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Postgraduate Teaching Scheme
As part of its commitment to providing opportunities for research students to gain teaching experience in the course of their doctoral studies, the History of Art Department offers a number of Postgraduate Teaching Assistant (PGTA) positions each year, in various subject areas covered by the Department at undergraduate level. The Postgraduate Teaching Scheme is designed to enable research students to contribute to teaching and marking/assessment activities within the Department, within a structure that also offers training and support. The Scheme is convened by the Director of Studies.
Teaching Opportunities 2021-22
There will be opportunities for postgraduate students to work as Teaching Assistants during the 2021-22 academic year. All registered research students, whether part-time or full-time, are eligible to apply for these posts. Normally Teaching Assistants are in their 2nd or 3rd year of their doctorate, but in some circumstances, where new students have had teaching experience, they may be offered teaching in their first year. Students in their fourth year may also be allowed to teach at the discretion of their supervisor. While the positions are open to students from outside the Department, we would be looking for evidence of relevant experience and interest in the discipline of History of Art. Priority will be given to applicants from within the Department.
The department is looking for TAs for the following modules (please note there may be some adjustment to the contracted hours depending on the mode of teaching adopted in 2021/22):
- First Year BA Core Course
Suitable for 2nd year Research Students. Taught Fridays, 2-6pm.
The BA Core Course provides an introduction to a range of skills required to study the History of Art, including the first-hand study of works of art. It is designed to familiarise first-year students with some current debates in the subject, and introduce them to a variety of theoretical positions of which they need to be aware in the course of their degree.
- First Year Survey Course
Suitable for 1st or 2nd year Research Students. Taught Wednesdays, 9-11am.
HART0005 and HART0006 are obligatory introductory modules for all first-year History of Art students. In ten lectures each term students are introduced to the dominant narrative of art history as an historical development ('the canon'), and are encouraged to look at that model critically. The periods covered in the lecture series ranges from Premodernity to c. 1600 in Term 1 (HART0006) and c.1600 to the Contemporary in Term 2 (HART0005).
Additional posts are available to support exam marking for HART0005 and HART0006 in the Summer Term at an anticipated level of 15 exams @ 30 mins/script.
- Second Year Advanced Lectures in the History of Art
Suitable for 2nd or 3rd year Research Students. Taught Mondays, 2-4pm.
The two Advanced Lecture modules are compulsory for second-year students. In Term 1, HART0036 Action/Re-Action explores the histories of live art in Europe, the U.S. and Japan from Gutai to contemporary practice, with a strong emphasis on technologically mediated performance. In Term 2, HART0035 Making the Body from Late Medieval to Early Modern focusses on conceptions of the body as they impact upon and are constructed by artistic making in the period 1300-1550.
Additional posts are available to support exam marking for HART0035 and HART0036 in the Summer Term at an anticipated level of 15 exams @ 30 mins/script.
- HART0031: History of the Category Art
Suitable for 2nd or 3rd year Research Students. Taught Tuesdays in the Spring Term, 11am-1pm.
This module aims to familiarise students with the ways in which the concept of art has evolved in Europe.
- HART0032: Methodologies of Art History.
Suitable for 2nd or 3rd year Research Students. Taught Tuesdays in the Autumn Term, 11am-1pm.
HART0032 introduces students to the diverse ways in which art historians engage with and write about visual art and culture. Students will be asked to analyse a range of art historical methods as well as varied approaches to critical writing, with the goals of becoming familiar with recent methodologies that pertain to the visual image and developing ways of bringing critical issues to their research and written work.
- Undergraduate Dissertation Coordinator
The Dissertation Coordinator provides support to the Departmental Tutor who has overall responsibility for the administration of the undergraduate report and long-essay modules HART0018, HART0019 and HART0120. This is a relatively light role, which would particularly suit a 1st or 2nd year PhD student.
- Art in London Modules
Suitable for 2nd and 3rd year Research Students from within the Department and externally
Each year the History of Art Department offers a number of exciting gallery and/or building-based Art in London modules, which offer students the opportunity to study at first hand the extraordinary wealth of London’s architecture and museum and gallery collections. These are introductory first year level courses for non-History of Art students and affiliate students. We plan to offer up to 6 modules in the following areas: Art in London before 1600, Art in London 1600–1850, Modern and Contemporary Art in London, Architecture in London.
Application procedure and further detail
- Application Procedure
Applicants to the Postgraduate Teaching Scheme should complete the following:
- A completed application form which must be signed by your supervisor:
- A covering letter containing a personal statement on your potential contribution to teaching in the department. Your statement should outline what you think makes a good teacher and should demonstrate evidence of any relevant experience and your interest in the field of Art History. Please indicate clearly if you have taught in the UCL History of Art Department in previous years.
Please email your signed application form and covering letter to Eleanor Day, Departmental Manager, by 17.00 on Monday 12 April 2021.
Previous TAs should also submit an application if they wish to be considered again for 2021-22.
A panel of departmental staff will assess the applications and applicants will be notified of the outcome in May.
- Eligibility criteria
- PGTA roles are normally only available to existing research students registered in the History of Art Department, in another UCL Department, or in another institution in London where History of Art is taught (Warburg, Courtauld etc.). Priority will be given to UCL students.
- Students entering into the final year of research or those in their ‘CRS’ year are eligible to apply, but priority will be given to students entering into the second year of full-time research (or the part-time equivalent) and/or those with no prior teaching experience in the Department.
- All UCL applicants who have not taught previously in the Department must attend an initial training workshop on teaching opportunities in the Department before applying; this is scheduled for Friday 5th March 2021.
- If your application is successful, you will also be required to attend two additional training workshops in September (induction) and November (marking, assessment and feedback).
- You need to be on track with your doctoral research and to obtain your supervisor’s approval. Although the result of your upgrade may be pending at the time of application, your supervisor will be asked to comment on your progress toward the upgrade.
- Contracts and Pay
The contracted hours for each module are determined by the Departmental Workload Allocation Committee. The hours published above may be subject to small alteration depending on changes to the teaching model in 2021/22. Some modules have an examination component in the summer term, so availability for marking will be important. Payment is made at grade 6 (which in 2020/21 was £15.35 per hour) in addition to holiday pay.
If teaching at UCL is your second job or one of several jobs, you may be taxed at Basic Rate (especially if you take it on as a second job while already employed elsewhere).
- Training and Mentoring
We are holding a workshop for prospective PGTAs at 10:00 am on Friday 5th March 2021. This is mandatory for UCL applicants who have not taught previously in the Department and is optional for those from outside the department.
Register your attendance via Eventbrite: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/history-of-art-graduate-teaching-scheme-info-session-tickets-139718562983
Successful applicants are expected to attend an induction session before they start teaching (normally late September each year), at which you will be issued with a comprehensive PGTA Handbook. You are also expected to attend a session on marking, assessment and feedback, normally in November.
PGTAs will also have the opportunity to participate in UCL’s Peer Dialogue Scheme, which will normally take the form of a paired teaching observation with another PGTA. Each PGTA will be assigned a marking mentor (normally the module organiser) during the time they are employed by the Department.
Those new to teaching should also register to attend the Gateway Workshop as part of the UCL PGTA training package, Arena One. You will then have the opportunity to join the UCL Teaching Associate Programme if you wish to further develop your teaching practice and work toward a nationally recognised teaching award. For further information see the Arena One website.
- Any Questions?
If you have any queries about the Postgraduate Teaching Scheme or the application process, please direct them to Eleanor Day, Departmental Manager: e.day@ucl.ac.uk
