MScCityDesignHandbook 2010-2011

8/22/2019 MScCityDesignHandbook 2010-2011

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http://www.lse.ac.uk/collections/cities/

MSc City Design and Social Science Handbook 201011

Cities Programme

Department of SociologyLondon School of Economics and Political Science


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MSc City Design and Social Science Handbook 201011 2

Contents

Significant Dates 2010-11 3

Welcome 4

The Cities Programme 5

General Information and Contacts 6

Urban@LSE 6

Core Teaching Faculty 7

Associated and Visiting Faculty 8

Visiting Fellows and Guest Practices 9

MSc City Design and Social Science 10

Core Courses 10

Optional Courses 12

Formal Assessment 14

Postgraduate Mark Frame 16

Information about Studying at LSE* 17

*This section contains general information for all postgraduates at LSE, from registration to resultstranscripts, with links to many useful pages on the LSE website, which you may wish to bookmark.

While every effort has been made to ensure the information in this handbook is as accurate aspossible, there may be inadvertent errors or changes may occur over the course of the year. If you areunsure about something, or find conflicting information, do check with a member of LSE staff.


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Significant Dates 2010-11

Cities Programme induction 27 September 1 October 2010

Start of Michaelmas Term 30 September

Start of teaching 4 October

Candidate examination numbers allocated November/early December

End of Michaelmas Term 10 December

Start of Lent Term 10 January 2011

MSc thesis workshop 7 February

Provisional abstract of thesis due 21 February

End of Lent Term 25 March

Announcement of examination timetable End of Lent Term

Start of Summer Term 3 May

Examination period Mid-May - June

Final City Design Studio Review 30 June

End of Summer Term 1 July

Submission of dissertation Tuesday 30 August

Results published Late November

Graduation ceremony Mid December 2011


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Welcome

Welcome to the Cities Programme at the London School of Economics and Political Science.Congratulations on your success in gaining the opportunity to study city design in the context of the mostexciting specialist university institution for the social sciences in the world. Our host academic department isthe LSEs Department of Sociology, and we are the graduate programme of the LSE Cities research centre giving the Cities Programme its distinctive focus on the social context of urban design and development, and

its close links with innovative research on cities and urban life. As a student at the LSE, you will be broughtinto direct contact with the most advanced contemporary research and scholarship in urban and socialissues.

This handbook provides an introduction to the Cities Programme and the facilities available in the School. Itis also designed to help you understand the requirements of this Masters programme, and plan your courseof study. While every effort has been made to ensure the information in this handbook is as accurate aspossible, there may be inadvertent errors or changes may occur over the course of the year. If you areunsure about something, or find conflicting information, do check with a member of LSE staff.

The LSE environment

The School is located in a complex of buildings in the centre of London, near the Aldwych. It is close to theRoyal Courts of Justice, the BBC World Service and the financial heart of the City of London. West Endtheatres are all close by, along with the shops and markets of Covent Garden. The National Gallery is ashort walk down the Strand, while the South Bank Arts complex (including the Royal Festival Hall, theHayward Gallery, the National Theatre and the British Film Institute) and Tate Modern are located on theopposite bank of the river. Within the School there is an exciting mix of students from all over the world andthis generates a great deal of intellectual energy and excitement.

The geography of the School can seem complicated at first, but you will find direction signs spread aroundthe buildings, and maps and diagrams in various School publications. See this page on the LSE website formaps of the campus and surrounding area: http://www2.lse.ac.uk/mapsAndDirections/Home.aspx

A year is a short time

A one-year Master's programme is intense, and it is recommended that you begin serious study at the outsetof the programme. Previous students have gained the most from the Masters programme by starting theirreading and writing as soon as courses begin.

If you need help

All students are allocated an academic adviser for the year. If you find that you need help, it is mostimportant that you talk over your problems with your adviser or with the MSc Programme Director. Advisersare intended to have a pastoral as well as an academic role. You can meet with your adviser on a drop-inbasis during their weekly office hours, or by appointment. You should feel that you may, if you wish, discussanything with your adviser that affects your ability to benefit academically from your time with us. You shouldcertainly keep him or her informed of any medical difficulties or illness that may prevent you from studying ormay affect your academic performance. If you have difficulties of a personal nature that you do not wish todiscuss with your adviser, you may wish to make use of the Schools Student Health Centres counsellingservices, or the Advisers to Women Students and to Male Students.

If you have difficulties, the golden rule is to tell someone within the Cities Programme or the School - they willusually know who to put you in touch with.


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The Cities Programme

Location and Facilities

This year the Cities Programme is moving from its old home in St Philips Building (which is being demolishedto make way for a new student services building) and will be located on the 8

thand 5

thfloors of Tower 2,

Clements Inn (where all room numbers have the prefix V). Cities Programme faculty and administratorsoffices can be found on the 8

thfloor, which they share with research colleagues in LSE Cities. The MSc

students dedicated Studio, with computers for the sole use of Cities Programme students, can be found onthe 5

thfloor, in V512. Cities PhD students have their workstations in the central lobby of the 5

thfloor, so

please be aware that you will need to be quiet when entering and leaving the Studio. The 5th

floor is alsoshared with the Centre for Study of Human Rights.

Most of your classes will be held in other rooms on campus (see later for more information about core andoptional courses) so please try to acquaint yourself with the campus and your personal timetable beforeteaching begins, to avoid getting lost and late for class!

The Student Salon in Kings Chambers (K building) is also available for study and the gathering of smallgroups of students for the purposes of studying.

Contact information

Address: Cities ProgrammeLondon School of Economics and Political ScienceHoughton StreetLondon WC2A 2AEUnited Kingdom

Tel No: (+44) (0)2079556828 Fax No: (+44) (0)2079557697 (sociology dept.)

Email: [email protected]

Website: http://www.lse.ac.uk/collections/cities/

Specific questions pertaining to the Cities Programme or MSc City Design & Social Science should bedirected to the MSc Administrator, Anna Livia Johnston, 8th Floor Tower 2, or email [email protected] if the Administrator cannot deal with your question/problem should you contact the MSc ProgrammeDirector, Dr Fran Tonkiss or the Departmental Manager in Sociology.

Communication

You are expected to check your email regularly (using your School-supplied email address), since bothacademics and administrators routinely use this medium in order to communicate with students.

Change of address

If you change your term-time address you must inform the Student Services Centre and your personal tutoror the Cities administrator. This change can be made by you, using LSE for You, located on the front pageof the LSE website. Your address is protected information and will not be disclosed to a third party withoutyour permission unless it is for reasons of official School business. It is important that you keep us informedof your private address (and telephone number).


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General Information and Contacts

Sociology Department staff

The Sociology Departments Administrators are Tia Exelby (MSc programme) and Frances Hewson (BA andPhD programmes), in room S219A (St Clements Building).

The Head of Department of Sociology is Professor Judy Wajcman, who is in Room S203. The Head ofDepartment is responsible to the School for the running of the Department.

The Sociology Departmental Manager is Louise Fisher in Room S204, who is responsible for much of theday-to-day administrative work and works closely with the Head of Department, Programme Convenors andother academic officers of the Department.

Staff/Student Committee

This Committee is a forum to discuss appropriate matters of concern to students and staff on MScprogrammes across the Department of Sociology and its associated research centres. Membership of this

Committee on the staff side comprises the Programme Conveners of each of the Departments MScprogrammes. Membership on the student side comprises up to two students from each MSc programmeelected by their fellow students in order to attend meetings and put forward their views. Meetings of theCommittee are held at least once a term, and more frequently if necessary. All members, including staff, areasked to confirm to Tia Exelby ([email protected]) their intention to attend a meeting after she hascirculated (by email) details of its time and venue and a request for agenda items. In addition, the twostudents representatives for the MSc City Design and Social Science will be invited to meetings heldinternally to the Cities Programme on a termly basis. These meetings provide the opportunity for students tovoice direct concerns pertaining to the MScCity Design and Social Science.

Urban@LSE

Urban@LSE is a network bringing together Masters and Doctoral students, researchers and faculty workingon urban issues across the LSE. As an international centre of excellence in the social sciences, LSE has adistinctive concentration of urban specialists in a number of disciplinary areas, and is an unrivalled centre forpostgraduate study in the area of city design urban and regional planning, urbanisation and development,and the economic, social, political and policy aspects of contemporary urban life.

