Your Learning Experience

The academic year is divided into terms, reading weeks, vacations and assessment periods. Understanding this cycle can help you plan your studies and prepare for key milestones throughout the year.

For the latest term dates and academic deadlines, please visit the LSE Term Dates page.

Please note: for all registered research students, vacations are in the Winter and Spring breaks in each year of registration (see link above for dates), and you are expected to continue with your studies/research during each summer vacation. However, you can request one short vacation (of up to 4 weeks) during the summer if you'd like.

Each programme has its own set of regulations that outline the requirements of your degree. They explain which core courses you must take, which optional courses you can choose from, the number of units you need to complete, and any dissertation or project requirements.

These regulations are published in the LSE Calendar.

You should follow the programme regulations for your year of entry. For example, students joining in 2026/27 will follow the 2026 programme regulations.

Explore the range of courses offered by the Department of Government. Each course guide includes information on course content, availability, teaching methods and assessment.

Course guide entries for the upcoming academic year are published each August, helping you explore your options and plan ahead. You can also find the latest information on suspended and withdrawn courses.

The PhD and Programme Delivery Manager will circulate more information to new MRes students about course choice over the summer, as it works a little bit differently at this level and there are many options to consider. Upgraded PhD students don't tend to take taught courses, but they may wish to register for level 5 workshops in the department and across the School (including Methodology workshops), so can browse the range of courses above accordingly.

The MRes year involves students taking up to four units of taught courses in the department and/or across the School, before upgrading to the PhD element where the focus shifts to their own personal research.

Most taught courses in the Department of Government are taught through a combination of lectures and seminars, supported by independent study and preparatory reading.

Each course guide provides information on when the course is taught, the format and number of teaching hours, and whether a reading week is included.

The 2026/27 teaching timetable, including course schedules and class times, will be available from Wednesday 9 September 2026.

To help you settle into academic life at LSE and make the most of the opportunities available to you, we've developed Prepare to Learn at LSE, a short self-paced online course to complete before you arrive on campus.