University Name:
See all universitiesWorld-class research-intensive institution. A college of University of London and a member of the Russell Group of universities.
Student Population
| Total Students: | 9,560 |
| Undergraduates: | 42% |
| Postgraduates: | 58% |
| FE Students: | 0% |
Undergraduates
| Total undergraduates: | 4,000 |
| Male: | 51% |
| Female: | 49% |
| Full Time: | 98% |
| Mature on Entry: | 3% |
| UK Students: | 51% |
| State school entry: | 71% |
Teaching Staff
420 full-time, 36 part-time
Broad study areas
All social sciences
Freshers
| Admission Information: | AS-levels accepted in combination usually with 3+ A-levels or equivalent. UCAS tariff not used. |
| Points on Entry (Mean): | 482 |
| Drop Out Rate: | 4% |
| Accommodation: | All first year undergraduates housed. |
Institution
| Founded: | 1895 |
| Structural features: | Part of London University since 1900. |
| Site: | Central London (just off Aldwych). |
| How to get there: | Holborn and Temple underground stations; numerous buses. |
| Special features: | Number of public lectures from leading figures from business, politics, academia. Very international student body. |
Student services & facilities
| Student advice & services: | Doctor, dentist, counselling centre, mental health adviser, chaplaincy, disabled students’ adviser, nursery. |
| Amenities: | SU with café, bar, shop, legal advice centre, newspaper, magazine, radio station; also ULU facilities in Malet Street. |
| Sporting facilities: | Sports grounds at New Malden; circuit-room, squash court and gymnasium on site. |
| Accommodation: | Guaranteed for all first year undergraduates (including London-based), in LSE or London University residences. 3400+ LSE places available, rents £77−£226 per week self-catering (from shared room to single ensuite); intercollegiate halls £116−£204 pw. Privately-owned accommodation locally £100–£150 pw. |
Study opportunities & careers
| Library & information services: | The library (also known as the British Library of Political & Economic Science) is a national social science research collection as well as the School’s working library; over 1 million books, 10,000 current periodicals. Course collection: 92,000 volumes, with additional copies of more important course books, 20,000 e-journals. Shaw Library, collection of general literature. Information provision, £265 pa spent for each student (FTE). Library has 1740 study places, 450 with networked PCs and 200 with laptop drop-in points. 24-hour facility available. Separate IT service. IT support from help desk, free tuition and help sheets; all major software packages supported. Introductory tours and courses on library and information services. |
| Other learning resources: | Moodle virtual learning environment. |
| Study abroad: | Trial exchange programme with Science Po, Paris (some 10 students a year). |
| Careers: | Information and advice service. |
Money
| Living expenses budget: | Minimum budget of £1000 per month (excluding tuition fees) recommended by School. |
| Term-time work: | Part-time work accepted as financial necessity for some students. Work available in School library, SU and departments. |
| Financial help: | Bursaries of £3000 in Year 1 (£1500 pa thereafter) for UK students whose family income is less than £3k pa. Also bursaries of £3500 pa for UK students whose family income is up to £18k, tapered down to £500 pa where family income is £40k−£42k. Also discretionary bursaries (up to £2500 pa) for UK students with exceptional needs. Some scholarships of £5000−£11,000 pa, mostly subject-specific. Over £700,000 in the form of entrance grants, of £3000−£6000, for undergraduate students. Special help for students with health problems, disabilities, childcare problems. Apply for help to financial support office. |
| University tuition fees: | Home students pay £8500 pa for first degrees. International students pay £14,592 pa. |
Courses
Academic features:
Unique concentration on economic and social sciences, taught in 21 departments/institutes. One-year courses for visiting international students.
Awarding body:
London School of Economics
Main undergraduate awards:
BA, BSc, LLB
Length of courses:
3 years
Main subjects offered:
- Accountancy
- Actuarial Studies
- Anthropology
- Criminology
- Econometrics
- Economic History
- Economics
- Environmental Management
- Finance
- Geography
- History
- International Relations
- Law
- Management
- Mathematics
- Philosophy
- Politics
- Public Administration
- Social Anthropology
- Social History
- Social Policy
- Sociology
- Statistics
Student view
Aled Dilwyn Fisher, General Secretary of the Students' Union (Graduate, International Relations & History)
Living
What's it like as a place to live? LSE students live all over London, but mainly in places like Islington, Hackney, Tower Hamlets, Camden, South Central (Camberwell, Peckham, Waterloo, Borough etc) and centrally around LSE in Westminster or the City. London is a really exciting place to live, with so much to do - you can never really see it all, and there are always new things to try!