LSE researchers bring together a range of disciplinary expertise to link the urban social sciences with thedesign and governance of cities, urban infrastructure, environment and development, with a uniqueconcentration of urban specialists in different subject areas - Development Studies, Economics, Geographyand Environment, Government, Social Policy, and Sociology - and in key research centres and institutes.

Urban@LSE organises an annual welcome reception and events during the academic year which givegraduate students the opportunity to meet fellow students and faculty from a range of programmes,departments and research centres in the urban field. More information is available at:http://www.lse.ac.uk/collections/urbanAtLSE/


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Core Teaching Faculty

Ricky Burdett: is Professor of Urban Studies and Director of LSE Cities research centre. He is PrincipalDesign Adviser for the London 2012 Olympics, and previously was architectural adviser to the Mayor ofLondon (from 2001 2006), a member of the Greater London Authority's Architecture + Urbanism Unit, andsat on the City of Barcelona's Quality Committee. In 2007 he co-curated the Global Cities exhibition at theTate Moderns Turbine Hall, London. Burdett was founder of the 9H Gallery and the Architecture Foundation

in London. He was Director of the 2006 Architecture Biennale in Venice on the subject of Cities: architectureand society, and is co-editor (with Deyan Sudjic) of The Endless City(Phaidon Press, 2008).

Ayona Datta: is Lecturer in the Cities Programme, Admissions Tutor for the MSc City Design and SocialScience, and convenor of the Cities core course on Urban Environment. She has an interdisciplinarybackground in architecture, environmental design and planning. Her research interests include gender,space, and power; home, migration, and the city; urban politics and social agency; and politics ofsustainability. She recently completed a British Academy Research on gendered agency, space and powerin squatter settlements. Another research area explores how notions of home and the global city areshaped through the building activities of East European migrant workers arriving in London after EUexpansion in 2004. Her most recent project explores the politics of mobility and sustainability along high-speed transport networks. Research in this area has been done in Turkey and further research will be

undertaken in 2010 on the Mumbai-Pune expressway in India. She has published in a number of refereedjournals and is currently completing a book on gender, place, and social agency in squatter settlements inDelhi. Another co-edited book Translocal Geographies: Spaces, Places, Connectionsis due out withAshgate in 2010. She is on the editorial board of ACME: an international e-journal for critical geographiesand of Open House International.

Juliet Davis: is LSE Fellow in the Cities Programme, where she is Studio Leader, and a chartered memberof the RIBA (2005). She was previously Senior Lecturer in Architecture and Interiors at the CanterburySchool of Architecture, University College for the Creative Arts (2005-7), ran the first year of the BA (Hons)Architecture at Cambridge University, 2004-5, and lectured in architectural theory on the same programme in2006 and 2007. Between 1999 and 2005 she worked in practice as Project Architect with Eric ParryArchitects. Her recent publications include (Re)imagining Bishopsgate Goodsyard, Architectural ResearchQuarterly (ARQ), vol. 12, 2008: 12-25; Liverpool finds Energy in Art, Building Designno. 1740, September

29 2006: 20-21; Mastering his Universe, Building Designno. 1673, May 13 2005: 12; she has piecesforthcoming in ARQand Urban Studies. Her current research in the Cities Programme focuses on theconstruction of the Legacy masterplan for the London Olympics, 2012.

Suzanne Hall: is LSE Fellow in the Cities Programme, where she is Studio Leader, and has practiced as anarchitect and urban designer in South Africa. She recently completed her Ph.D entitled, A Mile of MixedBlessings: An Ethnography of Boundaries and Belonging on a South London Street, for which she wasawarded the LSEs Robert McKenzie Prize for outstanding performance in a Ph.D programme. She hastaught in the Departments of Architecture at the University of Cambridge and the University of Cape Town.Her projects considering the role of design in the context of rapid urban transformation in poor and raciallysegregated areas have been published and exhibited in: the Architectural Review(2007, vol.221, no. 324,pp. 64-5); and Between Ownership and Belonging: Transitional Space in the Post-Apartheid Metropolis, aspart of the 2006 Venice Architecture Biennale on Cities, Architecture and Society. As an urban

ethnographer her research interests include ordinary spaces and everyday practices, social and politicalforms of inclusion and exclusion, and ethnography and visual methods. She recently co-edited (with MelissaFernandez and Cecilia Dinardi) Writing Cities(LSE, 2010); and her chapter on Walworth Road - WorldIntersections: Moving, Pausing and Stopping on a Multi-ethnic Street, is included in S. Dobson, A. Rookeand P. Halliday (eds), Studying the City: Methodology, Experience and Politics(Palgrave Macmillan).

Philipp Rode: is Executive Director of the LSE Cities research centre, and co-convenes the Lent term Studioseminar on City-making: The Politics of Urban Form. As a researcher and consultant he is involved ininterdisciplinary projects comprising urban governance, transport, city planning and urban design. Rodeorganised the Urban Age conferences in partnership with Deutsche Banks Alfred Herrhausen Society inNew York, Shanghai, London, Mexico City, Johannesburg, Berlin and Mumbai, bringing together politicalleaders, city mayors, urban practitioners, private sector representatives and academic experts. Recent

London-focused research includes Density and Urban Neighbourhoods in London(2005) and A Frameworkfor Housing in the London Thames Gateway(2004). In 2007, Urban Age undertook a research programmein Mumbai, Kolkata, Delhi and Bangalore followed by the Urban Age India Conference in Mumbai, tounderstand and assess how these cities are responding to the challenges of growth, and to compare these


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approaches to those adopted in other cities throughout the world: the findings are collected in the report onIntegrated City Making: governance, planning andtransport, co-authored by Philipp Rode with Julie Wagner,Richard Brown, Rit Chandra and Jayaraj Sundaresan (www.urban-age.net/india_report/_ICMR.html). Hehas previously worked on several multidisciplinary research and consultancy projects in New York and Berlinand was awarded the Schinkel Urban Design Prize 2000.

Robert Tavernor: is Professor of Architecture and Urban Design at the Cities Programme. He is an architectwith an active London-based urban planning consultancy advising on major urban design projects. His

essay, From Townscape to Skyscape, (The Architectural Review, March 2004) summarises his recenturban research on the visual impact of tall buildings in London. His books focus on the classical tradition ofEuropean architecture and cities, body and building, and on the urban development of London. They includetranslations and introductions to the key architectural and urban treatises by Vitruvius (Penguin Classics,2009), Alberti, and Palladio (The MIT Press). He is the author of Palladio and Palladianism(Thames &Hudson, 1991); On Alberti and the Art of Building,and Smoot's Ear: The Measure of Humanity(Yale UP,1998 and 2007); and co-editor of Body and Building: Essays on the changing relation of Body to Architecture(The MIT Press, 2002).

Fran Tonkiss: is Director of the Cities Programme and Programme Director of the MSc City Design andSocial Science. She is a Reader in Sociology, with core research interests in urban and economic sociology.In the field of urban studies her focus is on urban development, design and governance; space and socialtheory; social and spatial divisions. Her work in economic sociology is concerned with issues of globalisation;

inequality and economic governance; trust and social capital; markets and marketisation. She is the authorof Contemporary Economic Sociology: Globalisation, Production, Inequality(Routledge, 2006) and Space,the City and Social Theory(Polity, 2005), the co-author (with Don Slater) of Market Society: Markets andModern Social Theory(Polity, 2001), and the co-editor of Trust and Civil Society(Macmillan, 2000).

Savvas Verdis: has been teaching in the Cities Programme since 2001, first with Professor Richard Sennettand Professor David Frisby and currently with Philipp Rode in subjects that include urban history, urbanpolitics and urban economics. He co-convenes the Lent term Studio seminar on City-making: The Politics ofUrban Form. His studies and research in architectural history at Cambridge University, political philosophy atthe New School for Social Research and urban economics at University College London look at majoreconomic and political reforms in urban history. These include contemporary cities under structuraladjustment, the urban reformers of Victorian London, Haussmanns 19th century Paris and Cleisthenesgeopolitical reforms in classical Athens. Savvas is also the founder & director of Property Analytics Ltd,

Londons leading property ranking company. He has been an Onassis Public Benefit Foundation scholar ontwo occasions and has previously managed a $50 million cultural framework for the opening and closingceremonies of the Athens 2004 Olympic Games.

