The View from the Deanery

Welcome to Week 6 of the Michaelmas Term.

It is about this time in the term that a number of you will be handing in your first essays to your class teachers. You will find that what you are expected to produce in an essay here in the UK is a bit different from what you may have produced at your home university. In preparing and writing up your essay, have a look at your Departmental Handbook. These often contain useful advice on what makes a good essay.

You might also find it helpful to arrange to meet with your class teachers in their office hours to talk through how you intend to approach a topic and seek their advice on the relevant readings. Don’t be shy about making use of your class teacher’s office hours in seeking out such help and support – that is what they are there for.

In addition, the Teaching and Learning Centre (TLC) can also offer support through their weekly study skills talks. These take place on most Wednesday afternoons. You can find the details on their web page and the ‘Learning World’ section on their Moodle pages. Topic 3 on ‘Academic Writing’ should be particularly useful.

The TLC also offers 1-2-1 writing tutorials. There are two specialist staff, Marina Benjamin and James Owen, who can provide advice and support on all aspects of your academic writing – from essay planning, to researching a topic, structuring arguments, and writing in a clear, reader-friendly way. They are available Wednesday – Friday during the Michaelmas and Lent Terms.

However, there are a limited number of appointments available each week, so you need to book in advance. To book an appointment, email studentsupport@lse.ac.uk or call the Teaching and Learning Centre on 020 7852 3627 (or ext 3627 on LSE's internal phones) or book in person at the TLC reception on the 5th floor, 20 Kingsway, across from the Peacock Theatre.

Mark Hoffman
Associate Dean
The General Course
gc.dean@lse.ac.uk
Tel: +44 (0)20 7107 5197
Room OLD 1.09

Office Hours: Monday 12.30pm - 2pm and 3.30pm - 5pm,
Wednesday 10.30am - 1.30pm, Friday 10.30am - 12.30pm.

A Message from your GC President

Hey fellow GC Students

I wanted to first thank you guys for voting me to be your GC President. I promise I will not disappoint!

For those of you who may not know me, I am from the greater Los Angeles area and go to UC Berkeley where I am majoring in Economics. I have been talking to societies about planning events together: beer pong tournaments, Christmas dinner, etc. In addition, I know many of us have issues and concerns about other aspects of being a GC student at LSE and I will work with the Students' Union and the School to try to fix the problem or improve services. I am here not for myself, but to help us all out.

I am looking forward to an amazing year here at LSE and hope everyone is just as excited as I am for what's to come. Please feel free to reach out to me at any time whether on Facebook or through email (su.gcourse@lse.ac.uk or y.a.brousseau@lse.ac.uk).

I would love to talk about your concerns, issues important to you, or ideas for get-togethers and how to improve the GC experience. I hope to get the chance to meet everyone at some point over the course of the year!

Cheers

Yvon Brousseau

The General Course Thanksgiving Dinner!

Our annual General Course Thanksgiving Dinner takes place on Thursday 28 November. This will include traditional Thanksgiving dinner with “all the fixin’s”, with the Thanksgiving Day NFL broadcast in the background.

You can book your tickets by clicking here. Places are limited and allocated on a first come, first served basis. This is a popular event, so book soon to avoid disappointment, as when they are gone, they are gone.

LSE Events

B ehavioural Economics and Diet
Professor George Loewenstein

George Loewenstein is professor of economics and psychology at Carnegie Mellon University. He received his PhD from Yale University in 1985 and has held positions at the University of Chicago, the Center for Advanced Study in the Behavioral Sciences, Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton, Russell Sage Foundation and Institute for Advanced Study in Berlin.

The lecture will take place on Tuesday 12th November 2013 from 5.15pm in Sheikh Zayed Theatre (NAB).

W hat Would Happen After NATO Leaves Afghanistan
Zahid Hussain

Mr Zahid Hussain is a leading Pakistani journalist who has written extensively on Pakistan and Afghanistan. He is the author of 'Frontline Pakistan: The struggle with militant Islam' and 'The Scorpion's Tail: The relentless rise of Islamic militants in Pakistan and how it threatens America'.

His presentation will take place on Tuesday 12th November 2013 from 6.30pm in NAB 2.04.

London Events

Jungle at Chats Palace

London's latest soul sensation Jungle are making their first hometown performance at the Chats Palace on Tuesday 10th December. The duo produced one of the music videos of the year with their hit Platoon, featuring a talented 6 year old breakdancer. A great opportunity to see them before the rest of the world catches on!

S pain (Now)! Festival

Back for its 5th year in London, Spain (Now)! is a festival that showcases the latest creative talent coming out of Spain. Featuring a gamut of artistic disciplines through exhibitions, events and performances. Situated in various locations all around London, most of the events are free so be sure to take a look at the programme and take advantage of the exciting artistic experiences on offer.

Calling all Jedi

Preproduction for the next Star Wars franchise is underway with Disney announcing an open casting call in London on the 23rd - 24th November. They are seeking 18-23 year old male and female leads, both beautiful and athletic, who are of course spiritually strong with The Force. One couldn't describe General Course students more precisely than that, so why not give it a go?