Practical Information
Welcome (back) meeting, September 2025
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Information sessions
For every starting group we will plan information sessions throughout the academic year. You will be informed about these via different channels like announcements by the study advisers on Brightspace, emails from the Student Services Centre (SSC), the course page in the Prospectus and also the Newsletters which are published at the start of every block. Make sure to inform yourself via these channels.
General Information session: Institute and programme information
In the first week of September and February, a general ‘Welcome and Information meeting’ will be organized for new master students. During this informative session you will be introduced to the basics of the study programme and you will meet your fellow students, our staff, the Student Services Centre and study association SPIL.
For the September starters, we will inform you via our Newsletter in August about the Welcome and Information meeting.
For the February starters, we will inform you via our Newsletter in January about the Welcome and Information meeting.
Master students who started their Political Science programme in an earlier year are welcome to join as well and will receive an invitation for this meeting on their uMail.
Information session: Methods in Political Science course
In block 1 (Sept start)/block 3 (Feb start). See course information.
Information session: Master Thesis Seminar
In block 2 (Sept start)/block 4 (Feb start). See course information.
Information session: Internship Project Seminar
In block 1 (Sept start)/block 3 (Feb start). See course information.
Course registration
You are expected to enroll for all courses within the registration period via MyStudymap. Check the overall overview of your programme in the respective starting group in this Prospectus.
More information about course registration and deadlines can be found on the student’s website.
Registration rules for elective seminars
You can only register for 1 elective seminar per block;
Registration is based on first-come-first-served;
Elective seminars have a maximum number of participants;
If fewer than 8 students register for an elective seminar, there is no guarantee that it will take place.
for the Methods in Political Science course (Qualitative or Quantitative track)
In block 2 (Sept start) or in block 4 (Feb start) you will follow the mandatory course Methods in Political Science. Registration for this course is only possible after the information session in October (Sept start) or March (Feb start). See course information.
Registration for the Master Thesis Seminar
See ‘> Thesis Seminars Political Science – Information and Deadlines’ in the course overview of your programme in the respective starting group of this Prospectus.
Registration for the Internship Project Seminar
Please read the information on Brightspace ‘Career Preparation Political Science’ and contact the Internship coordinator Muge Kinacioglu (m.kinacioglu@fsw.leidenuniv.nl) for registration. See course information.
Registration for the online conversion course (SPOC)
The Master Political Science Admissions Committee may have requested that you take the online conversion course 'Introduction to Research Design in Political Science (SPOC)', offered to you before the start of the programme. Whether this applies to you, can be found in your Decision (Admission) letter. If you are not required to take this course, but you would like to refresh your knowledge by reviewing this course, please enrol yourself for the course using the course catalogue number (6444RDPS). See course information.
Course materials
You can find additional course information in the Prospectus as well as on the Brightspace page (you have direct access to your courses in Brightspace upon registration for courses). Your instructor will communicate with you via Brightspace and via your uMail account. Make sure you have access to this account before your classes start to ensure that you are well-informed about possible preparations and instructions.
Thesis Lab
For those who are working on their master thesis, there is the Master Thesis Lab in room 3A.06 of the Faculty of Social and Behavioural Sciences. In the Thesis Lab you will find quiet work spaces and at some time slots one of the master thesis lab assistants is available for questions (see schedule on the website). You can also book an appointment with an expert on methodology and statistics or qualitative analysis in room 3A.14.
Library
Leiden University students and staff can access the libraries' e-journals, databases and e-books from anywhere in the world. Leiden University alumni have remote access to several of these resources. Read more
Plagiarism
Plagiarism is a violation of academic integrity that can have serious consequences for the perpetrator. To prevent plagiarism, all your written work is checked via Turnitin. Turnitin is an external tool that has been integrated in Brightspace to assess assignments/papers/etc. and to check for plagiarism. Turnitin provides instructors with the tools to provide specific personalised feedback and check similarity to other papers, bibliographic and online sources and grade assignments.
Board of Examiners
The role of the Board of Examiners is to ensure that study programmes adhere to their Course and Examination Regulations. The Board of Examiners oversees all tests and examinations within the institute and determines whether students have acquired the knowledge and skills required for the awarding of their degree.
If you want to have a short overview of their services please take a look at their FAQ.
Career Preparation
(Academic) Career Preparation in Political Science
The goal of the Political Science programme is preparing you for your next phase in life, whether this will be in academia or in an organisation. As of the start of the programme, you are encouraged and supported to develop your key “21st Century” skills, essential to prepare you for your future professional life. These skills will be addressed within as well as outside of the programme.
Support is offered from different levels within the University and has the objective to develop these skills, but also to identify your interests and strengths, to explore a diverse range of opportunities to clarity about your goals and empower you to pursue paths you find personally meaningful.
Academic Career Support
Throughout your Political Science programme, you will be offered numerous opportunities to develop your academic skills – in workgroups, (guest) lectures, small group sessions, reports, research projects. These academic skills are related to analytical and critical thinking, academic writing, research and communication skills, key skills that are required in today’s workplace.
Your Career Preparation Support 24/7
You can access our Brightspace platform for Career Preparation in Political Science 24/7 and find information on careers, positions for internships, tips, links, suggestions, dates for info/Q&A sessions and ways to reach out to various additional support systems.
Have a look at the Career Roadmap provided by Career Services of Leiden University for Bachelor and Master students, to follow a step by step guidance from the start of your degree until the status of Leiden University Alumnus.
Your Career Preparation Support on campus
A direct career preparation network is offered to you on campus via the staff of Career Service of the University, study associations, study advisers, workgroup instructors and the internship coordinator. This network consists of experienced individuals who enjoy supporting you with your future choices. You are encouraged to participate in events organized for you on this matter.
Topics for Career Preparation Support: intra- and extra-curricular
Whether you are taking advantage of our Career Preparation support online or in person, you will be stimulated to think about your choices within your study track concerning:
choice of internship for a company or research institute
choice of your research projects
choice of course planning and distribution (GPA strategy*)
choice of a minor or elective courses
choice for a future/sequential Master’s programme
Next to study related choices, you can expect assistance in preparing for extra-curricular activities which may support your CV. You can think about things like:
choice of a part-time job
choice to join a student board for a society/club/committee
choice for voluntary service work
choice to follow extra-curricular education/workshops/classes
GPA
For some programme elements, jobs and sectors, a high Grade Point Average forms an important part of the selection, for example for Master’s programmes, traineeships, consultancy or PhD-positions. When you are considering these elements or positions, it is smart to plan and define where you want to invest your time, whether this is more experience or more time to study.
However, a strong GPA is not the only factor determining your success, equally relevant is that you are enjoying what you are doing and that this is reflected in your activities and experience during your studies.
You can find information on the distribution of GPAs and the ranking of your GPA versus your peers in the BSc and MSc programme or the faculty of Social and Behavioural Sciences in this link: Grading Tables.
