LUC The hagUe ProfiLe 1

Group work
In many courses you are assigned to work in groups. Group work has many
advantages but can also cause difficulties. Keep these guidelines in mind when
working in a group:
• If you are working together on a project it may be wise to agree on some
ground rules at the beginning, such as ways of communicating, roles, and
responsibilities. Each group member may have different assumptions about
common practice, and so it is important to discuss your expectations explicitly
from the start.
• Make sure you can all contribute to the learning process because that is the
whole idea of group work: three or four heads should accomplish more than
one, and discussing materials, analysing questions and coming to solutions
will help your learning process. Explaining a difficult topic to a fellow student
is also a good way for you to learn and reinforce your own understanding.
• If you feel that one of the members in your group is not pulling his/her
weight, address it early on. Perhaps your classmate feels overwhelmed,
left out, or has difficulties understanding or communicating. Try to find a
solution together. If things really get out of hand, ask your instructor for
assistance and talk to your tutor for suggestions forward.
excellence
As the international, honours college of Leiden University, LUC seeks to promote
excellence in our students and our staff. Excellence can manifest itself in many
different ways, but it can also simply refer to those who excel in their accomplishments
within certain fields of activity. Hence, at the end of each teaching
block, LUC produces an Honour Roll, on which it lists the 5% of students whose
average grades are the highest in their cohort. At the end of each semester, the
top 5% of both blocks overall are listed on the Dean’s Roll, and those students
are invited to participate in the Dean’s Masterclass in the following semester for
additional credit. Outstanding teaching is also recognised through the Best
Teacher Award, which is based on the evaluations of classes by students.
The Dean’s Masterclass is an advanced-level seminar which includes supervisions
by the Dean, typical of graduate programmes; successful completion of it will
earn the students 5EC. Students who achieve 15EC in these masterclasses during
their LUC career will receive ‘Dean’s Honours’ on their degree supplement.
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Supervisions will be in very small groups and may also involve PhD students
working on similar topics. The topic of the masterclass will vary per semester and
will reflect the research interests of the Dean and the mission of LUC.
Studying Abroad
LUC offers students the opportunity to study at a university abroad for one
semester, either in the second semester of the second year or the first semester of
the third year. For this purpose LUC has set up special student exchange agreements
with world-class universities all over the world. Given the international
orientation of our programme, our staff and our students, LUC facilitates eligible
students to take advantage of this opportunity to experience another part of
the world and its academic atmosphere.
In addition to LUC’s own agreements, LUC students are entitled to apply for
exchange within the more general framework of Leiden University’s extensive
international partnerships. Students may also submit proposals for studying at
universities or colleges with which neither LUC nor Leiden University presently
has an existing arrangement, but note that this requires additional administration
and significant planning beforehand. All students who would like to study
abroad for a semester must meet the eligibility criteria for the LUC Semester
Abroad Programme and the application deadlines stated on the relevant section
of the LUC website. While the advice of tutors should be sought, Irene van der
Wal, LUC Study Abroad and Student Exchange Officer, will provide students
with information on exchange possibilities and all other aspects of studying
abroad, such as expenses, accommodation, visa, and availability of grants.
After University College
Throughout your studies at LUC, your tutor offers guidance on your postgraduate
trajectory. The LUC Bachelor’s degree offers opportunities for further
study at Leiden and abroad, as well as careers in government, NGOs, thinktanks,
international public and private institutions, and a variety of industries. Many
LUC students envision a career as a policy advisor, diplomat, researcher, management
consultant, journalist or other creative/critical roles in diverse fields.
As an LUC graduate, you will be qualified to apply for studies at Master and PhD
level at major research universities anywhere in the world, or to pursue a career
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