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- What are the expectations of the Faculty in terms of education workload for staff?
For staff who hold an academic contract the expectation of the Faculty of Brain Sciences is that you will contribute a minimum of 20 hours of teaching contact per year (e.g. lectures, seminars, marking and examinations). Staff can of course provide more teaching contact time than this.
Staff on research contracts can also contribute to teaching contact to support their career development and progression; this would not be expected to exceed 10-15% of their contractual working hours and should be discussed with your PI.
Some researchers in receipt of named fellowships are not permitted to take up educational duties under the terms of their fellowship. This will depend on the wording contained in their fellowship contract. If the terms of your fellowship prevent you from undertaking teaching activities, then you can exceptionally be remunerated for teaching hours worked in addition to your contracted hours. Payment will be as Associate Lecturer (Teaching) at Grade 7, spine point 33.
- How can PhD students get involved in teaching activities?
Registered PhD students can undertake educational activities on an ad hoc or contractual basis as Postgraduate Teaching Assistants (PGTAs).
If the total number of educational hours you will be doing per year is 15 or less, then you will be issued with a Principal Statement summarising the teaching offer and paid ad hoc on the Grade 6 salary scale, spine point will be dependent on prior teaching experience at the PGTA level.
Opportunities for teaching where the hours exceed 15 a year will be covered by a job description and advertised internally. You will be engaged on a guaranteed minimum hours or averaged hours contract of employment, whichever is most appropriate.
- What formal training is available to improve my educational skills and CV?
The Arena team (UCL Professional Development), run programmes aimed at PGTAs and post-docs with three levels available:
1. Gateway workshop - mandatory for all PGTAs
2. The Teaching Associate Programme (TAP)
3. Application for HEA Fellowship
The gateway workshop requires ~5 hours to complete while the TAP is ~12 hours. HEA fellowship is variable, depending on which activities are undertaken. As part of UCL, your fee for this is waived.
The full list of training and development resources available from the Arena Centre.
- Pre-engagement checks
You will need to have the right to work in the UK to take up any paid teaching activity. Evidence of your right to work in the UK must be verified by the Institute HR Team before you commence any teaching activity.
- Pay and deductions
Payments will be subject to tax, national insurance, and other contractual deductions (pension, student loan etc) as applicable.
Current opportunities
Undergraduate and Postgraduate taught (masters) programmes
Programme title: Human Neuroscience BSc
- Programme level: Undergraduate
- Programme description: A three-year course that has been designed to enable students to learn about the human brain and nervous system through the prism of health and disease. There are a number of new modules that have been created for this BSc. The vast majority of these are 15 credit module with ~25 hours of face-to-face teaching for each module.
- Teaching available: One-hour lectures
- Applicant requirements: Must hold a PhD and be a current member of research or academic staff able to offer at least two years of teaching.
- How to apply: CV and expression of interest
- Contact: Professor James Kilner, Programme Director (j.kilner@ucl.ac.uk)
Programme title: Intercalated BSc (for UCL medical students)
- Programme level: Undergraduate
- Programme description: This exciting new course will be entering its second academic year in 24/25 and we are keen to hear from those with a background in clinical neurology who would be interested in helping with teaching on this course.
- Teaching available: Opportunities to teach the medical students on the course. Teaching is mainly lecture based in the first two terms according to a curriculum in preparation for module assessments. For the summer term we are looking to expand non-assessed teaching across a broad range of neurology topics of interest. Currently the course would like to hear from those interested in finding out more and happy to discuss further.
- Applicant requirements: Experience in clinical neurology is important. Existing neurologists, ECRs or PhD students are welcome to make enquiries.
- How to apply: CV and expression of interest
- Contact: Professor Tim Young, Programme Director (t.young@ucl.ac.uk)
Module title: Critical Appraisal
- Module level: Postgraduate
- Module description: The Critical Appraisal module is taught to PGT students. It aims to introduce students to the principles of critical appraisal and the key research factors implicated in answering a research question in an efficient and valid way.
- Teaching available: Opportunities to teach students by critically appraising a peer-reviewed paper
- Applicant requirements: Knowledge of medical statistics and study design, PhD student or early-career researcher
- How to apply: CV and expression of interest
- Contact: Dr Graziella Favarato, Module Leader (Graziella.favarato@ucl.ac.uk)
Postgraduate research (PhD, MPhil and MRes)
Thesis committees (TC)
All PhD students at the IoN have to have a thesis committee. While there is no specific training involved in becoming a TC member, those contemplating joining a panel should be aware of its function and their role within it:
- TCs consist of the student, the subsidiary supervisor (chair) and at least two other suitable members who are external from the supervisors’ research team.
- The panel members should be appointed by the supervisors and student in conjunction.
- The supervisors should actively assist in contacting the panel members for the TC meetings and explain expectations of the TC.
- The committee will meet five times throughout the PhD to ensure that the student’s research is on track for a PhD award. This can be more often depending on the student
PhD subsidiary supervisor
You will need to meet the following criteria to act as a subsidiary PhD supervisor:
- Must be a member of UCL staff or hold an Honorary contract with UCL.
- Must have completed the Introduction to Research Supervision (mandatory for all staff wishing to be newly appointed as a UCL research supervisor) and, if applicable, Developing as a Doctoral Supervisor (mandatory for staff wishing to be newly appointed as a UCL research supervisor without prior doctoral supervisory experience).
- Either have an employment contract that will take the student to the end of their Completing Research Status or have written assurance from the Head of Research Department that an honorary contract will be granted to you should your contact funding end before this time.
- Must be research active and possess expertise in the relevant field.
- Must have read and be familiar with the Code of Practice for Graduate Research Degrees (2023-24 CoP), UCL Statement on Research Integrity, and UCL Code of Conduct for Research.
- Complete the
- Submit everything to ion.pgr@ucl.ac.uk
PhD primary supervisor
In addition to the above you must also:
- Must have completed your probationary period (or been in post for at least nine months where your probationary period is longer).
- Have completed the IoN, in-person Supervisor training.
- Have completed the Arena Research Supervision programme.
- Have experience of successful Doctoral supervision (defined as having taken a student through upgrade and/or completion, NB: This can include supervision of an MRes student project), within a supervisory team at UCL or elsewhere.
- Complete the
Submit everything to ion.pgr@ucl.ac.uk
Statistics with STATA Workshop
Description: This course aims to equip students with the knowledge and skills necessary to apply statistical methods using STATA. Through hands-on experience with real-life data, students will learn how to conduct comprehensive statistical analyses and interpret the results.
Teaching available: During the workshop you will help students with step-by-step demonstrations of using STATA for various statistical methods. You will walk students through real-life data analysis examples, explaining each step and its significance (all materials will be provided).
Applicant requirements: Knowledge of statistical methods and sound knowledge of using statistical software STATA. Suitable for PhD students or early-career researchers who want some teaching experience in medical statistics.
How to apply: Submit your current CV and expression of interest to Dr Saiful Islam
Workshop planning:
25 June 2024 : 10am - 1pm = 3 hours face to face + 2 hours preparation time
26 June 2024 : 10am - 1pm = 3 hours face to face + 2 hours preparation time
Total time commitment: 10 hours
Pay: Will be discussed with successful candidates
Venue: 7 Queen Square WC1N 3AR. Room TR7.
Contact: Dr Saiful Islam, Module Leader (afm.islam@ucl.ac.uk)