Programme Specification – MSc Empires, Colonialism and Globalisation
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
MSc
MSc Empires, Colonialism and Globalisation
(formerly MSc History of Empires)
12 months full-time, 24 months part-time
International History
N/A
V3UE
November 2007 / November 2012
10. The programme aims to:



enable the student to specialise in the international history of imperialism from the
earlymodern period to the present day with reference to a wide range of geographical
regions;
to provide a research-focussed environment enabling students to engage at an advanced
level with the latest academic research;
to prepare students for senior positions in foreign service, the EU, political think tanks, risk
assessment, journalism, the NGO sector, or stay on to take a research degree.
11. Programme outcomes: knowledge and understanding; skills and other attributes
Programme outcomes:
The programme offers ways of understanding early modern & contemporary world conflicts,
migrations, racism, liberation struggles, ethnic violence, settler regimes, political change and
cultural exchanges.
Knowledge and understanding:
a) the ability to apply acquired knowledge to new problems and contexts;
b) the ability to work independently, employing an empirical and analytical knowledge of the
students’ field in the planning and presentation of succinct, precise arguments, written and oral;
c) the ability to carry out research projects using a variety of methodologies and transfer research
skills to new problems;
Skills and other attributes:
a) research skills, the ability to synthesize a large and diverse body of information and develop
critical judgment;
b) IT for general and academic purposes;
c) library and internet research;
d) research-report writing;
e) oral presentations.
Information relating to careers.
12. Teaching, learning and assessment strategies to enable outcomes to be achieved
and demonstrated
Most courses are taught exclusively in small seminar groups with no more than fifteen students
where students are actively involved in the presentation of papers and structured discussions.
Most courses in this programme are assessed by a written examination, and by assessed
coursework (in some courses).There is also a compulsory dissertation. Degrees are awarded to
candidates who secure passes in all FOUR components of the degree.
13. Programme structures and requirements, levels, modules and awards
See MSc Empires, Colonialism and Globalisation programme regulations.
Additional information
14. Criteria for admission to the programme
Applicants should have at least an upper second class honours degree or its equivalent in
any discipline and a commitment to exploring the history of imperialism across a broad time
frame and in different continents.
15. Indicators of quality
1. On the RAE front, the indicators keep changing, of course, but we were ranked as
following:
 in 2001, we were 5* (the top category and one of eight institutions in the UK to score
highest);
 in 2008, we had 35% 4* (top category) and the second-highest staff submission rate,
behind Cambridge.
2. On the History subject tables, the Complete University Guide ranks us No. 2 (2012), the
Guardian University Guide ranks us No. 2 (2012)
16. Methods for evaluating and improving the quality and standard of teaching and
learning
Departmental Mechanisms:
The Departments holds a designated staff meeting at least once a year which is given over to
matters concerning teaching and examining. In addition every course is reviewed when it has
run for five years. Also the external examiners’ comments are discussed at the examination
meetings.
School mechanisms:
 regular staff appraisal and review;
 improvements in teaching technique by the Teaching and Learning Development
Office through observations, advice and further training;
 induction programme and mentoring scheme for new members of staff;
 support of Graduate Teaching Assistants (GTAs) by the lecturer responsible for a
particular module, plus the GTA Forum and mentoring of new GTAs by more
experienced GTAs;
 centrally administered student satisfaction questionnaires by the Teaching Quality
Assurance and Review Office;
 an improved system for ensuring that External Examiners’
comments/recommendations are fed through to Departments and acted upon;
 the TLAC regulates all aspects of teaching quality;
 LSE’s Graduate Studies Sub-Committee which oversees all postgraduate
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.