External examiners comments

External examiner A

The department’s undergraduate programme is a well-established and run very well. Core courses have been carefully revised and developed over the four years I have served as an external examiner, giving students a comprehensive and contemporary introduction to the discipline. The range and quality of elective courses are excellent, giving students the opportunity to benefit from research led teaching. Of the courses I’ve examined, IR318 Visual International Politics is a standout and one I look forward to, as the work students produce is always interesting and the creative energy encouraged through the course is a joy to see. I would also highlight the student support offered by both faculty and the professional services team, as the time and effort that is put in to ensure students can do their best work is excellent and has become a standout feature of the programme.​ 

External examiner B

​​I am impressed with the level of work submitted by students on this programme and their performance. The essay questions are varied and appropriately topical, allowing students to engage theory with real world events. ​ 

External examiner C

The programme offers great variety of courses and appropriate assessment/examining for the courses. Students tend to do well. 

External examiner A

MSc International Relations is an outstanding programme that combines theoretical, practical, and regional themes in highly meaningful ways, meeting the QAA Framework standards for Higher Education Qualifications. The curriculum is current, well-structured, and academically rigorous, serving as an excellent pathway to doctoral studies or preparing the students with appropriate skills for a range of relevant careers. 
 
Based on reviewing student coursework across six courses, student performance matches or surpasses that of comparable programs nationally and internationally. Some of the coursework is outstandingly original and a pleasure to read and assess. Assessment methods align well with learning outcomes, the marking process is fair and consistent across the board, and the moderation process is robust and worked very well this year with clear indications of disagreements and how they have been reconciled. The feedback is generally detailed, balanced and constructively worded. While there are minor variations in feedback quality across courses, these do not detract from the program's overall excellence. The only anomaly is a dissertation that I examined on account of disagreement between internal markers, and to my surprise the second marking was more accurate and the feedback much more detailed and constructive than the first marker’s.

External examiner B

​​This course continues to be at the cutting edge of the discipline of International Relations, enabling students to access leading knowledge and research from across the breadth of the field.​ 

External examiner C

​​The MSc in International Political Economy offers a deep and broad understanding of the global economy and the politics around it. Some of the work submitted by students is original and insightful, shows very strong analytical abilities and extensive knowledge of the international economy and international politics. ​ 

External examiner D

​​This was my second year as an External Examiner [for MSc IPE] and the quality of assessed work was again very high.​ The programme is distinguished by its capacity to integrate theoretical and policy analysis, the emphasis on appropriate research methods executed to a high standard, and the excellent guidance and feedback on assessed work provided by Faculty.  

Students demonstrate a consistently high level of understanding and attainment with clear evidence that key learning outcomes are being delivered through the teaching and assessment. Some of the dissertations showcased really outstanding research and ingenuity. It is clear that supervision processes for dissertations are taken very seriously. Both students and Faculty are to be commended for this.

External examiner E

​​Overall, the LSE MSc in International Relations is an outstanding programme that continues to be a leader in the field. The programme is fairly and efficiently assessed, with exceptional attention given to cases with extenuating circumstances. The programme might consider finding ways to increase diversity of assessment methods, as the majority of modules continue to be assessed via essay exams.​ 

External examiner F

IR467 

• In my review of the draft exam script, I said the following: “What a fantastic assignment! This strikes me as being different than the essay questions typically posed for this course. And a very nice change in terms of teaching research skills, helping students gain first-hand insight into how research is produced, etc.” 
• In reviewing the small sample of scripts, from, ranging in grades from pass to distinction, I said “This is such a great assignment. The marking is thoughtful, consistent and evidence of the moderator agreeing with the feedback and marks given is provided. The sample scripts are strong and appropriately marked. So, no further comments from me on this one.” 

IR453 

• I reviewed: the first marked and moderated marksheet, was provided 8 submissions varying the highest, lowest and median marks as well as the marking criteria and guidance (in your general folder). 
• I noted that “I have reviewed the marksheet, the sample submissions, and the distribution of marks. All seems well documented and I note that the moderator agreed with the marks given by the first marker.” 

IR485 Dissertations 

• Some excellent samples! The quality and constructiveness of the feedback given is notable, and the level of marks given are commensurate to the quality of the dissertations.