MSC Sociology Handbook 2013 14

MSc Sociology
Sociology (Research)
Sociology (Contemporary Social
Thought)

Handbook

2013 14
Contents

Significant Dates 2013/2014 .................................................................................. 1
1 INTRODUCTION .................................................................................................... 2
1.1 Sociology at LSE ............................................................................................. 2
1.2 Equality and Diversity at LSE ........................................................................... 3
1.3 Aims of this MSc Programme........................................................................... 3
1.4 A Year is a Short Time ..................................................................................... 4
1.5 New Arrivals Information and Orientation ......................................................... 4
1.6 Programme Registration .................................................................................. 4
1.7 The LSE Environment ...................................................................................... 4
1.8 If You Need Help ............................................................................................. 5
2 ADMINISTRATIVE INFORMATION ....................................................................... 5
2.1 Department Contact Information ...................................................................... 5
2.2 Key Departmental Staff .................................................................................... 5
2.3 Location of Department Facilities ..................................................................... 6
2.4 Communication ................................................................................................ 6
2.5 Change of Address .......................................................................................... 6
2.6 Departmental Meetings .................................................................................... 6
2.7 Teaching and Learning Committee (TLC) ........................................................ 6
2.8 Quality Assurance ............................................................................................ 6
2.9 Student Teaching Surveys ............................................................................... 7
2.10 Staff-Student Liaison Committees (SSLC) ..................................................... 7
2.11 Parties ........................................................................................................... 7
2.12 Cumberland Lodge ........................................................................................ 7
3 STAFF .................................................................................................................... 9
3.1 Staff Directory .................................................................................................. 9
3.2 Biographies .................................................................................................... 10
4 PROGRAMME GUIDE ......................................................................................... 16
4.1 Programme Structure .................................................................................... 16
4.2 Course Selection ........................................................................................... 16
4.3 The Compulsory Courses .............................................................................. 17
SO401 Social Research Methods .................................................................... 17
MY451 Half Unit Introduction to Quantitative Analysis ...................................... 18
MY452 Half Unit Applied Regression Analysis ................................................. 19
SO463 Contemporary Social Thought .............................................................. 19
SO499 Dissertation .......................................................................................... 20
4.4 Optional Courses ........................................................................................... 21
5 STUDYING........................................................................................................... 22
5.1 Supervision .................................................................................................... 23
5.2 Teaching ........................................................................................................ 23
5.3 Timetables Office ........................................................................................... 23
5.4 Class Changes .............................................................................................. 24
5.5 Course Readings ........................................................................................... 24
5.6 Feedback ....................................................................................................... 24
5.7 Evaluation ...................................................................................................... 26
6 FORMATIVE ASSESSMENT ............................................................................... 27
7 FORMAL ASSESSMENT: THE DISSERTATION, ESSAYS & EXAMINATIONS .. 27
7.1 The Dissertation............................................................................................. 27
7.2 The Nature of the Dissertation ....................................................................... 28
7.3 Assessed Coursework and the Dissertation - Word Length ........................... 31
7.4 Submission of Assessed Coursework and the Dissertation ............................ 31
7.5 Late submission of assessed coursework and dissertation: deadlines, deferrals
and extensions ................................................................................................... 32
7.6 Plagiarism ...................................................................................................... 33
7.7 Assessment Criteria ....................................................................................... 34
7.8 Sociology Policy on Feedback on Assessed Coursework .............................. 35
7.9 Results and Transcripts of Results ................................................................ 35
8 SCHOOL GUIDE A-Z ........................................................................................... 36
8.1 Academic Advisers ........................................................................................ 36
8.2 Accommodation Office ................................................................................... 36
8.3 Alumni Association ........................................................................................ 36
8.4 Assessment Procedures ................................................................................ 37
8.5 Auditing Courses ........................................................................................... 37
8.6 Business Continuity Management .................................................................. 37
8.7 LSE Careers .................................................................................................. 38
8.8 Catering ......................................................................................................... 38
8.9 Certificate of Registration ............................................................................... 39
8.10 Chaplaincy ................................................................................................... 39
8.11 Classification Schemes ................................................................................ 39
8.12 Codes of Good Practice ............................................................................... 40
8.13 Postgraduate Course Choice and Seminar Sign Up .................................... 40
8.14 Course Registration ..................................................................................... 40
8.15 Dean of Graduate Studies ........................................................................... 41
8.16 Degree Certificates ...................................................................................... 41
8.17 Disability Equality ......................................................................................... 42
8.18 Email ........................................................................................................... 42
8.19 English Language Support and Foreign Language Courses ........................ 42
8.20 Fees ............................................................................................................ 43
8.21 Financial Support ......................................................................................... 43
8.22 Finding Your Way around LSE ..................................................................... 44
8.23 Hobhouse Memorial Prizes .......................................................................... 44
8.24 International Student Immigration Service (ISIS) .......................................... 44
8.25 Internships ................................................................................................... 45
8.26 Interruption / Deferral / Withdrawal............................................................... 45
8.27 IT Support .................................................................................................... 45
8.28 The Library .................................................................................................. 46
8.29 LSE for You ................................................................................................. 47
8.30 Moodle ......................................................................................................... 47
8.31 LSE Day Nursery ......................................................................................... 47
8.32 Office Hours ................................................................................................. 48
8.33 Paid Employment during Your Studies ......................................................... 48
8.34 Part-Time Study ........................................................................................... 48
8.35 Graduation Ceremonies ............................................................................... 48
8.36 Public Lectures ............................................................................................ 49
8.37 Requesting Written References ................................................................... 49
8.38 Restricted Access (Capped) Graduate Courses .......................................... 49
8.39 General School and Programme Regulations .............................................. 49
8.40 Student Services Centre (SSC) ................................................................... 50
8.41 Student Study Support ................................................................................. 50
8.42 LSE Students Union .................................................................................... 51
8.43 University of London Facilities: Lectures and Libraries................................. 51
8.44 Vacations ..................................................................................................... 51
8.45 Volunteering with LSEs Widening Participation (WP) team ......................... 51
8.46 LSE Student Counselling Service ................................................................ 52

1

Significant Dates 2013/2014

Start of Michaelmas Term 3 October 2013
Start of Teaching 7 October 2013
Candidate Examination Numbers Allocated November/Early December 2013
End of Michaelmas Term 13 December 2013
Start of Lent Term 13 January 2014
Graduate Course Confirmed Mid-January 2014
Provisional Title and Abstract of Dissertation Due Monday, Week 8 of Lent Term
End of Lent Term 21 March 2014
Announcement of Examination Timetable End of Lent Term
Start of Summer Term 28 April 2014
MSc Dissertation Workshop Early ST
Sat Examination Period Mid-May to June 2014
End of Summer Term 4 July 2014
Dissertation Due Last Thursday in August 2014
Presentation Ceremonies Mid-December 2014

The School will also be closed on English public holidays as follows:
Christmas Closure Monday 23 December Tuesday 31 December 2013
New Year's Day Holiday Wednesday 1 January 2014
Easter Closure Thursday 17 April Wednesday 23 April 2014
May Bank Holiday Monday 5 May 2014
Spring Bank Holiday Monday 26 May 2014
Summer Bank Holiday Monday 25 August 2014
2

1 INTRODUCTION
Welcome to the Department of Sociology at the London School of Economics and
Political Science. This handbook aims to provide an introduction to the department and
the facilities available in the School. It is also designed to help you understand the
requirements of this programme and plan your course of study. The book is divided into
four main sections: a practical introduction to the School, Departmental administrative
information, information specifically about your programme, and study support material.
1.1 Sociology at LSE
As a department, we are strongly committed to rigorous intellectual and empirical work,
building upon the traditions of the discipline and developing research that is responsive
to both local and global challenges.
LSE Sociology embraces a theoretically and methodologically diverse range of approaches.
Research in the Department is organised in clusters around four research priority areas
(see lse.ac.uk/sociology/research/researchClusters for more detail):
Economies, Risk and Technology: This cluster brings together cutting edge sub-
disciplines in the sociology of economic life; science, technology and society; the
sociology of money and finance; and risk regulation. Research focuses on:
Markets, cultures & institutions; Risk governance, knowledge & technology;
Money, finance & banking; and Work, families & migration.
Human Rights, Violence and Injustice: Research focuses on: Human rights
(ideologies of human rights; human rights reporting; truth commissions; trauma
and memory; human rights governance, law and western power); Violence (war,
warfare and militarism; political, civil, religious, nationalist and communal violence;
genocide; state violence; post-conflict reconciliation; violence and political
ideologies; the sociology of violence and conflict); Injustice (social, economic and
political injustice and discrimination; justice and accountability; transitional justice
and reparations); and Inequality (race and racism and modern societies,
xenophobia and xenological thinking; post colonialism, postcolonial ideologies and
societies; political religion; ethnicity and nationalism; identity and difference).
Politics, States and Movements: Research focuses on: Social bases of parties
and movements, especially the origins, development and contemporary fortunes of
social democratic parties and labour movements, and different forms of party and
cleavage formation in the democratic world; State transitions and democratisation,
especially transitions from authoritarian rule in the wake of political violence, the
colonial and post-colonial state, and the development of political and economic
democracy; and Political ideologies, especially the evolution and impact of liberalism
and conservatism, neo-liberalism and nationalism in the developing world, and
contemporary developments in major traditions of British political thought.
Urban Change, Space and Connection: This cluster addresses the scale and
dynamism of processes of urban transformation. The research employs social,
spatial and visual approaches to explore and analyse contemporary urban
conditions, and to conceptualise urban futures. We examine the physical and
social shaping of environments, infrastructures, institutions and localities as they
emerge in relation to cultural hierarchies, modes of power and ordering, and forms
of inclusion and exclusion. Research focuses on: Urban change and resilience;
Urban divisions and connections; and Urban politics, governance and institutions.

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Our teaching is informed by these commitments and by our active research in these
areas. LSE Sociology aims to provide a learning environment in which students are
encouraged to think critically and independently. Many of the key issues in the discipline
worldwide are the subject of contestation, and our teaching aims to equip students to
understand and evaluate these disputes and adopt a position in relation to them.
Rigorous, critical, independent thought is the most transferable skill of all, and the
overarching objective of what we seek to provide to our students.
1.2 Equality and Diversity at LSE

The School seeks to ensure that people are treated equitably, regardless of age,
disability, race, colour, nationality, ethnic or national origin, gender reassignment,
pregnancy and maternity, marriage and civil partnership, religion and belief, sex, sexual
orientation or personal circumstances.

In practice, this means we expect you to:

Actively oppose all forms of discrimination and harassment;
Reflect on prejudices, including examining the use of inappropriate language and
behaviour;
Strive to create an environment in which student goals may be pursued without
fear or intimidation;
Not victimise any fellow student who has complained, or who has given
information in connection with such a complaint;
Challenge and/or report unacceptable behaviour which is contrary to equality
legislation and principles;
Treat all peers fairly and with respect;

For further advice or information on Equality and Diversity, please visit the Schools
Equality and Diversity website (lse.ac.uk/equalityanddiversity).

We have also set up the Equality and Diversity at LSE blog (blogs.lse.ac.uk/diversity).
To stay up to date, you can follow us on Twitter - @lsediversity.
1.3 Aims of this MSc Programme
The MSc Sociology programme has a range of aims and objectives. Firstly, it is intended
that MSc graduates be equipped with the skills required to interpret and evaluate the
latest research findings in the central areas of the discipline, and the course is also
intended to provide a foundation in research-relevant skills. These aims are particularly
associated with the programmes courses in methods of sociological research. The
programme also aims to allow MSc candidates to pursue particular sociological and
cognate topic areas within the degree in more intellectual depth than is possible in an
undergraduate degree. A further, more general, objective is to provide transferable skills
in the mastery of sustained argument, in the marshalling of varied evidence, in the
organisation of complex materials and in effective written communication.
The MSc Sociology (Research) programme is specifically intended for students who
wish, after completion of this degree, to continue with postgraduate research. The
syllabus resembles that of the MSc Sociology programme, except that a further research
methods compulsory course replaces one of the option possibilities in the syllabus of
this degree.
The MSc Sociology (Contemporary Social Thought) programme critically explores a
range of issues and themes in contemporary social thought. It is organised around three
4

key areas: (i) transformations in time and space; (ii) new technologies and society; (iii)
cosmopolitanism and post-cosmopolitanism. Topics covered include time, space, speed
and technology; money and the economy; biopolitics and governmentality;
technofeminism and cyberfeminism; genetics, reproduction and trans-humanism;
cosmopolitanism, human rights; diaspora and modernity; post-colonialism; race,
ethnicity and cultural division.
1.4 A Year is a Short Time
A one-year Master's programme can be quite intense, and it is recommended that you
begin serious study at the outset of the programme. Previous students have gained the
most from the Masters programme by starting their reading and writing as soon as
courses begin.
1.5 New Arrivals Information and Orientation

The Your First Weeks section of the website provides comprehensive information to
help you settle in to life at LSE. These pages will refer you to information regarding
what to expect after you arrive, how to open a bank account, what to do if you arrive
early or late to LSE, crucial health information, how to set up your LSE IT account,
School support services and much more: lse.ac.uk/yourFirstWeeks.

The Orientation pages (lse.ac.uk/orientation) contain information about events taking
place at the start of the academic year, including those specific to your department, and
the Students Union Freshers Fair, as well as central School Orientation events.

1.6 Programme Registration

At the start of the academic year all new and continuing students need to formally
register on their programme of study. New students need to do this in person, whilst
most continuing students will be able to do so online.

To ensure that new students are able to complete this process as quickly as possible,
each programme/department is allocated a time slot in which to register. At registration,
you will be asked to provide proof of your eligibility to study in the UK in order to receive
your School ID card. This card will, amongst other things, allow you to access your
library account.

For more information, including registration schedules and further details for continuing
students, please see lse.ac.uk/registration.
1.7 The LSE Environment
The School is located in a complex of buildings situated in the centre of London (off the
Aldwych). It is close to the Royal Courts of Justice and the City of London. West End
theatres are all close by, along with the shops and markets of Covent Garden. The
National Gallery is a short walk down the Strand, while the South Bank Arts complex
(containing the Royal Festival Hall, the Hayward Gallery, the National Theatre and the
National Film Theatre) and Tate Modern are located on the opposite bank of the river.
Within the School there is a mix of students from all over the world and this generates a
great deal of intellectual energy and excitement. The geography of the School can seem
complicated at first, but you will find direction signs spread around the buildings, and maps
and diagrams in various School publications. Most of the staff in the Department have a
room on the second floor of St Clements Building see Staff Directory further on.
5