Associated and Visiting Faculty

David Frisby: is Professor Emeritus of Sociology. His research interests focus upon metropolitan modernity,architecture and urban cultures, German social theory in the late nineteenth and twentieth centuries and thesocial theory of Georg Simmel. He maintains an interest in critical social theories of modernity, originallydeveloped in his Fragments of Modernity(Polity, third printing 2003) and elsewhere. His recent publicationsinclude Georg Simmel in Wien(WUV Universittsverlag, 2000), Cityscapes of Modernity(Polity, 2001),Georg Simmel. Revised Edition(Taylor and Francis, 2002). He is the editor of the third enlarged edition of

Simmels Philosophy of Money(Routledge, 2004) and of volume 18 of Simmels collected works (2008).Current projects include a forthcoming study of Otto Wagners Vienna and, with Iain Boyd Whyte, asourcebook on Berlin: 1890-1940.

Gerald Frug: is Cities Programme Visiting Professor, and the Louis D. Brandeis Professor of Law at HarvardLaw School. Specialising in local government law, he is the author of numerous works in the field includingCity Bound: How States Stifle Urban Innovation(Cornell, 2008 co-authored with David Barron), and CityMaking: Building Communities without Building Walls(Princeton, 1999). Professor Frug is Advisor andContributor to the Urban Age research programme.

Leslie Sklair: is Emeritus Professor of Sociology at LSE; Associate Fellow of the Institute for the Study ofthe Americas at the University of London; and President of the Global Studies Association. He has beenVisiting Professor at the University of Southern California, New York University, The New School in NewYork, University of Sydney, Hong Kong University and, currently, Strathclyde University in Scotland, and has

lectured on globalization all over the world. Editions of his Globalization: Capitalism and its Alternatives(2002) have been translated into Japanese, Portuguese, Persian, Spanish and Korean with an Arabic editionforthcoming. His study of the Fortune Global 500, The Transnational Capitalist Class, was published in 2001(Chinese edition 2002). Papers from his current research project, Iconic architecture and capitalist


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globalization, have been published in journals including International Journal of Urban and RegionalResearchand CITY. He has written on globalization and capitalism for several major social scienceencyclopaedias and is on the Editorial Boards of Review of International Political Economy, Global Networks,Social Forcesand Journal of World-Systems Research.

Edward W. Soja: is Professor Emeritus of Urban Planning at UCLA and has a long association with theCities Programme as a Centennial Professor. Professor Soja has focused his research and writing over the

past 20 years on urban restructuring in Los Angeles and more broadly on the critical study of cities andregions. His wide-ranging studies of Los Angeles bring together traditional political economy approachesand recent trends in critical cultural studies. His major publications include Postmodern Geographies(Verso,1989), Thirdspace(Blackwell, 1996), Postmetropolis(Blackwell, 2000), and Seeking Spatial Justice(Minnesota, 2010).

Visiting Fellows

Joseph Heathcott is Senior Visiting Fellow at the Cities Programme from September 2010 to March 2011.He is Associate Professor and Chair of Urban Studies at The New School in New York, where he teaches inEugene Lang College and Parsons School of Design. His work considers the role of collective memory andcreative expression as everyday civic practices that shape the contemporary metropolis. He is also a

compulsive peripatetic, amateur archivist, idiot cartographer, and collector of LPs, post cards, old radios,books, and found objects. Prof. Heathcott's articles, photographs, maps, drawings, and exhibits haveappeared in a wide range of venues. His most recent photography exhibit iscurrently on display at the Town Hall Gallery in Stuttgart, Germany. He has been awarded fellowships fromthe American Council of Learned Societies, the Erasmus Institute, the Mellon Foundation, and the BrownCenter for the Humanities. During the academic year 2010-2011, Prof. Heathcott will hold the U.S. FulbrightDistinguished Chair for the United Kingdom at the University of the Arts.

Guest Practices

Liza Fior, Mark Lemanski and Caitlin Elster,muf architecture /art LLp. muf is a collaborative practice of artand architecture committed to public realm projects. They are Curators of the British Pavilion at the VeniceArchitecture Biennale 2010, were awarded the 2008 European Prize for Urban Public Space for their workon Barking Town Square, and have been Visiting Professors at Yale University.

Kathryn Firth is a Director of PLP architecture, and an architect and urban designer with extensiveexperience in international redevelopment projects, the design of public open space and cultural uses ininner city areas. She was Projects Director of the Architecture Foundation in London, and has taught atHarvard University and at the Architectural Association, London. Kathryn was Co-Director of the CitiesProgramme until 2005.

Tom Holbrooke is Director of 5th

Studio architecture and urbanism, a Studio-based practice working acrossthe fields of design, landscape, urbanism and architecture. As collaborators on the East London Green Grid,they were winners of the World Festival of Architecture 2009 Future Landscapes Award, and their work onthe Lea River Park was awarded the silver medal in the International Urban Landscape Award 2010.

William Mann and Stephen Witherford, Witherford Watson Mann architects. WWM's work addresses thecommon ground shared by architecture, public space and urban planning. Their projects includethe Amnesty International UK headquarters, the Whitechapel Art Gallery extension, the urban designstrategy for Woolwich Town Centre, and Bankside Urban Forest. Their work has been exhibited in Geneva,Liege, Dordrecht, Milan, London, Rome, the Sao Paulo Biennale, Venice Biennale and at the New YorkCentre for Architecture.Joseph Robson is founder of AVR London, a collective of architects, artists and researchers concerned withthe use of computer-aided architectural visualisation and reconstruction. At the Cities Programme heteaches our MSc students the value, legibility and use of images in presentation material through the AdobeCreative Suite. He is also a Visiting Research Fellow at the University of Bath, and an elected fellow andcouncil member of the Society of Architectural Illustration.

More information on Cities faculty and associates can be found on the Cities Programme website.


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MSc City Design & Social Science

Degree Programme Course Requirements

Duration of course of study: 12 months full-time; 2 or 3 years part-time.

Degree requirement: A total of four units comprising two unit taught core courses:SO451 Cities by DesignSO452 Urban Environment

One 1 unit design-based studio course:SO448 City Design Research Studio

AND one other whole plus one half unit option or three half unit options (refer to Option Courses below)

Core Courses

SO451 Cities by Design (Half Unit)

Teacher responsible: Professor Ricky Burdett

Core syllabus: The course examines the relationship between built form and its social, political and culturalimpacts in the contemporary, changing city. By introducing students to key concepts and methodologies invisual narratives and spatial analysis, the course investigates how the design of our complex urbanenvironments affects the people who live in them. Using the city as a laboratory through the analysis ofcase studies and discussion seminars - students are encouraged to evaluate how new policies and projectswill impact on social cohesion and urban integration at the macro and micro scale of city landscapes. Whilethe course does not focus on urban policy, it provides students with the critical tools to understand theparadigms that underpin much of contemporary urban practice in cities of the global North and South, with a

special focus on Londons political and spatial context.

Content: urban analysis and public space; densification and the compact city; gated communities and socialexclusion; accommodating complexity and difference; boundaries and borders in contemporary city.

Teaching: 10 lectures and 10 seminars in MT.

Coursework: One 1500-word formative essay to be submitted in MT

Reading list: A detailed reading list will be distributed at the beginning of the course. Core backgroundincludes: Burdett, R and Sudjic, D (2008) The Endless City, London, Phaidon; Carmona, M., Heath, T., Oc,T., and Tiesdell, S. (2003) Public Places Urban Spaces: the dimensions of urban design. London:Architectural Press; Larice, M. and Macdonald, E. (eds) (2007) The Urban Design Reader. London and NewYork: Routledge. R. Sennett, (1991) The Conscience of the Eye: the design and social life of cities, London,Faber and Faber.

Assessment: An illustrated course essay of not more than 5,000 words to be submitted by 4.00pm on thefirst Tuesday of LT, two hard copies to be handed in to the Cities Administration Office, 8th floor Tower 2; athird copy to be posted onto Moodle.


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SO452 Urban Environment (Half Unit)

Teacher responsible: Dr Ayona Datta

Core syllabus: To develop a critical understanding of the conditions and the politics of sustainability thatshape the urban environment.

Content: This is an interdisciplinary course that introduces students to a critical understanding of theconditions that shape urban environments. It makes connections between the social, physical, andenvironmental aspects of cities through a broad range of topics. The course is structured around four keythemes: Conceptualisations of urban environments, Environmental and spatial justice, Politics ofinfrastructure, and Approaches to sustainable urban environments. The aim of the course is to introduce thestudents to the range of scales and social actors who imagine different kinds of urban environments, and theissues at stake for 'sustainability' in these imaginings.Teaching: Teaching consists of ten one-hour lectures and ten one-hour seminars in LT.

