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Lavanya

April 10th, 2023

How the teaching style at LSE can be different to your previous university

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Estimated reading time: 10 minutes

Lavanya

April 10th, 2023

How the teaching style at LSE can be different to your previous university

0 comments

Estimated reading time: 10 minutes

When I used to talk to students at LSE a sentence that was constantly repeated in all the conversations was “it is an academically challenging university”. I had been told countless times that the coursework was thorough but rigorous and would challenge you as a student. Coming from India, very quickly I found this to be true. It may be because of the course that I had studied in my undergraduate studies or maybe the teaching methodology in my previous university, when I started Michaelmas term at LSE, I felt like a fish out of water.

The level of readings and critical analysis that was required of each student was new for me, having never experienced it before. However, I really enjoyed being given a set reading list for each week and further readings to explore my interest. It allowed me to really prepare well for the upcoming lecture and ensure I understood what was being taught and discussed in the seminars later.

Furthermore, the teaching style at LSE encourages students to focus on learning by themselves. There is a large focus on self-studying, supported by lectures and seminars. It’s not as if you aren’t taught anything in the classrooms, but students can and should explore topics and themes that interest them on their own and bring it to the professor for further exploration. This push to learn by yourself is different from what I experienced back home, where self-studying didn’t make much of a difference and only what was taught in the classroom was considered relevant to the degree.

One of the most interesting parts of the teaching style at LSE has been the way in which seminars are conducted. In my previous university, there was no separate time for seminars and discussions were never so well rounded. At LSE, seminars are a very important part of the teaching and learning process. It’s where the class breaks into smaller groups and discusses the topic from the lecture, it’s guided by an instructor but never led by them. It’s an open forum for students to discuss their understandings of the topic, clarify their doubts, share their opinions and debate on issues that are important for our learning of the subject.

The teaching style at LSE is completely different than what I experienced back home but I do believe it’s allowing me to grow as a student, develop my critical thinking skills and take on independent work that suit my interests.

About the author

Lavanya

Hi, I’m Lavanya and I’m studying MSc Public Policy and Administration at LSE.

Posted In: Student life

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