1.8 If You Need Help
If you find that you need help, it is most important that you discuss your problems with
your Academic Adviser or with the MSc Programme Convenor. Academic Advisers are
intended to have a pastoral as well as an academic role. The meetings with your
Academic Adviser are intended as 'advice and feedback meetings'. These termly
meetings provide you the opportunity to receive feedback on your progress throughout
the term. You should feel able to discuss anything with your Academic Adviser that
affects your ability to benefit academically from your time with us. You should certainly
keep him or her informed of any medical difficulties or illness that may prevent you from
studying or may affect your academic performance. If you have difficulties of a personal
nature that you do not wish to discuss with your adviser, you may wish to make use of
the Schools Student Counselling Service (lse.ac.uk/counselling), or one of the other
student welfare services on offer at LSE. For more information on the many services
available to students please see the School Information section of this handbook.
If you have difficulties, you should tell someone within the Department or School - they
will usually know who to put you in touch with.
2 ADMINISTRATIVE INFORMATION
In this section you will find essential reference information about the Department. Also
included is the staff directory and their research interests, and descriptions of LSE and
University of London facilities.
2.1 Department Contact Information
Address: Department of Sociology,
London School of Economics and Political Science
Houghton Street, London WC2A 2AE
Tel No: (+44) (0)2079557309
Fax No: (+44) (0)2079557405
Email: A.O.Buckland@lse.ac.uk and K.Bellman@lse.ac.uk
Web Address: lse.ac.uk/sociology
2.2 Key Departmental Staff
There are several people in the department with formal administrative roles on your
programme who you will come into contact with over the course of your degree.
The Head of Department (HOD) is Professor Mike Savage, who can be found in room
STC S210. The HOD is responsible to the School for the running of the Department.
The MSc Sociology Programme Convenor is Dr Don Slater (room STC S378;
telephone extension 4653; d.slater@lse.ac.uk).
The Departmental Manager, Louise Fisher works closely with the HOD, Director of
Postgraduate Studies and other academic officers of the Department. The
Departmental Administrators are Alexandra Buckland and Kalynka Bellman, who are
located in the Student Drop-In Centre. They are the administrators for the BSc, MSc and
PhD programmes.
In the first instance, your contact person for the course will be your Academic Adviser. If
6

he or she cannot deal with your question/problem, you should contact the convener. The
assignment and role of your Academic Adviser is discussed in more detail later in this
handbook.
2.3 Location of Department Facilities
Most of the teaching staff of the Department have offices on the second, third and fourth
floor of the St Clements Building (rooms prefixed with 'S'). Do not confuse St Clements
Building (STC) and Clement House (CLM), which is on Aldwych.
The Robert McKenzie Room (STC S219) can be used by students for quiet study. If you
wish to hold a more formal meeting in this room, please book through one of the
administrators in the Student Drop-In Centre.
2.4 Communication
You are expected to check your email regularly using your School-supplied email address,
since both academics and administrators routinely use this medium in order to
communicate with students. Notices of interest to students and staff will be placed on the
departmental notice boards. The Robert McKenzie Room is the Departments seminar
and meeting room.
2.5 Change of Address
If you change your term-time address you must inform the Registry located in the
Student Services Centre and your Academic Adviser. This change can be made by you,
using LSE for You, located on the front page of the LSE website. Your address is
protected information and will not be disclosed to a third party without your permission
unless it is for reasons of official School business. It is important that you keep us
informed of your private address (and telephone number). If changing your address,
please notify the Student Services Centre via LSE for You.
2.6 Departmental Meetings
The first part of the meeting is a closed meeting for academic staff. Those on the
Graduate Students/Staff Liaison Committee may be invited to attend the open part of the
meeting.
2.7 Teaching and Learning Committee (TLC)
The TLC is a committee designed to maintain and improve upon teaching, learning and
assessment in the Department. It meets once a term and presents reports to the
Departmental Meetings. Student representatives are invited to TLC meetings for
consultation and participation under specific agenda items, as well as other members of
academic staff. Students are advised to approach their student representative on the
Undergraduate Students Staff Liaison Committee if they have queries or comments
related to the Departments teaching and learning environment. The TLC welcomes
constructive comments on all aspects of the Department's teaching, learning and
assessment activities. The Chair of the Departmental TLC is Dr Nigel Dodd.
2.8 Quality Assurance
The Teaching Quality Assurance and Review Office (TQARO) conducts two School-
wide surveys each year to assess students opinions of teaching, one in each of the
7

Michaelmas and Lent Terms. They give students the opportunity to give feedback on
their lectures, on class/seminar teaching and on courses. They provide lecturers and
teachers with important information about the perceived quality of their teaching, and the
School with a measure of general teaching standards. They are conducted via paper
questionnaires which are distributed in classes and lectures.
Teaching scores are made available to individual teachers, heads of departments, and
the Director of the Teaching and Learning Centre and Pro-Director (Teaching and
Learning). In addition to producing reports for individual teachers, TQARO produces
aggregated quantitative data for departments and the School, which provide important
performance indicators. These can be found on the TQARO website:
http://www2.lse.ac.uk/intranet/LSEServices/TQARO/TeachingSurveys/Results/Home.as
px

Results of the 'course' section of the surveys are made available to students through the
online course guides.
2.9 Student Teaching Surveys
Teaching scores are made available to individual teachers, heads of departments, course
convenors, the Director of the Teaching and Learning Centre and Pro-Director (Teaching
and Learning). In addition to producing reports for individual teachers, TQARO produces
aggregated quantitative data for departments and the School, which provide important
performance indicators. These can be found on the TQARO website:
lse.ac.uk/intranet/LSEServices/TQARO/TeachingSurveys/Results.

2.10 Staff-Student Liaison Committees (SSLC)

At the start of the year you will be asked if you would like to represent your programme
on the Staff-Student Liaison Committee. These are important Committees as they
provide a forum for feedback from students on their programme and for discussion of
issues which affect the student community as a whole. The role of an SSLC
representative is therefore central to ensuring that courses and programmes in the
School work efficiently; and those elected or chosen as a representative will be given
training.

The SSLC also elects one representative to attend the relevant School level Students'
Consultative Forum. More information on the Consultative Forum can be found by
following at: lse.ac.uk/studentrepresentation.
2.11 Parties
There is an evening drinks reception during Orientation Week and normally a staff
student party at the end of the Michaelmas Term, to which all members of the
Department are invited.
2.12 Cumberland Lodge
As in previous years a residential weekend has been arranged at Cumberland Lodge.
Cumberland Lodge, the University of London's Conference Centre, is situated in
Windsor Great Park. The programme is planned by PhD students and is organised
around a topical theme or themes of sociological importance and consists of lectures
and panel sessions involving prominent speakers, members of staff and PhD students.
8

As well as being of educational value, the weekend is also regarded as great fun and
offers a chance to meet with colleagues in a unique and informal setting. All PhD
students are invited to attend and if there are places available we are also delighted to
see MSc students attend the weekend.
The cost of the weekend is determined at the beginning of term and is subsidised by
both Cumberland Lodge and the Department with some bursaries also being available.
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3 STAFF
3.1 Staff Directory
Name Ext. Room
Dr Suki Ali (from outside: 020 7852-3781) 3781 STC S375
Dr Robin Archer (on sabbatical 2013/14) 7944 STC S283
Prof. Eileen Barker (Emeritus) 7289 STC S276
Kalynka Bellman (Administrator, MSc and MPhil/PhD Programmes) 7708 STC S202*
Prof. Chetan Bhatt 6262 TW2 11.01F
Alexandra Buckland (Acting Administrator, BSc and MSc Programmes) 7309 STC S202*
Prof. Ricky Burdett 6865 TW2 8.01J
Dr Ayca Cubukcu 6787 TW2 11.01C
Dr Nigel Dodd 7571 STC S277
Tia Exelby (Administrator, BSc and MSc Programmes) 7309 STC S202*
Louise Fisher (Department Manager) 7305 STC S285
Dr Janet Foster (on sabbatical MT and LT) 7302 STC S206
Dr Carrie Friese 7984 STC S376
Zoe Gillard (Human Rights Centre Manager) 6428 TW2 11.01E
Dr Suzanne Hall 7056 TW2 8.01B
Prof. Frances Heidensohn (Emeritus) 5316 STC S276
Dr Ursula Henz 6139 STC S279
Prof. Bridget Hutter 7287 STC S217
Anna Johnston (Administrator, Cities Programme and MSc City Design
and Social Science)
6828 STC S265
Dr Helen Kim 7288 STC S480
Louisa Lawrence (PA to Head of Dept.) (from outside: 020 7849 4938) 4938 STC S284
Prof. Sally Lloyd-Bostock 6793 STC S208
Dr David Madden 6593 STC S209
Dr Pat McGovern 6653 STC S477
Dr Michael McQuarrie 7373 STC S379
Dr Claire Moon (on sabbatical LT and ST) 7006 STC S478
Dr Cristiana Olcese 7076 STC S479
Dr Juan Pablo Pardo-Guerra (from outside: 020 7107 5007) 5007 STC S278
Dr Jesse Potter 7964 STC S207
Prof. Paul Rock (Emeritus) 7296 STC S276
Prof. Mike Savage (Head of Department) 6578 STC S210
Prof. Leslie Sklair (Emeritus) 7299 STC S276
Dr Don Slater (on sabbatical LT) 4653 STC S378
Attila Szanto (REF Administrator) (from outside: 020 7107 5029) 5029 STC S287
Prof. Charis Thompson 6729 STC S205
Dr Fran Tonkiss 6601 STC S377
Sara Ulfsparre (Administrator, MSc Human Rights) 6944 TW2 11.01B
Prof. Judy Wajcman 7300 STC S203
* In mid-October the Sociology admin office will move from STC S202 to the new drop-in
centre by the main lobby on the second floor of St Clements Building.
10

3.2 Biographies

Dr Suki Ali: Senior Lecturer in Gender and Social Theory. Current research interests
centre on gendered racialisation and embodiment (especially mixed-race), identification,
visual culture, and kinship and transnational belonging. She teaches courses on gender,
sexuality and societies and gender and postcolonial theory. Her publications include
Mixed Race, Post-Race: Gender, New Ethnicities and Cultural Practices (2003), and co-
edited collections Gender and the Politics of Education: Critical Perspectives (2004) and
Global Feminist Politics: Identities in a Changing World (2000).
Dr Robin Archer: Reader in Sociology. He teaches political sociology and is the
program director of the MSc in that subject. Prior to joining the LSE he taught political
sociology, comparative government and political theory at Oxford University, where he
was the Fellow in Politics at Corpus Christi College. His interests focus on: the
comparative study of social movements, especially labour movements; political culture,
especially the influence of liberalism, religion and race in the United States; comparative
political economy, especially the development of industrial relations and welfare states;
the effects of political institutions; and questions of social and political philosophy,
especially questions concerning liberalism, socialism, freedom and democracy.
Professor Eileen Barker, OBE, FBA (Emeritus): Her main research interest over the
past 35 years has been cults, sects and new religious movements - and the social
reactions to which they give rise; but since 1989 she has spent much of her time
investigating changes in the religious situation in Eastern Europe. She has conducted
several surveys including the British section of a large international study of religious
and moral pluralism. In 1988, with the support of the Home Office and mainstream
Churches, she founded Inform, a charity based at the LSE, which provides information
about minority religions that is as objective and up-to-date as possible. LSE students are
welcome to make use of Informs extensive library and other resources.
Professor Ulrich Beck: Professor for Sociology at the University of Munich, and The
British Journal of Sociology Visiting Centennial Professor at the LSE. Ulrich Beck is co-
editor of Soziale Welt; editor of Zweite Moderne at Suhrkamp (Frankfurt a.M.). His
interests focus on 'risk society', globalization, 'individualization', 'reflexive modernization'
and cosmopolitanism. He is founding-director of a research centre at the University of
Munich (in cooperation with four other universities in the area) - Reflexive Modernization,
financed since 1999 by the DFG (German Research Society). His recent publications
include the trilogy Cosmopolitan Vision (2006), Power in the Global Age (2006) and
Cosmopolitan Europe (2007).
Professor Chetan Bhatt: Professor of Sociology and Director of the Centre for the
Study of Human Rights. He was previously Professor of Sociology at Goldsmiths. Before
this, he taught at the Department of Sociology at the University of Essex and the
Department of Sociology and Social Policy at the University of Southampton. In addition
to extensive work on human rights, discrimination and social justice, Chetans research
interests include modern social theory and philosophy, early German Romanticism,
philosophical idealism, the religious right and religious conflict, nationalism, racism and
ethnicity, and the geopolitical sociology of South Asia and the Middle East. Current
projects include work on the emergence of virtue in modern political ideologies, new
forms of the regional state in South Asia and the sociology of religious paramilitia groups.
Professor Ricky Burdett: Professor of Urban Studies and director of LSE Cities and
the Urban Age programme. His research interests focus on the interactions between the
physical and social worlds in the contemporary city and how rapid urbanisation affects
social and environmental sustainability. He is a Global Distinguished Professor at New
York University and a member of Council of the Royal College of Art. Burdett is involved
11

in major regeneration projects across Europe and was Chief Adviser on Architecture and
Urbanism for the London 2012 Olympics and architectural adviser to the Mayor of
London from 2001 to 2006. Burdett has curated numerous exhibitions including 'Global
Cities' at Tate Modern and was the Director of the 2006 Architecture Biennale in Venice.
He is co-editor of The Endless City and Living in the Endless City.
Dr Aya ubuku: Lecturer in Human Rights at the Department of Sociology and the
Centre for the Study of Human Rights. Before joining LSE in May 2012, she taught for
the Committee on Global Thought at Columbia University and the Committee on
Degrees in Social Studies at Harvard University. She was a Max Weber Fellow at the
European University Institute 2009-10. A transdisciplinary scholar by training, Dr.
ubuku holds a BA in Government with Distinction in All Subjects from Cornell
University and a PhD with Distinction from the Department of Anthropology at Columbia
University. In conjunction with the history and critique of international law, her research
and teaching interests are in the fields of social and political theory, human rights,
cosmopolitanism, secularism, postcolonial studies and transnational social movements.
Dr Nigel Dodd: Senior Lecturer. His research interests span the Sociology of Economic
Life, Money and Financial Markets, Consumerism, and Contemporary Social Theory.
His publications include The Sociology of Money (1994), and Social Theory and
Modernity (1999). Currently, Dr Dodd is researching the Euro, particularly its social,
cultural and political aspects.
Dr Janet Foster: Senior Lecturer. She has extensive experience as a qualitative
researcher on crime, community and policing issues. She has published three major
studies: Villains: crime and community in the inner city (1990), an observational study of
crime, offending, and policing, in one area of South London; Housing Community and
Crime (1993), part of a major collaborative project between the London School of
Economics, Home Office and the Department of the Environment to evaluate the Priority
Estates Project and its impact on crime and community in London and Hull; and
Docklands: Cultures in Conflict, Worlds in Collision (1999) based on a two year
ethnographic study of urban change and conflict on the Isle of Dogs in London's
Docklands which documents the competing visions of urban change, and the social
exclusion and racism which emanated from it.
Dr Carrie Friese: Lecturer in the Sociology of the Life Sciences and Biomedicine. Her
research interests are in reproduction, genetics, assisted reproductive and genetic
technologies, and qualitative field methods. She is particularly interested in the role of
animal models in biomedical developments, which she explores at the intersections of
medical sociology, science and technology studies, animal studies, and feminist theory.
Carrie received her Ph.D. in Sociology from UC San Francisco in 2007. Her thesis, entitled
"Enacting Conservation and Biomedicine: Cloning Animals of Endangered Species in the
Borderlands of the United States", was awarded the Illinois Distinguished Dissertation
Award by the International Association of Qualitative Inquiry in 2009. From 2007-2008,
she was a postdoctoral fellow at the Center for Society and Genetics at UC Los Angeles.
Dr Suzanne Hall: Lecturer in City Design and Social Science. Suzi is an urban
ethnographer, and has practised as an architect and urban designer in South Africa.
From 1997 to 2003 she established an award-winning practice that focused on the role
of design in rapidly urbanising, poor and racially segregated areas in Cape Town and
her work has been published and exhibited internationally. Suzi teaches primarily in the
MSc City Design and Social Science programme and is a Research Fellow in Urban
Culture and Design at LSE Cities. Her research and teaching interests are foregrounded
in local expressions of global urbanisation, particularly social and spatial forms of
inclusion and exclusion, urban multiculture, the design of the city, and ethnography and
visual methods. She is a recipient of the Rome Scholarship in Architecture (1998 - 1999)
12

