Programme Specification – LSE-Sciences Po Double Degree in Urban Policy
1. Awarding Body
2. Details of accreditation by a
professional/statutory body, e.g. ESRC;
BPS etc
4. Programme Title
5. Duration of the course
6. Based in the Department/Institute:
7. Relevant QAA subject benchmark
statements
8. UCAS Code
9. First written/last amended
LSE and Sciences Po
N/A
LSE-Sciences Po Double Masters in Urban
Policy
23 months full-time study
Geography and the Environment (2nd year –
1st year in Sciences Po, Paris).
N/A
N/A – applications made via Sciences Po
December 2007
10. The programme aims to:





Provide students with an interdisciplinary social science approach to understanding
urban development (economic, social and physical), urban problems and the processes
of urban policy analysis and implementation, drawing upon current research;
Examine contemporary issues and debates in relation to cities and urban policy from an
international perspective, drawing on research, analysis and practice from (at least) the
anglophone and francophone literatures;
Develop students’ ability to take an integrated approach to urban analysis and urban
policy;
Equip students with analytic and evaluative skills needed to formulate and assess urban
policy;
Prepare students for careers in urban development, policy and analysis in the public or
private sector, international organisations or consultancies.
11. Programme outcomes: knowledge and understanding; skills and other attributes
Programme Outcomes:
Knowledge and understanding:
 Developing a more specialist understanding in relation to either economic development,
spatial planning or social cultural issues in contemporary cities.
Skills and other attributes:
 Providing a practical introduction to urban research, and the required skills, through the
medium of an independent, supervised dissertation.
Information relating to careers can be accessed here
12. Teaching, learning and assessment strategies to enable outcomes to be achieved
and demonstrated
Teaching and learning strategies:
The two years of the programme will involve distinct and complementary educational experiences
in terms of the contrasting teaching methods and expectations of the two institutions, with a
substantially strong lecture input in the Sciences Po year, and relatively more emphasis on
reading, writing and debate in the LSE year. In both institutions teaching will be undertaken by
staff at the forefront of international research in urban studies, from a range of disciplines
including economics, sociology, law, political science, geography and urban planning.
In the LSE year, students will acquire their knowledge and understanding through lectures,
seminars, a project, a 10,000 word dissertation and guided independent study. All taught
courses contain a seminar programme in which students prepare a paper to present for
discussion.
Assessment strategies:
In the LSE year all courses involve a formal written examination, of either 2 or 3 hours,
depending on whether the course concerned is a half or full unit: in the latter case there is also
a coursework essay or project requirement. For details see programme specifications for the
Masters option to be followed in the LSE year (MSc Contemporary Urbanism [replaced by
MSc Urbanisation and Development from 2010-11], MSc Regional and Urban Planning
Studies or MSc Local Economic Development).
13. Programme structures and requirements, levels, modules and awards
See the LSE-Sciences PO Double Degree in Urban Policy programme regulations.
Additional information
14. Criteria for admission to the programme
Able candidates of all nationalities from any area of studies in any university.
 Candidates who have fully completed an undergraduate programme (at least 6
semesters);
 Candidates holding a good Bachelor’s degree or equivalent;
 A fluent proficiency in English and French*;
 Clear career objectives in fields related to urban policy or planning.
* French: Candidates for whom French is not their native language must produce one of the
following:
 French Baccalauréat or francophone secondary school diploma (Etudes Collégiales
Canadiennes, Certificat d’humantié belge);
 A degree from a French university, or recognized university degree with at least three
years of study including French as a main subject;
 TEF (validity: 1 year) or TCF (validity: 2 year), demonstrating a minimum level of 5,
mandatory tests included.
English: Candidates for whom English is not the native language must produce one of the following:
 TOEFL equivalent to 637 (paper based)/263 (computer based);
 IELTS: level 7.
15. Indicators of quality
RAE Rating of LSE Geography and Environment Department (2001) 5
The LSE Careers Centre website provides data on career destinations of LSE graduates.
16. Methods for evaluating and improving the quality and standard of teaching and
learning
See the School’s policy document on this issue.
 The Teaching and Learning Centre is available to monitor and observe teaching and
offers constructive advice on how to improve the standard of teaching and quality;
 Departmental TLAC review once every five years;
 The Teaching Learning and Assessment Committee which regulates all aspects of
teaching quality;
 The Graduate Studies Sub-Committee which oversees all graduate programmes and
ensures that significant changes to programmes and courses pass through a
sequence of formal stages, so that curricular changes are appropriate and compatible




with other developments;
Departmental Teaching Committee;
SSLC meetings;
Course teaching surveys by TQARO;
The Department’s system of periodic review for its programmes.