GRADUATE STUDY IN THE DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY

Transcription

1 GRADUATE STUDY IN THE DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY MSc ORGANISATIONAL AND SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY THE LONDON SCHOOL OF ECONOMICS AND POLITICAL SCIENCE

2 TABLE OF CONTENTS Preface p.3 1. Introduction... p How we communicate with you... p How we support you during your studies... p Your learning environment... p Your programme details... p Assessment matters... p Managing your student experience... p What next?... p Research in the Department of Social Psychology... p General school information A-Z... p Appendix... p Assignment Deadlines Overview... p. 56

3 PREFACE Welcome to the London School of Economics and Political Science and the Department of Social Psychology. We have compiled this handbook to guide you through your studies at the LSE. At the time of going to press (September 2014) all the details are correct, however, circumstances may change subsequent to publication and the School reserves the right at all times to withdraw or alter particular courses and syllabuses. We would also suggest that you take time to look through the School Calendar which is available online to all registered students at the web address: The Calendar contains useful information which will help you during your studies. We hope your time with us will be rewarding and stimulating. New Arrivals Information and Registration Please refer to the Guide to Orientation 2014 for information 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. Student Charter This Charter was written by LSE students and staff with the aim of helping you understand the vision and ethos of LSE. It is not a contract. Instead, it aims to set out the School s core principles and to signpost key information about our structures and services. We will review it regularly to make sure that it continues to reflect our intentions and expectations. Our vision to deliver challenging, stimulating research-led degree programmes in an environment that supports learning and develops independent thinking among our students; to ensure that our research and teaching remain at the forefront of the social sciences, addressing the evolving challenges of society; to be among the most internationally-oriented centres of social science excellence in the world; to extend our engagement with society across our full academic portfolio and into key regions of the world; and to enrol the best students from around the world to benefit from, and contribute to, the learning environment at the School. The LSE Community LSE is a unique institution which values its international and diverse community. It aims to provide an inclusive and accessible environment, which supports learning and the pursuit and dissemination of knowledge and ideas. Its purpose can only be achieved if students can work and conduct their business peacefully, in a welcoming and non-threatening environment one that permits freedom of thought and expression in a framework of collegiality and respect for the rights and dignity of others. 3

4 LSE aims not only to nurture debate, but also to ensure that it is conducted with mutual respect and consideration for all those involved. At LSE respect for the cultures, opinions and backgrounds of others, as well as for the physical environment of the institution and our neighbours, is an integral part of our culture. LSE is committed to promoting equality of opportunity for students and staff from all social, cultural and economic backgrounds. The School aims to be an environment which is free from discrimination on the basis of race, disability, gender, age, religion, belief, sexual orientation, gender reassignment and pregnancy and maternity. You are encouraged to be an active citizen, both of the School and the wider community, for example by taking part in volunteering opportunities, engaging with societies and attending the public lectures programme. As a student at LSE you are expected to uphold the School s reputation by behaving in accordance with its Ethics Code and in all forms of interaction, spoken, written and virtual. We encourage those involved in any disagreement to seek informal resolution wherever possible. However, the School has regulations on appeals, complaints and discipline to protect both students and the community as a whole. Teaching, learning and assessment You will receive research-led teaching from internationally renowned academic staff. You will also be offered individual and group support from academic advisers and supervisors. In order to make the most of your time at the School you are expected: to attend meetings with academic advisers and/or supervisors to discuss progress and raise concerns if need be; to seek guidance and support from academic staff in their office hours; to attend and take part in classes, seminars, lectures and mandatory departmental events; to inform the department of any essential absences; to manage your learning responsibly through private study; to adhere to guidance on good scholarly practice and assessment regulations; to submit course work by the deadline; and to seek and respond to feedback on coursework. Undergraduate assessment is normally by end of year examinations, while graduate assessment relies on a combination of methods. The School is committed to high academic standards and all assessment is rigorous. Academic, personal and professional development A variety of support services and programmes exists across LSE to support teaching and supervision by academic staff. Their purpose is to enhance your academic and personal development and to help maximise your future employability. Support services available to you include: a programme of orientation events and transitional support (e.g. a student mentor for all new undergraduate students) to help you adapt to studying at LSE; study skill resources from the Teaching and Learning Centre; language teaching through the Language Centre; a specialist Disability and Well-Being Service for students who experience permanent, long term or temporary disability; a professional Counselling Service for students with personal difficulties; and expert advice and recruitment events provided by LSE Careers. You can get information on academic provision and support services via the library, websites, documentation, LSE for You and Moodle, our virtual learning environment. Student Engagement LSE values your opinion, and gives you opportunities to contribute to course and programme development and to provide feedback on academic provision and support services. Student participation and representation on committees helps to ensure that your voice is heard across the School and in your Department. The School expects that you will support programme representatives and encourages you to take part in Staff Student Liaison Committees and Student Fora. LSE will ask for your opinion on teaching and other issues via internal and national surveys. Your responses give us important information about how we can improve our services for students. 4