and the LSE's Robert McKenzie Prize for outstanding Ph.D. research (2010). She is the
author of City, Street and Citizen: The measure of the ordinary (2012).
Professor Frances Heidensohn (Emeritus): She graduated in Sociology from LSE and
went on to study and teach at the School until 1974, when she moved to the Civil Service
College and then to Goldsmiths College. At Goldsmith's she held the Chair of Social
Policy from 1994-2004. She is best known for her work on gender and crime and as a
pioneer of feminist perspectives in criminology, and has published several studies in this
area. She has also developed work on gender and law enforcement and on international
and comparative studies on crime and justice. She was Ginsberg Fellow in the Sociology
Department in 1991 and has been a Visiting Professor at Queens University, Belfast,
Universite de Montreal and Macgill University. In 2000 she received the Book Award of the
International Division of the American Society of Criminology and in 2004 she received the
Sellin Glueck Award of the ASC for contributions to international criminology.
Dr Ursula Henz: Senior Lecturer in Social Research Methods. Prior to joining the LSE,
she held research fellowships at the Max Planck Institute for Human Development and
Education in Berlin, Germany, at Stockholm University (Demography Unit and Swedish
Institute for Social Research), Sweden, and at King's College, London. She is a docent
in sociology at Stockholm University. Her studies have been concerned with longitudinal
aspects of compulsory and post-compulsory educational participation, poverty, women's
labour market participation, informal caregiving and family dynamics using a number of
large-scale surveys.
Professor Bridget Hutter: Professor Hutter has a Chair in Risk Regulation. She studied
sociology at the Universities of London and Oxford (D.Phil). Her previous appointments
include a British Academy Post-Doctoral Fellowship, a Research Fellowship at the Centre
for Socio-Legal Studies, Oxford, a Senior Research Fellowship in Sociology at Jesus
College, Oxford, a Lectureship and then Readership in Sociology at the LSE. Professor
Hutter's teaching interests centre on regulation, risk and social control. Her research
interests are in the broad area of the sociology of regulation and risk management; the
regulation of economic life with particular reference to regulatory enforcement and
corporate responses to regulation; and organisational risk management and social control.
She is author of numerous publications on the subject of risk regulation.
Dr Helen Kim (LSE Fellow): Helens PhD dissertation explored multiculture and
diasporic spaces within popular music through a 15 month ethnographic study
conducted among young British Asians. Helens research and teaching interests include
the areas of race and racialization, diaspora, youth cultures and the urban. More
specifically, she is interested in looking at how young people negotiate diasporic
identities and racialized structures. In addition, she is also interested in ethnography and
in developing visual research methods.
Professor Sally Lloyd-Bostock: Visiting Professor, her research interests cover:
Interdisciplinary research in psychology and law, in particular theoretical aspects of
interdisciplinary work, the psychology of legal decision-making; the social psychology of
legal disputes, blaming, accountability and disputing, the construction and use of
information about risk and routine decision making. Specific current areas: Regulation
and 'compensation culture'; Medical regulation by the General Medical Council.
Dr David Madden: David Madden is a Lecturer in Sociology and teaches in the Cities
Programme. He works on urban studies, political sociology and social theory. He has
written about urbanism, globalization, cultural development, public housing and public
space in New York City and elsewhere. He has taught at Columbia University, New York
University and Bard College. He holds a PhD from Columbia University and is a member
of the editorial board of the journal CITY.
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Dr Patrick McGovern: Senior Lecturer whose research interests relate to issues in
economic sociology, especially the sociology of work and labour markets, and
international migration. He is one of the authors of Market, Class, and Employment
(2007), a major ESRC funded study of social class, social inequality, and the (supposedly)
changing nature of the employment relationship. Recent articles that draw on this and
other research can be found in the British Journal of Industrial Relations, Sociology, Work
& Occupations, and Work, Employment & Society.
Dr Michael McQuarrie: Lecturer in Sociology. Michael is an urban, political, and
organizational sociologist. Prior to completing his Ph.D in Sociology at New York
University, he completed a M.A. in History at Duke University and worked as a community
and labor organizer. His research and teaching interests focus on changing modes and
practices of urban governance, the changing meaning and practice of "participation" and
"community", the theoretical use of organizations to better understand the city, methods
for meso-level organizational and institutional analysis, and cities of the global south.
Current projects include an explanation of changing modes of urban authority and a
relational account of populist political action. Michael was the recipient of a Hellman
Fellowship from the Hellman Foundation for his work on community organizations and a
Poiesis Fellowship from the Institute for Public Knowledge for his work on India.
Dr Claire Moon: Senior Lecturer in the Sociology of Human Rights. Her recent
publications concentrate on transitional justice, post-conflict reconciliation, war trauma,
reparations for human rights violations and apologies and forgiveness for past atrocities.
Dr Moon is the author of a book about South Africas political transition, Narrating
Reconciliation: South Africas Truth and Reconciliation Commission (2008). She teaches
courses on War and Genocide, Political Reconciliation, and Foundations and Key Issues
in Human Rights from an interdisciplinary perspective that draws upon sociology, critical
legal studies and international relations.
Dr Cristiana Olcese (LSE Fellow): Cristianas research and teaching interests are in
the fields of political sociology, cultural sociology and social research methods. Her PhD
thesis focused on the role of art in urban protest. Cristianas work in political sociology
encompasses social movements (in particular, comparative research on European
demonstrations within the context of the CCC project) and political communication (the
use of creative framing and social media for political activism). Her interests in cultural
sociology include how art practices contribute to individual and social change, within and
outside protest. Her work has been informed by a commitment to empirical research (in
particularly document and textual analysis, interviews, and survey research).
Dr Juan Pablo Pardo-Guerra: Lecturer in Sociology. His core research focuses on the
sociotechnical dimensions of financial markets, from socio-historical aspects of the
adoption of information and communication technologies in stock exchanges to the
analysis of some of the current transformations within global finance. Juan Pablo's
previous work explored the automation of the London Stock Exchange, where he
analysed the development of price and information dissemination systems between c.
1965 and 1992. His study of the London Stock Exchange provides novel insights into the
largely-unexamined role of technologists in shaping the evolution of the marketplace. On
the basis of previous research, Juan Pablo is currently working on a sociological account
of the emergence and growth of algorithmic and high-frequency trading in British finance.
Dr Jesse Potter (LSE Fellow): Jesse received his B.A. in Sociology from San
Francisco State University, and both his MSc (Culture and Society) and PhD from the
LSE. His research interests surround issues of biography and biographical process
how individuals construct worthwhile and meaningful lives as they relate to a number
of key areas, particularly work and career, identity and self-actualisation, and narrative.
His current research explores issues of self and biography within the context of
14

transitional narratives taking place during the recent economic recession. He is
committed to teaching, finding ways to foster dynamic student/academic relations, and
facilitating student learning that is engaged, inspired, and analytically rich.
Professor Paul Rock, FBA: Emeritus Professor of Social Institutions. His interests
focus on the development of criminal justice policies, particularly for victims of crime, but
he has also published articles on criminological theory and the history of crime. His most
recent books include The Social World of an English Crown Court (1993);
Reconstructing a Women's Prison (1996, Clarendon Press); After Homicide: Practical
and Political Responses to Bereavement (1998); (with David Downes) Understanding
Deviance (2003); and Constructing Victims' Rights (2004).
Professor Mike Savage: Mike Savage became Professor of Sociology at the LSE in
2012, having previously worked at the Universities of Lancaster, Sussex, Surrey, Keele,
North Carolina, Manchester and York. At Manchester he was the founding Director of the
ESRC Centre for Research on Socio-Cultural Change (CRESC). He is an expert in the
sociology of stratification, with particular interests in the nature of the contemporary middle
classes, and in the cultural aspects of social inequality. Much of his work explores the
overlaps with urban and historical sociology. He is interested in both quantitative analysis
as well as qualitative and historical sources, and has developed an interest in digital data
sources, including work with the BBC as advisor to their Great British Class Survey. His
recent books include Identities and Social Change in Britain since 1940: the politics of
method (2010) and Culture, Class, Distinction (co-authored, 2008).
Professor Leslie Sklair (Emeritus): His interests include capitalist globalization and its
alternatives and the relationship between architecture and globalization. The first edition
of his Sociology of the Global System was published 1991, with a second updated
edition in 1995, and a third completely revised and updated edition in 2002 entitled
Globalization: Capitalism and its alternatives and an Arabic edition is forthcoming. He
has also published The Transnational Capitalist Class (2001) and many journal articles,
book chapters and encyclopaedia entries on globalization and capitalism. Journal
articles on his research on "Iconic architecture and capitalist globalization" were
published in 2005 and 2006 and a book on Globalization in/and Architecture is in
progress. He is currently President of the Global Studies Association.
Dr Don Slater: Reader in Sociology. Don Slater's work focuses on the relations
between culture and economy, and on ethnographies of new media in development
contexts. His work on sociology of economic life includes Consumer Culture and
Modernity (1997) and Market Society: Markets and Modern Social Thought, with Dr Fran
Tonkiss (2001); and The Technological Economy, with Dr Andrew Barry (2005). His
Internet research has focused on ethnographic approaches to new media, and has so
far included an ethnography of internet use in Trinidad -The Internet: An Ethnographic
Approach, with Prof Daniel Miller (2000). His most recent book is entitled New Media,
Development and Globalization: Making Connections in the Global South.
Professor Charis Thompson: Charis Thompson became Professor of Sociology at the
LSE in 2013, having previously been Professor at the University of California, Berkeley,
and having worked at Harvard University, at the University of Illinois, Urbana
Champaign, and at Cornell University. At Berkeley she was a founding Director of the
Science, Technology, and Society Center, and director of the Li Ka Shing Program in
Gender and Science. Her research is in the areas of Science and Technology Studies
and transnational feminist theory. She is interested in science, medicine, and
environmental policy, and in mixed methods appropriate for addressing recalcitrant
social challenges in these areas. Her books are Making Parents: The Ontological
Choreography of Reproductive Technology (2005), and Good Science: The Ethical
Choreography of Stem Cell Research (2013). She is currently writing a book on
15

psychology and models of the brain entitled Inattention: Deficits and Dangers of
Attention from the Cold War to the Present.
Dr Fran Tonkiss: Director of the Cities Programme. Reader in Sociology, with research
interests in economic sociology and urban studies. Her work in economic sociology is
concerned with issues of markets and marketisation; trust and social capital; capitalism
and globalisation; inequality and economic governance. In the field of urban studies her
focus is on urban development and governance; space and social theory; urban
communities and spatial divisions. She is the author of Contemporary Economic
Sociology: Globalisation, Production, Inequality (Routledge 2006) and Space, the City and
Social Theory (Polity, 2005), the co-author (with Don Slater) of Market Society: Markets
and Modern Social Theory (2001), and the co-editor of Trust and Civil Society (2000). Her
most recent book is entitled Cities by Design.
Professor Judy Wajcman: Previously Professor of Sociology at the Australian National
University. She has held posts in Cambridge, Edinburgh, Manchester, Sydney, Tokyo,
Vienna, Warwick and Zurich. She is currently a Research Associate of the Oxford Internet
Institute, and the former President of the Society for the Social Studies of Science.
Professor Wajcman's research interests focus on the sociology of work and employment,
science and technology studies, sociology of information and communication
technologies, gender theory, and organizational analysis. Her books include The Politics
of Working Life with Paul Edwards (2005), TechnoFeminism (2004), Managing Like a
Man: Women and Men in Corporate Management (1998), and the co-editor of The Social
Shaping of Technology with Donald MacKenzie (1999), and The Handbook of Science
and Technology Studies with Ed Hackett, Olga Amsterdamska and Mike Lynch (2008).
See lse.ac.uk/sociology/whoswho for more extensive descriptions of staff research interests.

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4 PROGRAMME GUIDE

This section provides essential information for planning your course of study. The
introductory section gives you guidance as to the MSc programme requirements and a
timeline. Following this is detailed information about the core courses on offer for 2013-14.
4.1 Programme Structure
The MSc Sociology programme consists of four units, which are:
1. A compulsory course on Social Research Methods (SO401)
2. An optional course from the courses listed
3. An optional course from the courses listed
4. A 10,000 word essay on a relevant topic of your choice (SO499 Dissertation)
due the last Thursday in August 2014 handed in to the Student Drop-In Centre
before 4:00pm. A third copy to be posted to Moodle.
The MSc Sociology (Research) programme consists of four units, which are:
1. A compulsory course on Social Research Methods (SO401)
2. A compulsory course MY451 Introduction to Quantitative Analysis (H)
3. A compulsory course MY452 Applied Regression Analysis (H)
4. Sociology option (s) to the value of one unit
The MSc Sociology (Contemporary Social Thought) programme consists of four
units, which are:
1. A compulsory course on Contemporary Social Thought (SO463)
2. Optional courses to the value of 2 units from the following:
SO426 Classical Social Thought (H)
SO427 Modern Social Thought (H)
SO433 Cultural Theory (H)
SO471 Technology, Power and Culture (H)
SO474 Bodies, Markets and Politics (H) (n/a 13/14)
SO475 Material Culture and Design (H) (n/a 13/4)
Other options from the Department of Sociology and approved outside options.
4.2 Course Selection
In addition to the compulsory course and dissertation, you will be able to take option
courses up to a total of two units. This can be made up of full unit or half unit options.
Below is a list of the courses that are most appropriate for this degree programme. The list
of options is longer and covers a wider range of interests than on many LSE masters
programmes; this reflects the wide range of interests we anticipate among students taking
this degree. Please note, however, that, because the list is long, sometimes timetable
clashes may occur, although every effort has been made to avoid them. You might
therefore find that you are unable to take some combinations of courses. It is a good idea
to consult with your personal tutor or MSc convener about your option choices.
17

As an MSc student, your formal instruction will normally consist of one weekly two-hour
seminar per course. Attendance at these is limited strictly to postgraduates. Some
Academic Advisers recommend or make available the opportunity to attend an
associated lecture series primarily intended for undergraduates. Such lecture series are
not part of postgraduate provision and attendance should be regarded as voluntary and
supplementary to postgraduate teaching. It is not possible to guarantee that there will be
no timetable clashes between postgraduate seminars and undergraduate lectures.
You are also welcome to consider appropriate masters options offered within the
School, other than those listed below. Further details about course content of all LSE
masters courses are contained in the 2013-14 Calendar which is available on-line but
please consult with the MSc convener and your Academic Adviser.
4.3 The Compulsory Courses
Course description initials - H: half unit course; LT: Lent Term; MT: Michaelmas Term
and ST: Summer Term.
SO401 Social Research Methods

Teacher responsible: Dr Ursula Henz, STC S279 and Dr Jesse Potter, STC S207

Availability: This course is compulsory on the MSc in Sociology and MSc in Sociology
(Research). This course is available on the MSc in Economy, Risk and Society and MSc
in Political Sociology. This course is not available as an outside option.
Part-time students taking the MSc over two years may take the course in either the first
or second year.

Course content: The course covers both quantitative and qualitative research methods.
Special topics include: different epistemological positions; formulating research
problems; the social context of research; ethical aspects of research; concepts and their
measurement; attitude measurement and scaling; inference and generalization including
probability and non-probability sampling; research design, including experimental and
quasi-experimental; comparative research; methods of data collection including
questionnaire design, structured, semi-structured and unstructured interviewing,
ethnography and participant observation; introductions to contemporary survey research
techniques by telephone and by the Internet; other sources of data for sociological
research; analysis of qualitative data, including computer assisted analysis. As the
course does not cover quantitative data analysis, students might consider taking MI451
to complement the course.

Teaching: The course is taught by a mixture of lectures, seminars and workshops. It
normally provides two hours of teaching each week in MT, with 3 hour workshops in the
LT and three revision seminars in ST.

Formative coursework: Students must participate in group presentations and
undertake several pieces of compulsory practical work during the year.

Indicative reading: There is no single textbook that covers the content of the whole
course. Useful books are: R H Hoyle, M J Harris & C M Judd, Research Methods in
Social Relations (7th edn 2002); D A de Vaus, Surveys in Social Research (5th edn
2001); R M Groves, F J Fowler Jr., M P Couper, et al. (2004): Survey Methodology (2nd
edition 2009), C Marsh, The Survey Method (1982); A N Oppenheim, Questionnaire
Design, Interviewing and Attitude Measurement (new edn 1992); A Bryman, Quantity
and Quality in Social Research (1988); N Gilbert Researching Social Life (2008, third
18

edn); M Hammersley & P Atkinson, Ethnography: Principles in Practice (3rd edn 2007);
H Becker Tricks of the Trade (1998); J Creswell Qualitative Inquiry and Research
Design (2012, 3rd edn); D Silverman Doing Qualitative Research (2010, 3rd edition); D
Silverman and A Mavasti Doing Qualitative Research: A comprehensive review (2008);
M Q Patton, Qualitative Evaluation and Research Methods (3rd edn 2002); J. Mason
Qualitative Researching (3rd edn 2013).

Assessment
Exam (35%, duration: 2 hours) in the main exam period. Coursework (15%) and
presentation (10%) in the LT. Research project (40%) in the ST. Exam will be held
during the Summer Term exam session. The Michaelmas Term session is assessed by
two methods: (a) one piece of coursework (15%) and (b) a two-hour written examination
in the ST (35%). The Lent Term session is assessed by a qualitative research project
(10% presentation; 40% project write-up).Two hard copies of each assessment, with
submission sheets attached to each, to be handed in to the Student Drop-In Centre, no
later than 16:30 on the submission day. The Michaelmas Term coursework is due on the
second Friday of Lent Term and the Lent Term project is due on the fourth Tuesday of
Summer Term. An additional copy of each assessment is to be uploaded to Moodle no
later than 18:00 on the same day each is due.

