1. CLICK LINE 2 GENERAL COURSE ORIENTATION 2014

2. General Course Student Body  105 years old, 1909-2014  330+ General Course students  From 45 countries  From 131 Universities  Part of the group of 5,000+ new students at LSE  So you’re not alone in being new!

3.  Year long programme: no semester only study  250+ undergraduate courses  Research-led teaching  Majority of courses cover qualitative social sciences – not just economics!  A different academic experience LSE: What you will experience?

4. Academic differences at LSE  Structure of the year  October – June; t hree terms of ten weeks  Rhythm of the year  Intensive periods of work separated by quieter periods  Teaching style  Fewer contact teaching hours  Learning style  Less direction, more independent study  Structure of the curriculum  Greater level of assumed knowledge in advanced courses  Assessment  Single exams at the end of the year

5.  Dean of the General Course  Academic Adviser  Class Teacher  Student Services Centre Who’s Who at the School?

6. Who’s Who? Dean of the General Course  Mark Hoffman  Office hours every week in term time Contact:  gc.dean@lse.ac.uk  Room OLD1.09 (Old Building)  Tel: 020 7107 5197  Twitter @LSE_GC

7.  Academic and personal matters  Advice on course selections  Change of course  Change of class  Accommodation issues  Exam arrangements  Point of reference for other support services Who’s Who? Dean of the General Course

8.  Academic and personal matters  Advice on course selections  Monitors your work  Point of reference for other support services  but not a counsellor  Meet at least twice a term Who’s Who? Academic Adviser

9. Who’s Who? Class Teacher  Weekly point of contact  Will mark your coursework  Will mark attendance each week  Will mark your participation  Will provide overall class grade that goes on your transcript  Don’t be shy, make yourself known as a GC student

10. Who’s Who? Student Services Centre Where?  Ground Floor, Old Building When?  Open: Monday to Friday  11:00 – 16.00

11. Who’s Who? Student Services Centre  What for?  Degree & School regulations  Certification/transcripts  Course choices  Exam arrangements  Financial support  Further information and advice  Much of this now done on-line

12. Structure of the Academic Year  Three terms of 10 weeks each:  Michaelmas Term (2 Oct- 12 Dec)  Lent Term (12 Jan – 20 Mar)  Summer Term (27 Apr – 3 July)  Two long breaks:  Christmas (4 weeks)  Easter (5 weeks)

13. Structure of the Academic Year  Teaching in Michaelmas and Lent terms  Revision and exams in Summer Term  Four full unit courses (or equivalent)  Usually one 1 hour lecture and one 1 hour class per course per week  Classes are compulsory  Expectation of independently managed study time: 6 – 8 hours per course per week

14. Structure of the Academic Year  Exams in the Summer Term  exam timetable out at end of Lent term  will start about mid-May  will run through until mid-June  you must sit all of them  you are expected to sit them here  will appear on your LSE transcript  DO NOT MAKE ANY ARRANGEMENTS TO LEAVE LSE BEFORE YOUR EXAMS END!

15. Teaching Timetable  Course selection online via LSE for YOU  get course information via Moodle  ‘courses with permission’ via ‘unlisted course’ dialogue box + form

17. Teaching Timetable  Course selection online via LSE for YOU  get course information via Moodle  ‘courses with permission’ via ‘unlisted course’ dialogue box + form  Audit range of courses in first few weeks  Allows informed decision on appropriate course  Ensures that there is no gap if you make any changes  Broadens your horizons!

18. Teaching Timetable  EC230: special arrangements 2014-15  Will be taught completely in Lent Term  1 two hour lecture each week  2 one hour classes each week  Will still count as full unit course  Implications:  unbalanced teaching load  complicate timetabling of other courses

19. Teaching Timetable  Personal Timetable via LSE for YOU  Changes via LSE for YOU allowed up to end of Friday 31 October  NOTE: you cannot change assigned classes to suit your personal schedule  If you need to change a class time meet with the Dean  Personal Exam Timetable via LSE for YOU from end of Lent Term

20. LSE Grading System LSE class of degree% mark equivalent Summary Class Grade First75+ A+ First70-74 A Upper Second65-69 A- Upper Second60-64 B+ Lower Second55-59 B Lower Second50-54 B- Third45-49 C+ Third40-44 C Fail0-39 F  Very different from US system  Five broad categories of achievement :  NO grade inflation at LSE !

21. A Good GC Transcript  Lists two letter grades for each course, exam and coursework: ExamCoursework EC201 MicroeconomicB+A EC210 MacroeconomicsB-B+ EC307 Development Economics BA- EH315 Africa and WorldA-A Economy  Home university makes decisions on credit transfers

22. A Poor GC Transcript  Lists two letter grades for each course exam and coursework: Exam Coursework EC201 MicroeconomicsFC EC210 MacroeconomicsCB- EC307 Development Economics FC+ EH315 Africa and WorldCC Economy  Home university makes decisions on credit transfers

23. GC: Overview of Exam Results  1361 exams sat in 2013-14  49 failed exams = 3.6% overall  Down from 6.9% in 2012-13  88% of those in quantitative subjects  EC201 17% failure rate [49%; 20%]  EC210 31% failure rate [27%; 20%]  EC220 0% failure rate [12%; 46%]  EC313 12% failure rate [25%; 25%]  EC315 0% failure rate [16%; 37%]  FM300 13% failure rate [19%; 15%]

