MA Politics (SSEES) Handbook
This handbook is designed to provide an overview of our Politics MA programmes; Political Analysis; Political Sociology and Russian and Post-Soviet Politics MA.
Welcome to UCL SSEES
We are very pleased to welcome you to UCL SSEES.
UCL SSEES, founded in 1915, is one of the world’s leading specialist institutions and the largest national centre in the UK for the study of Central and Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union. Over seventy academic staff work in the School, teaching and conducting research in economics, business, politics, history, sociology, anthropology, culture, literature and language.
As part of SSEES and UCL, you will now have unrivalled access to various resources, for example the excellent UCL and SSEES libraries. We also pride ourselves for what goes on outside the classroom – be it the rich programme of high-profile international speakers, conferences, and seminars or various extracurricular opportunities for UCL students. This document provides you with some of the most important information about your time at SSEES.
Please take your time also to read the SSEES Student Handbook for more details and do not hesitate to contact us if you have any questions.
Key Dates
TERM DATE
First Term Monday 23 September 2019 – Friday 13 December 2019
Second Term Monday 13 January 2020 – Friday 27 March 2020
Third Term Monday 27 April 2020 – Friday 12 June 2020
College Reading Weeks are the weeks beginning Monday 4 November 2019 and Monday 17 February 2020.
Christmas
CLOSE – Friday 20 December 2019 at 5.30 pm
RE-OPEN – Thursday 2 January 2020 at 9.00 am
Easter
CLOSE – Wednesday 8 April 2020 at 5.30 pm
RE-OPEN – Wednesday 15 April 2020 at 9.00 am
Bank Holidays
CLOSED – Friday 8 May 2020
CLOSED – Monday 25 May 2020
Degree Structure
Information about all the modules below can be found on the Module Catalogue.
Ma Political Sociology (Russian and Eastern Europe)
Students undertake and pass or be condoned in modules to the value of 180 credits. The pass mark is 50.
The programme consists of:
| Core Module 1: Political Sociology (15 credits) Non condonable. |
Core Module 2: A 15 Credit Social Science Methodology Module:
|
A choice from a range of optional modules (90 credits)
|
Up to 30 credits can be taken from other SSEES MA modules, or other approved UCL departments, including languages. Please check modules running for which modules are running in a particular academic year. |
Ma Political Anaysis (Russian and Eastern Europe)
Students undertake and pass or be condoned in modules to the value of 180 credits. The pass mark is 50.
The programme consists of:
| Core module: Political Analysis (15 credits) Non condonable. |
Plus 1 Core Module from the following list:
|
| A research dissertation (60 credits), an independent research project which culminates in a dissertation of approximately 10,000-12,000 words. |
A choice from a range of optional modules (90 credits)
Up to 30 credits can be taken from other SSEES MA modules, or other approved UCL departments, including languages. Please check modules running for which modules are running in a particular academic year. |
Ma Russian and Post Soviet Politics
Students undertake and pass or be condoned in modules to the value of 180 credits. The pass mark is 50.
The programme consists of:
| One core module (30 credits), Russian Politics Non condonable. |
One other core module studing Russian or post-Soviet Politics (15 or 30 credits)
|
| A research dissertation (60 credits), an independent research project which culminates in a dissertation of approximately 10,000-12,000 words. |
A choice from a range of optional modules (90 credits) Optional modules Advanced Quantitative Methods, Comparative Analysis in Social and Political Research, Understanding Transitional Justice, Governance and Democracy in Central and Eastern Europe, Introduction to Discourse Analysis, Politics of South-East Europe, Qualitative Methods, Quantitative Methods, Security, Identity, Polarity Sexuality and Society in Russia and Eastern Europe, Understanding and Analysing Data, SSEES language module in Russian, Ukrainian or Estonian at beginner's level or at intermediate or advanced level. Up to 30 credits can be taken from other SSEES MA modules, or other approved UCL departments, including languages. Please check modules running for which modules are running in a particular academic year. |
Examination Procedures
The examinations period is provisionally scheduled from the start of Term 3 until the second week of June. Students must be available to attend examinations throughout this entire period.
All modules registrations must be completed on Portico by the end of the second week of teaching. From this point students must not change the registration of Term 1 modules. The registration of Term 2-only modules may be changed until the end of Reading Week of Term 1.
All students are required to reply to any request, whether from their department or from UCL Registry (via Portico) to confirm their module registration as correct.
The SSEES MA (Umbrella) Board of Examiners decides on the class of degree you receive.