Attendance at all seminars and submission of all set coursework are required.

MY451 Half Unit Introduction to Quantitative Analysis

Teacher responsible: Ms Sally Stares COL8.05 and Dr Benjamin Lauderdale COL8.10

Availability: This course is compulsory on the MSc in Sociology (Research). This
course is available on the MSc in Comparative Politics, MSc in Comparative Politics
(Research), MSc in Conflict Studies, MSc in Gender (Research), MSc in International
Health Policy, MSc in International Health Policy (Health Economics), MSc in
International Migration and Public Policy, MSc in Politics and Government in the
European Union, MSc in Public Policy and Administration, MSc in Public Policy and
Administration (Research), MSc in Social Anthropology (Research) and MSc in Social
Research Methods. This course is available with permission as an outside option to
students on other programmes where regulations permit.
Research students please see MY551.

Course content: An intensive introduction to quantitative data analysis in the social
sciences. The course is intended for students with no previous experience of
quantitative methods or statistics. It covers the foundations of descriptive statistics and
statistical estimation and inference. At the end of the course students should be able to
carry out univariate and bi-variate data analysis and have an appreciation of multiple
linear regression. The computer classes give 'hands-on' training in the application of
statistical techniques to real social science research problems using the SPSS computer
package (no prior knowledge of SPSS is necessary).

Teaching: 20 hours of lectures and 10 hours of computer workshops in the MT. 20
hours of lectures and 10 hours of computer workshops in the LT. 2 hours of lectures in
the ST.
The course runs twice per year: in MT (MY451M) and again in LT (MY452L). Ten two-
hour lectures and nine one-hour computer classes per term. Weekly assignments are
required.

Formative coursework: Weekly assignments are required.

19

Indicative reading: A course pack will be available for download online. Additional
reading: many introductory statistics books are available. But we particularly recommend
Alan Agresti and Christine Franklin (2009) Statistics: The Art and Science of Learning
from Data. Pearson Education. Or Alan Agresti and Barbara Finlay (2009, 4th edition)
Statistical Methods for the Social Sciences. Pearson Education (note that the second
book is more advanced and is particularly useful if you are planning to take MY451 and
MY452.

Assessment: Exam (100%, duration: 2 hours) in the main exam period.
A two-hour open book unseen examination in ST.

MY452 Half Unit Applied Regression Analysis

Teachers responsible: Dr Jouni Kuha and Dr Benjamin Lauderdale
Availability: This course is compulsory on MSc Political Science and Political Economy
and MSc Sociology (Research). It is available on MSc Social Research Methods, MSc
Politics and Government in the European Union, MSc Public Policy and Administration,
MSc Local Economic Development, MSc Management, MSc Social Anthropology
(Research), MSc International Migration and Public Policy, MSc International Health
Policy, MSc International Health Policy (Health Economics), MSc Organisational
Behaviour, MSc Gender (Research), LSE-Sciences Po Double Degree in Urban Policy
and LSE-Sciences Po Double Degree in European Studies.
Pre-requisites: Students are required to have completed MY451 or an equivalent level
statistics course.
Course content: The course is designed for students with a good working knowledge of
elementary descriptive statistics; sampling distributions; one and two sample tests for
means and proportions; correlation and the least squares regression model with one or
more predictor variables. The course is concerned with deepening the understanding of
the generalized linear model and its application to social science data. The main topics
covered are linear regression modelling and binary, multinomial and ordinal logistic
regression. Class exercises and homework will be carried out using the Stata or SPSS
package, according to the students choice.
Teaching: 10 x two-hour lectures and nine x one-hour computer classes. Weekly
assignments are required. This course is given twice per session, starting in the second
week of each of the MT and LT. Students must either register for MY452M which is
taught in Michaelmas Term, or MY452L which is taught in Lent Term.
Indicative reading: A Agresti & B Finlay, Statistical Methods for the Social Sciences; M
Lewis-Beck, Applied Regression: An Introduction; J Aldrich & F D Nelson, Linear
Probability, Logit, and Probit Models. A course pack will be provided at the beginning of
the course and additional reading will be recommended.
Assessment: A two-hour open book unseen examination in ST.
SO463 Contemporary Social Thought

Teacher responsible: Prof Judy Wajcman STC S203 and Dr Nigel Dodd STC S277

Availability: This course is compulsory on the MSc in Sociology (Contemporary Social
Thought). This course is available on the MSc in Culture and Society, MSc in Economy,
Risk and Society, MSc in Political Sociology and MSc in Sociology. This course is
available as an outside option to students on other programmes where regulations
permit.
20

Course content: The course critically explores cutting edge issues and themes in
contemporary social thought.
This course deals with themes such as transformations in time and space, social and
cultural capital, new technologies, methods and society, cosmopolitanism and post-
cosmopolitanism. Topics covered include time, space, speed and technology; money
and the economy; the re-emergence of social class divisions;
technofeminism/cyberfeminism; cultural capital; cosmopolitanism, and human rights.

Teaching: 30 hours of seminars in the MT. 30 hours of seminars in the LT.

Formative coursework: 1 x 1500 word formative essay each term.

Indicative reading: Beck, U. The Cosmopolitan Vision; Calhoun, C, et al.
Contemporary Socialogical Theory; Dodd, N. The Sociology of Money; Gane, N. The
Future of Social Theory; Sennett, R. The Culture of the New Capitalism; Wajcman, J.
Technofeminism.

Assessment: Exam (70%, duration: 3 hours) in the main exam period.
Essay (30%, 3000 words) in the ST. Exam will be held during the Summer Term exam
session. Two hard copies of the assessed essay, with submission sheets attached to
each, to be handed in to the Student Drop-In Centre, no later than 16:30 on the first
Wednesday of Summer Term. An additional copy to be uploaded to Moodle no later
than 18:00 on the same day.
Attendance at all seminars and submission of all set coursework is required.
SO499 Dissertation

Teachers responsible: Programme Tutor of the relevant MSc programme and other
Sociology and Cities staff.
Availability: This course is compulsory on the MSc in Culture and Society, MSc in
Human Rights, MSc in Political Sociology, MSc in Race, Ethnicity and Postcolonial
Studies, MSc in Sociology, MSc in Sociology (Contemporary Social Thought), MSc in
Economy, Risk and Society and MSc in Sociology (Research). This course is not
available as an outside option.

Course content: The dissertation may be on any topic within the field of the MSc
programme studied. Approval for the topic must be obtained from the relevant
Programme Tutor.
Teaching Dissertation Preparation
The candidate should confirm a working title and prepare a brief abstract for their
intended dissertation (up to one A4 page, double-spaced, including your name not your
candidate number), which should be reviewed with their Academic Advisor no later than
the Monday, week 8 of Lent Term. Along with the title and abstract the candidate and
Academic Advisor should review and complete the Research Ethics Review Checklist by
this same time. These abstracts are the basis for an MSc dissertation Workshop that is
organised for each programme. Attendance at this workshop is optional but students
are, of course, encouraged to attend.

Dissertation Particulars
The dissertation must be a report of a research project, whether it comprises primary
empirical material, secondary empirical material or theoretical/exegetical work on a body
of social thought: i.e. there must be an identifiable and clear research question
governing the research project; there must be critical reflection on the methods used
21

(including their limits and the reasons why they warrant the kinds of claims made); and
substantive analysis of empirical or analytical material. Even where the topic is
substantively a literature or policy-review exercise, candidates are expected to offer
original reasoned argument and interpretation and to show evidence of a competence in
research methods. Guidance on topic selection and methods will normally be provided
by the candidate's tutor. The dissertation is primarily a reflection of the candidate's own
work and so feedback will not be given on draft versions of the dissertation. The
dissertation should reflect the candidate's own views.

Assessment
Dissertation (100%, 10,000 words) post-summer term.
Two hard copies of the dissertation, with submission sheets attached to each, to be
handed in to the Student Drop-In Centre, no later than 16:00 on the last Thursday of
August if you are a full-time student and in the subsequent year if you are a part-time
student. An additional copy to be uploaded to Moodle no later than 18:00 on the same
day.
Dissertations may be up to and no more than 10,000 words, must be word-processed
and be fully referenced using a recognised citation system.
4.4 Optional Courses
MSc Sociology
Full-year programme. Students must take courses to the value of three units and write a
dissertation as shown.
Paper Course number and title
1 SO401 Social Research Methods
2 & 3 Courses to the value of two full units from the following:
GV479 Nationalism
SO407 Politics and Society
SO420 Globalisation: Economy, Politics and Power (H)
SO424 Approaches to Human Rights
SO425 Regulation, Risk and Economic Life
SO430 Economic Sociology (H)
SO433 Cultural Theory (H) (n/a 13/14)
SO438 Sociology of Employment I: Social Relations at Work (H) (n/a 13/14)
SO447 Topics in Race, Ethnicity and Postcolonial Studies (n/a 13/14)
SO451 Cities by Design (H)
SO454 Families in Contemporary Societies: a Life Course Perspective (H)
SO457 Political Reconciliation (H)
SO458 Gender and Societies (H)
SO461 Racial Formations of Modernity (H) (n/a 13/14)
SO463 Contemporary Social Thought
SO464 Ethnic and Religious Violence in Post-Colonial Societies (H) (n/a
13/14)
SO466 Race and Biopolitics (H)
SO467 Race, Ethnicity and Migration in Britain (post-1945) (H) (n/a 13/14)
SO468 International Migration and Migrant Integration (H)
SO469 Risk and Governance: A Sociological Approach (H)
SO470 The Sociology of Markets (H)
22

SO473 Crime, Control and the City (H) (n/a 13/14)
4 SO499 Dissertation

MSc Sociology (Research)

This is a full-year programme (one year full-time, two years part-time). Students will be
required to take courses to the value of three full units and a dissertation as shown.
Paper Course number and title
1 SO401 Social Research Methods
2 MY451 Introduction to Quantitative Analysis(H)
3 MY452 Applied Regression Analysis (H)
4 Sociology option(s) to the value of one unit

MSc Sociology (Contemporary Social Thought)

Full-year programme. Students must take courses to the value of three units and write a
dissertation as shown.
1 SO463 Contemporary Social Thought
2 & 3 Courses to the value of two units from the following:
SO433 Cultural Theory (H)
Other options from the Department of Sociology and approved outside options.

Please note that some of these courses may be capped, which means numbers are
limited to avoid overcrowding and it may not be possible for everyone who applies to get
a place on these courses. Some courses which are listed as options for your programme
of study may be compulsory core courses for other programmes. If they are capped they
may only be able to offer a few if any - places for students wishing to take them as
optional courses, depending on how many people are taking them as core courses.
We hope that you will be able to choose the options you are most interested in but we
cannot guarantee that everyone will get their first choices. If you are not sure which
options to choose you should talk to your academic advisor.
5 STUDYING
The section of the handbook describes formative work and the assessment system.
The assessment section includes: a mark frame, information on examinations and the
dissertation, guidance on submission, referencing and the Schools policies on
Research Ethics and Plagiarism.

23

5.1 Supervision
During your year at the LSE you will be assigned a supervisor (Academic Adviser) who
will oversee your progress throughout the session. You should meet your supervisor at
regular intervals for advice and feedback and to discuss the progress of your work, as
well as any problems of a more personal nature that may arise. As well as overseeing
your general progress, your supervisor will help you develop your dissertation topic.
However, we also encourage you, during the course of preparing for your dissertation to
approach other members of staff who may be able to help you with your dissertation.
Supervisors will, as far as possible, be allocated by the end of the first full week of the
Michaelmas Term. A list of supervisors and students will be prominently displayed on
the Departmental notice board outside the Student Drop-In Centre during the second
week of the Michaelmas Term. As soon as you know the name of your supervisor,
please make contact with them and arrange an appointment. It is important to do this as
soon as possible, especially if you are uncertain about the options course that you wish
to take. All staff have allocated office hour/s which are displayed on their door. However,
staff are also happy to arrange appointments for supervision discussions to be held at
other, mutually acceptable, times. You can contact staff via email, telephone or by
leaving a note in their pigeon hole in the Student Drop-In Centre.
There is no single model for the relationship between you and your MSc supervisor.
However, the relationship is important when you are preparing your MSc dissertation.
We strongly recommend students start thinking about their dissertation early in
the course and seek assistance in doing so. We hold a dissertation workshop early in
the Summer Term to help prepare you. We ask students to produce a dissertation title
and abstract by the beginning of the Lent term.
You have the right to expect your supervisor to be available to see you during term-time
but not outside term-time. This is especially the case during the Summer vacation when
you are writing up your dissertation. You should therefore plan your work so that you are
in a position to receive final advice on your dissertation before the end of the Summer
Term. In the interest of equity between students your supervisor may comment on your
early efforts on your dissertation before the end of the Summer Term. You cannot expect
your supervisor to read, or offer extensive comments on, your final dissertation draft.
Should any problems arise concerning supervision, you should in the first instance
consult your supervisor or alternatively your programme convenor.
5.2 Teaching
Teaching normally begins in the first week of term. Details of lecture times and locations
are posted on the web. Graduates are primarily taught through seminars and lectures.
The formal courses provide you with guidelines and an overview, but you must take
responsibility for your own learning. You are not expected to read everything on the
reading lists; however, you will be expected to prepare for all lectures and seminars.
You must read sufficiently to be able to regularly participate in seminar discussion.
5.3 Timetables Office

The Timetables Office is responsible for scheduling and allocating rooms to all of the
Schools taught courses.
The Timetables web page includes information for students and staff.

http://www2.lse.ac.uk/intranet/diaryAndEvents/timetables/Home.aspx
24

5.4 Class Changes
If you have circumstances which prevent you from attending your scheduled class, you
should include in your class change request full details of the dates and times that you
are unavailable. Your request will then be considered by the department responsible for
teaching the affected course. You may be asked to provide documentary evidence in
support of your application.
Once a decision has been made, you will be notified via your LSE email account. If your
request has been approved, it will be reflected in your LSE for You personal timetable
within three working days of the date of approval.
Seminar registration for postgraduate students is co-ordinated by the department
teaching the course; therefore please contact them directly with any queries. For more
information please see lse.ac.uk/registration.
5.5 Course Readings
All courses make use of the Course Collection in the Library. This is a collection of all
the books marked as essential reading on reading lists. All the books in this section are
borrowed for 3 days, although they can be renewed provided they are not requested by
another student, and are restricted to LSE staff and students. Please be aware that if a
book is requested by another student fines are increased from 30p per day to 1 per
day. The shortened loan period for these key readings enables a large number of
students to borrow the same items within a short space of time.
Most current journal articles can be accessed online. It is worth checking if articles on
your course reading lists are available this way, since printing these is cheap and
straightforward. In addition to the Library main collection and course collection, many
teachers will have created online versions of important chapters or articles. You can find
the link to these materials in your reading list.
5.6 Feedback
Feedback is fundamental to learning. It is best seen as a process of dialogue putting
your ideas, arguments, evidence and sources forward and seeing how others then see
them. Feedback through your course also helps you to understand what standard of
work you need to achieve to progress and ultimately pass your programme of study. A
key to your success is understanding the feedback you receive and putting it into
practice in your work.
Feedback Myth 1 Feedback just explains your grade No, it does more than that.
Feedback Myth 2 Feedback is just a set of instructions No, its meant to make
you think.
Feedback Myth 3 Feedback applies to just one piece of work No, it can apply
to all the work you do.
How can feedback help you?
It helps you improve the particular assignment you are working on.
It gives you useful pointers for subsequent work.
It helps you understand the criteria that will be used to assess you in essays and
exams where the grade counts towards your degree result.
It motivates you to reach your potential.
25

