SPIR handbook
Dear Student,
Welcome to the School of Politics and International Relations at Queen Mary, University of London.
Whether you are studying a single honours programme of Politics or International Relations, taking the Politics and International Relations joint degree, or taking Politics modules as part of a joint degree with another subject, you are an integral part of our School during your undergraduate studies at Queen Mary.
In terms of the quality of our teaching, we have been officially recognised as delivering 'excellent' teaching in a friendly and supportive environment. Our modules cover a broad range of topics in politics and international relations: political theory, government, public policy, processes of democratisation, global development, globalisation, international security, US foreign policy and conflict management. We hope that you will find them informative, stimulating and enjoyable.
In the School of Politics and International Relations you will be part of a multicultural group of students, working alongside academic staff who are enthusiastic and innovative teachers, as well as active researchers. We will do our best to give you appropriate support and guidance throughout your undergraduate degree; it is also up to you to work hard to secure the maximum benefit from your time in the School.
Please take time to read through this Handbook which provides information relevant to your studies.
We hope that you will enjoy your time studying Politics and International Relations at Queen Mary.
Professor David Williams
Head of School
This handbook should be used together with the Academic Regulations. It provides information specific to the School of Politics and International Relations, while http://www.arcs.qmul.ac.uk/students/ gives information common to all students at Queen Mary. The Academic Regulations provide detailed information on progression, award and classification requirements.
Nothing in this handbook overrides the Academic Regulations, which always take precedence.
You need to refer to the relevant Academic Regulations which are applicable to the year you started your undergraduate studies at Queen Mary. Additionally, the Assessment Handbook also provides important information on Queen Mary's assessment regulations.
The relevant Academic Regulations and Assessment Handbook can be assessed via the following link:
http://www.arcs.qmul.ac.uk/policy/
The information in this SPIR Student Handbook is correct as of September 2020. In the unlikely event of substantial amendments to the material, the School will inform you of the changes.
QM cannot accept responsibility for the accuracy or reliability of information given in third party publications or websites referred to in this handbook.
SOME SECTIONS OF THIS HANDBOOK ARE SUBJECT TO FINAL REVISIONS, WHERE THIS IS THE CASE, IT IS INDICATED.
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Careers & EnterpriseLooking for part-time work or an internship? Need help with your CV or a job interview? Want to find out about your options when you graduate? Thinking about starting a business? The QM Careers & Enterprise Team provides a range of services that enable you to develop your employability skills, access work experience and graduate job opportunities, network with employers and decide on your next steps after graduation. Students in every School are able to participate in a diverse careers programme. This might include in-curriculum lectures, lunchtime workshops, professional career options panels, 1-to-1 careers guidance, application feedback appointments and mock interviews. This is supported by a wealth ofcareers information online. There are over 100 employer-led events on campus a year, from fairs to skills workshops. These offer you the chance to network with recruiters and get training on self-presentation skills for the recruitment process. We also provide a range of paid work experience opportunities, from real life consulting projects via QConsult to part-time or full-time internships via QInterns, as well as insight and taster programmes that give you understanding about different sectors and employers. For those who are aspiring entrepreneurs and social entrepreneurs, our enterprise programme supports students in setting up their own businesses via seed funding, QAccelerate workshops, events, bootcamps and 1-to-1 careers guidance. Get the latest news on social media, search jobs on
our online jobs board, read our jobs blog or website for advice and insights
and use our practice interviews and psychometric test software. You can
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Changing modulesDuring the first two weeks of each semester, students on certain programmes of study are able to modify their choice of modules by reselecting your choices in MySIS. MySIS is the website you used to pre-enrol and is a portal to your student record. It shows you the personal details, such as addresses and finance, as well as your overall module results. You are encouraged to register for your modules as soon as possible as popular modules may quickly fill up. You can find out how to change your modules on the Student Enquiry Centre website (http://www.arcs.qmul.ac.uk/students/study/module-registration/index.html). | ||
CommunicationQMUL will communicate with you in a variety of ways. Formal correspondence will be sent to you by electronic letter, and it is important that you keep Queen Mary up to date with your personal details and address. You can do this online via the MySIS record system: http://www.arcs.qmul.ac.uk/students/mysis-record/index.html It is most common for the School of Politics and International Relations, QMUL and the Students’ Union to contact you by your QMUL email. You are assigned a university email address when you enrol, and you are responsible for checking this account on a daily basis. All major notifications and updates will be sent to you at your QMUL email first. You can access your email account by logging on to a QMUL computer, or, if you are not on campus, at: http://mail.qmul.ac.uk. You are also
advised to check the plasma screen
and notice boards in the School foyer
for information on undergraduate news and
events, postgraduate news and events,
careers, and Staff-Student Liaison Committee
minutes. Detailed information on the following can be found on the Undergraduate area of QMPlus: · College and School forms · Useful research links · Staff office hours · Staff-Student Liaison Committee information and papers Module specific information will be posted on the dedicated QMPlus module page.