Formative Coursework: A compulsory formative essay of no more than 2,000 words to be submitted inWeek 8 of LT.

Reading list: Key texts include: Harvey, D (1996) Justice, Nature, and the Geography of Difference, Oxford:Blackwell; Heynen, N., Kaika, M., and Swyngedouw, E. (2006) In the Nature of Cities: Urban Political

Ecology and the Politics of Urban Metabolism, London: Routledge; R Rogers, (1998) Cities for a SmallPlanet, London: Faber press.; Barry J, Environment and Social Theory1999, London: Routledge.

Assessment: A course essay of not more than 5,000 words on an approved topic to be submitted at thebeginning of the ST. Two hard copies of the essay should be submitted to the Cities Administration Office,8th floor Tower 2, no later than 4.00pm on the first Tuesday of the Summer Term; a third copy to be postedto Moodle.

SO448 City Design Research Studio (One and a Half Units)

Teacher responsible: Dr Fran Tonkiss

Studio leaders: Juliet Davis, Suzanne HallCity-making seminar: Philipp Rode, Savvas Verdis

Core syllabus: The City Design and Social Science Research Studio course is the central unit of the MScprogramme, linking the theoretical issues raised in the core and optional lecture courses, with the practicalanalysis of issues of city design and development processes. The course addresses design as a mode ofresearch and practice that shapes urban environments, responds to urban problems, and connects visual,social and material forms in the city. It aims to integrate the economic, social political and cultural aspects ofthe city and demonstrate ways to communicate these visually, textually and verbally.

Content: The Studio is divided into three parts.

In the first term, the course explores key approaches to spatial and social analysis in urban contextswith a practical focus on London. This includes methods for analysing design contexts and problems;social research methods; and methods of visual representation and documentation.

During the second term, students continue to work independently in project teams with StudioLeaders on specific design, social and spatial issues in the London site, while formal teaching iscentred on the Studio seminar in City-making: the politics of urban form (SO465) which examinesurban politics and planning through a range of international cases. This term includes aninternational Studio field-trip.

In third term, students complete independent design theses or research dissertations, eitherindividually or in small groups.

For students with a background in architecture and design, the course will provide an opportunity to applytheir understanding of the built environment to social issues that relate not only to a single building ordevelopment, but also to wider urban contexts. Students with a background in social science and relateddisciplines will develop their visual and conceptual literacy in urban design. The course will help all students


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to develop their visual, verbal and written communication skills as they relate to the urban design anddevelopment process. The acquisition of skills in interpreting and describing the city will equip students formore effective communication with urban designers, planners and policy-makers, to critically investigate therelationship between the built environment and social issues, and to engage in debates on the future of citiesworldwide.

Assessment: The course carries a weight the equivalent of 1.5 units, out of a total of 4 units for the MSc

degree. Overall assessment is based on the following submissions:1. London Studio project (30%)2. City-making project (20%)3. 10,000 word Research/design thesis (50%)

Optional Courses

We encourage our students to investigate the academic content of potential optional courses during the firstcouple of weeks of term. You will need to make a formal decision on which options you will take by the thirdweek of October 2010. There is a list of approved optional courses (see below or go to the LSE webpageMSc City Design and Social Science) but you are allowed to apply to other courses that interest you, subjectto the approval of the relevant course teacher and the Programme Director of the MSc City Design andSocial Science. You are not allowed to take any optional course that clashes with the timing of thecore courses of the Cities Programme. If you are not sure about your selection please consult yourpersonal tutor.

Approved optional courses 2010/11:

The Economics of Urban and Regional Planninghttp://www.lse.ac.uk/resources/calendar2010-2011/courseGuides/GY/2010_GY447.htm

Economics of Local and Regional Development http://www.lse.ac.uk/resources/calendar2010-2011/courseGuides/GY/2010_GY410.htm

Cities, People and Poverty in the Southhttp://www.lse.ac.uk/resources/calendar2010-2011/courseGuides/GY/2010_GY431.htm

Planning for Sustainable Citieshttp://www.lse.ac.uk/resources/calendar2010-2011/courseGuides/GY/2010_GY446.htm

Economic Appraisal and Valuationhttp://www.lse.ac.uk/resources/calendar2010-2011/courseGuides/GY/2010_GY455.htm

Social Exclusion, Inequality and the 'Underclass' Debatehttp://www.lse.ac.uk/resources/calendar2010-2011/courseGuides/SA/2010_SA429.htm

Social and Political Aspects of Regional and Urban Planninghttp://www.lse.ac.uk/resources/calendar2010-2011/courseGuides/GY/2010_GY448.htm

International Housing and Human Settlementshttp://www.lse.ac.uk/resources/calendar2010-2011/courseGuides/SA/2010_SA4C6.htm

Housing, Neighbourhoods and Communitieshttp://www.lse.ac.uk/resources/calendar2010-2011/courseGuides/SA/2010_SA4F9.htm

Environmental Assessmenthttp://www.lse.ac.uk/resources/calendar2010-2011/courseGuides/GY/2010_GY444.htm

Cities and Social Change in East Asia

http://www.lse.ac.uk/resources/calendar2010-2011/courseGuides/GY/2010_GY438.htm

Cities, Politics and Citizenshiphttp://www.lse.ac.uk/resources/calendar2010-2011/courseGuides/GY/2010_GY439.htm


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The approved optional courses for the MSc City Design and Social Science are taught in the Departments ofEconomics, Geography and Environment, and Social Policy.

While these courses have been approved by the relevant convenors for the MSc City Design and SocialScience, in certain cases where course are over-subscribed, priority will be given to students on otherprogrammes for which these are core units or options; in these cases Cities Programme students may takethese options subject to places being available. Please consult the course convenor.

You may take other courses in the Department of Sociology, or other departments, by agreement with thecourse teacher and the Programme Director, MSc City Design and Social Science.


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Formal Assessment

Submitting assessed essays, Studio projects and the Research/Design Thesis

For your core courses in the Cities Programme you will be asked to prepare essay, project or thesis work of

a specific number of words, along with a specific deadline for each piece of work. This word count excludestables, figures, appendices and bibliography but includes endnotes and footnotes. Two word-processedcopies of the completed essay, project or thesis should be given by you in person to the Cities ProgrammeAdministrator, 8th floor Tower 2. All deadlines are non-negotiable. You should see that yourExamination Candidate Number,but NOT your name or your student ID, appears clearly on the front ofthe essay, project or thesis, along with the word count.

Moodle: Unless otherwise advised you will be required to upload a copy of your essay electronically on toMoodle so that it may be submitted to plagiarism-detection software.

NB For SO448 City Design Research Studio you may be required to submit work in a different format and tosubmit a CD in addition to hard copies. You will be advised in advance of the precise requirements for eachpiece of project work.

Coursework Submission Form and Plagiarism Statement: You will be asked to complete and sign a formentitled Coursework Submission Form and Plagiarism Statement. The bottom part of this form is also yourreceipt. Plagiarism (unacknowledged borrowing and quotation) is an examination offence and carries heavypenalties. The form you will be asked to sign states the following:

I declare that, apart from properly referenced quotations, this dissertation is my own work and containsno plagiarism; it has not been submitted previously for any other assessed unit on this or other degreecourses.I have read and understood the Schools rules on assessment offences as stated in theGraduate/Undergraduate School Calendar.

Plagiarism

Assessment is the means by which the standards that students achieve are made known to the School andbeyond; it also provides students with detached and impartial feedback on their performance. It also forms asignificant part of the process by which the School monitors its own standards of teaching and studentsupport. It therefore follows that all work presented for assessment must be that of the student.

What is plagiarism?

All work for classes and seminars as well as scripts (which include, for example, essays, dissertations andany other work, including computer programs) must be the student's own work. Quotations must be placedproperly within quotation marks or indented and must be cited fully. All paraphrased material must beacknowledged. Infringing this requirement, whether deliberately or not, or passing off the work of others asthe work of the student, whether deliberately or not, is plagiarism.

For detailed information, please access this link:

http://www.lse.ac.uk/resources/schoolRegulations/regulationsOnAssessmentOffences-Plagiarism.htm

Plagiarism detection

You are required to post a copy of your coursework into a specific Moodle site against which the JISCPlagiarism Detection Service software can be run. This is in addition to the two hard copies that you will turninto the departments administration office. You can take a look at their website at www.submit.ac.uk to seehow it all works. Further details can be provided by the Cities Programme administrator.