How is feedback provided?
You will get feedback on all sorts of work:
Course essays
Class presentations
Problem sets
Your contributions to class discussions
Your participation in Moodle discussion forums
Questions you raise in lectures or online
Group projects
Dissertation outlines
Mock exams and tests
Your work overall throughout the term
Feedback comes in many different forms:
Written comments on work youve handed in
Direct oral feedback from your class teacher or seminar leader
Group feedback from your lecturer
Informal feedback from discussion with fellow students and teachers
Online feedback
Feedback should be a dialogue between student and teacher, not simply a grade.
3 steps to making the most of feedback
Get ready for feedback
Find out what sort of feedback you will get on each of your courses and across
your programme as a whole. Ask what the feedback opportunities are and read
about them in your programme/departmental handbook.
Find out who you can get feedback from, when and how: What time are staff office
hours? Do you need to book in advance or turn up? Can you ask questions in
lectures, after lectures, via email?
Look at assessment criteria for your courses/programme and ask questions if the
criteria are not clear to you.
Agree with some fellow students on how you will make the most of each others
experiences seeing other peoples work and reading the feedback they have had
can often be really useful.
Think about what you want feedback on and when (e.g. for your essay, on a class
presentation, in your meeting with your academic adviser/supervisor) and then
specifically ask for that feedback.
Understand feedback
See feedback as dialogue dont just accept it. Arrange to meet with teachers to
help understand any new ideas and suggestions given.
Read the comments dont just focus on grade!
Take up any offers to meet with teachers and come to them with questions.
Go back to the assessment criteria do you understand them better now?
Ask how feedback in this context relates to other forms of assessment e.g. is this
the kind of work you would be expected to do in a formal examination?
Use feedback
Try reworking the piece of work youve just had feedback on.
Use the more general ideas youve been given to improve future work.
See it as a way of improving your writing style, citation and referencing, or your
use of English (for these more generic aspects of writing, you may want to
26

consider accessing additional support services - see the back page of this leaflet
for details).
Use it as an opportunity for more dialogue and discussion with fellow students and
teachers.
Use it to help you refine your ideas/style/approach for examinations or formally
assessed essays, projects and dissertations.
Turning feedback into improved performance
As well as your fellow students, class teachers, seminar leaders, lecturers and academic
advisers there are several other sources of support around the School, notably:
LSE Teaching and Learning Centre
A series of study skills events throughout the year, along with useful resources for
study support. The Teaching and Learning Centres Learning World Moodle site
provides further details, as well as links to other related training across LSE
For more personalised support, a limited number of one-to-one tutorials with
experienced study advisers, in both qualitative and quantitative subjects.
One-to-one advice on written work with the Royal Literary Fund Fellow
For one-to-one sessions with a study adviser or the Royal Literary Fund Fellow, youll
need to book in advance. Come to the Teaching and Learning Centre office (KSW
G.507), email studentsupport@lse.ac.uk or call 020 7852 3627.
The Language Centre

English Language Support

If English is not your first language the Language Centre is on hand to give you advice
and support throughout your time at LSE. The support is free and starts as soon as your
main programme starts. There are specific classes for academic units and information
sessions are held during the first days of term to advise you on the most appropriate
classes to take. Classes begin in week 2 of the Michaelmas Term. Please see
lse.ac.uk/languages for information on the English for Academic Purposes (EAP) In-
sessional Support Programme.

Language, Linguistics and Literature Degree Options and Certificate Courses

As well as a range of degree options available on all undergraduate programmes, the
Language Centre also offers an extra-curricular programme in a range of modern
foreign languages which is open to you for a fee. If you are a UK/EU undergraduate
student you can claim your entitlement to a free language course during your time at
LSE if you do not have a GCSE (or equivalent) in a language which is not your mother
tongue. To help you choose the most appropriate course a series of information
sessions and individual appointments is held during the first weeks of term. Courses
start in week 5 of the Michaelmas Term, and the cost of a standard course in 2013/14 is
215.00. Please see lse.ac.uk/languages for information on the Modern Foreign
Language (MFL) Certificate Course.
5.7 Evaluation
We want you to get the best out of this course and evaluation is an important element of
this. At key stages during the year we will ask you to complete (anonymously) course
evaluations. The information provided from these is invaluable to us in terms of
developing the course for future years. You do not need to wait for evaluations however
27

to express your feelings about the course (either good or bad!) and we will do our best
to respond to your comments.
6 FORMATIVE ASSESSMENT

In most full unit MSc courses, in preparation for the assessed components of the course
(essays and/or the examination) you will be expected to submit a minimum of two
written papers in the course of the year. You will also be expected to participate in
seminar presentations and discussions. These aspects of your coursework are formative
i.e. they do not count towards the final grade. The course teachers will provide you with
feedback as detailed below. This feedback is invaluable in your preparation for the
formal assessments.
Sociology Policy on Feedback on Formative Coursework and Dissertations
The Department provides feedback on formative coursework, including ongoing
dissertation work in a number of forms:
Verbal feedback during office hours, individual and/or group tutorials and
supervisions;
Verbal feedback in response to class presentations and in the dissertation workshop;
Written feedback on formative coursework, and where appropriate on class
presentations and drafts of dissertation work;
Written feedback may be provided in hard copy, or electronically via e-mail,
Moodle or LSE for You.
The Departments policy is to provide feedback within two weeks of submission of
formative coursework or draft written material.
7 FORMAL ASSESSMENT: THE DISSERTATION, ESSAYS &
EXAMINATIONS
7.1 The Dissertation

Submitting your dissertation title and Abstract and the MSc dissertation workshop:

Dissertation Preparation
Each candidate should confirm a working title and prepare a brief abstract for their
intended dissertation (up to one A4 page, double-spaced, including your name not your
candidate number), which should be reviewed with their Academic Advisor no later than
the Monday, week 8 of Lent Term. Along with the title and abstract the candidate and
Academic Advisor should review and complete the Research Ethics Review Checklist by
this same time. These abstracts are the basis for an MSc dissertation Workshop that is
organised for each programme. Attendance at this workshop is optional but students
are, of course, encouraged to attend.

The workshop is participatory. After a brief introduction that repeats and elaborates the
general expectations concerning the dissertation, individual workshop participants make
short (i.e., three to five minutes each) presentations about the status of their dissertation
plans and about their proposed approach to their topic, including describing in a general
way any data and evidence to be used. There is then an opportunity for everybody to
make suggestions and constructive criticisms about each contribution. All members of
staff are invited to attend this workshop in order to offer their views on students
28

dissertation plans.

Research Ethics Policy
http://www.lse.ac.uk/intranet/researchAndDevelopment/researchPolicy/home.aspx
The School attaches considerable importance to the maintenance of high ethical
standards in research undertaken by its research staff and students. For ethics guidance
and the LSE Research Ethics Checklist please visit
http://www.lse.ac.uk/intranet/researchAndDevelopment/researchPolicy/ethicsGuidanceA
ndForms.aspx
7.2 The Nature of the Dissertation
Purpose
The dissertation or long essay is an integral part of the course requirements for the MSc. It
is an important opportunity to study in depth a topic of special interest to you and for you
to apply knowledge and skills gained on other parts of the MSc course. Your study should
involve the application of one or more of the research approaches covered in other parts
of the MSc programme to a question within the field of sociology. Whatever your choice,
the dissertation should be logically structured, well researched and clearly written. The
dissertation accounts for one quarter of the MSc programme requirements and you should
allocate your time and effort accordingly. You should plan your work in order to ensure
that you meet with your supervisor within term-time, since academics may not be available
during out of term periods. At the end of the Summer Term you will be expected to have
developed the structure of your dissertation and to start to work independently; consult the
section above on 'Supervision' for a full statement on supervisory arrangements.
Content and Approach
The dissertation is an extended piece of written work that critically appraises evidence
and opinion to reach a conclusion about a sociological question. The key requirement is
that the dissertation should demonstrate a high level of independent critical ability. You
must show your ability to organise your material clearly and logically and to sustain a
reasoned and cogent argument from beginning to end. Where appropriate you should
explain clearly the research method(s) that you have applied and the reasons for your
choice of approach. You should show awareness of any shortcomings of your study in
relation to methods employed and quality or quantity of the data.
Dissertations can take a number of forms. For example:
A library-based project utilising existing secondary sources;
An empirical investigation using existing data-sets or published data;
A research report based on the collection of primary data, for example, of survey
or ethnographic evidence.
Where the project involves the collection of your own data, appropriate credit will be
given. Whatever the nature of your dissertation, it is never appropriate to present merely
an accumulation of disparate and perhaps ill-organised factual material, without placing
this in the context of a body of sociological literature or a sociological debate, or using it
in order to address a sociological question, or applying it to assess the correctness or
otherwise of a recognised sociological theory or set of theories, or interpreting it with
sociological insights.

29

Format and style
Whatever the form of the dissertation, you must demonstrate a thorough knowledge of
the academic and professional literature relevant to the research topic, and a critical
awareness of the contribution of different writers and schools of thought. This will usually
take the form of a literature review presented early in the dissertation.
The dissertation should be no more than 10,000 words (excluding title and sub-title,
abstract and contents page, bibliography and appendices but including footnotes/
endnotes). In fairness to those who take pains to abide by this requirement and to
ensure parity of treatment between candidates, this limit will be strictly enforced. Five
marks will be deducted for dissertations that exceed the maximum number of
words, and examiners are not required to read any material in excess of the word-
limit. Include a declaration of word-length on the title page or contents-page of your
dissertation. The manuscript should be printed in double spacing and portrait mode
using at least 12-point type on A4 or 8 1/2 x 11 size paper, single or double sided, with
page numbers. The finished product must be bound (spiral binding or equivalent).
When preparing their dissertation, students should bear in mind that great importance is
attached to proper notation, grammar, punctuation, spelling and referencing, and they
should adopt a consistent set of conventions. Examples of recommended styles are
given below.
Footnotes
These are a way of saying something extra that amplifies a point which has been made
in the main text but is peripheral to it and would result in the main text containing
distracting extra material. They should be numbered consecutively. You can make them
literally footnotes, at the foot of the page, but just as easily as endnotes at the end of
each chapter. Try to avoid very long notes.
Textual references
Unless a dissertation cites many primary sources and/or legal cases, we advise
referencing in the text using the Harvard system of author(s), year of publication and
(where appropriate) page-number(s). These references should be inserted into the text
as close as possible to the relevant point as is consistent with clarity and legibility. The
usages contained in the following various examples should be followed as appropriate;
these cover all major situations and the point being demonstrated is made explicit where
it is not immediately obvious.
As Dollard (1988) argues, . . . ; Dollards (1988) classic study; (Perrineau 1985)
(Messina 1989, pp. 236) use the minimum number of digits in page-numbers,
except between 10 and 19, 110 and 119, etc.; referencing to individual
chapters according their inclusive page-numbers in the edition being cited rather
than to chapter-numbers is preferred
(Banton 1987a; 1987b) two or more references to works by the same author
published in the same year should be distinguished in this way
(Banton 1983; 1987a) but (Banton 1983, p. 104; Banton 1987a, p. 129) omit the
authors surname after the first reference only if he or she is the only one being
cited within a set of parentheses and if only years of publication but not page-
numbers are being used in all instances
(Banton 1987a; Anthias 1992) order by ascending year of publication rather
than alphabetically by surname of author, using the latter criterion only when citing
differently authored publications from the same year
30

(Butler and Stokes 1974; Himmelweit et al. 1981) works by up to three co-
authors should cite the surnames of all co-authors, while those with four or more
co-authors should be cited using only the surname of the first, followed by et al.
The corresponding list of References should be typed or printed separately double- or
sesque-spaced at the end of the dissertation beginning on a new page and titled
References. The list should be alphabetical by surname of author or first co-author and
should be in the style of the following examples. It is important to include, where they
exist, part-numbers as well as volume-numbers of cited journals and inclusive page-
numbers of material from journals and edited collections. It is also important to provide
any subtitle of a book or an article, as well as the forenames and/or initials of authors of
cited material, as given in the original reference. You should also take care that only
those references cited in the text appear in the list of References and vice versa.
General bibliographies should not normally be given. Also, avoid citation mania the
tendency to provide citations even for the most trivial or banal assertions.
ANTHIAS, FLOYA 1992 Connecting race and ethnic phenomena, Sociology, vol. 26,
no. 3, pp. 42138
BANTON, MICHAEL 1983 Racial and Ethnic Competition, Cambridge: Cambridge
University Press
____ 1987a Racial Theories, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press
____ 1987b The beginning and the end of the racial issue in British politics, Policy and
Politics, vol. 15, no. 1, pp. 3947
BUTLER, DAVID and STOKES, DONALD 1974 Political Change in Britain: The
Evolution of Electoral Choice, 2nd edn, London: Macmillan
DEAKIN, SIMON and MORRIS, GILLIAN S 1998 Labour Law, 2nd edn, London:
Butterworths
DOLLARD, JOHN 1988 Caste and Class in a Southern Town, 4th edn, Madison, WI:
University of Wisconsin Press [1st edn, New Haven, CT: Yale University Press,
1937]
ENGBERSEN, GODFRIED and van der LEUN, JOANNE 1998 Illegality and criminality:
the differential opportunity structure of undocumented immigrants, in Khalid Koser
and Helma Lutz (eds), The New Migration in Europe: Social Constructions and
Social Realities, Basingstoke: Macmillan Press Ltd, pp. 199223
HIMMELWEIT, HILDE T, et al. 1981 How Voters Decide: A Longitudinal Study of
Political Attitudes and Voting Extending Over Fifteen Years, London: Academic
Press
MESSINA, ANTHONY M 1989 Race and Party Competition in Britain, Oxford:
Clarendon Press
PERRINEAU, PASCAL 1985 Le Front National: un lectorat autoritaire, Revue
Politique et Parlementaire, no. 918, pp. 2431
SOMBART, WERNER 1976 Why Is There No Socialism in the United States?, London:
Macmillan [first published in German in 1906]
THOMAS, J J R 1985 Rationalization and the status of gender divisions, Sociology, vol.
19, no. 3, pp. 40920
ALVIN, JAMES 1982 Black caricature: the roots of racialism, in Charles Husband (ed.),
'Race' in Britain: Continuity and Change, London: Hutchinson, pp. 5972
Give only the first-named place of publication if more than one are listed on the title-
page of a book. It is now conventional that the names of US towns or cities (except New
York) are followed by the Post-Office-authorised two-letter abbreviation of the state
concerned; e.g., Cambridge, Massachusetts, should be identified as Cambridge, MA.
Publications with up to three co-authors should be referenced as in the Butler/Stokes
example; those with four or more co-authors should be referenced as in the Himmelweit
example.
31

Internet references
Internet references should be given in the text as in the following examples, normally,
though not necessarily in every case, identifying simultaneously the holder of the website.
The website of the Commission for Racial Equality [www.cre.gov.uk] is merely
one source for.... However, note: There are several Internet sources providing
basic information about current legislation on racial discrimination in employment
(e.g. www.cre.gov.uk/rights)...
Where it is necessary to give textual and Internet references simultaneously, all the
former should be listed first (ordered according to the principles for textual references
given above) and all the latter should be listed second, in alphabetical order. All
individual references should be separated by semi-colons. A demonstrative example:
There are numerous sources providing information about current legislation on
racial discrimination in employment (e.g. Deakin and Morris 1998, pp. 543626;
www.cre.gov.uk/rights).
Where a referenced website has been located via a link from some other site, it is
usually necessary to identify only the destination site. All Internet references should also
be listed at the end of the article after the textual References and with the title Internet
references. They should be listed in alphabetical order of holder of the website, giving
the date on which each was accessed for the information being cited (accurate to the
day or, if not feasible, as close thereto as possible), and website address. If a website
has been merely cited without having accessed it, n.ac. (for not accessed) should be
substituted for date of access:
Commission for Racial Equality, 27 November 1999, www.cre.gov.uk/rights Higher
Education Statistics Agency, May 1999, http://www.hesa.ac.uk/ Le Monde, 29
November 1999, www.lemonde.fr University of Surrey, n.ac., www.surrey.ac.uk
7.3 Assessed Coursework and the Dissertation - Word Length
Assessed coursework must not exceed its applicable word length. The completed
dissertation must be of not more than 10,000 words in length; they may include
tables and diagrams as appropriate.
Note: the word count does include footnotes and endnotes, but does not include the
title, sub-title, dissertation abstract and contents page, the bibliography and appendices.
A penalty of 5 marks can be applied to over-length dissertations and assessed
coursework. Examiners are not required to mark over the word count.
7.4 Submission of Assessed Coursework and the Dissertation
All formally assessed work must be submitted to the Departments Student Drop-In
Centre. Although you should refer to specific course guides for the precise deadlines,
these are usually during the first and second weeks of the Summer Term.
Copies of assignments should be stapled securely and in the case of the dissertation
the papers should be spiral bound or the equivalent and submitted to the Administration
Office, Student Drop-In Centre. On both dissertation copies, the front cover should be
transparent to allow the title and your candidate examination number (but not your
name) to be read without opening. The title page must also include the word count.
Submitted copies must be identical in every respect. A third electronic copy of your
32

essay / dissertation must be posted to Moodle. It is also acceptable, in the interests of
the environment, to submit this work in double-sided format.
It is suggested that, for your own records, you prepare and retain a third copy, since the
two submitted copies will not be returned to you.
Submission Form
At the time you submit your two copies; you must complete and attach the form entitled
SUMMATIVE COURSEWORK SUBMISSION FORM and PLAGIARISM / ACADEMIC
DISHONESTY DECLARATION 2013-14. This form can be found on Moodle and hard
copies will be available in the administration office Student Drop-In Centre.
Plagiarism (unacknowledged borrowing and quotation) is an examination offence and
carries heavy penalties. By completing and attaching this form you are declaring
that you have read and understood LSEs guidelines on plagiarism/academic
dishonesty and confirming that the submitted work is your own.
Following submission you will receive an email acknowledging receipt of your
assignment within two working days.
7.5 Late submission of assessed coursework and dissertation: deadlines,
deferrals and extensions

Missing an assessed coursework or dissertation deadline is treated identically to missing
an exam: Just as an exam date cannot be moved, the deadline for essay submissions is
fixed. In either case, should the student miss a deadline, the relevant exam board looks
at the reasons offered and documented by the student (their mitigation) and decides
whether or not the mitigation offered allows the Board to waive the normal penalties.
Only the Exam Board (which meets in October) can decide this; administrators, course
and degree convenors, tutors, and even the Exam Board Chair cannot. They can at best
offer advice as to the likely decision of the Board, but they do not have the power to
decide these matters.

