The London School of Economics and Political Science, commonly known as LSE, with a QS ranking of no 3 in social science, is undoubtfully one of the most prestigious institutions to study sociology. As a current LSE student, I’d like to share some of my experiences studying for BSc Language, Culture and Society – a joint degree in sociology and language & literature studies.
The well-equipped Academic Faculty
One of the most enticing reasons to study at LSE is the world-leading academic team that you get to work with. Taking the department of sociology, for example, you will have the opportunity to discuss your weekly reading materials with the authors themselves as they are, indeed, the very professors conducting your lectures. You could schedule office hours and discuss any confusion you have with the specific content you are having difficulties grasping or just express your deep sense of admiration. For language courses, many coursebooks are also composed by the language conductors from the language centre, who will ensure these course materials will be utilised to their maximum extent.
The Omni-encompassing course syllabus
From literature to intercultural communication and management; from specialised sociology to social science-focused language course; the Language, Culture and Society syllabus is designed to be cross-disciplinary, which encapsulates multiple correlating fields to nurture holistically developed intellectuals. Students could either opt for a specialised trajectory or have a glimpse of a wide variety of courses to discover their field of interest. Joint honour is no stranger at LSE, yet seldom are there such inclusive degrees that truly enable students to tailor their own study outcomes. For instance, if a student would like to pursue a career in politics, they could opt for Political sociology with Comparative literature & 20th-century political history, along with a politically focused dissertation in their target language.
Equipped student service
LSE offers a wide range of student services, ranging from a career centre that offers practice interviews and personal consultant services; to departmental reading groups and regular gathering socials; to travel insurance for personal or school trips. The well-equipped student service establishes a tight-knit between the student bodies and the institution, students can find support for almost all aspects relating to their lives at LSE. You will always find there someone professional to talk to for any query you have regarding your studies or your personal well-being.
Who is Language, Culture & Society for?
Despite the preceding vintages of the program, it is, however, not for everyone. Firstly, this is a pure essay-based liberal art program, thus it does not entail any quantitative element at all. If you long to acquire any quantitative skills, it is probably best to give Language, Culture and Society a second thought. With pure Sociology, you will have an outside module that grants you the autonomy to choose a range of optional courses from another department. In addition, if you intend to study a language during your time at university, LSE does offer non-degree language courses you can take each week. Plus, you will also have the option to add the language course to your degree to form a joint degree such as Sociology with French, and International Relations with Spanish.
Yifei is a second-year Language, Culture and Society student at the London School of Economics and Political Science. He deduces various social theories to reflect upon student experiences in higher education institutions. He writes in English, Chinese and French.