Plagerism
Make sure you do not plagiarise anyone elses work, even accidentally, as the consequences can be severe. Plagiarism is defined as the presentation of another person's thoughts or words or artefacts or software as though they were your own. Any quotation from the published or unpublished works of other persons must, therefore, be clearly identified as such by being placed inside quotation marks, and you should identify your sources as accurately and fully as possible.
You can find more about plagerim and how to avoid it on the Current Student pages.
Extenuating Circumstances and Reasonable Adjustments
UCL recognises that some students can experience serious difficulties and personal problems which affect their ability to complete an assessment such as a sudden, serious illness or the death of a close relative. Students need to make sure that they notify UCL of any circumstances which are unexpected, significantly disruptive and beyond their control, and which might have a significant impact on their performance at assessment. UCL can then put in place alternative arrangements, such as an extension or a deferral of assessment to a later date. The Extenuating Circumstances Panel will determine the nature and timing of the deferral, which may be offered with or without tuition/ attendance.
You can find further information about Extenuating Circumstances in the Academic Manual.
You can find the Grounds for Extenuating Circumstances and the Extenuating Circumstances Form on the SSEES website. If you wish to be considered for extenuating circumstances, then you should submit a completed extenuating circumstances form supported by medical certificate or other evidence to ssees-extenuating-circumstances@ucl.ac.uk. This information will be treated in confidence and the results will be decided by the Extenuating Circumstance panel.
Reasonable Adjustments and Special Exam Arrangements.
UCL will make Reasonable Adjustments to learning, teaching and assessment to ensure that students with a disability are not put at a disadvantage. UCL also provides Reasonable Adjustments for students who might not consider themselves to have a ‘disability’ but who nevertheless would benefit from additional support due to an ongoing medical or mental health condition. It is the responsibility of the student to request Reasonable Adjustments, and students are encouraged to make a request as early as possible. please see link above for more details.
You can find further information about Reasonable Adjustments in the Academic Manual.
You should request Reasonable Adjustments via Disability Services. You can find futher information on Disability Services' website.
Student Support
Starting a course at a new university, possibly in a new city or even country can be a daunting experience for anyone, regardless of age or background. The most important thing to remember is that there are many sources of advice and support available for every aspect of your life at UCL from the moment you arrive until you graduate and beyond.
Full details of the support available to you can be found on the Support & Wellbeing pages.
You’ll also find some key links below. Your Personal Tutor will also be a key point of contact for you if you are experiencing any difficulties.
Students with physical or mental health concerns are encouraged to make contact with the available support services as early as possible so that UCL can put in place reasonable adjustments to support them throughout their studies. However there may be occasions when a student’s physical or mental health, wellbeing or behaviour is having a detrimental effect on their ability to meet the requirements of their programme, or is impacting on the wellbeing, rights, safety and security of other students and staff. In such cases UCL may need to take action under the Fitness to Study Procedure.
Further Information
- Support to Study Policy
- Fitness to Study Procedure
- Student Disability Services
- Student Psychological Services
- Student Support and Wellbeing
- UCL Union
- UCLU Advice Service
- Student Enquries Centre
- Cultural Consultation Service
Calculation of the Postgraduate Masters Degree
For all the above Masters Programmes the final Award is calculated using an Overall Average Mark. Individual Modules are weighted according to their credited value and the overall mark represents the mean average of the 180 credits undertaken. (Credit-weighted mean average rounded to two decimals.)
| Numerical Marking Scheme | Letter Grade Marking Scheme |
|---|---|
| Distinction | A weighted mark greater or equal to 69.5% A weighted mark greater or equal to 68.5% AND Modules of at least 70.00% in at least 50% of the credits. |
| Merit | A weighted mark greater or equal to 59.5% A weighted mark greater or equal to 58.5% AND Modules of at least 60.00% in at least 50% of the credits. |
| Pass | Meets Award Requirements. |
In a Student does not meet the above requirements they will be considered for an interim Qualification if they meet the required learning outcomes and credits. Please see the Academic Manual for more details.
Consequences of Failure of a Module
Students who obtain a mark below the condoned mark range will be required to re-enter that examination at the next normal occasion. Students with no (EC) Extenuating Circumstances will be permitted one re-assessment oppurtunity.
Students awarded the degree or who have passed a module will not be permitted to repeat assessment of that module.
Programmes Administrator
Ellen Hammersley
Tel: 020 7679 8778
Email (P&S): ssees-ps@ucl.ac.uk