Therefore there is no possibility of extensions (we cannot move deadlines) or condone
lateness: If you believe that you cannot meet your deadline, or if you have already
missed one, you should immediately raise the matter with the appropriate administrator
and with your supervisor or degree convenor: it is vital that you get proper advice, and
that you act as early as possible. You should then make a formal submission to the
Chair of the appropriate Examinations Sub-Board. Normally this will include at a
minimum a mitigation form submitted via the Student Services Centre, a cover letter
explaining your circumstances and documentary support (e.g., a medical certificate).

In sum: do not ask for an extension (these do not exist); if there is a possibility of
missing a deadline, discuss with relevant staff the grounds if any on which you might
ask for lateness penalties to be waived. To state the obvious: if you are advised that you
have provided weak or no grounds for the Board to waive the penalties - get the work in
by the deadline.

If a student fails to submit by the set deadline the following penalties shall normally
apply: five marks out of 100 will be deducted for coursework submitted within 24 hours
of the deadline and a further five marks will be deducted for each subsequent 24-hour
period (working days only) until the coursework is submitted. After five working days,
coursework will only be accepted with the permission of the Chair of the Sub-Board of
Examiners;

33

Normally, penalties for late submission are only waived where there is convincing
evidence of either medical issues (mental or physical) or critical situations amongst the
very immediate family or friends of the student (e.g. bereavement) that can be directly
connected to the failure to meet the deadline. The Board needs to be convinced that the
mitigating circumstances had a direct impact on the ability of the student to meet the
deadline (an illness in the week before the deadline will clearly weigh more heavily that
one occurring months before); and the Board will also look at the degree of lateness in
relation to the seriousness of the mitigation (a minor illness in the run-up to the deadline
may warrant a few days lateness but not a few weeks). Bad time management and
intellectual issues will not be accepted as mitigation. No software or hardware issues
(whether breakdowns, theft, viruses or printing problems - nothing) will ever be
considered (students are advised to make frequent backups).

For School policies on mitigating circumstances (and forms), see
http://www2.lse.ac.uk/intranet/students/registrationTimetablesAssessment/examinations
AndResults/Exceptional%20Circumstances/Mitigation.aspx

There is one exception to these policies: if you have been granted an ISSA by the
Student Services Centre this allows, and in fact requires, the Department to make
adjustments of both coursework deadlines and examination conditions in view of chronic
health issues. In this case, your degree convenor and the Chair of the Examinations
Sub-Board are empowered to negotiate extensions (i.e., actually to move the deadline to
an extent appropriate to the condition covered by the ISSA).

Deferral: We cannot move deadlines (except in the case of ISSAs), but you can ask to
defer one or more assessments to the following year, including the possibility of
interrupting your studies completely until the following year. This also requires a formal
submission to the Chair of the Exam Board, who must decide whether deferral or
interruption is warranted. The grounds for this decision are the same as in the case of
penalties but with the additional criteria that the issues invoked are longer-term or
chronic. For more information, see
http://www2.lse.ac.uk/intranet/students/registrationTimetablesAssessment/examinations
AndResults/Exceptional%20Circumstances/Deferral/Deferral.aspx

Finally, please be clear that the reasons for these procedures are not narrowly
bureaucratic but are matters of equity and fairness: no student should get an unfair
advantage over their peers by being allowed an extra few days (or an extra few
thousand words). If lateness is allowed it can only be because the student was
demonstrably prevented from working on their assessed essay (had fewer days than
their peers) as a result of circumstances beyond their control and reasonable foresight.

7.6 Plagiarism

The work you submit for assessment must be your own. If you try to pass off the work of
others as your own, whether deliberately or not, you will be committing plagiarism.

Any quotation from the published or unpublished works of other persons, including other
candidates, must be clearly identified as such, being placed inside quotation marks and
a full reference to their sources must be provided in proper form. A series of short
quotations from several different sources, if not clearly identified as such, constitutes
plagiarism just as much as does a single unacknowledged long quotation from a single
source. All paraphrased material must also be clearly and properly acknowledged.

Any written work you produce (for classes, seminars, examination scripts, dissertations,
essays, computer programmes and MPhil/PhD theses) must be solely your own. You
34

must not employ a ghost writer to write parts or all of the work, whether in draft or as a
final version, on your behalf. For further information and the Schools Statement on
Editorial Help, see link below. Any breach of the Statement will be treated in the same
way as plagiarism.

You should also be aware that a piece of work may only be submitted for assessment
once. Submitting the same piece of work twice will be regarded as an offence of self-
plagiarism and will also be treated in the same way as plagiarism.

Examiners are vigilant for cases of plagiarism and the School uses plagiarism detection
software to identify plagiarised text. Work containing plagiarism may be referred to an
Assessment Misconduct Panel which may result in severe penalties.

If you are unsure about the academic referencing conventions used by the School you
should seek guidance from your tutor or the Library, see link below.

The Regulations on Plagiarism can be found at the following web links:
http://www.lse.ac.uk/resources/calendar/academicRegulations/RegulationsOnAssessme
ntOffences-
Plagiarism.htmhttp://www.lse.ac.uk/resources/calendar/academicRegulations/statement
OnEditorialHelp.htm

http://www2.lse.ac.uk/library/services/training/citing_referencing.aspx
7.7 Assessment Criteria
The candidates performance shall be assessed across four modules, or module
equivalents comprising half-units (hereinafter referred to generically as modules).
Below is a general Postgraduate Mark Frame, which illustrates the assessment criteria
that your course teachers are employing:
Distinction (70 per cent or higher): This class of pass is awarded when the essay
demonstrates clarity of analysis, engages directly with the question, and shows an
independent and critical interpretation of the issues raised by it. The essay shows
exemplary skill in presenting a logical and coherent argument and an outstanding
breadth and depth of reading. The essay is presented in a polished and
professional manner, and all citations, footnotes and bibliography are rendered in
the proper academic form. Essays in the upper range of this class (80 per cent
and higher) may make an original academic contribution to the subject under
discussion. Answers in the upper range will be outstanding in terms of originality,
sophistication and breadth of understanding of relevant themes and material.
Merit (60-69 per cent): This class of pass is awarded when the essay attempts a
systematic analysis of the issues raised by the question and demonstrates
independent thought. The essay shows appropriate skill in presenting a clearly
reasoned argument, and draws on a good range of relevant literature. The essay
is well-presented and citations, footnotes and bibliography are rendered in the
proper academic form.
Pass (50-59 per cent): This class of pass is awarded when the essay shows
understanding of the issues raised by the question, and demonstrates an
engagement with relevant literature. The discussion may rely more heavily on
description than on independent analysis. There may be some inconsistencies,
irrelevant points and unsubstantiated claims in the argument. Presentation and
35

referencing is adequate but may contain inaccuracies.
Fail (40-49 per cent): The essay shows limited understanding of the subject and
lacks evidence of an independent response to the question. It may be based
entirely on lecture material, poorly structured and contain significant errors of fact.
The essay may be incomplete, including poor presentation and inadequate
referencing, and fail to demonstrate an appropriate level of engagement with
relevant literature.
Bad Fail (0-39 per cent): The essay is incomplete or fails to address the question
under study. It provides little evidence of reading or understanding. It may be
poorly presented and lack referencing.
Dissertations that are generally satisfactory but fall short of the required standard of
presentation may be referred for emendation within one month of the examiners
meeting. Please note the requirement that in order to pass your whole MSc, you must
pass the dissertation with a mark of at least 50.
7.8 Sociology Policy on Feedback on Assessed Coursework
Feedback will be provided on summative coursework in the form of qualitative
comments by the first examiner and returned via the MSc administrators. Where
possible, given the constraints of the examination schedule, the Department will aim to
provide written feedback in advance of examinations.
Students should be advised that the provision of qualitative feedback is a separate
process from the formal assessment of coursework, which is completed by two internal
examiners and moderated by an external examiner.
7.9 Results and Transcripts of Results

The School releases confirmed marks once the relevant School Board of Examiners has
ratified them. For further information, please see lse.ac.uk/results.

To ensure that your results are released as scheduled, please check your balance on
LSE for You to see if you have any outstanding tuition, halls or library fees. You should
contact the Fees Office on fees@lse.ac.uk if you have any queries, as the School will
not release your results if you have an outstanding debt.

Transcripts for finalists are issued digitally within five working days of final results being
officially published. Continuing students will be able to request an 'intermediate
transcript' of results as soon as they are officially published.

For more information, please see lse.ac.uk/transcripts

36

8 SCHOOL GUIDE A-Z
8.1 Academic Advisers
At the start of term all students will be assigned an Academic Adviser who is a member
of the staff of the Department. LSE defines the role of the Academic Adviser as follows:
To provide academic guidance and feedback on students' progress and
performance and to discuss any academic problems they might experience
To provide pastoral support on non-academic issues and to refer students, as
necessary, to the appropriate support agencies within the School.
To implement the provisions outlined in Individual Student Support Agreements
(ISSAs) for students with disabilities, in liaison with the School's Disability and
Well-Being Office.
To maintain regular contact with students on academic and pastoral issues
through direct one-to-one meetings and other means of communication, such as
emails. The number and nature of meetings may vary between departments and
programmes as detailed in the relevant handbook.
To comment on and provide a general assessment of students' progress on their
termly class reports via LSE for You.
To agree students' course choices via LSE for You.
To inform the Programme Director and School of any students whose progress is
not satisfactory.
The onus is on you to make arrangements to see your Academic Adviser and you
should aim to do so at least twice each term, or more frequently if you are having
particular difficulties. As office hours are intended to be used for general student
enquiries, you can also see your Academic Adviser outside these times by making an
appointment.
Students should regard their Academic Advisers as their first port of call in relation to
both academic and welfare matters. Any issues that cannot be resolved with your
Academic Adviser can be taken to a member of your Programme Team, your
Programme Director or, ultimately, the Director of Graduate Studies.
On joining the School each student is allocated a member of the academic staff in his or
her department as an academic adviser.
8.2 Accommodation Office
Website: lse.ac.uk/accommodation. The LSE Accommodation Office (TW2 2.05, Tower
2) can provide advice on finding accommodation in London for you and your visitors.
You can e-mail accommodation@lse.ac.uk or telephone 020 7955 7531.
8.3 Alumni Association
LSEs Alumni Association is the official voice of LSE's global alumni community,
comprising more than 108,000 people in over 190 countries, 53 country groups, nine
special interest groups and 24 contact networks.
Its primary role is to support the alumni programme coordinated by the LSE Alumni
Relations team by a) developing and supporting the network of international and special
interest alumni groups and contact networks, and, b) representing the voice of the
alumni community within the School.
You automatically become a member upon graduation. Membership is free. By
registering with the Houghton Street Online community, you will be able to stay
37

connected with former classmates and the School after your graduation. You will receive
a monthly e-newsletter, LSE Alumni Echo, and the biannual alumni magazine, LSE
Connect.

LSE alumni also have access to:
Alumni Professional Mentoring Network
LSE Careers for up to two years after graduation
An email forwarding address to continue using an LSE email address
The Librarys printed collections on a reference basis, and can borrow free of
charge

For more information about the benefits and services available to alumni, please contact
the Alumni Relations team on alumni@lse.ac.uk.
8.4 Assessment Procedures
Students at the School are usually expected to do two types of assessment during their
studies. Class work or course work is submitted to the class teacher for formative
assessment, to help students develop their skills and understanding. This work may well
be graded, to give students a feel for how they are progressing. In addition students are
also required to produce assessed essays and take unseen written examinations for
summative assessment, designed to evaluate the student's current level of academic
achievement (for grading). Each LSE course will be summatively assessed or examined,
most often by sit-down 2 hour or 3 hour examination, though some departments use
some more varied assessments, including essays, projects, dissertations, portfolios and
practicals of various kinds. See also Examinations.
Formative assessments are usually essays, book reviews, short response papers or
discussion pieces that do not count towards your final mark. Their purpose is to provide
you with informal feedback from class teachers which help you to develop your
analytical and writing skills ahead of formally assessed essays and examinations. This is
an opportunity to try out different ideas and approaches without the pressure of being
examined. Formative assessments are handed into, and read by, your class teachers.
Most courses include a component of assessed (summative) coursework - see online
course outlines for specific information about what is required.
In planning for their assessed (summative) coursework, students should be aware that
teaching staff are not available during the vacations. Queries and advice on coursework
assignments should therefore be obtained during term-time office hours.
8.5 Auditing Courses
You may wish to audit some courses which are not part of your programme, and for
which you will not gain credit. You may audit the lectures of any courses in the School in
which you are interested subject to the approval of the teacher responsible, but you may
not normally attend the associated seminars if you are not registered on the course. It is
courteous to introduce yourself to the teacher responsible for any course you intend to
audit regularly.
8.6 Business Continuity Management
Business continuity management is concerned with:
Anticipating and preventing avoidable interruptions to the work of the School
38

Planning for recovery from the impact of low likelihood/high impact major incidents
or events, such as the loss of a building or a terrorist attack,
Managing with less serious events which may adversely affect the work of the
School, such as pandemics and other health issues, power failures, severe
weather conditions or disruption to travel from the weather or other causes, such
as industrial disputes. These occur from time to time and we do all we can to keep
the School running and keep you informed about what action is being taken.
The main method of communication with students and staff during all disruptive
incidents is the LSE website and it is therefore important that you check the website
regularly. We may also try to contact you by other means, such as LSE mobile, text or e-
mail. Departments will be informed of developments and we may advise you to contact
staff in your department during these periods.
In any emergency the key messages are to keep calm, follow instructions issued by the
School, and to remain in touch with your department. The School seeks to manage all
disruptive incidents swiftly so that work can return to normal as quickly as possible.
8.7 LSE Careers

LSE Careers offers a wide range of seminars, employer presentations, fairs and face-to-
face career discussions to help you at every stage of your career planning process -
from deciding what you want to do to preparing for interviews and settling into your first
job. LSE Careers also works with your department to deliver events and services
tailored to you.

LSE attracts top recruiters in many sectors who use our vacancy board to advertise
hundreds of internships, voluntary, part-time and graduate positions. You can access
the vacancy board and book career discussions and events through LSE CareerHub at
careers.lse.ac.uk.

The LSE Careers website (lse.ac.uk/careers) and blog are also full of tips, advice and
information about every stage of the careers process from CV writing to interviews, and
information about a wide range of employment sectors.