5 LSE Students Union is an independent student-led, democratic organisation, which you will join automatically on becoming a student at LSE. Its focus is on improving the lives of students, through representation, campaigns and support. It exists to help students with academic, social and welfare problems, and to provide a range of sports clubs, societies, services and social activities. LSE and your future The School trusts that your relationship with LSE will be enjoyable and fruitful. We also hope that it will continue long after you have graduated, when you will join the worldwide network of our Alumni Association. Date last reviewed: May 2012 Director: Professor Craig Calhoun General Secretary, Student Union: Jay Stoll Further Information Student Services Centre 5

6 1. INTRODUCTION 1.1 Department of Social Psychology - Who We Are The Department of Social Psychology (Psychology@LSE) is a thriving centre for the study of social psychology and has an international reputation for its research-led teaching in a variety of fields. Founded in 1964 the Department is one of the largest concentrations of social psychologists in Europe with 12 fulltime academics and 4 part-time academics, 112 visiting staff, 3 administrative staff, 3 technical staff and over 170 graduate students enrolled on either one of four specialist Masters programmes or conducting research towards a PhD. The MSc degree in Social Psychology, now named MSc in Social and Cultural Psychology, established in 1964, was the first specialised degree in Social Psychology in the UK. The MSc in Organisational and Social Psychology was launched in 1990, the MSc in Social and Public Communication in 2003, and the MSc in Health, Community and Development in All our MSc programmes are recognised by the Economic and Social Research Council as providing research training. The Department has an active interest in a wide range of theoretical, methodological and applied issues. Its research atmosphere still benefits from the legacy of the late Professor Rob Farr and the late Professor Hilde Himmelweit, whose work established the LSE as a centre for the study of societal and sociological forms of social psychology. Understanding social phenomena in their social contexts is a key aspect of the research conducted in the Department. Among the range of current interests are health, social representations, community, racism, ethnicity, culture, communications and the media, organisational psychology, the social construction of technology, gender, economic psychology, sexuality, social identities and risk in society. The Department also maintains active teaching and research links with LSE Health, the Gender Institute, and the Departments of Management, Methodology, Sociology, Social Policy, Anthropology, and International Development. More than three-quarters of our students come from abroad, reflecting our international outlook, our historical grounding in both American and European traditions of research, and our strong interest in promoting interchange and dialogue between these traditions and the ideas and practices of academics and practitioners from other parts of the world. We have distinguished academic visitors from abroad and have well-established research and collaborative networks stretching from South and North America to Africa, Eastern Europe and Asia. The academic staff and their research students are frequent contributors to international meetings on all five continents. Our former students include many professors, lecturers, researchers, professionals and policy makers in the worlds of business, media, NGOs and social and public policy: now working in the UK, the rest of Europe, North and South America and other parts of the world. Many of our students go on to hold academic positions in universities both in the UK and abroad. Our alumni hold positions in a variety of international organizations including the UN and the WFP. Others have entered a variety of occupations in areas including social development, public health and health promotion, social research, marketing, media and broadcasting, industry, personnel, consulting and teaching. Approximately one in five graduates from our master s programmes go on to complete higher degrees by independent research. In the Department you will find a lively and stimulating atmosphere with excellent computing and technical support in which to develop your knowledge of social psychology. Located, as we are, in one of the world's leading institutions of the social sciences brings the benefits of exploring the links between social psychology and other neighbouring disciplines and the privilege of a world-class library. A sophisticated multimedia laboratory provides students with the option of drawing on sound and image, as well as text, as sources of research data. The Department also has special audio and video facilities for conducting and recording individual and group interviews. 1.2 Contact Information The Head of the Department, Professor Catherine Campbell, is responsible for the overall running of the Department. The Department Manager is Daniel Linehan. 6