Connect with us to receive all the latest news, upcoming events and important announcements immediately! Follow us: https://twitter.com/qmpoliticsir?lang=en | ||
ComplaintsWe hope that you will enjoy your time with the School. However, if you do experience a problem, we aim to solve this quickly and simply. Full details on the Schools Student Complaints Policy and the more formal process of Queen Mary, can be found below. In essence, if you have a complaint you should raise this with the member of staff concerned. If you do not feel able to approach the member of staff concerned you should talk with your Personal Adviser or the Senior Tutor. You can make an appointment to see the School Manager or the Head of School to discuss the matter further, if you feel the above approach did not resolve your issue. You are reminded that issues which affect a whole group of students should be brought to the attention of the School’s Student
Staff Liaison Committee. Equally, each School has Course Reps who are
elected through the Student Union. Details of Course Reps for the School
can be found on the Student Union website - http://www.qmsu.org/coursereps/ If your issue is not resolved through the informal process then you will need to complete the Stage 1 complaint form and submit this for investigation under the Student Complaints Policy: http://www.arcs.qmul.ac.uk/students/student-appeals/complaints/index.html Most complaints are resolved at Stage 1 but if your matter is still not resolved then there are two further stages to the policy, which are the institutional level and review stage. When the complaint process is finished you will
be issued with a Completion of Procedures letter explaining the final decision
and the reasons for it. Office of the Independent Adjudicator (OIA) If you are unhappy with the outcome of an appeal or complaint then you may submit a complaint to the OIA within 12 months of receiving your Completion of Procedures letter. The OIA is the independent body set up to review student complaints and is free to students. For further information regarding the OIA please visit their website: http://www.oiahe.org.uk/ | ||
ConductThe
Code of Student Discipline applies to any action of misconduct whether it takes
place on or off Queen Mary premises. The Code also applies to actions that are
electronic and occur via electronic means such as (but not limited to) the
internet, email, social media sites, chat rooms or text messages. http://www.arcs.qmul.ac.uk/students/student-appeals/complaints/ Report + Support: tackling harassment, gender-based violence and hate crime Queen Mary is committed to creating an environment for work and study where staff and students are treated with dignity and respect. We have no place for bullying, harassment and hate. We recognise that these behaviours can take many forms. Any allegation of harassment, hate crime, bullying or victimisation will be treated seriously, regardless of the seniority of those involved, and anyone found to have behaved unacceptably may be the subject of disciplinary action subject to the processes detailed in the relevant Queen Mary policies. Report + Support is our secure online platform for anyone at Queen Mary to report harassment, gender-based violence or hate crime, and find out about support options. If you have experienced or witnessed any form of bullying, harassment, violence or hate crime, please see reportandsupport.qmul.ac.uk. All members of Queen Mary have a collective responsibility to: encourage a culture of dignity and respect; to treat others fairly, with courtesy and consideration; and to challenge inappropriate behaviour when it is safe to do so. More information can be found here: https://reportandsupport.qmul.ac.uk/campaigns/our-commitment. | ||