It is suggested that, for your own records, you prepare and retain copies of your coursework and yourportfolio, since the submitted copies will not be returned to you.


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Assessment of outside options: Your option courses will be assessed according to the requirements of therelevant course and department regulations. Please consult course convenors and administrators in therelevant department for information on assessment requirements, submission procedures and examinations.

Late submission: Essay, project or thesis work submitted after the deadline will be subject to the penalty ofa deduction of 5 marks out of a possible 100 marks available for this piece of work per day or part thereof ofthe late submission. Penalties for late submissions may be waived where there are verifiable extenuating

circumstances (e.g., shown by a medical certificate), subject to final confirmation by the Chair of the MScCity Design and Social Science Sub-board of Examiners. Applications for consideration of a latesubmission should be made in the first instance to the administrator of the MSc Programme, and a mitigationform should be completed via the Student Services Centre. Further information is available at:

http://www.lse.ac.uk/collections/studentServicesCentre/examinationsAndResults/Mitigation.htm

Candidates using word-processing equipment during the preparation of their work are strongly advised tomake frequent back-up copies of their text. Disk, computer or printer failure will not be regarded as alegitimate excuse for late submission of a piece of course work.

Please note that the MSc Examination Sub-Board meets only once a year in mid-October for the purpose ofdetermining degree results; if you do not submit your thesis or other pieces of work in time for it to be

assessed, you will have to wait until the following year to receive your degree.

Exam results are released by the School in late November after the final Exam Board. You can then accessLSE for You to see your results. External (non-LSE) examiners participate in all stages of the examiningprocess, including vetting examination papers, reviewing exam scripts, dissertations and course work as isusual in all British universities.

Schemes for the Award of a Taught Masters Degree

These schemes should be read in conjunction with the Regulations for Taught Masters Degrees, theprogramme regulations for the Masters degree on which the candidate is registered, the relevant on-line

Taught Masters Course Guides and the Code of Good Practice for Taught Masters Programmes: Teaching,Learning and Assessment.

The link for students entering in 2010 is:Regulations for Taught Masters Degrees for students entering in 2009/10 and after(http://www.lse.ac.uk/resources/calendar/academicRegulations/regulationsForTaughtMastersDegrees.htm)

Each candidate shall be given an overall result for each course as follows:

Mark Grade

0 39% Bad Fail

40 - 49% Fail

50 - 59% Pass

60 - 69% Merit

70% and over Distinction

Dissertations that are generally satisfactory but fall short of the required standard of presentation may be referred

for emendation within one month of the examiners meeting. Please note the requirement that in order to passyour whole MSc, you must pass the dissertation with a mark of at least 50.


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Feedback

You will receive feedback from course teachers and supervisors over the course of the programme tosupport the development of your work. Feedback is provided in a number of forms:

(i) verbal feedback during office hours, individual and/or group tutorials, desk-crits and supervisions;(ii) verbal feedback in response to class and Studio presentations and in dissertation workshops;

(iii) written feedback on formative and/or summative coursework, and where appropriate on classpresentations and drafts of dissertation work;(iv) written feedback may be provided in hard copy, or electronically via e-mail, Moodle or LSE for You.

The Programmes policy is to provide feedback within two weeks of submission of formativecoursework ordraft written material.

Assessment Criteria and Postgraduate Mark Frame

The candidates performance shall be assessed across four modules, or module equivalents comprising ofhalf-units (hereinafter referred to generically as modules).

Below is a general mark frame which illustratesthe assessment criteria that your course teachers are

employing:

Distinction (70 per cent or higher)This class of pass is awarded when the essay demonstrates clarity of analysis, engages directly with thequestion, and shows an independent and critical interpretation of the issues raised by it. The essay showsexemplary skill in presenting a logical and coherent argument and an outstanding breadth and depth ofreading. The essay is presented in a polished and professional manner, and all citations, footnotes andbibliography are rendered in the proper academic form. Essays in the upper range of this class (80 per centand higher) may make an original academic contribution to the subject under discussion. Answers in theupper range will be outstanding in terms of originality, sophistication and breadth of understanding ofrelevant themes and material.Merit (60-69 per cent)

This class of pass is awarded when the essay attempts a systematic analysis of the issues raised by thequestion and demonstrates independent thought. The essay shows appropriate skill in presenting a clearlyreasoned argument, and draws on a good range of relevant literature. The essay is well-presented andcitations, footnotes and bibliography are rendered in the proper academic form.

Pass (50-59 per cent)This class of pass is awarded when the essay shows understanding of the issues raised by the question,and demonstrates an engagement with relevant literature. The discussion may rely more heavily ondescription than on independent analysis. There may be some inconsistencies, irrelevant points andunsubstantiated claims in the argument. Presentation and referencing is adequate but may containinaccuracies.

Fail (40-49 per cent)The essay shows limited understanding of the subject and lacks evidence of an independent response to thequestion. It may be based entirely on lecture material, poorly structured and contain significant errors of fact.The essay may be incomplete, including poor presentation and inadequate referencing, and fail todemonstrate an appropriate level of engagement with relevant literature.

Bad Fail (0-39 per cent)The essay is incomplete or fails to address the question under study. It provides little evidence of reading orunderstanding. It may be poorly presented and lack referencing.


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Information about studying at LSE

Programme Registration

At the start of the academic year you need to register on your programme of study. Each programme /department is allocated a specific registration time slot. You will need to provide proof of your eligibility tostudy 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 on programme registration, including registration schedules and information forcontinuing students, please see:

http://www2.lse.ac.uk/intranet/students/studentServicesCentre/RegistrationPg/registrationpg2010.aspx

New Arrivals Information and Orientation

The New Arrivals section of the School website provides comprehensive information to help you settle in tolife at the LSE. The new arrivals pages contain details of all Orientation events taking place at the start of theacademic year; including those specific to your department, the Students Union Freshers Fayre, as well as

central School Orientation events. These events are designed to give you essential information to make themost of your time at the School and provide an opportunity to meet other LSE students. The site alsoincludes details of when your registration session will take place and what you need to bring with you tosuccessfully register on your programme. Other New Arrivals information available includes advice onstudent mentoring, School support services, opening a bank account and setting up your LSE IT account

http://www2.lse.ac.uk/intranet/students/studentServicesCentre/newArrivals/Home.aspx

International Student Immigration Service (ISIS)

We can advise you on your immigration options while studying at LSE, for example:

Applying to extend your stay in the UK Switching immigration categories Immigration implications if you need to interrupt your studies or retake your exams Correcting the end date of your visa if there has been a mistake What to do if your application is returned as invalid or is refused Registering with the police What to do if your passport is lost or stolen Travelling in and out of the UK

For more information go to: About ISIS - Visas and immigration - Student Services Centre - Students - Staffand students - Home

Fees

The School offers two options for payment of fees. They can either be paid in full in September/October orby Personal Payment Plan usinghttp://www.lse.ac.uk/collections/financeDivision/forms/personalPaymentPlan.htm, or as one third at the startof each term. If you do not know the cost of your fees, please see the Table of Fees athttp://www.lse.ac.uk/collections/tableOfFees/2010-11.htm

How to pay your Fees

You can pay by cheque either by posting your cheque to the Fees Office or by using the drop-box in theStudent Service Centre.

You can pay by credit/debit card either after you have registered by using the fees page on LSE for You; or

you can pay on-line using the following linkhttp://reports.lse.ac.uk/internetbuilder/UIB.asp?goto=WEB_PAY_01


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You can pay by Bank Transfer; the full details of our bank account are athttp://www.lse.ac.uk/collections/financeDivision/FeesandStudentFinance/Student%20Forms/bankTransferForm.pdf

Penalties for Late Payment

There are penalties for late payment. These may include loss of library rights, de-registration, referral toCredit Control or fines. You will be warned by email if your payments are late and/or if sanctions are going to

be imposed on you. At this time you are able to contact the Fees Office directly.

Please visit the Fees Office website for more information athttp://www.lse.ac.uk/collections/financeDivision/FeesandStudentFinance/FeesandStudentFinance.htm

Certificate of Registration

A certificate of registration provides proof to organisations, such as the Home Office, council tax offices andbanks, that you are registered as a current student at the School.