7 Members of the Department Room Phone (020) Academic Staff (full-time) Dr Frederic Basso STC.305a Prof Martin W Bauer COL m.bauer@lse.ac.uk Prof Catherine Campbell STC c.campbell@lse.ac.uk Dr Bradley Franks STC b.franks@lse.ac.uk Dr Lucia Garcia STC l.garcia@lse.ac.uk Prof George Gaskell COL g.gaskell@lse.ac.uk Dr Alex Gillespie STC a.t.gillespie@lse.ac.uk Dr Ilka Gleibs STC i.h.gleibs@lse.ac.uk Dr Caroline Howarth STC c.s.howarth@lse.ac.uk Prof Sandra Jovchelovitch STC s.jovchelovitch@lse.ac.uk Prof Saadi Lahlou STC s.lahlou@lse.ac.uk Dr Tom Reader STC t.w.reader@lse.ac.uk Teaching Fellow(s) Dr Bankole Falade STC b.falade@lse.ac.uk Dr Jenevieve Mannell STC j.c.mannell@lse.ac.uk Dr Ai Yu STC tbc Visiting Academics Dr Isabelle Goncalves-Portelinha STC i.goncalves-portelinha@lseac.uk Prof Ivana Markova STC i.markova@lse.ac.uk Mr William Mayon-White n/a n/a w.mayon-white@lse.ac.uk Dr Carol Mutch STC.312 n/a tbc Dr Marcelo Ramella n/a n/a m.ramella@lse.ac.uk Dr Susan Rifkin STC.312 n/a s.rifkin@lse.ac.uk Mr Barry Rogers STC.312 n/a barry@liberare.com Dr Gordon Sammut n/a n/a g.sammut@lse.ac.uk Dr Morten Skovdal STC.386 n/a m.skovdal@lse.ac.uk Dr Caryn Solomon STC.312 n/a c.l.solomon@lse.ac.uk Dr Ben Voyer n/a n/a b.voyer@lse.ac.uk Academic Staff (part-time) Dr Jan Stockdale STC j.stockdale@lse.ac.uk Dr Chris Tennant STC.312 n/a c.j.tennant@lse.ac.uk Administrative Staff Ms Jaqueline Crane STC j.c.crane@lse.ac.uk Ms Terri-Ann Fairclough STC t.fairclough@lse.ac.uk Mr Daniel Linehan STC d.p.linehan@lse.ac.uk Technical Staff Mr Steve Bennett STC s.bennett@lse.ac.uk Mr Steve Gaskell STC s.gaskell@lse.ac.uk Ms Ly Voo STC l.voo@lse.ac.uk Research Staff Dr Sophie Le Bellu STC s.le-bellu@lse.ac.uk Mr Mark Noort STC m.c.noort@lse.ac.uk Dr Jacqueline Priego- STC j.priego-hernandez@lse.ac.uk Hernandez Members of staff can be contacted without appointment, during their office hours, or via appointments made directly with them. Messages can be left via their pigeon hole in the General Office (STC.302) which is open between 10am and 4pm Monday to Friday. All staff are on and it is often more efficient to contact them in this way. 7

8 1.3 Social Life in the Department London is an exciting, vibrant and colourful city with a full range of culture and entertainment to experience and enjoy. We recognise the demands on your time but we find that our most successful students are generally those who join in. Psychology is the sort of subject where talking over problems with others is vitally important - you will almost certainly learn from discussing things with your colleagues. We also hope you will make a point of attending the parties and other social occasions held in the Department, such as the Public Lectures Series and Psychology@LSE Staff/Student Research Seminar Series and take the opportunity to get to know the staff. 1.4 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, the BBC World Service and the City of London. West End Theatres are all nearby, 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. The Department of Social Psychology is situated on the 3 rd Floor of St Clement s building not to be confused with Clement House which is situated on the Aldwych. Information on finding your way around LSE is available from the webpage: 8

