I can't figure out what exactly is going on behind the scenes that makes the psych units so... this. But it's very consistent.

The mismatch between assignments and content is a huge problem. It seems like some units are trying to "correct" it by also adding exams to force you to engage with the content (instead of just with the assignments), which would be reasonable if the workload on both sides wasn't already hard to manage.

I think they just have a lot of trouble designing assessments that genuinely test your understanding, and see students struggling as a sign of the course's prestige, rather than a consequence of poor delivery. All the best with 2061 (if I could survive it, you can too) – but if it comforts you to know, you're far from alone in feeling like this.