You can also browse our Graduate Destinations website
(lse.ac.uk/GraduateDestinations) to find out what LSE graduates have gone on to do,
organised by department or subject.

For up-to-date information about events, booking, resources, news and vacancies follow
us on Facebook facebook.com/lsecareers and Twitter@LSECareers.

The LSE Volunteer Centre is based within LSE Careers and is here to help you develop
new skills and new friendships while making an impact through volunteering. We
advertise volunteering opportunities at different charities across London and
internationally, with positions ranging from one-off opportunities to part-time internships
with charities. The annual Volunteering Fair takes place at the beginning of Michaelmas
term and is a great opportunity to meet a wide range of charities and get a feel for the
work they do. You can find out more, as well as tips and advice about volunteering, on
the LSE Volunteer Centre website lse.ac.uk/volunteercentre or @LSEVolunteering
8.8 Catering
For details of catering facilities located around the School, please see
lse.ac.uk/cateringservices. LSE Catering Services became the first London University to
39

achieve Fairtrade status in 2004. Fairtrade refreshments are available in all the School's
catering outlets.

8.9 Certificate of Registration

A certificate of registration provides proof to organisations, such as the Home Office,
council tax offices and banks, that you are registered as a current student at the School.

Once you are formally registered with the School you will be able to print out your
certificate instantly via LSE for You (LfY) under the Certificate of Registration option
(Please note it can take up to 4 hours for your change in Registration Status to be
picked up by LfY).

If you require a certificate with information beyond what is on the Certificate of
Registration, please email registry@lse.ac.uk. Your enhanced certificate should then be
available for collection from the Student Services Centre (SSC) within five working days.
Additionally, should you require an LFY-produced certificate to be signed and stamped,
staff at the SSC will be happy to do this for you.

For more information please see lse.ac.uk/certificateOfRegistration
8.10 Chaplaincy
The LSE Chaplaincy is available to all students, of any faith or none. It serves two
purposes. Firstly to provide pastoral support to anyone seeking non-judgemental
conversation or advice. Secondly, to supports religious life and cohesion within the wider
School community. It holds regular events and services for the whole school such as the
Christmas Carol Service and the Holocaust Memorial Day Commemoration, as well as a
weekly ecumenical communion service and Catholic Mass during term. The Chaplain
also convenes the Interfaith Forum which exists to promote dialogue and good relations
on campus. The Chaplaincy can put you in touch with any of the faith communities on
campus. To find out more about the Chaplaincy visit lse.ac.uk/chaplaincy.

8.11 Classification Schemes

Undergraduate and graduate degrees are awarded according to the classification
scheme applicable to the year in which you started your programme of study. These
schemes are applied by the Boards of Examiners at their meetings in July and
October/November each year.

The following web links gives details of the Schools schemes of award:

Undergraduate
BA/BSc Degrees:
http://www.lse.ac.uk/resources/calendar/academicRegulations/BA-BScDegrees.htm

LLB Degrees:
http://www.lse.ac.uk/resources/calendar/academicRegulations/bachelorOfLaws.htm

Graduate
All schemes for graduate programmes:
http://www.lse.ac.uk/resources/calendar/taughtMasters.htm

40

Staff in the Student Services Centre can provide you with guidance on the School's
academic regulations and degree classification schemes.

8.12 Codes of Good Practice

The Codes of Practice for Undergraduates and Taught Masters Programmes explain the
basic obligations and responsibilities of staff and students. They set out what you can
expect from your Departments and what Departments are expected to provide in
relation to the teaching and learning experience. The Codes cover areas like the roles
and responsibilities of Academic Advisers and Departmental Tutors; the structure of
teaching at the School; and examinations and assessment. They also set out your
responsibilities, i.e. what the School expects of you.
http://www.lse.ac.uk/resources/calendar/academicRegulations/codeOfGoodPracticeFor
TaughtMastersProgrammesTeachingLearningAndAssessment.htm

We recommend that you also read the Schools Student Charter and Ethics Code.

The Student Charter sets out the vision and ethos of the School -
http://www2.lse.ac.uk/intranet/LSEServices/policies/pdfs/school/stuCha.pdf

The Ethics Code highlights the core principles of LSE life -
http://www2.lse.ac.uk/intranet/LSEServices/policies/pdfs/school/ethCod.pdf.

8.13 Postgraduate Course Choice and Seminar Sign Up

Information about graduate course choice and seminar sign up can be found on the
Student Services Centre web page: lse.ac.uk/coursechoice.

Many courses will have controlled access and you will need to apply to the department
teaching the course for permission to take it, before you can select it. If such an
application is required, it will be indicated on the LFY course choice system.

All course choices are subject to the approval of your home department.

The deadline for course choices for postgraduate students is 21
st
October 2013.

If you wish to change your course choice after the online system has been switched off,
you can do so using a late course change form (available from the Student Services
Centre).

For more information please see
http://www2.lse.ac.uk/intranet/students/registrationTimetablesAssessment/Registration/h
ome.aspx
8.14 Course Registration
The deadline for course choices for postgraduate students is 21
st
October 2013.

If you wish to change your course choice after the online system has been switched off,
you can do so using a late course change form (available from the Student Services
Centre).

41

For more information please see
http://www2.lse.ac.uk/intranet/students/registrationTimetablesAssessment/Registration/h
ome.aspx
If you wish to amend your course choice after the online system has been switched off,
you will need to request this using a late course change form (available from the
Student Services Centre).
Seminar registration for postgraduate students is co-ordinated by the department
teaching the course; therefore please contact them directly with any queries. For more
information please see: lse.ac.uk/programmeregistration
8.15 Dean of Graduate Studies
The Deans have a wide range of duties relating to the School's student community.
They are available to any student who wishes to discuss academic or personal issues.
They also work closely with members of academic staff, including Academic
Advisers/Supervisors, Departmental Tutors and Heads of Department, and with other
support services across the School, such as the Disability and Wellbeing Service and
the Teaching and Learning Centre.
The Deans will see students by appointment or during their office hours which are
published outside the Deans' Offices, OLD 1.07/OLD 1.09, on the first floor of the Old
Building. Appointments can be booked through their Executive Assistants.
Although the Deans are available to meet any student to discuss personal or academic
matters, students should seek the advice and support of their Academic Adviser and
Departmental Tutor/Programme Director before coming to the Deans.
Dr Peter
Howlett
Dean of Undergraduate Studies
OLD
1.07
7058 ug.dean@lse.ac.uk
Dr Sunil
Kumar
Dean of Graduate Studies
OLD
1.07
7574 pg.dean@lse.ac.uk
Mr Mark
Hoffman
Associate Dean of the General
Course
OLD
1.09
5197 gc.dean@lse.ac.uk
Ms Rosie
Jones
Executive Assistant to the Dean of
Undergraduate Studies
OLD
G.14
6860 r.r.jones@lse.ac.uk
Ms Nicola
Morgan
Executive Assistant to the Dean of
Graduate Studies and the Associate
Dean of the General Course
OLD
G.14
7849 n.m.morgan@lse.ac.uk

8.16 Degree Certificates

The degree certificate gives your full name, level of award, programme of study, and
class of degree or other award obtained.

It will be available for collection on the ceremony days of the relevant graduation period
42

in July or December. If you dont collect it at the ceremony, it will be posted to your
home addresses within four to six weeks. It is therefore essential that you keep your
details up-to-date on LSE for You.
For more information, please see lse.ac.uk/degreeCertificates
8.17 Disability Equality
Disability equality is an important facet of the equality and diversity agenda and is the
responsibility of the whole School throughout the student journey. LSE acknowledges
that disabled students have often overcome additional barriers in order to gain a
university place, and is committed to eliminating further unnecessary obstacles and to
facilitating equal access to study and university life. The Disability and Well-being
Service (DWS), headed by Dr Nicola Martin, runs three specialist services, all of which
are free and confidential:
The Disability Service, for students with physical/sensory impairments and those
with long-term or chronic medical conditions
The Neurodiversity Service, for students with dyslexia, dyspraxis, Asperger
syndrome and other neurodiverse conditions
The Mental Health and Well-being Service, for students with mental health concerns.
The DWS can also set up Individual Student Support Agreements (ISSAs), outlining
reasonable adjustments such as extended library loans, negotiated deadlines and rest
breaks in exams, and runs several interest and support groups, for example the
Neurodiversity Interest Group and the Circles Network. For further information please
visit lse.ac.uk/disability or email disability-dyslexia@lse.ac.uk.
8.18 Email

The School will use your LSE email address to communicate with you so you should
check it regularly. We recommend that you develop a filing system, frequently deleting
and archiving mail to ensure you stay within your email storage limit. The email program
Microsoft Outlook is available on all student PCs on the LSE network. You can also
access e-mail off-campus using webmail and remote desktop or on the move, using
email clients for laptops and mobile phones. For instructions on how to access your
email off campus visit http://www2.lse.ac.uk/intranet/LSEServices/IMT/remote.
8.19 English Language Support and Foreign Language Courses
The Language Centre
English Language Support
If English is not your first language the Language Centre is on hand to give you advice
and support throughout your time at LSE. The support is free and starts as soon as your
main programme starts. There are specific classes for academic units and information
sessions are held during the first days of term to advise you on the most appropriate
classes to take. Classes begin in week 2 of the Michaelmas Term. Please see
lse.ac.uk/languages for information on the English for Academic Purposes (EAP) In-
sessional Support Programme.
Language, Linguistics and Literature Degree Options and Certificate Courses
As well as a range of degree options available on all undergraduate programmes, the
Language Centre also offers an extra-curricular programme in a range of modern
foreign languages which is open to you for a fee. If you are a UK/EU undergraduate
43

student you can claim your entitlement to a free language course during your time at
LSE if you do not have a GCSE (or equivalent) in a language which is not your mother
tongue. To help you choose the most appropriate course a series of information
sessions and individual appointments is held during the first weeks of term. Courses
start in week 5 of the Michaelmas Term, and the cost of a standard course in 2013/14 is
215.00. Please see lse.ac.uk/languages for information on the Modern Foreign
Language (MFL) Certificate Course.

8.20 Fees

The School offers two options for payment of fees. You can either pay them in full prior
to Registration or by Payment Plan one third of your fees on the 28
th
October, 28
th

January and 28
th
April. If you do not know the cost of your fees, please see the Table of
Fees at lse.ac.uk/feesoffice.

How to pay your fees
You can pay by cheque either by posting your cheque to the Fees Office or by using the
drop-box in the Student Service Centre.

You can pay by credit/debit card either by using the fees page on LSE for You or via the
Payment Portal
http://www2.lse.ac.uk/intranet/LSEServices/financeDivision/creditControl/PayOnline.asp
x

You can pay by Bank Transfer; the full details of the bank transfer options are at

http://www2.lse.ac.uk/intranet/LSEServices/financeDivision/feesAndStudentFinance/Pay
ing%20fees/How_to_Pay.aspx

Penalties for late payment
There are penalties for late payment. These may include loss of library rights, de-
registration, referral to Credit Control or fines. You will be warned by email if your
payments are late and/or if sanctions are going to be imposed on you. At this time you
are able to contact the Fees Office directly.

Please visit the Fees Office website for more information at lse.ac.uk/feesoffice.

8.21 Financial Support

The Financial Support Office is responsible for the administration and awarding of
scholarships, bursaries, studentships and School prizes. It is located within LSE's
Student Services Centre with a daily drop in session during term time between 1pm and
2pm (Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays during vacations). No appointment is
necessary.

Student Support Fund
This fund is for students who register with sufficient funding but then experience
unforeseen financial difficulties. In all cases applicants need to provide supporting
documentation.

PhD students who are in the final stages of completing their thesis are also eligible to
apply.
44

Access to Learning Fund
This is to assist Home UK students with their living costs. Funds are limited and priority
is given to undergraduates, students with children, disabled students, and final year
students.

Short Term Loan facility
This is for students experiencing acute cash flow difficulties whilst awaiting a guaranteed
source of funds (e.g. a loan or salary payment). Students may borrow up to 500,
repayable within 4 weeks. Short Term Loans normally take between 24 and 48 hours to
process.

Postgraduate Travel Fund
This is for postgraduate research students attending a conference at which they have
been invited to give a paper.
Full details and application forms are available from
http://www2.lse.ac.uk/intranet/students/moneyMatters/financialSupport/Home.aspx
8.22 Finding Your Way around LSE
The geography of the School can seem complicated at first, but you will find direction
signs spread around the buildings, and maps and diagrams in various School
publications. Maps are available at lse.ac.uk/resources/mapsAndDirections
8.23 Hobhouse Memorial Prizes
This prize has traditionally been given to students who achieve an overall first class
classification upon completing their degree. The Department also gives out prizes,
based solely on academic merit, to completing students.
These prizes are normally in the form of book tokens. Winning the Hobhouse Memorial
Prize makes a valuable addition to your CV, especially if you plan to compete for places
on further postgraduate programmes.
8.24 International Student Immigration Service (ISIS)
ISIS provides detailed immigration advice for International Students on their website
which is updated whenever the immigration rules change. They can advise you by e-
mail (fill out the web query form on the ISIS website) and at the drop-in service in the
Student Services Centre reception. ISIS run workshops to advise students applying to
extend their stay in the UK; and in complex cases, they will make individual
appointments. ISIS can advise you on the following (and more):
Applying to extend your stay in the UK
Switching immigration categories
Immigration implications if you need to interrupt your studies or retake your
exams
Correcting the end date of your visa if there has been a mistake
Bringing your family to the UK or applying for your family to extend their stay
inside the UK
What to do if your visa application is returned as invalid or is refused
Registering with the police
What to do if your passport is lost or stolen
Travelling in and out of the UK
45

Working during your studies
Options for working after your studies (please note we do not advise on the
actual application process)
For more information including drop in times and dates of workshops go to: lse.ac.uk/isis
8.25 Internships
LSE Careers runs a series of internships schemes. Internships can allow you to gain
practical experience in your chosen sector, can help you develop a broad range of
transferable skills and can act as the perfect platform to make key contacts for your
future job search.
We work closely with employers to secure internship opportunities in all sectors with a
focus on business and management and with entrepreneurs. We also source a series of
graduate internships to help you make the transition from study to employment. You can
search for internship opportunities throughout the year on LSE CareerHub.
If you are considering a career in parliament, public and social policy, media policy or
corporate social responsibility, look out for the LSE Internship scheme, which offers
internships for up to 15 hours per week for postgraduate students. Applications open in
early October each year. See lse.ac.uk/careersService/Internships for the latest
information.
8.26 Interruption / Deferral / Withdrawal
Interruption / deferral / withdrawal

If you experience any difficulties during your time at LSE you should make sure that you
keep in regular contact with your Academic Adviser. He/she will be able to help signpost
you to appropriate services within the School so that you receive the support to enable
you to continue studying successfully.
However, if this isnt the case, you may wish to consider the following options:

Interruption: with approval from your department you can interrupt your programme by
taking a break in your studies, normally from the end of one term and for one calendar
year.

Deferral: if you complete the teaching year but have difficulties during the exams then in
exceptional circumstances you can apply to defer an examination(s) to the following
year.

Withdrawal: withdrawing means that you are leaving the programme permanently.
Before withdrawing you may want to consider interruption so that you have some time to
consider your options.

For more information, please see lse.ac.uk/registrationChanges.

8.27 IT Support

Student IT Help Desk - first floor, Library
Contact the IT Help Desk (it.helpdesk@lse.ac.uk) for support for School-owned
hardware and software on the LSE network, network and email account issues, and
general IT queries.

VITA (Virtual IT Assistance)
46

Double click on the 'Virtual IT Assistance icon on the desktop of a campus PC or visit
www.lse.ac.uk/vita to get real-time assistance from an IT Help Desk Adviser during
opening hours.

Laptop Surgery STC.S198, St Clements Building
Visit the Laptop Surgery for free advice and hands-on help with problems connecting to
LSE resources from personally-owned laptops and mobile devices.

LSE Mobile
Download the LSE Mobile app to access your course timetable, library information, LSE
information, maps, guides and more. Search LSE Mobile on the App Store or Google
Play to download.