9 2. HOW WE COMMUNICATE WITH YOU 2.1 Student Services Centre (SSC) Old Building 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 Presentation of Awards Ceremonies Transcripts and Degree certificates Visa and immigration advice (drop-in service) The SSC provides a counter service for students between 11am and 4pm every weekday. 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 2.2 Department Administration, Office Hours 10am 4pm Administrative staff in the Institute may be consulted if you cannot find answers to your queries from the website or from the Student Services Centre, Old Building. For issues relating to Masters programmes, you should contact Jacqueline Crane ( , j.c.crane@lse.ac.uk). For enquiries relating to the MPhil/PhD programme, you should contact Terri-Ann Fairclough ( , t.fairclough@lse.ac.uk). 2.3 LSE The School will use your LSE 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 storage limit. The program Microsoft Outlook is available on all student PCs on the LSE network. You can also access off-campus using webmail and remote desktop or on the move, using clients for laptops and mobile phones. For instructions on how to access your off campus visit 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. Access LSE for You at lse.ac.uk/lseforyou. 2.5 Moodle Moodle is LSE's Virtual Learning Environment (VLE). Moodle is a password protected web environment that contains a range of teaching resources, activities, assignments, information and discussions relating to your course plus general department information. The content of Moodle is the responsibility of your teacher and so it will vary from course to course. Moodle can be accessed from any computer connected to the internet, on and off campus. To access Moodle go to and use your LSE user name and password to log in. This page also has links to help and advice on using Moodle. 9

10 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. For the academic session 2014/15 you are required to submit all coursework via Moodle. 2.6 Noticeboards Outside Room STC.302 there are programme specific noticeboards for all students 2.7 Social Psychology Intranet The Department has its own intranet pages (accessible via the Social Psychology website) where you will find information relating to Department activities,, conference information, job and study opportunities, and scholarships if you are considering further study. 2.8 Teaching At Masters level we teach through lectures, seminars and workshops. Lectures are for the whole student group on a particular course, seminars tend to be for smaller groups of about twelve to fifteen students. The details of lectures, seminars and classes are on the Timetables page of the LSE website There are terminals throughout the School where you can access the website. Information on the contact time for each course can be found in the online calendar: Books Obviously you will spend a lot of time in the Library. We recommend one of the general tours which Library staff run in the first week of term Staff-Student Committee 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 effective quality assurance of courses and programmes in the School and those elected or chosen as a representative will be given training. Membership of SSLCs includes student representatives from each programme of study and appropriate academic staff. There is normally one representative for each year of each programme, although this can vary depending on the number of students in the Department. The SSLC also elects one representative to attend the relevant School level Students' Consultative Forum. More information on the Consultative Fora can be found by following the link The Department of Social Psychology has its own Staff-Student Committee which comprises representatives from amongst research students and from each MSc programme. This provides a forum for you to provide positive feedback, make suggestions and/or voice complaints on issues that may affect a particular student group as opposed to difficulties of a more individual nature. Course representatives will be elected in the 2nd week of the Michaelmas term. One or two representatives from the MSc programmes will also usually act as the programme s representative on the Masters Students Committee convened by the Dean of the Graduate School. Matters that cannot be resolved through the Institute s Staff-Student Committee can be taken further in this other forum. In addition, the Students Union has a part-time postgraduate students officer who can be approached for advice or information WWW Site The Department has its own website on the Internet which contains a wealth of information about the MSc programmes and the Department. Both the Library and IT Services provide plentiful information about accessing the Internet and you are able to sign up for short courses or teaching sessions in order to familiarise yourself with the use of these facilities. Students can register online by accessing the website 10

