Freshers given questions to a completely different module in Cardiff Geography exam

Time and time again, first years are reminded that their exams don’t matter and that they could literally go in to the exam hall a bit drunk from the night before and still achieve their 40 per cent. It’s a fact that’s pretty universally accepted the majority of freshers put in next to no effort.

What we don’t expect however, is for the university to also take this approach. So, it came as a shock to a group of first year Human Geography students at Cardiff University when they turned over their ‘Cities’ paper to reveal a set of questions for a completely different module.

The questions given were for the Human Geography ‘Countryside’ exam, which was scheduled to be sat 15th May. There is uncertainty as to whether the department will have time to change these before that exam is sat.

Some mixed emotions outside Talybont Social

Freshers who took the exam asked invigilators why they were being asked about rurality in an exam about cities. The invigilators rushed to try and resolve the situation, which was then worsened by the fact the department didn’t pick up the phone for 45 minutes, leaving students wondering whether they would still have to sit the paper.

Eventually, after an hour, the invigilators let students out row by row to go, with no explanation as to whether the exam would be rescheduled, other than to wait for an email from the department.

The next exam some of the first years have to sit is on Wednesday, titled ‘Environment and Society: Living with environmental change’. The head of department has emailed reassuring students this exam has now been re-checked for errors.

Lucy, 20, told us that it’s made her “lose all motivation for my exam tomorrow”.

On the other hand Indeg, 19, who was also supposed to be sitting the exam seemed pretty optimistic about the whole situation pointing out, “if they give us an automatic pass we only have to sit one exam”.

Head of Geography, Professor Paul Milbourne, emailed the freshers to “apologise on behalf of the School for this error”. He further added: “We will send out a further communication this morning to all first year undergraduate students confirming the next steps in relation to this module.”

Today, the Cities module were informed they will now be assessed through an open book examination, where they have 24 days to write up their responses.

Firsts for everyone!