Teaching and Academic support

Teaching

Lectures are an integral part of your programme and will introduce themes and ideas on a particular topic before the corresponding class (undergraduate) or seminar (postgraduate).

Every lecture at the LSE is open to all students, subject to space in the lecture theatre, so if you would like to attend additional lectures out of interest, and your timetable permits, do take advantage of this opportunity.

Attendance at classes/seminars is compulsory and attendance is recorded.

Further information regarding the delivery of lectures and classes is available via the following webpage.

How to get advice on your teaching: Advice and Feedback Hours

The purpose of “advice and feedback hours” is to give students regular access to teachers. This gives you the opportunity to talk to your course teachers on a 1-2-1 basis. If you need clarification on a particular topic, are having any difficulties with the course, or if you are interested in their particular field of study and want to know more, you can book appointments with the course teacher during their advice and feedback hours. You can speak to any teacher during their advice and feedback hours, even if you are not a student on one of their courses.

All teachers hold advice and feedback hours at least once a week during term time. Information on how to book an appointment with a teacher from the Department of Social Policy is available via the People page of the departmental website.

Information on how to book an appointment with teachers from outside Departments can usually be found by checking their Department webpages. If you are unable to attend a particular advice and feedback hour, for example because of a timetable clash, you can contact the individual teacher to arrange an appointment at an alternative time.

Your Academic Mentor

At the start of your degree programme, you will be assigned an Academic Mentor, who will guide and assist you in your learning development and maintain an overview of your academic progress and overall wellbeing during your time at the School.

The Academic Mentor’s responsibilities include:

Providing academic guidance and feedback on your progress and performance and to discuss any academic challenges you might experience.
Providing pastoral guidance on non-academic issues and referring you, as neccesary, to the appropriate support services within the School.
Implementing the provisions outlined in students' MyAdjustments for students with long-term medical conditions, specific learning differences and/or disabilities in liaison with the School's Disability and Well-Being Service.
Advising /approving course selection.
Informing the Departmental Tutor and School of any student whose progress is not satisfactory (Undergraduate students).
The Academic Mentor also acts as your Dissertation Supervisor.

You may wish to initially discuss your dissertation ideas for in your first few meetings with your Academic Mentor. 

While your Academic Mentor may not be an expert in your precise topic, their role is to support you with the process of developing your Dissertation: how to approach your subject, and structure your research.

You are also free to speak to Faculty across the Department and School to get their input. This should allow you to get specialist input on your Dissertation, as well as general advice from your Academic Mentor. Your Mentor will also review and provide feedback on 1 chapter of your research before the end of Spring Term.  

You can make appointments to speak to your Academic Mentor or other Faculty members in most cases through the Student Hub. You can find further information (including details of Faculty Advice and Feedback Hours) for Social Policy Faculty under ‘Academic Staff’ here. For Faculty in other Departments, you are advised to check on their Department’s webpages.  

 Your Dissertation will also be supported by some teaching – this is timetabled under the SP498/SP499 Dissertation code (MSc students) and SP399 (BSc students). You can also find more information about the Dissertation in your Programme Handbook. Your Academic Mentor Group will also be an invaluable source of support as you work towards completing your Dissertation.  

You should make arrangements to see your Mentor and aim to do so at least twice each term, or more frequently if you are facing particular challenges. You can also use the advice and feedback hour system to keep in touch with your Academic Mentor. Any issues that cannot be resolved with your Mentor can be taken to your Departmental Tutor (Undergraduate students) or your Programme Manager (Postgraduate students).

Do – make sure to initiate contact with your Academic Mentor and keep in touch regularly with them by making use of their Advice and Feedback hours. It is your responsibility to make contact and arrange meetings with them.

Do – take some time before each meeting with them to have a think about and prepare a little for what you wish to speak about and any issues you may wish to raise with them.

Do – remember that they were once students too and understand what it feels like to be in your shoes!

Don’t – be afraid to raise issues with them which may be troubling you. It is much better to talk about things sooner rather than later and get their help and support.

Don’t – forget that they are not only there to discuss your academic progress with you, but also your whole experience at LSE, so do talk to them about how you are getting on more generally as well as just with your work.

Don’t – forget that you can speak to other members of teaching staff too, particularly if they teach on one of your courses and you need further help understanding a topic. You are encouraged, to speak to teaching staff across the Department and School to get their advice.
Don’t forget – you can meet your AM with your Mentor Group as well as on your own.

You can make appointments to speak to any member of teaching staff (including your Academic Mentor) through the Student Hub.

Find out more about the role of your Academic Mentor here.

There are Academic mentoring programmes to set out the purpose of regular meetings with Academic Mentors and they ways in which they can provide support.

Three year Academic Mentoring programme for Undergraduate students
One year Academic Mentoring programme for Postgraduate students

The Departmental Tutor (Undergraduate Students)

Each department has an Undergraduate Departmental Tutor. In the Department of Social Policy for the 2024/25 academic year this is Dr Sunil Kumar.

The responsibilities of the Departmental Tutor include:

Monitoring the academic and pastoral care provided by members of the department, including ensuring teaching is as inclusive as possible and inclusion plans for students with disabilities or specific learning difference are properly implemented.
Arranging regular termly meetings of the Staff-Student Liaison Committee and the nomination of a representative to the School's Undergraduate Students' Consultative Forum.
Providing pastoral support and general welfare guidance to students including communication between the School and any student encountering academic, health or wellbeing difficulties.
Ensuring students make appropriate course selections and agreeing, where appropriate, a student's request for course selection outside the degree regulations.
Considering students' request for a degree transfer, interruption of studies and repeat teaching.
Ensuring students' attendance is properly monitored.

Your Programme Director (Postgraduate Programmes)

A Programme Director is responsible for each taught programme. In the Department of Social Policy. For the 2024/25 academic year the MSc ISPP Programme Director is Dr Thomas Biegert. The MSc CJP Programme Director is Dr Leonidas Chelitos.

The responsibilities of the Programme Director include:

The delivery and development of programmes on both operational and strategic levels.
Liaison with Student Academic Representatives and attending meetings of the Programme Forums (the Department's equivalent of the Staff-Student Liaison Committee-SSLC).
Ensure any issues arising at programme level area addressed effectively.
Supporting student community within the Department's programmes.
Agreeing, where appropriate, a student's request for a degree transfer.