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UG Handbook (History, Politics & Economics)

History, Politics and Economics Handbook

In this degree you will get a unique opportunity to develop expertise in the disciplines of economics, politics, and history. You will learn to apply this expertise to understanding the social, cultural, economic, and political world around us, developing skills essential for a whole range of future careers. Particular attention is focused on the study of the areas with which the School of Slavonic and East European Studies is primarily concerned: the countries of Central, Eastern and South-Eastern Europe, including Russia and Germany. You will also have the opportunity to learn an East European language and to gain deeper insights into the major socio-economic and political issues such as the interaction between the economy, culture and political institutions and their joint impact on the lives of millions.

The current structure of the degree requires you to take 360 credits over 3 years, 120 credits in each year. 

You will also:

  • Learn the basics of an East European language.

  • Achieve an understanding of the disciplines of History, Politics and Economics.

  • Write a dissertation based on your own research with reference to the region.

The basic principle of the BA HPE degree is progression from one year to the next along defined disciplinary pathways. Knowledge and skills learned in one year provide building blocks for more advanced study in each subsequent year.

Please note students can only register for 120 credits in total per year of study and optional modules are subject to change.

First year students are encouraged to do Level 4 modules in their first year as these are preparatory modules for your subsequent years.

 

Year One

Compulsory Modules (90 credits):

Optional Modules: select from the list below, including languages (30 credits)

In year 1 the department offers - SESS0080 Mathematics for Economists (0 credits Term 1)

This is an introductory course which provides students mathematical skills required to undertake intermediate microeconomics and econometrics in future study. The course caters for those with or without A-level mathematics. The course covers basic algebra, linear and non-linear equations, simultaneous equations, exponential and logarithmic functional forms, rules of differentiation, partial differentiation, as well as unconstrained and constrained optimisation. The course concludes with integration and matrix algebra. Each topic is taught with economic application, involving exercises and tests in both pure mathematics and mathematics applied to economic problems. The module carries zero credits, and it is elective for 1st-year History, Politics and Economics students undertaking Economics path. It is advised this module is selected by students who do not have a A grade at A-level or the equivalent qualification.

Politics and Sociology Modules

NB. The Politics and Sociology modules are normally prerequisites for second-year modules in their respective fields. If you wish to pursue the International Relations subjects you must take SESS0082 or you will not be able to proceed with these in years 2 and 3.

Economics and Business Modules

NB SESS0010 gives you access to New Venture Creation in year 2. Please note for many Year 2 modules you will need a Statistics module we would recommend taking STAT0021 to any student wishing to specialise in Economics.

Language and Culture Modules

Please note we cannot guarantee that all languages and levels will be available every year.

History Modules

Level 5 Survey modules are open to year 1 students.  All are 30 credits. 

In order to progress from Year One, students must have passed all 120 credits (including any condoned fails).  To be awarded a degree with honours (classified) in the field of study (HPE) the student must have taken and passed all non-condonable modules, with the overall module pass mark of 40 or above. 

Languages at UCL - Language modules may be taken from the UCL Centre for Languages & International Education (CLIE).

 

Year Two

In your second year, you will choose your track, specializing in two of the three disciplines embedded in HPE. Whichever two you choose, you must complete at least 30 credits in each of the two subjects. In total, you must choose a total of 120 credits.

All students, regardless of track, must take one of the following core modules (30 credits):

History and Politics Track

At least 30 credits from the following History modules:

Compulsory Politics module (15 credits)

Plus one optional Politics module from (15 or 30 credits):

History and Economics Track

At least 30 credits in History and 30 credits in Economics (note that you are required to choose, as a compulsory module, either SESS0020 or SESS0021)

At least 30 credits from the following History modules:

Choose from ONE compulsory Economics module (15 credits):

 Plus ONE of the following optional Economics modules:

Politics and Economics Track 

At least 30 credits in Politics and 30 credits in Economics (note that SESS0033 is compulsory and that you are also required to choose, as a compulsory module, either SESS0020 or SESS0021)

Compulsory Politics module (15 credits) 

Plus ONE optional Politics modules (15 credits):

Choose from one compulsory Economics module (15 credits):

Plus one of the optional Economics modules (15 credits):

All students can take up to 30 credits of HPE electives, from SSEES options, including a language, or from another UCL department.

Please note students can take up to 30 credits of outside modules in their 2nd and 3rd years combined. 

Year Three

Compulsory modules (30 credits):

Compulsory Dissertation (30 credits)

  • SESS0053 Free Standing Dissertation (in one chosen discipline which has been studied in Year 2) Non - Condonable
  • HIST0909 History Undergraduate Dissertation. This module is for students who have opted to write their Dissertation with UCL History, instead of the SESS0053 Free-Standing Dissertation. Non-Condonable

30 credits of Optional modules related to Dissertation discipline from SSEES options or 30 credit Special Subject module if completing HIST0909 History Undergraduate Dissertation with UCL History.

For a full list of available Level 6 SSEES and UCL History optional modules, please refer to the Module Selection Guidance document

30 credits of HPE electives, from SSEES options, including a language, or from another UCL department.

