I think you're expecting too much from this mystery course/teacher/assignment

You misrepresent my words; I "expect" nothing. If the course/teacher/assignment falls short, I'm with Mark Twain on this one: "I have never let my schooling interfere with my education."

This logic applies equally well after graduation: Regardless of how good or bad the spec is, write the best solution you can within the time allotted that still meets the requirements. In an academic context, you'll learn far more, and in a professional context, you'll likely receive far fewer bug reports.