University moving to block teaching while i'm on placement

One of the options I'm looking into is whether it would be possible to complete my placement year remotely while doing my 3rd year like the "4th year" option, but in my 3rd year. I'm not sure if I stand any likelihood of getting approved for this, but I've enquired with my course lead as to whether this could be an option for me.

I've already signed my contract for my placement- that's definitely going ahead - so I don't have the option to stay and complete the old system 3rd year either.

I think my options are:
Attempt to negotiate some exception to allow me to complete my placement and 3rd year next year
Negotiate on how the assessible criteria could be adapted to support the original 4-year remote final year structure.
Find another university that still does final major project in final year, or would be willing to facilitate me sitting final year remotely, that would take me after my placement ended.
Do my placement and sit 3rd year under the new education 2030 guidelines.
? unless you can think of anything else I could try

I get it now. Thanks for the clarifications!


I think that this would be the best outcome, and I think you should push for this. It is DMU's poor advice (for example, being told that the changes "wouldn't affect the structure of 3rd year that significantly") so they should be prepared to accept the consequences of their actions. Personally, I can't see why they'd object to this idea. That doesn't mean that they won't.


When you selected this course you did so based upon the information provided by the university, and there was an obvious implication that this description was accurate and would remain accurate during the duration of the course. Imagine signing-up for a 24-month mobile contract which had unlimited calls, texts and data - only to be told 12 months in they they've replaced the "texts" element with something else. What I'm saying is that the university have breached the (implied) contract you had with them by changing the structure of the course for existing students (not just new students joining). So, if you wanted to, you'd be perfectly within your rights to cancel the placement contract on the basis that the university has removed the option to undertake that placement and to then complete the current course.

I completely understand that you might not want to take that option (either because you don't want to break the contract, or because you were really looking forward to the placement), but don't rule it out as one of your available options. However, don't mention it as an option when negotiating with the university. You want them to think that you're locked-in to the placement (and only opted to do it based upon the poor advice which they gave), so they have to show flexibility by allowing you to do your 3rd year assignments during that placement year.


I think that covers it (other than possibly ditching the placement, which I know you feel you can't do).

I think you have a strong case for being allowed to do your 3rd-year assignments whilst on placement, but I'm not sure that means you'll be successful in your negotiation efforts.

When negotiating, remind them that "Some other versions of this were also possible like 1st > 2nd > Part of 3rd but gained a job part way through 3rd year, so completed 3rd remotely from their new company." All you're trying to do it reduce the part of the 3rd year spend at uni and increase the part spend remotely, whilst on placement (to 0% and 100% respectively).

Thinking about it, does your placement start on the same date that that your 3rd year at uni would start? If it's a couple of weeks later, you could actually start the 3rd year at uni, and then switch to the placement after a couple of weeks. This seems to fit the "gained a job part way through 3rd year" way of doing things, which they allow.

Good luck!

I'm on a Game Art course at De Montfort university and I am currently in my 2nd year. As far as I know, I'm the only person in my year to be going on placement next year. There's been talk about moving to block teaching next year under Education 2030 and my course got an exemption for next year, meaning my cohort will all complete 3rd year as normal under the old system. Under the old system, there was also room for people to complete 3rd year remotely by submitting work from their job or placement (if they had alreadu secured one). This works under the old (current) assessment criteria.

Yesterday, I was told under education 2030 I will no longer be able to stay on at my placement and complete remotely, and i'd be expected to return and sit 3rd year under the new (untested) education 2030 curriculum. This block teaching method is going to drastically overhaul the structure of our course, as previously it's been quite essential to complete modules concurrently in order to retain fundamental skills. So complete module overhaul, i'll be in the "test run" year, i can't stay in my job (which almost every intern for the last several years has done.... so losing a year's salary & paying accomodation costs) and to add insult to injury, i'm the only one in my year this effects as the rest of my cohort will graduate next year.

I feel as though this information was deliberately withheld from me meaning I couldn't make an informed choice about applying for/accepting my place on this placement this year. Had I known, I likely wouldn't have applied and completed 3rd year with the rest of my year.

What are my options? Do i stand any chance of getting some kind of negotiation/exemption? I'm considering calling some other universities that offer my course and seeing if I can move into another 3rd year following my placement year. I'm ****ed off and really frustrated i've been messed around this much by the university and my faculty who failed to communicate this to me until now.