It details your full name, date of birth, term time and permanent home addresses, student number, the title,subject, start and end dates of your programme, registration status and expected date of graduation.

As a currently registered student you can print out your certificate instantly via LSE for You under theCertificate of Registration option. Should you experience difficulties using the LSE for You system, orrequire a certificate with additional information, please email [email protected]. Your certificate should beavailable within three working days, although it may take up to five working days during busy periods.Additionally, should you require your certificate to be signed and stamped, staff at the Student ServicesCentre will be happy to do this for you.

Further information is available at:http://www2.lse.ac.uk/intranet/students/studentServicesCentre/currentStudents/certificatesOfRegistration.aspx

Term dates and School closuresAcademic year 2010-2011

Michaelmas Term

Thursday 30 September - Friday 10 December 2010

Lent Term

Monday 10 January - Friday 25 March 2011 (N.B eleven week term)

Summer Term

Tuesday 3 May - Friday 1 July 2011 (N.B nine week term)

The School will also be closed on English public holidays. In 2010/2011 these will be

Christmas Closure Thursday 23 December Friday 31 December 2010New Year's Day Holiday Monday 3 Jan 2011Easter Closure Thursday 21 April Wednesday 27 April 2011May Bank Holiday Monday 2 May 2011Spring Bank Holiday Monday 30 May 2011Summer Bank Holiday Monday 29 August 2011


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Course Choice

You can make course choices using the LSE for You course selection system until Friday 29th

October 2010.

For postgraduate students, many courses will have restricted access so an application will have to be madeto the department teaching the course before it can be selected. If this is required, it will be indicated on the

LFY course choice system.

All course choices are subject to the approval of your home department.

After the online course choice system has been switched off, in order to change a course you will need to fillin a late course change form available from the Student Services Centre.

More detailed information regarding course choice can be found at:http://www2.lse.ac.uk/intranet/students/studentServicesCentre/courseChoicePg/Home.aspx

Class Changes

Seminar registration for postgraduate students is handled directly by the department teaching the course.For further detailed information, please see the following link:http://www2.lse.ac.uk/intranet/students/studentServicesCentre/courseChoicePg/classChanges.aspx

Student Study Support

TheTeaching and Learning Centre (TLC)offers study support to all students. There is a series of lecturesand workshops throughout the academic year covering essay writing, time management, preparing forexams and dealing with stress etc. A limited number of one-to-one appointments can also be booked with aTLC study adviser to discuss strategies for quantitative/qualitative subjects or with the Royal Literary FundFellow to improve writing style. Email [email protected] or call 020 7852 3627. You are encouragedto register on the TLC Moodle course Learning World (LW) from the beginning of the Michaelmas term and

to regularly check LSE Training (http://training.lse.ac.uk/) for full details of resources and courses to supportyour learning.

LSE Student Counselling ServiceThe LSE Student Counselling Service is part of the Teaching and Learning Centre (TLC) and is located inour main office on the 5

thFloor of 20 Kingsway. This free and confidential service aims to enable you to cope

with personal or study difficulties that may be affecting you while at LSE. Throughout the academic year,there are also group sessions and workshops concerning issues such as exam anxiety and stressmanagement. For full details, please see http://www.lse.ac.uk/collections/studentCounsellingService/

All counselling sessions need to be booked in advance, but there is a limited number of daily emergencyslots available. You can make an appointment by email ([email protected]), phone (020 78523627) or by coming in to the TLC office (G507).

Services for Disabled and Dyslexic Students

Disability equality is the responsibility of the whole School. If you are disabled, dyslexic or have a long termmedical condition you are entitled to services from the School to facilitate equal access to services and helpwith your studies. The Disability and Well-being Office (DWO), headed by Nicola Martin, co-ordinatesspecialist individual assistance, for example, advice from a mental health adviser or dyslexia specialist.

You may be entitled to an individual student support agreement (ISSA). This is created by the DWO andoutlines relevant reasonable adjustments. It is disseminated to staff within the school, as agreed by you andthe DWO, to meet your needs.

For further information please visit http://www.lse.ac.uk/collections/disabilityOffice/ or email [email protected].


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English Language Support and Foreign Language Courses

If English is not your first language the Language Centre is on hand to give you advice and supportthroughout your time at LSE. The support is free and starts as soon as your main course starts. There arespecific classes for academic units and information sessions are held during the first days of term to adviseyou on the most appropriate classes to take. Classes begin in week 2 of the Michaelmas Term. Please seehttp://www2.lse.ac.uk/language/Home.aspx for information on the English for Academic Purposes (EAP)

In-sessional Support Programme.The LSE Language Centre also offers an extra-curricular programme in a range of modern foreignlanguages which is open to all LSE members. To help you choose the most appropriate course there are aseries of information sessions and individual appointments held during the first weeks of term. Courses startin week 5 of the Michaelmas Term and the cost of a standard course in 2010-11 is 215.00. Please seehttp://www2.lse.ac.uk/language/Home.aspx for information on the Modern Foreign Language (MFL)Certificate Course Programme.

Welfare Services (see also individual entries in this handbook)

The Student Counselling Service offers you the opportunity to talk confidentially about any issues that arecausing you concern. http://www.lse.ac.uk/collections/studentCounsellingService/

The Disability and Well-being Office can set up an Individual Student Support Arrangement for any studentswith a disability, including dyslexia. This support can cover issues such as travelling to the LSE, gettingaround campus, coursework deadlines, class materials, and examination arrangements.http://www.lse.ac.uk/collections/disabilityOffice/

The Students' Union has an Advice and Counselling Service which provides legal advice on housing,immigration, visa extensions, employment problems, welfare benefits, grants, fee status and disability rights.http://www.lsesu.com/pages/advice_and_support/advice_centre/

The Chaplaincy is available to all students of any faith, or none, to confidentially discuss anything andeverything. http://www.lse.ac.uk/collections/chaplaincy/

Nightline is a free and confidential listening service run by students for students from 6pm to 8am.http://nightline.org.uk/

St Philips Medical Centre is an on campus NHS medical practice available to students living locally to theSchool. http://www.lse.ac.uk/collections/medicalCentre/Default.htm

Careers Service

LSE Careers is a very active service offering a wide range of activities about campus, online and in theCareers Service on Floor 3, Tower 6. Find out what is happening right now at: www.lse.ac.uk/careers

Our aim is to advise you through the career planning and recruitment process, helping you to researchoptions, acquire employable skills and promote yourself to employers in the best way. We do this through aprogramme of careers advice sessions, seminars, an extensive information website, fairs, forums, employer-led events and more.

LSE is very fortunate in attracting the top recruiters in many sectors which enables us to run an LSE-exclusive vacancy board full of internships, voluntary, part time and graduate positions.

LSE Careers also run a series of internships schemes. Internships can allow you to gain practical experiencein your chosen sector, can help you develop employable skills and can be the perfect platform to make keycontacts for your future job search.

We work closely with employers to secure internship opportunities in all sectors with a focus on business and

management and with entrepreneurs. We also source a series of graduate internships to help you make thetransition from study to employment. You can search for internship opportunities throughout the year on MyCareers Service.


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If you are considering a career in parliament, public and social policy, media policy or corporate socialresponsibility, look out for the LSE Internship scheme, which offers internships for up to 15 hours per weekfor postgraduate students. Applications open in early October each year.

The LSE Volunteer Centre is also based within the Careers Service and is here to support you in findingvoluntary roles while studying. We advertise volunteering opportunities at different charities across Londonand internationally, with positions ranging from one-off opportunities to part time internships with charities.

The annual Volunteering Fair takes place in the first week of Michaelmas term and is a great opportunity tomeet with over twenty charities. Throughout the year, we run skills, training and information events and workwith charity partners to support student-focused projects, such as the READ Campus books drive,FoodCycle and the Teach First Access Bus.

Take a look at the Volunteer Centre website for practical information and advice about volunteering while atLSE and then search under volunteering to browse through the exciting range of positions available on MyCareers Service: www.lse.ac.uk/volunteerCentre

Booking for all events and appointments at LSE Careers and searching for jobs and opportunities isavailable in one place on the My Careers Service system via our website. We can work with you whateverrole you may wish to pursue and whatever stage you have reached in planning your future after LSE. To getstarted, take a look at www.lse.ac.uk/careers.