11 3. HOW WE SUPPORT YOU DURING YOUR STUDIES 3.1 General Advice Once you arrive at LSE it is tempting to start with a relaxed attitude and allow yourself a long settling-in period. You will find that, in fact, time is very short, so that it is important to dive into your work and take it seriously from day one. It is a good idea, for example, to start early on with background reading in preparation for classes and seminars because it is often hard to catch up. You may find that the style of work required is very different from what you are used to - especially if your first degree is not in psychology. The best way of getting a feel for things is by trial and error: in particular, by doing the course work required of you and paying attention to the feedback you get from the seminar teacher (and possibly your peers as well). If you feel that you need more help or help of a different kind, you can take advantage of the various types of support programmes run by the Department and the School detailed in this section. 3.2 Academic Advisors and Office Hours Each student has an Academic Advisor who functions as a friendly sounding board with whom students can consider their own progress. Meetings can be formal or informal, as required. Your Academic Advisor will be able to give you information about course options, advice on time management and career advice, although as you get to know other members of staff you may also consult them. You are always free to consult your Academic Advisor about any academic or personal problems which might arise. Alternatively you may approach your Programme Director. Academic Advisors will publish regular periods of time when they are available to meet with their Advisees, these are known as office hours. In addition, where the circumstances so require, Academic Advisors will make every effort to be available to see their Advisees outside these times by appointment. The Academic Advisor-Advisee relationship rests on reciprocity. However, it is the Advisees responsibility to arrange to meet their Academic Advisor on a regular basis, and to keep him or her informed of progress and difficulties. 3.3 Deans of the School 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. The Deans will see students by appointment or during their office hours. 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 ug.dean@lse.ac.uk Dr Sunil Kumar Dean of Graduate Studies OLD pg.dean@lse.ac.uk Mr Mark Hoffman Dean of the General Course OLD gc.dean@lse.ac.uk Ms Rosie Jones Executive Assistant to the Dean of Undergraduate Studies OLD G r.r.jones@lse.ac.uk Mr Giovanni Graglia Executive Assistant to the Dean of Graduate Studies and the Dean of the General Course OLD G g.graglia@lse.ac.uk 3.4 Services for Disabled Students (including students who have dyslexia) 11

12 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 Wellbeing 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, 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 disability-dyslexia@lse.ac.uk The local Department contact for issues relating to disability and well-being is the Department Manager, Daniel Linehan. 3.5 English Language Support As well as degree options the LSE Language Centre provides a comprehensive programme of support if English is not your first language and a range of extra-curricular courses designed for students of the social sciences. 3.6 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 account issues, and general IT queries. VITA (Virtual IT Assistance) Double click on the 'Virtual IT Assistance icon on the desktop of a campus PC or visit www2.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-Böersen 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: For contact details and further information about our support services visit www2.lse.ac.uk/imt 3.7 Dissertation Supervisors In the Lent term you will be asked to identify and will subsequently be allocated a Dissertation Supervisor. The Dissertation Supervisor will be your initial point of contact for all issues relating to your dissertation and you are advised to meet with them on a regular basis to discuss your progress. 12

13 3.8 Student Study Advice 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: see lse.ac.uk/tlc/training. 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: studentsupport@lse.ac.uk or call You are encouraged to register on the Teaching and Learning Centre Moodle course Learning World from the beginning of the Michaelmas Term and to regularly check LSE Training ( for full details of resources and courses to support your learning. 3.9 Welfare Services/Personal Support A variety of welfare services are available at the School 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 (student.counselling@lse.ac.uk), phone ( ) 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: Student Union Student Advice Centre The Students Union (SU) has a Student Advice Centre incorporating a welfare officer, housing advisor and counsellor. The advice centre is located in the Saw Swee Hock Student Centre on the 3 rd Floor.. The centre is open for telephone and enquiries, Monday to Friday 10.30am 4.30pm. They have two drop in sessions every day from 11am to 1pm. You can drop in for up to half an hour with an adviser. To ensure that they will be available when you wish to see them please contact them directly to arrange an appointment, phone Alternatively, refer to The Union also provides four Welfare Advisers who can help on a range of problems such as financial, childcare needs, immigration and disability. All advice and counselling services are strictly confidential. 13

14 3.10 Other Welfare/Support Services Available at the School The Chaplaincy and Faith Centre There were significant changes in provision for religion and belief at LSE in 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 nonjudgemental 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 or visit the Chaplaincy website: lse.ac.uk/chaplaincy Advisers to Women and Male Students The Adviser to Women Students offers advice and support to women students with personal problems and is available to discuss all issues of concern to them. Please contact Dr Wendy Sigle-Rushton, Room COL5.04E, ext 7358 or w.sigle-rushton@lse.ac.uk. The Adviser to Male Students offers advice and support to male students with personal problems and is available to discuss all issues of concern to them. Please contact Dr Matthew Engelke, Room OLD.609, ext 6494 or m.engelke@lse.ac.uk Financial Aid 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. 14