24. GC: Overview of Exam Results  1361 exams sat in 2013-14  49 failed exams = 3.6% overall rate  Down from 6.9% in 2012-13  88% of those in quantitative subjects  EC201 17% failure rate [49%; 20%]  EC210 31% failure rate [27%; 20%]  EC220 0% failure rate [12%; 46%]  EC313 12% failure rate [25%; 25%]  EC315 0% failure rate [16%; 37%]  FM300 13% failure rate [19%; 15%]

25. GC: Overview of Exam Results  1361 exams sat in 2013-14  49 failed exams = 3.6% overall rate  Down from 6.9% in 2012-13  88% of those in quantitative subjects  EC201 17% failure rate [49%; 20%]  EC210 31% failure rate [27%; 20%]  EC220 0% failure rate [12%; 46%]  EC313 12% failure rate [25%; 25%]  EC315 0% failure rate [16%; 37%]  FM300 13% failure rate [19%; 15%]

26. Change of Department  Possible but not guaranteed. You need to see the Dean first  Requires space in the department concerned  Most departments are oversubscribed  Change usually only possible if students already assigned to a department move or other departments are willing to be flexible  Remember, only one course need be taken in your home department (two if in Economics)

27. Transfer to LSE  Can I transfer and finish my degree at LSE?  NO.  Really? Someone from my university transferred in previous years.  LSE Policy changed as of 2013-14. Absolutely no transfers will be allowed.  But what if I really, really fall in love with LSE?  Come back and join us on an MSc programme

28. Student Support Resources Careers Service  Internships  Jobs board – part time term work Language Centre  Foreign language teaching; certificate courses  English for Academic Purposes  Teaching and Learning Centre  Advisor to Students with Disabilities/Dyslexia  Register with advisor to receive support  ISSA covering teaching and exam arrangements  Student Counselling Services

29. Student Support Resources TLC Study Skills Programme Weekly set of lectures/talks/advice sessions/workshops  Reading and note-taking  Analysing concepts, critical reasoning, creative thinking  Essay writing  Making the most of lectures  Exam preparation and revision  See http://tlcevents.lse.ac.uk/, Moodle and weekly email and Twitter notificationhttp://tlcevents.lse.ac.uk/

30. Student Support Resources IT Services  LSE emails and login details  Computer rooms  Laptop support  Supervised tutorials; independent learning British Library of Political and Economic Science  World’s largest social science library  Teaching collection and main collection

31. Student Support Resources  ‘Mentoring’ by 2 nd & 3 rd year u/g  Students’ Union  support and advice for students  social function: bars, shop café, entertainments  newspaper and radio station  over 200 student societies  Freshers’ Fair: Thursday & Friday

32. General Course ‘President’ Students’ Union Rep  Part of the Students’ Union executive  Represents GC views in SU decision- making  Helps promote/maintain contact amongst GC students  Coordinates social events with SU and Dean  Elections for the post in mid-October

33. Paid Employment, Internships & Voluntary Work  Legally allowed to work up to 20hrs/week  School recommends 15hrs/week max  Not to interfere with your studies  For details on internships, speak to the LSE Careers Service  For summer internships: make sure you start after the end of your exams  For voluntary work, speak to the LSE Volunteer Centre  Opportunities to volunteer with Widening Participation Team

34. Things to Do  Select courses on-line  get permission form signed where needed  Departmental induction meetings this week  EC201/EC220 information session  Tuesday 7 October 4.00 – 6.00 tbc  1st meeting with academic adviser  Personal teaching timetable via LSE for YOU  Teaching starts Monday 6th October 2014

35. ‘Meet with the Dean’ Drop in Sessions  Sessions run throughout October in OLD1.09  Information on hours via emails, Tembo, Twitter and on LSE Orientation website  http://www.lse.ac.uk/intranet/students/your FirstWeeks/orientation/home.aspx http://www.lse.ac.uk/intranet/students/your FirstWeeks/orientation/home.aspx

36. General Course Orientation  GC Social Calendar  lse.ac.uk/generalCourse  Cumberland Lodge  Friday 3rd – Sunday5 th October  ‘2014: Rerum Cognoscere Causus’  Waiting list in operation

37. Other General Course Events  Proscenium Tours  Thanksgiving Dinner  Thursday 27 November  Traditional Thanksgiving meal plus wine  Limited number of tickets  End of year dinner  Beginning of Summer Term

38. General Course Orientation  Welcome Boat Party – TONIGHT!  Meet at the Tower Hill Tube at 6:00pm

39. General Course Orientation  Welcome Boat Party – TONIGHT!  Meet at the Tower Hill Tube at 6:00pm  Circle line from Temple  No 15 bus  3+ hour boat cruise - 2 free drinks  Bring photo ID !!

40. General Course Hoodies! Collect your exclusive FREE GC hoodie as you leave the theatre. Exit stage left for LARGE and EXTRA LARGE Exit stage right for SMALL/MEDIUM

41. Enjoy your year!