Student Services Centre (SSC)

The Student Services Centre provides advice and information on the following services Admissions Certificates of Registration Course choice and class changes Examinations and results Fees process fee payments and distribute cheques Financial Support Advice on scholarships, awards, prizes, emergency funding and studentships Information for new arrivals Programme Registration Presentation of Awards Ceremonies Transcripts and Degree certificates Visa and immigration advice

The SSC provides a counter service for students at the following times:10am5pm every weekday during term time10am-4pm during vacation.

You can also contact us by telephone. Details of who to contact and more information on advice can befound on our website: http://www2.lse.ac.uk/intranet/students/studentServicesCentre/Home.aspx

Financial Support

The Financial Support Office is located within LSE's Student Services Centre and is responsible foradministering School funds and a variety of scholarships, studentships, prizes and awards.

Student Support FundFor students who register with sufficient funding but who subsequently experience unforeseen financialdifficulties. In all cases applicants need to provide supporting documentation.

PhD students who are in the final stages of completing their thesis are also eligible to apply.

Access to Learning FundTo assist Home UK students with their living costs. Funds are limited and priority is given to undergraduates,

students with children, disabled students, and final year students.


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Short Term Loan facilityFor students experiencing acute cash flow difficulties whilst awaiting a guaranteed source of funds (e.g. aloan or salary payment). Students may borrow up to 500, repayable within 4 weeks. Short Term Loansnormally take between 24 and 48 hours to process.

Postgraduate Travel FundFor postgraduate research students attending a conference at which they have been invited to give a paper.

Further information about all of the above, and application forms, are available fromwww.lse.ac.uk/financialSupport.

Presentation Ceremonies

Presentation ceremonies are held twice a year: in July for students who have followed undergraduate ornine-month taught postgraduate degree programmes, and in December for students who have followedtwelve-month taught postgraduate degree programmes. MPhil/PhD research students are presented at boththe July and December ceremonies.

Invitations are emailed to all students expected to successfully complete their programme of study aroundtwo months before the ceremonies. Tickets can then be booked online.

The ceremonies take place in the Peacock Theatre and you are able to bring along two guests. Theceremony itself usually lasts between one and one and a quarter hours and is immediately followed by anon-campus drinks reception.

For more information on the presentation ceremonies, please see:http://www2.lse.ac.uk/intranet/students/studentServicesCentre/ceremonies/presentationCeremonies.aspx

Transcripts and Degree Certificates

For up to date information on obtaining a copy of your results transcript, please see:http://www2.lse.ac.uk/intranet/students/studentServicesCentre/transcripts.aspx

The degree certificate details your full name, level of award, programme of study, and class of degree orother award obtained.

Your certificates will be available for collection on the day of the School's presentation ceremonies. If you areunable to attend the ceremony, it will be posted out to you within four weeks of the ceremony. Certificatesare sent to students' home addresses so please ensure that your home address is complete and up-to-dateon LSE for You before the ceremonies.

For further information on degree certificates, please see:

http://www2.lse.ac.uk/intranet/students/studentServicesCentre/examinationsAndResults/DegreeCertificate.aspx

Interruption / Deferral / Withdrawal

If you experience any difficulties during your time at LSE then you should make sure that you keep in regularcontact with your Academic Adviser. He/she will be able to help signpost you to appropriate services withinthe School so that you receive the necessary support to hopefully enable you to continue studyingsuccessfully.

However, with approval from your department you can interrupt your programme by taking an authorisedbreak in your studies, normally from the end of one term and for one calendar year.

http://www2.lse.ac.uk/intranet/students/studentServicesCentre/RegistrationPg/interruption.aspx

Withdrawing means that you are permanently leaving the programme. Before withdrawing you may want to

consider interruption so that you have some time to consider your options.

http://www2.lse.ac.uk/intranet/students/studentServicesCentre/RegistrationPg/withdrawing.aspx


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If you complete the teaching year but have difficulties during the examination period then in exceptionalcircumstances you can apply to defer an examination(s) to the following year.

http://www2.lse.ac.uk/intranet/students/studentServicesCentre/examinationsAndResults/examsAndResultsPg/deferral.aspx

LSE for You

LSE for You is the School's institutional portal. It provides all members of the School community with directaccess to their records on the School's various databases.

Please visit LSE for You to, amongst other things, progress your application for a place at the School,register, check your fees and enrol for courses

For further guidance on how to use LSE for You please consult its individual web pages or [email protected]

Email

The School uses the email program Microsoft Outlook, which is available on every public computer on the

LSE network. You may also access e-mail off campus using webmail, remote desktop or a variety of emailclients for both personal computers and mobile phones.

Students are allocated 200MB for email. We recommend that you develop a filing system, frequently deletingand archiving mail to ensure you stay within your limit.

IT Support

Student IT Help Desk - first floor, LibraryContact the IT Help Desk for support regarding School-owned hardware and software on the LSE network,network and email 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 to get real-time assistancefrom an IT Help Desk Adviser during opening hours.

Laptop Surgery - S198, St Clements BuildingVisit the Laptop Surgery for free advice and hands on assistance with problems connecting to LSE resourcesfrom personally owned laptops and mobile devices.

ITSupport for disabled studentsIT Services is committed to providing facilities and support for disabled students, to ensure equality ofaccess to services. Additional PCs and printing facilities for disabled students are provided in the publiccomputer areas in the Library. Other facilities are available in three dedicated PC rooms in the Library(R25,26) and St Clements Building (S073). We also provide one-to-one support for disabled students who

wish to become familiar with adaptive technologies and software.

For contact details and further information about our services visit www.lse.ac.uk/itservices

Moodle

Moodle is the name of the School's Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) run by the Centre for LearningTechnology. Moodle is a password protected web environment that may contain a range of teachingresources, activities, assignments, information and discussions relating to your course. The content ofMoodle is the responsibility of your teacher and so it will vary from course to course. Not all teachers chooseto use Moodle.

Moodle can be accessed from any computer connected to the Internet, on and off campus. You can accessMoodle using your School user name and password from http://moodle.lse.ac.uk/. This page also has linksto help and advice on using Moodle.


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To get started with Moodle see http://moodle.lse.ac.uk/file.php/1/generic_flyer.pdf . You will also find links toMoodle from a number of web pages including the main School homepage for staff and students. If you haveany technical problems with Moodle you should contact the IT helpdesk.

Staff-Student Liaison Committees

Staff-Student Liaison Committees (SSLCs) take place at a departmental or institute level and typically meetonce a term. The meetings provide a forum for students both to share their views about their programmes ofstudy and to discuss issues that affect the student community as a whole. SSLCs are made up of studentrepresentatives from each programme of study together with appropriate academic staff. Normally, there isone representative for each year of each programme, although this can vary depending on the number ofstudents in the department/institute.

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 linkhttp://www2.lse.ac.uk/studentRepresentation/home.aspx.

Codes of Good Practice: Teaching, Learning and Assessment

The Codes of Practice for Undergraduates and Taught Masters Programmes explain the basic reciprocalobligations and responsibilities of staff and students. They set out what you can expect from yourDepartments and what Departments are expected to provide in relation to the teaching and learningexperience. The Codes cover areas like the roles and responsibilities of Academic Advisers andDepartmental Tutors; the structure of teaching at the School; examinations and assessment. They also setout your responsibilities, i.e. what the School expects of you.

http://www.lse.ac.uk/resources/calendar/academicRegulations/codeOfGoodPracticeForTaughtMastersProgrammesTeachingLearningAndAssessment.htm

General School and Programme Regulations

The School has Regulations and Codes of Conduct covering many aspects of student life and it is a goodidea to familiarise yourself with the policies which exist.

Some of the regulations explain the organisation and conduct of your academic study and you are advised torefer to the General Academic Regulations and Programme Regulations. These include information aboutthe structure of programmes, assessment, graduation and what to do if illness affects your studies.

The following web link details the General Academic Regulations.

http://www.lse.ac.uk/resources/calendar/academicRegulations/generalAcademicRegulation.htm

The following web links detail the Schools Programme Regulations.

Regulations for Taught Masters degrees (before 2009/10) Regulations for Taught Masters degrees (entering in or after 2009/10) Regulations on assessment offences: other than plagiarism Regulations for the consideration of appeals against decisions of boards of examiners for taught

courses

and the following web link gives you an a-z list of relevant regulatory documents where you can find furtherdetails of all School Regulations.

http://www.lse.ac.uk/resources/schoolRegulations/atoz.htm


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Plagiarism/Academic Dishonesty

The work you submit for assessment must be your own. If you try to pass off the work of others as your ownyou will be committing plagiarism.

