SP412 Half Unit
Non-Governmental Organisations, Social Policy and Development
This information is for the 2025/26 session.
Course Convenor
Dr Timothy Hildebrandt
Availability
This course is compulsory on the MSc in International Social and Public Policy (Non-Governmental Organisations). This course is available on the MSc in China in Comparative Perspective, MSc in International Social and Public Policy, MSc in International Social and Public Policy (Development), MSc in International Social and Public Policy (Education), MSc in International Social and Public Policy (LSE and Fudan), MSc in International Social and Public Policy (Migration) and MSc in International Social and Public Policy (Research). This course is available with permission as an outside option to students on other programmes where regulations permit. This course uses controlled access as part of the course selection process.
All Social Policy Courses are ‘Controlled Access’.
Other than for students in the first category below, when applying for a course all students are required to provide a written statement explaining why they wish to take that course.
Statements are considered by the Course Convenor and, where merited by the statement, places are offered in the following priority order:
1. Students for whom the course is a ‘core course’ on their Programme Regulations (these students should already be allocated to the course in LSE for you – i.e. no written statement is required).
2. Students for whom the course appears as an ‘optional core course’ on their Programme Regulations (where students have to choose between a small number of core options).
3. Students for whom the course appears as an optional course on their Programme Regulations.
4. Other Social Policy students.
5. LSE students from Departments other than Social Policy.
Please note: The number of students that can be accommodated on most courses is limited. If a course is over-subscribed, places will be allocated at the Convenor’s discretion, based on student statements. Therefore, you are advised to have an alternative course in mind in case you are unable to secure your first-choice course selection.
If offered a place on a Social Policy course, please accept the place as early as possible. NB: Offers will ‘time-out’ after 48 hours and the place will be offered to another student. If you wish to reject an offer, please do so as early as possible so that the place can be offered to one of your fellow students.
Close of Course Selection is on the 10 October 2025 (dependant on availability of course places).
Please Note: No places will be offered on Social Policy courses UNTIL 1pm on 29th September 2025.
For queries contact: socialpolicy.msc@lse.ac.uk
All Social Policy Courses are ‘Controlled Access’. Please see the link below for further details on the allocation process.
https://info.lse.ac.uk/current-students/services/course-choice/controlled-access-courses
Requisites
Additional requisites:
Students will benefit from having some experience of work within NGOs and/or relevant government departments or donor agencies working with NGOs.
Course content
The course focuses on the specialised field of non-governmental organisations (NGOs) within the field of social policy and development, and considers theoretical and policy issues.
Main topics include the history and theory of NGOs; the changing policy contexts in which NGOs operate; NGO service delivery and advocacy roles in policy; NGO relationships with other institutional actors including government, donors and private sector; challenges of NGO effectiveness and accountability; NGO organisational growth and change; and conceptual debates around civil society, social capital, social movements and globalisation.
Teaching
15 hours of seminars and 15 hours of lectures in the Autumn Term.
This course has a reading week in Week 6 of Autumn Term.
All teaching will be in accordance with the LSE Academic Code which specifies a minimum of two hours taught contact time per week when the course is running in the Autumn Term (AT) and/or Winter Term (WT). Social Policy courses are predominantly taught through a combination of in-person lectures and In person classes/seminars. Further information will be provided by the Course Convenor in the first lecture of the course.
Formative assessment
Mock exam
Indicative reading
- Bebbington, A., Hickey, S. and Mitlin, D. (2008) Can NGOs Make a Difference? London: Zed Books;
- Beck, E. (2017) How Development Projects Persist: Everyday Negotiations With Guatemalan NGOs. London: Duke.
- Edwards, M. and Hulme, D. (1996) NGOs, Performance and Accountability: Beyond the Magic Bullet. London: Earthscan;
- Glasius, M, Lewis, D. and Seckinelgin, H. (2004) eds. Exploring Civil Society: Political and Cultural Contexts, London: Routledge;
- Holmen, H. (2010) Snakes in Paradise: NGOs and the Aid Industry in Africa. Sterling VA: Kumarian;
- Howell, J. and J. Pearce (2001) Civil Society and Development: A Critical Exploration. London: Lynne Rienner;
- Lashaw, A., Vannier, C. and Sampson, S. (2017) eds. Cultures of Doing Good: Anthropologists and NGOs. Tuscaloosa: University of Alabama Press;
- Lewis, D. and Kanji, N. (2009) Non-Governmental Organisations and Development. London: Routledge;
- Lewis, D. (2014) NGOs, Management and Development. London: Routledge.
Assessment
Exam (65%), duration: 120 Minutes in the Spring exam period
Course participation (10%)
Essay (25%) in Spring Term Week 2
Students will have a midterm assessment in WT worth 25% of the mark involving a 2000 word essay in response to a choice of questions; for 65% of their mark students will sit an in-person exam of 2 hours in ST wherein they choose to answer 2 questions from a selection of 8-10. Class participation makes up the remaining 10% of the overall course mark.
Key facts
Department: Social Policy
Course Study Period: Autumn Term
Unit value: Half unit
FHEQ Level: Level 7
CEFR Level: Null
Total students 2024/25: 34
Average class size 2024/25: 17
Controlled access 2024/25: YesCourse selection videos
Some departments have produced short videos to introduce their courses. Please refer to the course selection videos index page for further information.
Personal development skills
- Leadership
- Self-management
- Team working
- Problem solving
- Communication
- Specialist skills