IT Support for students with disabilities
The School is committed to providing facilities and support for students with disabilities.
Additional PCs and printing facilities for students with disabilities are provided in the
public computer areas in the Library. Other facilities are available in three dedicated PC
rooms in the Library (LRB.R25 and LRB.R26) and St Clements Building (STC.S073).
We also provide one-to-one support for students with disabilities who wish to become
familiar with assistive technologies and software. This can be arranged by contacting
Sebastiaan Eldritch-Bersen via its.disabilities.support@lse.ac.uk to arrange an
appointment.

Social Media
The School has outlined guidance on the use of social media. You can find the full
details here:
http://www2.lse.ac.uk/intranet/LSEServices/policies/pdfs/school/guiSocMedStu.pdf
For contact details and further information about our support services visit:
http://www.lse.ac.uk/intranet/LSEServices/IMT/home.aspx

8.28 The Library

Your LSE student card is also your Library card. No additional registration with the
Library is required.

You are welcome to ask Library staff at the beginning of term for general
information, your Library guide and other freebies. You can download a podcast
and get started with all the information you need on the Library website at:
http://www2.lse.ac.uk/library/news/orientation/audiotour.aspx
Use Summon (http://lse.summon.serialssolutions.com/) and the Library
Catalogue (https://catalogue.lse.ac.uk/) to find both the Librarys print and
electronic resources. Locations in the Library are illustrated on an electronic
map.
You can sign up to a course on how to find items from your reading list, and
other training events from across the School, at https://apps.lse.ac.uk/training-
system/.
Staff at the Help Desk on the first floor are available for any enquiries you may
have about using our collections and electronic resources.

When inside the Library building, please remember:
Respect the zone you are in and keep noise to a minimum in Quiet and Silent
zones.
47

Food cannot be consumed inside the library, although you are able to eat in the
Escape area (before the turnstiles) and drinks with lids can be brought into the
Library.
Fully vacate your study space for others when taking a break.
Do not leave your bags unattended

Follow us at
www.twitter.com\LSELibrary www.facebook.com\LSELibrary

You can also contact the Library with the online enquiry
form:http://www2.lse.ac.uk/library/enquiriesandfeedback/email.aspx

8.29 LSE for You

LSE for You is a personalised web portal which gives you access to a range of services.
For example, you can:
view or change your personal details
reset your Library and network passwords
monitor and pay your tuition fees online
check your exam results

You can also access online tutorials on how to navigate and personalise LSE for You via
its login page. Use your LSE network username and password to login. Via
lse.ac.uk/lseforyou

8.30 Moodle

Moodle is LSE's Virtual Learning Environment (VLE). It is a password protected web
environment that may contain a range of teaching resources, activities, assignments,
information and discussions for your course. The content of Moodle is the responsibility
of your teacher and so it will vary from course to course (not all teachers choose to use
Moodle).

You can access Moodle from any computer connected to the internet, on and off
campus. Go to http://moodle.lse.ac.uk/ and use your LSE user name and password to
log in. This page also has links to help and advice on using Moodle.

You will also find links to Moodle from a number of web pages, including the webpage
for 'Staff & Students'. If you have any technical problems with Moodle you should
contact the helpdesk at it.helpdesk@lse.ac.uk.

8.31 LSE Day Nursery

The LSE Day Nursery is registered under the Early Years sector; and our Ofsted
registration allows us to provide care and learning for 63 children in total, aged between
3 months and 5 years.
We are located in the basement of an LSE Hall of Residence on Wild Street. We
primarily serve students and staff of the LSE. We offer full-time and part-times spaces.

We base our curriculum on the Revised Early Years Foundation Stage Framework
(EYFS). The nursery was rated Good on the last Ofsted Inspection in January 2012.

The nursery has four main rooms. There are two baby rooms, which can take up to 23
babies aged 3 months to 2 years. We can accommodate up to 26 toddlers aged
48

between 2 to 3 years, and 16 pre-school children aged between 3 to 5 years.

The nursery is opened from 8:45am-6:15pm. It is open for 50 weeks of the year, except
for bank holidays and a week at both Christmas and Easter.

There are always places available and we welcome enquiries from interested parents,
both students and staff.

The Nursery welcomes viewings any week day at 10.30am or 3.00pm by appointment,
please email nursery@lse.ac.uk or call 0207 107 5966.
8.32 Office Hours
All members of LSE teaching staff hold weekly term-time office hours in connection with
each course they teach. This represents a means of additional guidance and support to
individual students taking their course(s), and may be used for queries on assessed
coursework.
8.33 Paid Employment during Your Studies
Having to take paid employment during the academic year will not normally be accepted
by examiners as a legitimate mitigating circumstance in the event of a performance at a
lesser level than could otherwise have been expected. In the event that a student has no
choice but to take some paid employment, under School regulations the total hours
cannot exceed 20 per week for a full-time student.
8.34 Part-Time Study
The Department admits a small number of part-time students each year, spread across
the range of subject specialisms. Part-time students must meet the same requirements,
but have an extended period during which to complete their programme. It is the
responsibility of part-time students to ensure that their other commitments allow them to
attend their seminars, complete written assignments and attend examinations. Special
arrangements cannot be made for them. That said, the Department recognises that
other commitments can make it difficult for such students to become fully integrated into
the life of the Department.
8.35 Graduation Ceremonies

Graduation ceremonies are held twice a year: in July for students who have followed
undergraduate or nine- or ten-month taught postgraduate degree programmes, and in
December for students who have followed twelve-month taught postgraduate degree
programmes. MPhil/PhD research students are presented at both the July and
December ceremonies, in July for those awarded by 30 April and in December for those
awarded by 30 September.

The graduation ceremonies take place on campus in the Peacock Theatre. The Student
Services Centre emails invitations, which include details of the ticket booking process,
five to six months before the ceremonies are scheduled to take place. MPhil/PhD
research students are invited once their degrees have been awarded. The ceremony
itself usually lasts between one and one and a quarter hours and is followed by an on-
campus drinks reception.

For more information, including the dates of future ceremonies and details of the
49

Schools overseas ceremonies, please see lse.ac.uk/ceremonies.
8.36 Public Lectures
Throughout the year there are special School lectures, open to everyone, usually held in
the Old Theatre. Upcoming lectures are advertised on the large computer screens
around the School and on the School homepage under Events. You can also keep up
to date with the latest information through the LSE Events email information service
which enables you to receive email notification of new events and public lectures at LSE
when they are announced. See lse.ac.uk/publicEvents/eventsHome.aspx.
8.37 Requesting Written References
If you are asking an academic to write a reference for you, you should be aware of the
following guidelines:
Please give referees at least three weeks notice before the reference is due.
Senior members of staff in particular may well be asked to write scores of
references every term. Often each reference requires updating or adaptation to a
specific job or scholarship. It is in your own interest to give the referee enough
time to do it justice.
Never put down someones name as a referee without asking them in advance.
Provide all the information needed to write the reference. Make sure that you have
filled out your part of any form you submit.
It is helpful if you include all the information your Academic Adviser will need in a
single email, with a clear subject line. You might, for example, wish to remind your
Academic Adviser of scholarships awarded or internships undertaken.
Sometimes an application requires a reference from the programme convener. If
so, the usual practice is for your Academic Adviser to produce a draft which the
programme convener will then sign.
Once someone agrees to be a referee, he or she has the obligation to do the job
on time. Inevitably, busy people writing scores of references sometimes forget so
gentle reminders are worthwhile.
By putting your CV on the CV builder on LSE for You, your referee will be able to
see your work experience and extra-curricular activities, so enabling them to write
a fuller reference for you.
8.38 Restricted Access (Capped) Graduate Courses
Some graduate courses have restricted access and require department approval to
take. Restricted access courses will be noted in the Graduate Course Guides
lse.ac.uk/resources/calendar/courseGuides/graduate.htm. Students may request
approval to take restricted access courses through LSE for You.
8.39 General School and Programme Regulations

The School has Regulations, policies and procedures covering many aspects of student
life and you should familiarise yourself with them.

Some of the regulations explain the organisation and conduct of your academic study.
These include information about the structure of programmes, assessment, graduation
and what to do if illness affects your studies.

50

The following web searches/web links detail the Schools Programme Regulations.

Regulations for Diplomas
Regulations for First degrees
Regulations for Short Courses and Summer School
Regulations for the consideration of appeals against decisions of boards of
examiners for taught courses
Regulations for research degrees
Regulations for Taught Masters degrees (before 2009/10)
Regulations for Taught Masters degrees (entering in or after 2009/10)
Research degrees - see Regulations for research degrees
Regulations on assessment offences: other than plagiarism
And the following web link gives you an A-Z list of relevant regulatory documents where
you can find further details of all School Regulations.
http://www2.lse.ac.uk/intranet/LSEServices/policies/home.aspx

8.40 Student Services Centre (SSC)

The Student Services Centre is located on the ground floor of the Old Building. It
provides advice and information on the following services
Admissions (drop-in service)
Certificates of Registration
Course choice and class changes
Examinations and results
Fees process fee payments and distribute cheques (drop-in service)
Financial Support Advice on scholarships, awards, prizes, emergency funding and
studentships (drop-in service)
Information for new arrivals
Programme Registration
Graduation Ceremonies
Transcripts and Degree certificates
Visa and immigration advice (drop-in service)

The SSC provides a counter service for students at the following times:

10am5pm every weekday during term time (except 10am-4pm on Wednesday)
10am-4pm every weekday during vacation.
You can also contact us by telephone. Details of who to contact and more information
can be found on our website: lse.ac.uk/ssc
8.41 Student Study Support
As well as your fellow students, class teachers, seminar leaders, lecturers and academic
advisers there are several other sources of support around the School, notably:
LSE Teaching and Learning Centre
A series of study skills events throughout the year, along with useful resources for
study support. The Teaching and Learning Centres Learning World Moodle site
provides further details, as well as links to other related training across LSE
For more personalised support, a limited number of one-to-one tutorials with
experienced study advisers, in both qualitative and quantitative subjects.
One-to-one advice on written work with the Royal Literary Fund Fellow
51

For one-to-one sessions with a study adviser or the Royal Literary Fund Fellow, youll
need to book in advance. Come to the Teaching and Learning Centre office (KSW
G.507), email studentsupport@lse.ac.uk or call 020 7852 3627.

8.42 LSE Students Union

www.lsesu.com

We believe that LSE has one of the most active student communities at any university,
and is being led by students. The Students Union is independent from the School. Well
help you out if you get into trouble, tell you how you can meet students with similar
interests and views, and provide opportunities to have the sort of student experience
you want.

Here are some of the ways in which we do it:

Student activities the Union funds and supports over 200 societies, sports
clubs, Media Group societies and Raising and Giving charitable fundraising
Campaigns and democracy getting students together to take action on and
influence the issues they care about within the School and wider society
Representation led by a Student Executive, working with representatives
across the School, you influence and shape the decisions and direction of the
School
Welfare and student support our independent, legally-trained advice workers
offer free, confidential advice when things go wrong or you need help
The Union runs a bar, some shops and the only gym on campus all designed for
LSE students.

You will be part of one of the most important chapters in our history, where we go now
and what happens next for your union is up to you.
8.43 University of London Facilities: Lectures and Libraries
The LSE is a part of the University of London, and as such has links to some University
of London libraries. If the need should arise to research special topics that go beyond
the LSE Library collection, students are advised to check if Senate House or School of
Oriental and African Studies libraries hold the required items. Readers tickets are
available by filling out a form distributed through the Library information desk (first floor).
Both libraries are within walking distance from the LSE (Russell Square tube station).
Students in the past have enjoyed special lectures held by various University of London
hosts. Whilst you are studying at LSE, it is worth investigating if there are any particular
lectures being given by Goldsmiths, School of Oriental and African Studies or University
of London departments.
8.44 Vacations
During LSE vacation periods, academic staff will not be available to meet with students.
It is important that you organise your workload to allow time to see your Academic
Adviser during term-time, especially for dissertation supervision during the summer
term. Administrative staffs are available all year round, but generally do not hold official
office hours during vacations.
8.45 Volunteering with LSEs Widening Participation (WP) team
52

WP aims to raise aspiration and attainment in young people from London state schools.
We deliver a number of projects that encourage young people from under-represented
backgrounds to aim for a university education. We need enthusiastic LSE students to be
inspiring role models and to contribute to the success of our programmes.

We need help with three particular projects: Student Ambassadors, Student Tutoring
and Student Mentoring. Mentoring and Tutoring require a weekly commitment, while
being a Student Ambassadors is flexible and you can volunteer when youre available.

There are many benefits to working with young people and volunteering your time.
These include getting involved and giving back to your local community, strengthening
your C.V. and personal satisfaction.
Come and find our stand at Freshers Fair. Look out for posters around campus and
attend one of our information presentations the week after Freshers.

Visit our website lse.ac.uk/wideningparticipation
or email widening.participation@lse.ac.uk.

8.46 LSE Student Counselling Service

This free and confidential service aims to enable you to cope with any personal or study
difficulties that may be affecting you while at LSE. As well as one-to-one appointments,
there are group sessions and workshops throughout the year on issues such as exam
anxiety and stress management. For full details, please see lse.ac.uk/counselling

All counselling sessions need to be booked in advance, but there are also a number of
drop-in sessions available each day at 3.00 pm (please see the website). You can make
appointments by email (student.counselling@lse.ac.uk), phone (020 7852 3627) or by
coming in to the Teaching and Learning Centre Reception (KSW 5.07, on the 5th floor of
20 Kingsway).

Peer Support

The Student Counselling Service runs a Peer Support Scheme. A group of 16
undergraduate students are trained at the end of their first year to offer emotional
support to all other LSE students (especially new first year students). The scheme is
mainly based within the halls of residences, but there are also a number of campus
based Peer Supporters.

Peer Support provides students with an informal space to talk to a specially selected
non-judgmental peer. It can sometimes be hard to talk to friends and family about
certain issues, and some students prefer to see a Peer Supporter to talk about anything
that is troubling them.

Peer Supporters are not counsellors, but have been specifically selected and formally
trained in listening, questioning and responding skills to ensure they are able to help
other students to reach their own solutions. They are also able to provide students with
information and point them in the direction of further help.

For further information, or to contact a Peer Supporter, see:
http://www.lse.ac.uk/collections/studentCounsellingService/peersupport
http://www.facebook.com/LsePeerSupport

Student study advice
53

The LSE Teaching and Learning Centre offers study advice, with specialist provision for
undergraduate and taught Masters students. There is a series of lectures and
workshops throughout the academic year covering essay writing, time management,
preparing for exams, dealing with stress, etc. A limited number of one-to-one
appointments can also be booked with a study adviser to discuss strategies for
quantitative/qualitative subjects or with the Royal Literary Fund Fellow to improve writing
style.
Email studentsupport@lse.ac.uk for further details.

Services for disabled students (including students who have dyslexia)

Disability equality is an important facet of the equality and diversity agenda. LSE
acknowledges that disabled students have often overcome additional barriers in order to
gain a university place, and is committed to eliminating further unnecessary obstacles
and to facilitating equal access to study and university life.

The Disability and Well-being Service (DWS) runs three specialist services, all of which
are free and confidential:
The Disability Service, for students with physical/sensory impairments and those
with long-term or chronic medical conditions
The Neurodiversity Service, for students with dyslexia, dyspraxia, Asperger
syndrome and other neurodiverse conditions
The Mental Health and Well-being Service, for students with mental health concerns

The DWS can also set up Individual Student Support Agreements (ISSAs), outlining
reasonable adjustments such as extended library loans, negotiated deadlines and rest
breaks in exams.

It runs several interest and support groups, for example the Neurodiversity Interest
Group and the Circles Network.

For further information please visit lse.ac.uk/disability or email disability-
dyslexia@lse.ac.uk.

The Chaplaincy and Faith Centre

2013-2014 sees significant changes in provision for religion and belief at LSE with the
opening of the new Faith Centre in the Saw Swee Hock Building. This will bring together
multi-faith facilities for prayer, worship and faith society meetings as well as providing a
contemplative space on campus available to all staff and students. The Chaplain is also
available to provide pastoral support to anyone seeking non-judgemental conversation
or advice and to support religious life and cohesion within the wider School community.
For further information about events and services see the LSE Religion and Belief Guide
2013/14 or visit the Chaplaincy website: lse.ac.uk/chaplaincy.

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