15 4. YOUR LEARNING ENVIRONMENT 4.1 Information Technology The rapid advances in computer technology have provoked an expansion in the range of facilities available, both School-wide and in the Department of Social Psychology itself. The School has a large number of PC computers, with the School's network allowing access to The Library catalogue (Unicorn) as well as the University of London Senate House Library and catalogues of other London University college libraries. Access is also available to a variety of information databases through the School's own networked services and the Internet. Both the Library and IT Services provide written instructions and offer short courses on the use of many of the popular software packages and networked services (e.g. Lexis- Nexis, PsychLit, Sociofile, etc). 4.2 Learning Development LSE s Teaching and Learning Centre provides a range of events, resources and services that will complement your academic study and help you to make the most of your time here. LSE Study Toolkit A brand new web resource, LSE Study Toolkit - is designed to help you tackle LSE-style study with confidence. Four areas identified by current students as vital to success at LSE justifying your arguments, studying independently, communicating your ideas and honing your quantitative skills are addressed with short films and expert guidance that provide the tools necessary for effective and rewarding study. Learning development events There is a year round series of workshops and lectures on topics such as effective reading strategies, exam preparation and participating in classes and seminars. You can just turn up, but booking guarantees you a place. More information at One to one advice Study advisers are available to offer free advice on aspects of both quantitative and qualitative subjects. LSE also hosts two Royal Literary Fund Fellows who can advise on writing style and structure. For details on all of these, see MSc Dissertation Week For MSc students, there are five days of events at the end of the Summer Term designed to help you plan, write and make the most of your dissertation. See Library Facilities The Library is the national library of the social sciences. It is one of the world's greatest social science libraries and a major resource for both postgraduate teaching and research. It has recently undergone a major refurbishment designed to improve facilities for social science researchers. The Library's collections cover the social sciences in the widest sense and are particularly strong in economics, politics, sociology, and the social, economic and international aspects of history. LSE students have access to the Library's extensive research collections. The Main Collection contains books and journals in all major subject areas of relevance to the LSE. It includes millions of books and approximately 31,000 journal titles, 10,000 of which are current subscriptions. The interdisciplinary nature of the LSE's teaching and research interests is reflected in the range of materials available. In addition to the Main Collection there are also many collections of primary materials that support original research Note that your LSE student card is also your Library card. No additional registration with the Library is required. To help you make the most of the Library: See Library staff at the beginning of term for general information, your Library guide, and other freebies. Staff are available to answer your questions. You can download a podcast and get started with all the information you need on the Library website at: Use Summon ( and the Library Catalogue ( to find both the Library s print and electronic resources. Locations in the Library are illustrated on an electronic map ( Sign up to a course on how to find items from your reading list, and other training events from across the School, at 15

