88 9.000 STUDENTS, ONE LSE
GENERAL COURSE & MATURE STUDENTS The General Course is a year long, study
man, via su.returningofficer@lse.ac.uk to
source of inspiration for us to change,
abroad programme for visiting students,
find out more.
learn and grow.
were taking an undergraduate degree.
MATURE & PART TIME
LSE attracts an intelligent, diverse and
All LSE services and facilities – and the
Mature and part-time students often
international range of people. Your
Students’ Union – are open to General
face intense pressures different to those
classes are likely to be both welcoming
Course students.
faced by other students. These include
and challenging. You will have oppor-
higher expectations in terms of effort
tunities to interact with fellow students
The first General Course students came
and performance as well as extra
in the various cultural, sporting, religious,
to LSE way back in 1910, and its modern
burdens in the form of childcare, work
national, international, political or intel-
day equivalent sees over 300 students
and accommodation. Moreover, with
lectual societies of the students’ union.
come to the School for a year of study
fees rising and the government freezing
and fun, and to see what it’s like at a
all student grants and loans, in the midst
Extra-curricular activities are also pur-
British, yet international, university.
of recession, mature and part-time
sued in the bar or in cafeteria, or, occa-
The Students’ Union has a General
students will come up against problems
sionally, the library itself. The crèche too
Course Representative, elected in Mich-
both in their academic and non-aca-
has created bonds among both parents
aelmas Term Elections in Week 4 of
demic lives.
and children.
“YOUR CLASSES ARE LIKELY TO BE BOTH WELCOMING AND CHALLENGING”
I will work hard to make your stay as safe,
who undertake study at LSE as if they
Michaelmas Term (the first term!). They are elected exclusively by General Course students, meaning that they are non-trustees and thus non-voting members of the Exec. However, they are gen-
enjoyable and carefree as possible. I will also endeavour to put you in touch and work with other bodies like trade unions or professional associations to raise
erally treated as full members who input
It is important in these circumstances
concerns you may have or conduct joint
into the entire workings of the Students’
to maintain that mature and part-time
campaigns.
Union – and long may that continue!
students, despite differences, are not an isolated minority. Academic demands
There is, however, no substitute for the
Previous Students’ Union General Course
exist on all students in the form of access
weekly Union General Meeting in terms
Representatives have worked to provide
to reading lists, books, quality lectures
of having your individual and collective
top quality services and events for
and seminars, essays and presentations,
voices heard. I will attend every week
students, as well as helping to integrate
exams and theses, job searches and
and hope to meet many of you there.
“Gen Course” students into the rest of
career decisions. Balancing academic
LSE life.
work with paid work or family obligations or extra-curricular activities is also no
If you are an aspiring activist in your
longer alien to most undergraduates.
home university, or just think you can do a good job of providing a loud voice
We all face an uphill struggle as we
for the Gen Course population, then
choose do nothing less than the whole-
consider running for the General Course
sale reconstruction of our entire life as
Rep position in Michaelmas Term Week 4
we enter university. Yet it is precisely our
– email our Returning Officer, Shanti Kele-
colleagues who can be the greatest
CONTACT VLADIMIR UNKOVSKI-KORICA MATURE & PART TIME STUDENTS’ OFFICER SU.MATURE@LSE.AC.UK