Course Spotlight - IR224: Happiness and Policy

We sat down with Mia, who took IR224: Happiness and Policy over the summer, to learn more about the course and her experience of taking it. 

 

Why did you decide to attend LSE Summer School?

I decided to attend LSE Summer School between my 2nd and 3rd year of undergraduate studies at UCL. Knowing that I wanted to stay in London for my master’s degree, Summer School seemed like an amazing opportunity to explore LSE in preparation for a potential master’s application.

Why did you choose your course?

I chose this course because I believe wellbeing should be the overall goal of individuals and societies and wondered how I could support them in achieving this goal. Bridging wellbeing theory and policy seemed very relevant to me as I saw societal change in the area of wellbeing as an incredible catalyst of positive behaviour.

Tell us about an average day as a student on your course.

My day at LSE typically started with a coffee at one of LSE’s student cafés before heading to my 3-hour long lecture. Dr Kate Laffan's first week built our theoretical foundation in wellbeing theory. Dr Christian Krekel's second week focused on translating this knowledge into effective policy making. While I expected the 3-hour lectures to feel quite long, the incredibly high teaching quality made time fly by. After the lecture I usually had lunch in Lincoln's Inn Fields, a park on campus, with people from my course. After lunch, we headed to our afternoon seminar. The seminar typically began with a student-led presentation followed by a discussion and often included exercises, which allowed us to apply the knowledge gained in the morning lectures. Together, lectures and seminars provided the perfect mix of theory and application.

What was your favourite part of your course?

Alongside the high teaching quality, with a focus on academic rigour in both lectures and seminars, my favourite part was the highly diverse student body of this course. We all came from different cultural and academic backgrounds which brought together a variety of different perspectives on the content of the course. This led to incredibly intriguing discussions in the classroom and beyond.

What advice would you give to students considering your course?

Do it :) and when you’re there: ask as many questions as possible! Within the classes, professors have the time to give personalised attention, which was incredibly valuable in helping me pinpoint gaps in my thinking, and deepened my understanding in unexpected ways.

What are your short-term professional goals, and how does your course contribute to these goals?

I enjoyed the course so much that my immediate goal is now to pursue an MSc in Behavioural Sciences at LSE, specifically focusing on the wellbeing specialism. The content of the specialism directly maps onto the Happiness and Policy Summer School course. So, my experience of the course not only sparked my passion for this field but also provided a strong foundation in wellbeing research and policy design which I think would greatly enhance my contributions to the master’s programme.

Was meeting and talking to other students on your course easy?

It was super easy to meet and talk to people on my course and I found every encounter incredibly valuable. The people on my course were both academically strong and super social. This led to intellectually stimulating and incredibly fun conversations. I am sure that some friendships I’ve built during Summer School will last forever, and I definitely think that the amazing people attending Summer School add to the beauty of the experience.

Did you feel supported by your lecturers?

I felt very supported by my lecturers. During the seminars and lectures they took every question seriously and provided incredible answers. Their support even continued beyond the scope of Summer School. Another student and I both raised the desire to apply to a master’s degree at LSE and both lecturers of this course took the time to meet with us to discuss our options. I was also provided with a reference letter by one of the lecturers for my master’s application.

What was your favourite part of studying at LSE?

Summer School felt like an academic bootcamp – and I loved it. Dedicating several hours a day to a single topic over the course of three weeks allowed me to deeply immerse myself in the subject, leaving me with a sense of accomplishment because I felt like I had really learned something. Combined with the inspiring Spark talks, networking events and wholesome pub nights, studying at LSE made me feel truly empowered.

How will the course contribute to your longer-term goals?

Eventually I want to go into policy advising, with a focus on wellbeing. The happiness and policy module has provided me with a strong foundation in wellbeing theory and with insights into policy design, appraisal and effectiveness analysis. Both are relevant to my career plans. Furthermore, the Spark workshops on CV building, Excel, etc. offered as part of Summer School equipped me with skills I will certainly apply in my professional journey. Finally, outside of my professional life, the course has allowed me to build friendships with openminded, motivated, positive people – something that is equally as important as my professional goals!

 

This interview was written by one of our 2024 students, who are here to share their stories and help you understand the Summer School experience at LSE.