I have an issue with my master’s dissertation. I was supposed to complete it for May, however when I submitted my proposal on 24 Feb I had no reply about confirmation of it until I emailed my tutor multiple times and she only responded on 20 Mar. So because she took nearly a month to approve it I have missed the change to hand it in May to be graduated in July.
I have emailed my tutor with questions regarding dissertation on 19 April and heard nothing back, I emailed her asking for an answer again on 19 May and still nothing. It is really hard because she is also the module leader so I can’t email anyone else about this.
So not only did I miss may deadline and now need to hand it in August but I don’t know what’s going on exactly and also don’t get replies to my emails regarding the dissertation.

What would you suggest I do because clearly emails are out of the question and I am getting really frustrated. Because it’s a distance learning course I can’t go to university to see her.

Find someone else to email e.g. administration team, head of graduate school, head of school.

I have been emailing head of school as well. I am still waiting for reading list from semester 2 - 2015 as well as 2 other emails. I noticed everyone from staff at my university are very good at ignoring emails. (Apart from finance team ofcourse). No matter what my email is about it gets ignored. In the past I would also email directly to administration team and they would forward my email to relevant person who would only ignore it again.

Try phoning them?

I tried. Noone would speak to me unless I have arranged the phone meeting over the email.

Have you spoken to others on your course to know if they face the same issue?

I am the only student for this module. I had few other modules where there were 1 more student and he did mention that most of the tutors ignore his emails too (not the same tutor I am having issues with at the moment).

Hi V, wow-what a difficult experience. You mentioned that when you emailed the administrative staff, they forwarded the emails through to the tutor, who just ignored them.

Can you try emailing the admin staff again, but frame your response as a complaint, and request a response or pathway for further action, if they contact the tutor and nothing happens. I'd actually make the email really brief, and attach the information as a formal letter/document attachment and email it to the admin staff and your tutor. Mention that you are also posting a copy of the letter to all recipients (and do this-there must be a mail service or PO Box whereby you can send paper information).

In this letter, really outline your case and what has happened so far, so that these busy and distracted people (one of whom is the tutor) actually understand how their lack of communication is impacting you and your dissertation.

Be polite but assertive and spell out exactly what has happened-what your concerns are now-and a request for a response that commits to allowing you to submit in August. It is not as easy to ignore a letter (especially one with a trail of documentation) as it is to ignore or overlook an email.

Best luck with this...or any other response you may choose to try.