16 Staff at the Help Desk on the first floor are available for any enquiries 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. You can eat in the Escape area (before the turnstiles) butonly drinks with lids can be brought into the Library Fully vacate your study place for others when taking a break. Do not leave your bags unattended Follow the Library at You can also contact the Library with the online enquiry form: Personal Development There are many ways in which LSE supports the personal development and wellbeing of students, both on and off campus. Personal development events There are lectures and group based workshops across the year on topics such as stress management, overcoming perfectionism and coping with personal difficulties. See and One to one support LSE s Student Counselling Service offers bookable one to one appointments and daily drop in sessions; its Peer Support scheme enables students to talk with fellow students if they have any personal worries; and its Disability and Wellbeing Service provides advice to disabled students and puts Individual Student Support Agreements and Individual Examination Adjustments in place. LSE Personal Development Aide Memoire (PDAM) This is a record that you can access and build in LSE for You and that enables you to keep track of the skills and experience you gain through any extra-curricular activity you undertake while you are at LSE, both within and beyond the School. The PDAM is automatically populated from a number of different LSE systems and can also be updated manually. Once completed, it will enable you to provide information and evidence about what you have done beyond your studies, making it useful for volunteering, internship and job applications. To find out more, see The Shaw Library This is a small lending collection of general literature, daily newspapers and magazines, and a substantial collection of recorded music. It is housed in the Founders Room section of the Shaw Library on the sixth floor of the Old Building, serving as a quiet room where lunchtime concerts are held on Thursdays in the Michaelmas and Lent terms. 4.6 Books and Course Readings Staff distribute reading lists at the start of courses and often provide more specific readings during a course. These reading lists are also available on the Department s Moodle pages. 4.7 Technical Facilities The Department of Social Psychology provides advice and training to students on the use of any technical facilities to be used in research. The facilities available include interview recording equipment, various types of microphones, telephone recording equipment, transcription machines, camcorders, tripods, video recorders, and computer software for running social psychology experiments (e.g., ERTS, Inquisit). Advice will also be given in the design and writing of computer programmes to run studies. The Department has a number of dedicated laboratories for use by students carrying out research in social psychology these include a multimedia presentation lab, a general multimedia and interactive computing lab, two general computing laboratories and an observational lab (with two-way mirrors). We 16

17 regularly use these facilities in the course Research Methods for Social Psychology to videotape students conducting interviews and focus groups, which you can then use as feedback on your skills, and also in preparing research students for conference presentations. 17

18 5. YOUR PROGRAMME DETAILS MSC ORGANISATIONAL AND SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY (OSP) 5.1 Orientation 2014 General Social Psychology Orientation 30 th September, pm, East Building, room EAS.1.71 Programme Orientation 30 th September, pm, New Academic Building, NAB.1.04 It is vital for you to attend this event. If there is any unavoidable reason why you cannot do so, please contact Dr Reader by at the earliest possible time. Informal Orientation 1 st October, am, New Academic Building, NAB.LG.09 As the name suggests this is an informal event aimed at helping you to get to know each other. Term Dates Session Michaelmas Term 2 nd October 12 th December 2014 Lent Term 12 th January 20 th March 2015 Summer Term 27 th April 3 rd July 2015 The School will also be closed on English public holidays*. In 2014/2015 these will be Christmas Closure 24 th December 31 st December 2014 New Year's Day Holiday 1 st January 2015 (note: the School is also closed on 2 nd January 2015) Easter Closure 2 nd April 8 th April 2015 May Bank Holiday 4 th May 2015 Spring Bank Holiday 25 th May 2015 Summer Bank Holiday 31 st August 2015 *Some facilities, such as the Library, may not be open on some of these dates. The School will issue updates throughout the year. Although the MSc programme runs for a full calendar year, formal teaching is usually completed by the end of the Lent Term. Examinations are generally held in mid to late May to mid June and the research report is due in August. Confirmed results are then published by the School in November. Courses offered are formatively and summatively assessed by individual and group presentations, by written examination and by coursework. Coursework must be typed/word processed. Full details regarding submission dates, procedures and penalties for late submission can be found in this handbook. All issues to do with registration for specific courses, transfers between courses, marking schemes, deferrals, referrals, repeating, results, etc will be handled through the Department, via the Student Services Centre. Further information is available on the website: 18