Any quotation from the published or unpublished works of other persons, including other candidates, must beclearly identified as such, being placed inside quotation marks and a full reference to their sources must be

provided in proper form. A series of short quotations from several different sources, if not clearly identified assuch, constitutes plagiarism just as much as does a single unacknowledged long quotation from a singlesource.

The examiners are vigilant for cases of plagiarism and the School uses plagiarism detection software toidentify plagiarised text. Work containing plagiarism may be referred to an Assessment Misconduct Panelwhich may result in severe penalties.

If you are unsure about the academic referencing conventions used by the School you should seek guidancefrom your tutor or the Library, see link below. The Regulations on Plagiarism can be found at the followingweb link.

http://www.lse.ac.uk/resources/calendar/academicRegulations/RegulationsOnAssessmentOffences-

Plagiarism.htm

http://www2.lse.ac.uk/library/services/training/citing_referencing.aspx.

Results

Results are published following the meetings of the School Board of Examiners for undergraduateprogrammes and Graduate School Board of Examiners for graduate programmes. These meetings takeplace in early July and results are generally published within 48 hours. Precise dates of publication arepublished on the Student Services Service Website during the course of the year.

Results for 12 month taught Masters programmes are considered at the Graduate School Board of

Examiners in November and results published by the end of that month.

The School does not release provisional results to students, i.e. those not ratified by the relevant SchoolBoard of Examiners. However, some individual Departments release information about provisional results.Please contact your home Department directly for information about its practice.

Please note: the School will not release your results if you owe any fees. Please check your balance onLSE for You to see if you have any tuition, halls or library fees outstanding. If you cannot see anyoutstanding fees on your account, then please contact the Finance Office on [email protected] for clarification

Transcripts of Results

After each examination session you will be able to request a transcript of your marks called an 'intermediate

transcript' online via LSE for You. The Student Services Centre aims to despatch all requests forintermediate transcripts within five working days of the request being made online. These are provided freeof charge to current students and recent alumni (those who graduated within one calendar year of the officialend date of your course). The Student Services Centre will send a full transcript of results to students whohave completed their programmes during the Summer following the end of the programme. Transcriptscontain the following information:

Your full name Your date of birth Your student number The title and subject of your programme The class of degree or other award obtained (if applicable) The details of the courses studied and the marks awarded Start date Completion date (or expected completion date) Graduation date(if applicable) Language of instruction and assessment


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Classification Schemes

Undergraduate and graduate degrees are classified according to the classification scheme which may varydepending on the year a programme started. Classification schemes are applied by the Boards ofExaminers at their meetings in July and November each year.

Please refer to the following web link for further details.

http://www.lse.ac.uk/resources/calendar/academicRegulations/TaughtMastersDegreesFourUnits.htm

Quality Assurance

The Schools approach to quality assurance is set out in the document Towards a Strategy for ManagingAcademic Standards and Quality: http://www.lse.ac.uk/collections/TQARO/TowardsAStrategy.htm. It setsout broad principles for assuring academic standards and for enhancing the quality of educational provision.

The Schools Teaching, Learning and Assessment Committee (TLAC) is the body responsible for ensuringthat the School and Departments discharge their responsibilities under Towards a Strategy. It does this byreceiving reports on a range of related areas: degree and course outcomes, external examiners reports,

reviews of Departments and Institutes, and national developments in quality assurance, to name but a few.It also monitors the outcomes of the quality assurance processes that Departments and Institutes operatelocally, e.g. Staff-Student Liaison Committees, course and programme monitoring/review,Departmental/Teaching meetings, consideration of teaching surveys, etc.

TLAC is serviced by the Teaching Quality Assurance and Review Office (TQARO). This office is responsiblefor supporting the Schools quality assurance infrastructure. This includes acting as the Schools point ofcontact with the Quality Assurance Agency, a national body that safeguards quality and standards in UKhigher education.

Student Teaching Surveys

The Teaching Quality Assurance and Review Office (TQARO) conducts two School-wide surveys each year

to assess students opinions of teaching. They provide teachers with important information about theperceived quality of their teaching, and the School with a measure of general teaching standards. TheGraduate Teaching Assistant survey covers classroom teaching by hourly paid lecturers and takes place inthe Michaelmas term. The permanent teacher survey takes place in both the Michaelmas and Lent terms.The surveys produce both quantitative and qualitative results. The paper questionnaires are distributed inclasses and lectures to encourage higher response rates.

Teaching scores are made available to individual teachers, heads of department, course convenors, theDirector of the Teaching and Learning Centre and Pro-Director (Teaching and Learning). In addition toproducing reports for individual teachers, TQARO produces aggregated quantitative data for departmentsand the School, which provide important performance indicators.

The Library

The LSE student card you receive at registration will also be your Library card. You do not need to registerseparately with the Library.

To contact the Library use the online enquiry form:http://www2.lse.ac.uk/library/enquiriesandfeedback/email.aspx

Were here to help you make the most of the Library: Visit the Library Welcome Point at the beginning of term for general information, your student guide, the

library floor plan and audio tours. Staff will be available to answer your questions. Our audio tour is an ideal introduction to Library layout and facilities. Borrow one from the Welcome Point at

the start of term or download the podcast from the Library website.

Get started in the Library all the information you need is on the website here http://www.lse.ac.uk/library/orientation/ Use our online Library Catalogue to locate books and journals. Locations are illustrated on an electronic

map.


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Sign up to a course about how to find items from your reading list and other training events via the onlinetraining database http://training.lse.ac.uk/.

Staff at the Help Desk on the first floor are available for any enquiries about using our collections andelectronic resources.

When inside the Library building, please remember: Switch your mobile phone to silent mode when entering the Library building.

Make all mobile phone calls in a designated Mobile Phone Zone. Eat and drink in the escape area (before the turnstiles) Fully vacate your study place for others when taking a break. Observe the no smoking rule. Do not leave your bags unattended. Show your Library card if asked.

Students Union

The Students Union is run by students, for students and exists to make LSE students time at the School thebest it can be. It is run by an Executive Committee of five paid, elected student Sabbatical Officers andelected volunteers.

Representation and student engagement the Union exists to represent students to the School andcampaign on student issues through School committees and developing links with key externalstakeholders.

Student activities the Union funds and supports over 200 societies, sports clubs, Media Groupsocieties and Raising and Giving charitable fundraising.

Welfare and student support the Student Support Unit of legally-trained advice workers runs ourAdvice and Counselling Centre, which offers free, confidential advice to students on a range of issues.

Commercial services the Union runs the Three Tuns Pub, the Underground Bar, two Shops and theLSE Gym.

Elected Representatives (2010-2011)Charlotte Gerada General Secretary

Ashok Kumar Education OfficerHero Austin Community & Welfare OfficerCharlie Glyn Activities & Development Officer

www.lsesu.com

The Chaplaincy

The Chaplaincy to the LSE, whilst having a definite Christian identity, is nevertheless here for all studentsregardless of religious or non-religious background. There is a full-time Anglican Chaplain and part-timeRoman Catholic and Free Church Chaplains, all of whom are available for any student to see who would liketo have a confidential conversation or some advice.

The Chaplaincy provides opportunity for worship with a weekly Catholic Mass and Anglican Eucharist. It alsohosts study groups and bible studies as well as a variety of social activities, which change from term to term.

The Chaplaincy is also host to an Inter - Faith Forum which incorporates all of the faith communities presentat LSE. This Forum is the basis for a great deal of inter-faith friendship, co-operation and mutualunderstanding. The Chaplaincy can put you in touch with any of these communities.

Above all the chaplaincy is here to provide a warm welcome and hospitality to all who come through itsdoors.

The Chaplaincy can be found in G3, on the ground floor of 20 Kingsway. Visit www.lse.ac.uk/chaplaincy orcall 02079557965.


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Timetables

The Timetables Offices is responsible for scheduling and allocating rooms to all of the SchoolsUndergraduate, Masters and Research taught courses. The timings of all taught courses can be viewed onthe Timetables web page:

http://www2.lse.ac.uk/intranet/diaryAndEvents/timetables/Home.aspx

Masters students self select seminar groups in LSE for You and you will need to check lecture times on theTimetables website. Where possible you will be notified of changes to scheduled teaching via email.

Documents

MScCityDesignHandbook 2010-2011