolink-uk/areas-of-law/disputes/litigation/721-suing-and-the-law.html
Tbh, I don't think a solicitor would take your case, as you don't seem to have any legal grounds for your complaint.

What would you gain from going to court anyway? What outcome do you want? 'Teaching her a lesson' isn't an outcome, I'm talking about money etc.

Taking someone to court is an expensive process too, so you'd need to be prepared to pay all costs if you lost (which could reach thousands of pounds).

@Reality Check - I think your words of wisdom are needed here

it's under the ground that She judged me based on her feelings. I think that is enough reason to take her to court, isn't it?
I want her to learn a good lesson that in her work place she can't do that. Imagine if she did the same to every student.

Thanks for tagging me in, PF (and I love your avatar by the way). You've covered a lot of what I would have said already, so I'm only going to echo your excellent advice.

@python353 nearly every single post of yours mentions 'legal action', but you can't actual say on what grounds you'd be taking such action, and indeed what is 'actionable' here. That in your supervisor's academic judgement your work didn't come up to the mark and you failed? This isn't something for the courts. This post, in particular, is more revealing of your mindset:


This is nothing to do with you thinking you have an actionable claim. It's to do with vindictiveness and sour grapes. Spare me the whole 'I'm doing it for other students' - I've heard that a million times already.

Phoenix Fortune and mnot have both asked you pertinent questions which you have dodged. This matter is something which needs to be calmly and rationally discussed between you and your supervisor or department more generally. Throwing around threats of 'legal action' will not increase your mark, but are guaranteed to antagonise and alienate the very people you need to be working with constructively.

What questions did I dodge?? I have answered all their questions clearly.
Let's assume I was indeed not understanding what I was doing in the lab, why did she never mention this to me before so I can improve? Isn't part of supervision to speak to people about their under performance? Also, how about my time keeping, tidiness, being respectful all the time, obeying all policies, wearing PPE, doing everything she told me to do... All that is a fail too?
The ones who are dodging the questions is her. That's why I am here is to seek advice. Maybe the court isn't an option, but at least I can find out an advice. It is also surprise me why my grade average is 50-67 but anything she grades is 30? Come and tell me now, but she is supervisor why would she do that.. Malicious people are everywhere. She should answer her actions.

This time-keeping and stuff is irrelevant to your academic grades. You must get this out of your head as somehow relevant to your complaint. It isn't.

I think we've all said on this thread that if you don't believe the mark you have been given is academically justifiable, then you need to speak to her, or your department more generally about it and explain why you think it is wrong - calmly and rationally. In this thread, you've mentioned 'legal action' at every turn, and shown a desire for retribution and punishment - which is not constructive, and will not lead to the outcome you desire.

Fact.

Thanks for letting me know that legal action is not an option.
Do you understand that I am referring to a laboratory graded part, not the whole MSc project?
The laboratory graded part they take into account different factors such as student attendance, attitude, tidiness, etc and give marks based on all of them. She judged me on one factor, and that is her gut feelings.

That's why I'm questioning it.