19 5.2 Full and Part-time Study This programme can be taken either full-time over one calendar year or part-time over two. Most students study on a full-time basis. If you study part-time it is suggested that you should take your core course and option course(s) in the first year, with research methods and the research report/ dissertation in the second year. The precise arrangements for which courses are taken in which year can be decided with the Programme Director at the start of the academic session. Those applying for a part-time place should note that (a) places are limited, (b) they should be available to study and to attend courses for approximately 20 hours per week, (c) no alternative arrangements are made for part-time students - they will have to attend the same scheduled lecture times as full-time students and (d) it cannot be guaranteed that options available for the current session will also be available for the following year. 5.3 Programme Aims To provide a high-quality, research-led postgraduate education in organisational and social psychology. To qualify you for MPhil/PhD research in the social sciences. To provide knowledge of normally two specialist fields of organisational and social psychology. To prepare you for a career in organisational research, development and consultancy To analyse different organisational processes in their local and global contexts. To familiarise you with case studies of organisational analysis and provide opportunities for debate with practitioners. 5.4 Programme Objectives You should be able to: Carry out research projects using a variety of methodologies and transfer research skills to new problems. Select and employ the appropriate qualitative/quantitative research technique for a given research question. Understand the strengths and weaknesses of a range of quantitative and qualitative methods for empirical research on societal issues. Review and critically evaluate theories, concepts and empirical research in areas of organisational social psychology. Formulate a plan for research in several stages and keep to the timetable agreed with their supervisor. Design, conduct and analyse and interpret a significant social inquiry employing quantitative and/or qualitative methodologies. Understand the social psychology of organisations and social psychological processes within organisations. Demonstrate a critical understanding of major alternative positions underlying organizational theory and practice. Evaluate the central concepts and debates in social psychology relevant to organisational contexts. Appreciate sociological as well as psychological approaches to the study of organisations. 5.5 Research Recognition The UK Economic and Research Council (ESRC) recognises certain MSc degrees as providing exemption from the first research training year of its 1+3 year doctoral training scheme for students applying to the ESRC for research training grants to support PhD their studies at UK universities (UK students may apply for ESRC research training grants covering fees + maintenance, Non-UK EU students may apply for ESRC fees-only grants). This programme has ESRC recognition. 5.6 Programme Structure The MSc programme comprises of a number of course units (core and option). The core course and Methods course constitute the central focus of the MSc, providing an advanced understanding of theories, concepts and methods of research. These courses are taught by a team of lecturers. The various option courses allow you to pursue diverse interests in the social sciences, permitting a range of specialisms. In the research report you will draw upon the Methods course to conduct original research which develops your particular interests. Full details of each course, including preliminary reading and methods of assessment, can be found on the following pages: 19

20 MSc Organisational and Social Psychology Compulsory Courses: PS404 Organisational Social Psychology (1 unit). PS497 Dissertation (1 unit). And one of the following streams relating to research methods: PS4A1 Methods for Social Psychological Research: Fundamental Qualitative and Fundamental Quantitative Methods. PS4A2 Methods for Social Psychological Research: Advanced Qualitative and Fundamental Quantitative Methods. PS4A3 Methods for Social Psychological Research: Advanced Quantitative and Fundamental Qualitative Methods. PS4A4 Methods for Social Psychological Research: Advanced Qualitative and Advanced Quantitative Methods. Auditing strongly recommended for: Social Psychology Flagship Lecture Series/ PS443 Societal Psychology (½ unit) Half-unit Optional Courses (students must do two of these): PS409 Political Psychology of Intercultural Relations (½ unit) PS410 Social Representations (½ unit) PS415 Social Psychology of Economic Life (½ unit) PS418 Health Communication (½ unit) PS438 Corporate Communication (½ unit) PS445 Organisational and Social Decision-Making (½ unit) PS446 Issues in Organisational Social Psychology: Organisational Life (½ unit) PS451 Cognition and Culture PS456 Consumer Psychology (½ unit) PS458 Creativity and Innovation (½ unit) PS462 Theory and Practice of Organisational Development (½ unit) PS464 Social Influence (½ unit) GI403 Gender and Media Representation (½ unit) GI408 Cultural Constructions of the Body (½ unit) In certain circumstances, and subject to timetabling and to approval by the Programme Director and other relevant teachers, students may choose an MSc half unit option offered elsewhere in the school as part of their four units. For a detailed breakdown of course content, teaching arrangements, assessment and reading lists refer to the online Calendar course guides on: Programme Assessment The formal assessment of the MSc in Organisational and Social Psychology comprises of four units, as below. Prior to the formal assessment, there is a diagnostic assignment, in the form of a mini-essay. This is designed to help the Institute assess students broad areas of academic strength and weakness in relation to the programme, and so to recommend any additional appropriate study skills support (e.g., in writing for academic purposes provided by the LSE Teaching and Learning Centre) or English language skills support (provided by the LSE Language Centre). Note that it is not intended to assess any specific learning difficulties or disabilities that might impact on performance, which are assessed by the Disability and Wellbeing Office. The mini-essay, is due to be uploaded on Moodle by 12 noon on Monday 27 th October