MRes/PhD Political Science
Introduction
In 2002 the Government Department at LSE, in a departure from the traditional 'thesis only' manner of doing doctoral work in most of Europe, introduced an exciting new PhD Programme in Political Science that combines rigorous training with specialised research.
Traditionally, doctoral students in most European departments spend several years working almost exclusively on their own research topic. The MRes/PhD is designed to provide a more structured route into a PhD. It provides a teaching programme in the first year. This involves collective and collaborative working, a broad training in research skills and methods, and a systematic emphasis on research design and methodology. This first year of the programme leads to an MRes award. Students build on this first year in their doctoral research in the following three years. Graduates will be carefully trained and widely read - indeed they will be able to interpret, evaluate, and use research results across a broad spectrum of topics, well beyond the field of their specific doctoral research. This combination of training and research is also intended to produce a new generation of political scientists who upon graduation will be well qualified to take up important positions in their professions. The benefits of this programme are already clear to see in the first cohort of graduates.
Two streams in the MRes/PhD in Political Science
From 2008-09 there will be two streams in the MRes/PhD programme. Students on both streams will be broadly trained in a range of methods in political science and will be able to apply quantitative and/or qualitative methods in their own research. In Stream A there is a greater emphasis on quantitative and in Stream B on qualitative methods. Both streams provide grounding in the scope and theory of political science and the challenges of research design. Students must meet high standards in all these fields and must apply their training to the construction of a research prospectus designed to underpin subsequent doctoral research.
Every student will be allocated a supervisor at the start of their first year. This supervision relationship will be confirmed or changed in the early part of the Lent Term of that year. In addition there will be either a second supervisor or an advisor allocated to each student.
In addition to the documents required by LSE admissions, all applications should include:-
- LSE application form
- Curriculum Vitae (CV or resume)
- Short statement of why you want to do the MRes/PhD
- An outline of the PhD research that you intend to conduct (motivation, research questions, approach, methods etc. in no more than 4-5 pages of text.)
Programme structure (2008/2009)
Stream A (Quantitative Emphasis)
|
First year of Stream A |
A |
Submit a Research Prospectus on 1st September (not to exceed 10,000 words) |
B |
Take and be examined in courses to the value of 6 half-units, or equivalent, as follows: |
1 |
GV511 Scope and Theory in the Study of Politics (H) |
2 |
GV505 Research Design in Political Science (H) |
3 |
MI452 Quantitative Analysis 2: The Generalised Linear Model (H) (students with no prior statistics experience are required to take the Methodology Institute's pre-sessional introductory statistics course) |
4-6 |
Courses to the value of 3 half-units, or equivalent, taught anywhere in the School, at least two half-units of which must be GV, IR, EU or DV pre-fixed (with approval of the programme convenor). |
Stream B (Qualitative Emphasis)
First year of Stream B
|
A |
Submit a Research Prospectus on 1st September (not to exceed 10,000 words) |
B |
Take and be examined in courses to the value of 6 half-units, or equivalent, as follows: |
1 |
GV511 Scope and Theory in the Study of Politics (H) |
2 |
GV512 Research Design: Comparative, Case Study and Historical Approaches (H) |
3 |
GV513 Qualitative Methods in the Study of politics (H) |
4 |
MI451 Quantitative Analysis 1: Description and Inference (H) (students may be exempt from this course if s/he can demonstrate existing introductory training in quantitative analysis and will be required to take a different half-unit course with the approval of the student's supervisor) |
5-6 |
Courses to the value of 2 half-units, or equivalent. Students can select courses from anywhere in the School that are appropriate for their doctoral training and research. All course selections require the approval of the student's supervisor. |
Second and Subsequent Years-both Streams (if upgraded to PhD)
A) Research and Write the Dissertation.
B) Attend at least one Research Workshop in the Government Department or elsewhere in the School in each year (as specified by appropriate departmental regulations).
Award of the MRes-both Streams
The MRes is awarded at the end of the First Year if all the exams are passed. The grade for the MRes degree is determined as follows:
- a Pass is awarded if the exams are passed with an average mark of between 50 and 59;
- a Merit is awarded if the exams are passed with an average mark of between 60 and 67; and
- a Distinction is awarded if EITHER (a) a mark of 70 or more is achieved in a majority of the exams, OR (b) the exams are passed with an average mark of 68 or more.
Upgrade to PhD-both Streams
Upgraded to PhD is dependent upon:
A) passing the MRes with at least a Merit grade, and
B) approval of the Research Prospectus by the Prospectus Approval Committee of the relevant Stream.
Award of PhD-both Streams
The PhD is awarded according to the rules of the LSE. ^
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