How's the student accommodation? Of all London universities, LSE has the best beds-to-students ratio. Naturally, London accommodation even in Halls is very expensive. Some LSE Halls are very expensive (if very nice), but there are some at the cheaper end that have a great community atmosphere as well as decent but affordable rooms. There have been numerous problems in LSE Halls recently but the Union and the School are working on these. Many people have a fantastic time in their halls that they never forget, and make friends for life! Private accommodation can be extremely expensive unless you live further out (and therefore have to commute), and balancing transport costs is essential. Experiences with landlords can be notoriously difficult so it's wise to check out trustworthy services like the University of London Housing Service.
What's the student population like? LSE has the most international student body of any university in the country. The best represented countries are the UK, the US, China, South East Asian countries and European countries but, at times, LSE has had more countries represented than the UN! This means the student body is highly diverse, and you'll meet and make friends with people from all over the world. This is what makes LSE so unique. Furthermore, given that 50% of the student body is postgraduate, this adds to the blend of diversity and different experiences.
How do students and locals get on? Given that LSE doesn't have 'locals' as such, and our students tend to live in a scattered way across different areas, there are no real community tension problems like there are in other university cities. There are no real 'student dominated' areas of London.
Studying
What's it like as a place to study? LSE is generally 100% exams based - very few courses have coursework, and for most undergraduates and postgraduates, the dissertation or long essay module is the only non-exam form of assessment. Classes are compulsory; lectures are not. There are usually about 4 essays a year for each of the 4 modules you take in qualitative degrees; quantitative degrees have more regular exercises, like problem sets. The first year at LSE counts towards your degree, but not as much as the second and third year (which count equally with each other). LSE is very competitive and this can cause heightened stress. Many courses are flexible and offer outside options in other departments, and even other University of London colleges. Changing course is possible and fairly easy if you have a good reason.
What are the teaching staff like? The majority of class teaching is down by Graduate Teaching Assistants (GTAs) - postgraduate students - although some Professors take classes, particularly at postgraduate level. Some GTAs are excellent, some are not. LSE has received a lot of media attention for its teaching problems. These are being tackled by mass lobbying by the Union and investment from the school. LSE is nonetheless full of some of the top academics in the world of economics, law, finance, political science, history, sociology, anthropology, international relations, human rights, climate change research and every other discipline it does. LSE regularly ranks in the top 5 of league tables.
Socialising
What are student societies like? There are around 200 student societies in LSE Students' Union. There are national, cultural, religious, careers, campaigning, political, special interest, activities and other societies. LSE is notable for how many of its students are involved in societies. Undergraduates and postgraduates mix well within societies. The campus is always alive with society events, campaigns and other visible activities. The Athletics Union (AU) is a very visible presence, particularly on Wednesday nights in the pub! LSE has sports grounds down in Surrey that are accessible by the train network. There are over 30 sports clubs.
What's a typical night out? There is no such thing as a typical London night out - anything can happen and there's something for everyone!
And how much does it cost? Potentially, a lot, so be careful.
How can you get home safely? Use licensed taxis only and Night Buses (sit downstairs to avoid trouble and be careful).
Money
Is it an expensive place to live? London is very expensive, so it's advisable to budget carefully. There are ways to live cheaply if you're careful!
Average price of a pint? In central London, probably between £2.50-£3.
And the price of a takeaway? Over £5.
What's the part-time work situation? At LSE, there are many part-time jobs available as stewards for public lectures, fundraising callers, Library staff and so on. The Students' Union employs students only, and pays the best part-time work rate of any Union in the country. Part-time work opportunities are good in London, but make sure employers pay a living wage of at least £7.40/hour.
Summary
What's the best feature about the place? Its international community in the heart of an amazing city.
And the worst? Pressure - be that peer pressure, academic, financial etc.
And to sum it all up? Top quality university, with unrivalled diversity, rich history and central importance in the political, economic, legal and social world.
Past Students
LSE alumni and former staff include 13 Nobel Prize winners, around 28 heads of state (past or present), 28 current UK MPs and 34 members of the House of Lords. John F Kennedy (former US President), George Soros (billionaire financial speculator), Mick Jagger (Rolling Stones), Maurice Saatchi (advertising mogul), Lloyd Grossman (chef and presenter), Carlos the Jackal, F Hayek (economist and political philosopher), Cherie Booth QC, Romano Prodi (Italian and European politician), Monica Lewinksky.
More info?
Get SU handbook from the SU; tel 020 7955 7158, email su.gensec@lse.ac.uk or visit website www.lsesu.com.
Open days
27th June 2012
Open day for prospective undergraduate students, which gives you the opportunity to discover whether LSE is the university for you. You can attend specific subject talks and general talks on applying to LSE, careers and studying in London; you can visit information stands on accommodation, admissions, financial support, language centre, and the students' union; meet LSE academics and current students.
Contact
Address:
London School of Economics & Political Science
Houghton Street
London
WC2A 2AE
Tel:
020 7955 6613
Email:
Website:
Student enquiries:
Student Recruitment Office
Application:
UCAS
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