My Time at Summer School - from an LSE Master’s Student

What a unique feeling it is to emerge from the London Underground, to step onto the busy streets as red double-decker buses whiz by, and a new personal chapter begins. My experience of arriving as a new student in London started in early June, as the city and most universities were pivoting into the summer months. At LSE, a summer of learning was only just beginning. Months earlier, I had applied to LSE’s Summer School programme, for the opportunity to learn about a variety of academic areas that always interested me, and to explore the city of London, prior to beginning my LSE master’s degree.

Back in Spring 2023, I received an offer to study at LSE for my master’s in Social and Public Communications, in the Department of Psychological and Behavioral Science. I couldn’t wait to begin. While studying Film and Digital Media at the University of California Santa Cruz, and working professionally in digital marketing, I developed an interest to learn more about different academic areas and how these contribute to unique perspectives on current events. Over the last several years, while working on environmental sustainability-related causes, international relations, international law, and digital media often came up as interlinked areas of importance. As I thought about the time leading up to my MSc, I came across LSE’s Summer School. Applying was a natural next step.

As I began researching LSE’s Summer School courses, I found three I decided to apply for:

• IR130: War, Power and Morality: Political Theory and International Politics, which outlines how the history of international politics and political theory relates to current events
• LL105: International Law: Contemporary Issues, which builds on international relations with insights into the current international legal structures
• IR220: Digital Platforms: Power, Politics, and Resistance, which explores the multifaceted nature and impacts of today’s digital platforms and would build on my roots in media studies

So I sent in my applications for the courses and the Academic Director’s Scholarship for the area of Technology, Media & Society, given the courses’ connection to my research interests.

Fast forward to the start of the summer - I’ve been admitted, received the Academic Director’s Scholarship, and been selected as a Summer School Ambassador! Since Summer School courses are taught by faculty who are also full-time LSE academics conducting research, the programme is an incredible opportunity to get to know new professors and departments and to make connections around shared interests and research areas. Meeting Summer School students from all over the world coming from different schools and levels of professional experience also brings together many new perspectives.

It’s day one and courses are starting. We have a lecture in the morning, and a class in the afternoon to review lecture content. The schedule repeats for five days a week, for three weeks (or more if you take further sessions like I did) with the exclusion of free days before summative assessments and during exam week. To complement the weekly class schedule, the Summer School team also organized a packed calendar of professional skills-focused and social events. Summer School-hosted events included expert-led talks, tours to explore London, access to local theatre productions, and even a photography tour. The time passed in a flash.

Looking back, I couldn’t be happier about the decision to attend LSE’s Summer School programme before my master’s degree. The courses provided fascinating insights into academic areas that were new to me or built on my existing knowledge and provided a chance to learn directly from faculty, and experts, in their respective fields. Every course featured lecturers who would share their research and their unique perspectives on working in an academic area. As vibrant as London’s architecture, the courses were similarly illuminating and densely filled. Furthermore, throughout 9 weeks of Summer School, I got to meet the LSE community and LSE faculty before my master’s programme and made new international connections and friendships that I look forward to carrying on. Throughout the summer, and events courtesy of the Summer School team, I was introduced to the city and to LSE, and knew that applying for a master’s here was the right choice for me.

 

This blog was written by one of our 2023 Student Ambassadors, who are here to share their stories and help you understand the summer school experience at LSE.