London School of Economics and Political Science - LSE Speciality : Politics
programme: Gender, Media and Culture

I am currently enrolled in LSE’s MSc Gender, Media and Culture programme. In terms of organisation, both faculties I am involved with (Gender and Media) are pretty good. I would say that the course (module) enrollment process needs to be reformed because it takes place during welcome week and can be very stressful for students still dealing with moving in and settling down to have to also choose their courses. For my programme specifically, I was given priority about selection for media and gender modules but I am aware that other programmes do not have this security. For example Gender, Development and Globalisation students do not have priority in the Development department meaning that there are courses that they came to the university to take that they have not been able to enrol in.

In terms of teaching, I would say that most of the lectures are very good; they are engaging and compelling. Some lecturers should work on being able to engage with the class without reading only from a script. The seminars are where I have found the teaching becomes much more variable. Some seminars I have, particularly in the gender department lack structure and inspiration. I sometimes think the concepts are not being pushed to their critical limits. Saying this, one of my seminars has recently improved after we gave the seminar leader our feedback. And, as far as an underfunded gender department goes, they are doing very well. They create an inclusive environment for learning in which I feel comfortable. I just wish it were a little more inspiring.

I also feel that they should give us more assignments because the structure of only doing two essays per course is not pushing me and it is not allowing us to reach our investigative potential as critics.