The course, LSE 100, will help students from all disciplines sharpen their skills in the fundamentals of social science – how to find and weigh evidence, how to interpret and explain competing theories and how to present arguments persuasively. It should therefore deepen their understanding of their own subject, while giving them the ability to analyze society's most urgent questions.

The first group of 400 students began the course in January 2010 and will be taught by some of LSE's leading experts, including the Director, Howard Davies and Professor Lord Nicholas Stern. Topics will range from "Is punishment a waste of time, suffering and money?" to "Does culture matter?"

The two-term course will be required for all students from October 2010, running alongside their normal degree course. Each student in LSE100 will receive a Distinction, Pass or Fail. While the results will not affect the outcome of their degrees, they will be part of their transcripts and a good performance will significantly enhance their CVs and demonstrate their skills to employers.

LSE is investing more than £1.25 million in the first three years of LSE100 – part of the School's  £3.9 million added annual investment in teaching and learning. Lectures will be mixed with small-group classes and backed with technological innovation to help learning. The course is pioneering the use of Personal Response System “clickers” which will allow students to react and respond to a lecture as it unfolds while giving the lecturer an instant view of their progress.

The first students to take the course, which has the full title “LSE100: The LSE Course: Understanding the Causes of Things,” all volunteered for the pilot phase. Half the places were booked by 8am on the first day of registration; all the places were booked within four days.

The course has the full backing of the LSE Students' Union and students have been consulted and closely involved during its design, along with several employers.

For more details details on LSE 100, click here.