UCL Department of Medical Physics & Biomedical Engineering
Undergraduate Academic Tutor - Job Description
Summary of role
The department currently recruits a total of about 15-25 students per year on our two
undergraduate courses. These are the 3-year BSc in Physics with Medical Physics and the 4-year
MSci in Medical Physics. During the first two years of these courses, students spend most of their
time taking core physics modules in the Physics & Astronomy department. In the third year (and
fourth for the MSci) the students spend about half their time taking our medical physics modules.
Our tutors provide two kinds of support. A Personal Tutor helps and guides students on all
matters related to their academic experience at UCL, including advice on progression and careers,
and is the first point-of-contact in event of any personal or financial problems. Personal Tutors
look after all the students in a given year, so are also known as the Year Tutor (i.e. First-year
Tutor, Second-year Tutor, etc.). Meanwhile an Academic Tutor provides help and advice to a
small group of first-year and second-year students on the content of the degree course, i.e. helps
with students’ understanding of physics and maths, and any other matters related to the taught
material.
The principal tasks of our Academic Tutors are as follows:
 Hold regular tutorials with a small group of students throughout the academic year. The group
are likely to be either first-year or second-year students. Tutorials are normally held a few
times per term during the first and second terms, but more frequently if the students would
clearly benefit. During tutorials, the Academic Tutor should ask the students about any
difficulties they might be having with the content of their modules, and provide guidance
where possible and appropriate. Although students receive advice with their coursework as part
of the teaching hours devoted to each module, students will inevitably ask their tutor specific
questions about material covered in their modules which they did not understand. Thus tutors
do need to have some knowledge of physics and maths, although it is not their job to do their
students’ coursework assignments for them! The tutor may also use some tutorials as an
opportunity to discuss topics of their own choosing, especially things related to medical
physics. If it can be arranged, the students will particularly enjoy hospital or laboratory visits.
 Report any significant problems with the progress of any specific student, especially long-term
absences, to the Year Tutor, and to the Medical Physics Programme Tutor, Ben Cox. Notify
Ben directly of any significant problems with specific modules identified by the students (e.g.
unusually poor teaching), or of problems with student timetables. Ben may also be consulted
regarding any aspects of the Academic Tutor’s role and the tutoring process.
Specific duties of Academic Tutor
 Tutorial slots will be booked throughout the term in advance by the Year Tutor in consultation
with you. Make sure you have the email addresses of all the students in your group. The first
tutorial is normally the hardest. Most students are initially reticent to discuss problems with
someone they do not know very well. Note that there is no need to try to fill a whole hour if
there is nothing to talk about. However, soon everyone (including you) starts to relax, and most
students will become very chatty and friendly.
 After each tutorial, you need to fill out a brief Tutorial Attendance Form (available at
http://www.ucl.ac.uk/medphys/staff/#docs) and hand it to Mohini. This is essential in order to
monitor attendance.
JH/AC
August 2014
 Academic Tutors are sometimes required to assess their students’ assignments as part of the
first-year module PHAS1901 (Developing Effective Communication I) and second-year
module PHAS2901 (Developing Effective Communication II). This may include marking short
essays (a marking scheme will be provided) and marking a short oral presentation (5-minutes
each).
JH/AC
August 2014