Programme Specification - MA Global Studies: A European Perspective 1. Awarding Body 2. Details of accreditation by a professional/statutory body, e.g. ESRC; BPS etc 3. Name of final award 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 N/A MA Global Studies: A European Perspective 24 months Economic History N/A N/A November 2007 / November 2012 10. The programme aims to: The European Master's Global Studies: A European Perspective is an interdisciplinary, research-based master's course offered by a consortium of five European universities: University of Leipzig, LSE, University of Vienna, University of Roskilde and University of Wroclaw. Combining approaches from global history and international studies, it also encompasses area studies, social sciences and other disciplines which contribute to a wideranging academic programme allowing different approaches to the study of globalisation processes. The programme aims to: Provide a broad training in the fundamental themes of global history. Provide essential training for students working towards MPhil/PhD degrees, and for those who wish to develop professional research expertise in global history. 11. Programme outcomes: knowledge and understanding; skills and other attributes Subject knowledge (LSE): knowledge of global history in both general themes and selected specialist areas; understand the use of theory, analysis and evidence in the construction of global history arguments. Transferable understanding and skills (LSE): understand complex global history problems by framing them in ways which simplify while still retaining relevance; develop independent analysis and argument for their own formulated question; skills to gather, deploy, combine and assess evidence of different kinds; skills to critically examine the arguments and evidence presented by others. skills to make arguments consistent with inferences from available evidence and communicate these arguments and conclusions in clear, concise and persuasive forms. General skills (LSE): skills in IT for general and academic purposes library, internet and information search skills research report writing oral presentations collaborative research and presentation Please follow the link for information relating to careers. 12. Teaching, learning and assessment strategies to enable outcomes to be achieved and demonstrated Teaching and learning strategies: Students study for two years, one year each at two of the partner institutes and applicants wishing to study at LSE for either their first or second year, will be required to take the MSc Global History, based in the Department of Economic History. The degree programme consists of 2.5 units obligatory taught courses and either optional courses to the value of one unit and a half-unit (6,000 words) dissertation, or optional courses to the value of 0.5 units and a full-unit (10,000 words) dissertation. Teaching on the core courses covers approaches to the study of global history and the main themes, scope and materials of the field. This includes discussion of the role of theory and the nature of historical analysis. Optional courses are concerned with substantive and specialised elements of the global history agenda. Courses are taught in combinations of lectures and seminars depending on the material. All courses in economic history are supported by Moodle, which is the virtual learning environment system (VLE) used by LSE. The combination of lectures and seminars is designed so that students learn via two different media. From lectures, they learn essential shared material, while seminar work encourages students to specialise and to work through course materials on their own or with their peers. Seminar presentations and discussions provide the means for students to learn the process of constructing and delivering concise accounts and defending their analysis. All courses also have written work requirements and students are given feedback on their work. An important component in students’ learning is provided by their undertaking an independent, but closely supervised, research project in global history. The supervision process provides a structured timetable for their work and for feedback during the process, beginning with four timetabled dissertation sessions in the Michaelmas Term which are attended by all MSc students. By the end of this term, students must decide whether they will write the 10,000 or the 6,000 word dissertation. Those who choose the full-unit 10,000 word dissertation will attend additional sessions in the Lent Term which will give guidance on research design and research methods. . By the end of the Summer Term, with the help of their supervisors, students produce a draft thesis. On the basis of supervisors’ feedback, students then extend and revise their dissertation for the beginning of September. All courses and components are taught by LSE faculty or visiting teachers and post-doctoral researchers. All students are allocated to a member of the teaching faculty for individual supervision and dissertation supervision. Visitors and research faculty are also available to provide further expertise for dissertation research. The MSc Programme Director provides support to all students in respect of course choice, and any other programme issues. Assessment strategies All courses have written work requirements and all students are given feedback on written work during each course. Courses are formally assessed either by a written examination or by a set piece of assessed work. All students produce a dissertation: either a 10,000 research dissertation or a 6,000 word literature review. 13. Programme structures and requirements, levels, modules and awards See the MA Global Studies: A European Perspective programme regulations Additional information 14. Criteria for admission to the programme This programme is intended for graduates in history, geography, anthropology and other arts degrees as well as related social sciences, such as economics, politics and sociology (prior knowledge of economic theory is not essential). Applicants should have at least an upper second class honours degree or its equivalent in a social science or humanities subject and a desire to explore change in a global perspective over the long term. 15. Indicators of quality Positive LSE External Examiners’ reports on the degree programme and performance of students. Members of the department set up the Global Economic History Network, thanks to a major research grant, and were also instrumental in founding the Journal of Global History. 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 The programme is subject to the School’s overall mechanisms for quality evaluation and improvement. In addition, we have departmental mechanisms as follows: We use three mechanisms to review quality and initiate improvement. a) Review by the departmental Teaching Committee, which includes the Head of Department and the Undergraduate and MSc Programme Directors. b) Review by Departmental Meeting; and c) Review by course teachers. The first two mechanisms (a) and (b) are used to evaluate and improve the quality of teaching; programme offerings; programme design; and assessment. Minor changes are initiated by advice from office holders to the department; major changes are decided by the department as a whole (often following a Teaching Committee review). The third mechanism (c) is used by individual teachers to improve course quality and design. Our mechanisms make use of information and advice given by External Examiners reports, TQARO student opinion surveys, our staff-student committees meetings, individual student feedback, and our own course and programme level reviews. School quality assurance processes include: regular staff appraisal and review; improvements in teaching technique are effected by the Teaching and Learning Centre (TLC) through observations, advice and further training; induction programme and mentoring scheme for new members of staff; Staff/student liaison committee; centrally administered student satisfaction questionnaires by the Teaching Quality Assurance and Review Office; an improved system for ensuring that External Examiner’s comments/recommendations are fed through to Departments and acted upon; the School’s Teaching, Learning and Assessment Committee (TLAC) which regulates all aspects of teaching quality; annual monitoring of courses and periodic reviews every 3-5 years. The outcomes of the annual reviews are presented to TLAC; the School’s Undergraduate Studies Sub Committee and Graduate Studies Sub Committee which oversee all taught programmes and ensure that significant changes to programmes and courses pass through a sequence of formal stages to ensure that curricular changes are appropriate and compatible with other developments.