You must have at least 90 credits of advanced units (level 6) accumulated during your studies.

Students cannot begin any new languages at Level 4 in their final year. You must be assessed by UCL Centre for Languages & International Education (CLIE), who will determine whether you are able to take your desired language at Level 5 or 6.

Please be advised that Level 4 modules are not recommended for final year students and will require approval from the HPE Programme Coordinator, Dr Diana Georgescu


Condonement

Guide to Undergraduate Condonement | Students - UCL – University College London

‘Condonement’ helps you to progress through your programme and achieve your degree by allowing a small number of failed modules, as long as overall performance is good.

Are any modules excluded from condonement?

Some programmes include ‘non-condonable’ components or modules which you must pass – your Student Handbook will include details.

For HPE, non-condonable modules are SESS0050 The Crisis of 1989 and SESS0053 Free-Standing Dissertation. UCL History Dissertations are also non-condonable.

How many modules can be condoned?

You can be condoned in a maximum of 30 credits per year and, on programmes with more than one year of study, a maximum of 60 credits across your whole programme.

What marks are eligible for condonement?

On most modules, marks of 1.00% - 39.99% can be condoned.

Are there any other criteria?

Yes, in order to be condoned you need to achieve a minimum year average of a pass; this is 40.00% at undergraduate.

Can I be condoned in one module and resit another module?

No, if you fail in more than the permitted number of credits you must be reassessed in all the failed modules, including those modules with marks falling in the condonable range.

Can I resit instead?

No, in order to be fair to all students, if you meet the condonement criteria you will be condoned. If you Resit an assessment it is capped at the pass mark.

Where can I find the formal regulations on condonement?

The UCL Academic Manual includes all of UCL’s regulations. The main regulations on condonement can be found in:

Chapter 4, Section 9.3 Condonement

Progression and Award

In order to progress from one year to the next, or to be awarded a Bachelors with Honours, a student should Pass 120 credits in each year of study.

A student who does not Pass 120 credits in a year of study must nonetheless be considered to have met the Progression and Award Requirements if they meet all of the following Condonement Criteria in that year of study:

 

a)

Pass all Non-Condonable Modules, and

 

b)

Pass at least 90 credits, and

 

c)

Attain marks in the Condonable Range in no more than 30 credits, and

 

d)

Have attained marks in the Condonable Range in no more than 60 credits up to and including the current year of study, and

 

e)

Have no module marks below 1.00%, and

 

f)

Achieve a credit-weighted mean of at least 40.00% across 120 credits.

Please see Section 6: Progression & Award in the Academic Manual for further details.

Classification

Classification Year Mean (UG programmes only)

1.

On Undergraduate programmes, the ‘Classification Year Mean’ is the credit-weighted average of only those module marks which count towards the classification in a single year of study. It is distinct from the ‘Progression Year Mean’ (see Section 6.3.3) which is a mean of all module marks in a year of study.

2.

The Classification Year Mean is calculated as follows: 

 

a)

The ‘counting’ marks are identified (e.g. students might drop their worst 30 credits in Year 1, so only 90 credits ‘count’).

 

b)

Each counting mark is given a weighting according to its credit value. 

 

c)

The credit-weighted counting marks are averaged to create the ‘Year Mean’ for each year of study.

 

d)

Each Year Mean is given a weighting (e.g. Year 1: 1, Year 2: 3, Year 3: 5). 

 

e)

The weighted Year Means are averaged to give the ‘Final Weighted Mark’.

 

f)

The Final Weighted Mark determines the Classification awarded.

Honours Degree Classification Scheme

A student who meets the Award Requirements for an Honours Degree should be awarded an Honours Classification.

The Final Weighted Mark must be calculated from the following counting marks, rounded to 2 decimal places:

3 Year Bachelors:

Year 1: Best 90 credits, weighted at 1
Year 2: Best 90 credits, weighted at 3
Year 3: All 120 credits, weighted at 5.

Determination of Honours Classifications 

For all Honours Degree Classification Schemes, the following rules must be used to determine the Classification:

Qualifies for First Class Honours (1):

A Final Weighted Mark greater than or equal to 69.50%

or
A Final Weighted Mark greater than or equal to 68.50% 
and
Module marks of at least 70.00% in at least 50% of the Final Year credits.

Qualifies for Second Class Honours Upper Division (2.1):

A Final Weighted Mark greater than or equal to 59.50%

or
A Final Weighted Mark greater than or equal to 58.50% 
and
Module marks of at least 60.00% in at least 50% of the Final Year credits.

Qualifies for Second Class Honours Lower Division (2.2):

A Final Weighted Mark greater than or equal to 49.50%

or
A Final Weighted Mark greater than or equal to 48.50% 
and
Module marks of at least 50.00% in at least 50% of the Final Year credits.

Qualifies for Third Class Honours (3):

A Final Weighted Mark greater than or equal to 40.00%.

Please see Section 7: Classification in the Academic Manual for further details

 

 

 

 

 

Programme Administrator 

Alice Dove
Teams: Alice Dove 
Email (HPE): ssees-hpe@ucl.ac.uk

SSEES Student Handbook