In her latest post, third-year BSc Management student Wan Yee Fok shares her seasoned advice when it comes to selecting from the wide spectrum of courses offered to students of the programme.
I’ve always thought that one of the best things about studying on the BSc Management programme was the flexibility it gave students when it came to course selection. At LSE, I was able to explore my interests across a wide array of courses, from law to e-business. This was a unique opportunity that was clearly appreciated by many in my graduating class:
INTRODUCING THE LSE UNIT SYSTEM
In this post, I’ll be exploring some of the many academic options open to BSc students on campus. Before launching into more specific details, let’s first get you acquainted with some local terminology. Courses in LSE are measured by ‘units.’ A unit can constitute one full unit or two half-units. Full units denote courses you study throughout the academic year while half-unit courses run the duration of one term, be it Michaelmas (first) or Lent (second) term. You will need to take a total of 12 units over your three years for BSc Management.
No need to feel overwhelmed though! This degree eases you into course selection by offering an increasing number of options each year. LSE helps you make informed choices by providing detailed information on its various courses online. Here you can find out whether students were satisfied with the course, look over course results statistics, and much more!
“When other students hear about the courses I take, they are often surprised by the diversity of them. Some don’t even know LSE offers such a wide range of courses!”
– Maisie Kwong, Hong Kong“You can get a taste of almost everything.”
– Pham My Linh, Vietnam
PRO TIPS FOR COURSE SELECTION
To help with the process, I’ve collected some general suggestions when it comes to choosing courses:
- Sometimes, a third year course requires having done a specific course in one of the previous years. So, although third year courses are off the menu in second year, take a look at next year’s courses to sketch out the course trajectory you want to take.
- Though you have access to a treasure trove of information online, it’s still a good idea seek advice from students who have actually taken the course. You can reach out to older BSc Management students easily through social media, and I think we’re all quite friendly and open to questions! Don’t forget that second year courses are still available to third year students so you may be able to ask your peers about their experiences.
- Exam formats may change from year to year based on course leaders. Lecturers will probably make it clear if the course leader has changed but be sure to check or ask if you’re unsure.
- I probably don’t need to tell you this, but I’m going to anyway: examination results are important. At the end of each year, you can calculate how many more marks you need to achieve your marks goal by the end of your degree, be it First or Second Class Honours. Keep these figures in mind as a sort of anchor when selecting your courses.
- Use Moodle as a resource. Students can enroll in any course they find interesting, so check out the available course material online in advance to formulate more in-depth opinions. Act quickly; Moodle courses are refreshed at the end of each year for new students!
- In the first week of term, if you’re still stuck, feel free to attend all the lectures and classes of the courses you’re considering. Lecturers and teachers know that students are still making decisions during this time. Even after choosing your courses, you still have some time to backtrack and switch into another course. Just make sure to do this before the deadline comes up.
If you’re still feeling a little adrift after reading these tips, I’ve gathered some of my peers’ opinions regarding several courses for you. It’s by no means a comprehensive list, but hopefully at least one of the courses on it will appeal to you.
Remember, no matter what you choose, you’re bound to learn something new.
Enjoy the ride!
Straight from the source:
course advice and tidbits from actual students!
Opinions from: Maisie Kwong, Pham My Linh, Anjali Anne Charbonnel, and Daniela Fürst.
Principles of Finance (FM212)
“Helps you build a firm foundation in finance”
“Challenging, but pulls together by the end of the year”
“Make sure you do the work during the year, cramming at the end is not advised for this course”
Commercial and Enterprise Law (LL209)
“Reading law texts was definitely an interesting change, and the course was a solid introduction to contract and enterprise law; I strongly recommend taking it”
“Classes are interactive and involved answering a set of questions every week, so you are compelled to stay somewhat on top of the readings”
Core Business Disciplines II: Marketing, Human Resource Management and Information Management (MG201)
“The marketing component of the course allowed for plenty of creativity, and the team work was more fun because of this.”
“Information Management was very interesting as we were able to develop practical skills in constructing our own websites.”
Business Transformation and Project Management (MG208)
“Lectures were very interactive, which helped students stay engaged and interested.”
“Numerous guest lecturers from the ‘real world’ showed us what we were learning was commercially relevant and useful.”
“Lecturers were also the class teachers, so the entire course seemed more cohesive and well-organised.”
E-business (MG209)
“Formative group work that involved weekly presentations was good motivation to do the assigned readings.”
“Lecturers are really friendly.”
“For both MG208 and MG209, you get good marks in the exam as long as you do the required readings and remember cite a few authors and dates.”
Physics and the City: From Quantum Jumps to Stock Market Crashes (PH232)
“Enjoyable, even with very little background in physics.”
“Strongly recommended to anyone interested in physics, finance and philosophy.”
Innovation and Technology Management (MG305)
“Teachers were quite lenient, and the subject matter was not too difficult.”
“Reading groups are a good idea, but going at it alone is fine too.”
“Interesting, and an easy grade in the end.”
Behavioural Decision Science for Management and Policy (MG311)
“Hoped for a more psychological perspective, but the course focuses on management in the workplace.”
“We were able to pick our own topics for the final summative essay, but more support from the lecturer or teachers would have been appreciated.”
Marketing Action Learning Project (MG315)
“You gain many practical skills, such as how to conduct focus groups, interviews and how to create effective surveys.”
“Groups are pre-allocated, so you may be working with people you’ve never interacted with before – don’t let that deter you though, working with new people was an enjoyable challenge!”
Market Research: An Integrated Approach (ST327)
“The course involves a lot of group work, so only choose it if you enjoy working with people.”
“The applied approach of the course helped to build practical skills.”
“The group project takes up a lot of time; if I had to choose again, I wouldn’t pick any courses involving group work in my last year.”
