It has been an eventful week! We had our overall LSE orientation on Monday and then the orientation for my particular degree program on Wednesday. At the overall LSE orientation I found out the answers the several questions people have been asking me over the past few months so I will just list some of them out (this is mostly for Krisann, who likes numbers, so if you find this sort of thing boring please feel free to skip to the next paragraph):
LSE has about 8,600 full time students and 800 part timers.
55% of all students are graduate students.
There are 125 different grad programs at LSE
70% of all students are from outside the UK (I swear I hear an American accent more than any other)
LSE has the largest academic social science library in the world
The LSE' student union campaign this year is the anti-Tory "Freeze the Fees" campaign to stifle the free market and allow all students (even those who can afford to pay) a virtually free education. Not surprisingly, I have declined to join despite being diretly asked by the head of the union to do so).
While the Sociology Department has hundreds of students (we had a nice little wine and cheese reception following our orientation), my program is only about 20 people. We have one mandatory course and then we can choose what amounts to an additional two full time courses (or 4 part time units). This sounded pretty easy to me until I was given a 60 page reading list for the required course. Yes, people, I do mean the list of the titles of the books, papers and articles (excluding their actual content) amounts to 60 pages. I think I am going to need new eyes, and potentially a new brain to pull this off. Our first lecture is on Monday. We were also asked to identify potential topics for our thesis. Um, yeah, I'll get back to you on that.
Today was also the day I met my first Member of the House of Lords. I just got back from a lecture by Lord Roy Hattersley on a book he has written about the former British Prime Minister Lloyd George. I am a totally political dork, but I must admit I found it very enjoyable! I now know more about British politics in the early 1900s than any good American should.
Oh, and I also managed to set up a British bank account today. If only that Direct Loan check with all those dollars from the Treasury would come through all would be right with the world!
Hi, Amanda! It's Rebecca Thomas (Brad's wife). Brad sent me your blog (I'm a blogger and he knows how much I love to read friends' blogs), so I added it to my Google Reader to keep up with you. I'm glad to hear that things are going well and I look forward to reading more about your adventures in London!
ReplyDeleteHey Rebecca! I was wondering who Dr. Blondie was. Glad you are following! I am new to blogging so if you have any tips please let me know. How's everything in DC?
ReplyDeletei am loving the stats and the inclusion of amount of time the walks take!! also, it sounds like at this point the lectures you attend are purely for enjoyment of the topic - how fun and refreshing!! (and i think you'll enjoy knowing that this is the first time i have ever posted on a blog :) )
ReplyDeleteFirst of all, i am disturbed you were not able to find some of these stats out in advance of your attendance. Parliment is clearly not doing its job in ensuring that the british universiites are transparent to the public...of course, maybe its better that way! ;)
ReplyDeleteI would also like to point out that it is the British that have the accent...us Americans just speak...well, English! Ha.
Sounds like you are having a blast. I miss school!