Code of Practice for Postgraduate Research Students Engaged in Teaching
With effect from 2009/10
1. Background
This Code of Practice applies to Postgraduate Research Students who are engaged in
teaching at the University and paid on an hourly ratei.
The University recognises that postgraduates are a valuable asset to University teaching, to
which they can bring their specialist knowledge, research training and recent experience of
undergraduate learning. Research Councils and the National Postgraduate Committee
recommend teaching experience for postgraduates provided that it is subject to reasonable
limits on workload. For the students themselves teaching can provide valuable experience
and career development in addition to financial benefits.
It must be emphasised, however, that the scope for such teaching provision varies between
different schools/faculties and students should not assume teaching opportunities will always
be available. Decisions on the allocation of available teaching duties will be made based on
the qualifications, experience, aptitude and skills of each individual and will not be influenced
by gender, disability, ethnic origin, sexual orientation, religion or belief (or non-belief) or age.
2. Status
Registered full-time postgraduate research students may be paid at hourly rates for teaching
responsibilities subject to the limits set out below, but are not employees of the University.
Part-time postgraduate research degree candidates, who are not employees of the
University, may also be paid at an hourly rate for teaching responsibilities. Part-time
students are not subject to restrictions on the number of hours of paid activity undertaken.
The University recognises its responsibility for the welfare and personal development of
postgraduate research students engaged in teaching, and in order fully to meet their needs
in terms of general conditions, training and reward systems the following framework has
been introduced to which schools/faculties are required to adhere.
Dutiesii undertaken by postgraduate research students engaged in teaching at the University
include:
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Teaching Assistance
Demonstrating
Tutorials/Seminars
3. Responsibilities
Students engaged in teaching are required to operate in accordance with relevant University
policies and procedures. Particular attention is drawn to the University’s Equality and
Diversity Policy (http://www.equality.leeds.ac.uk/ed/policy/equality-and-diversity-policy.doc)
and Student Mental Health Policy (http://www.equality.leeds.ac.uk/ed/policy/student-mentalhealth-policy.doc) and the University’s Health and Safety Policy
http://www.leeds.ac.uk/safety/
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4. Payment
The University has standard hourly rates of pay for postgraduate research students engaged
in teaching. Payments will normally be made on a monthly basis. The payment rates are
displayed on the HR website at http://www.leeds.ac.uk/hr/progression/index.htm.
The rates are payable for each contact hour and take account of any necessary time for
preparation and assessment. Schools/Faculties are required to pay postgraduate research
students, who are participating in training that is identified by the Faculty/School as
necessary, at half the hourly rate for demonstrating and tutorial assistance.
Generic job descriptions and person specifications are available from Human Resources.
5. Hours of work
All full-time postgraduate students at the University are subject to a limit of 250 hours of paid
activities per session associated with teaching or the equivalent in professional practice. A
session is a period of 12 months from 01 September – 31 August. The limit of 250 hours
includes preparation, marking, and other paid activity directly related to their training or
related professional activity. It is felt that further commitments would interfere with an
individual’s studies. The University, within the 250 hours of paid activity per session, will
include the other paid duties undertaken by postgraduate research students described in
section 2 above.
(i)
(ii)
It is recognised that some full-time students may need to work in order to survive
financially and a more flexible approach may be considered in these cases.
Full-time students who wish to undertake paid activities beyond 250 hours should
discuss with their supervisor whether any teaching or other work undertaken will
adversely affect the time available for the conduct of the research. The Dean of
the Faculty/Head of Schooliii is responsible for considering and granting approval
for such cases. He or she must also ensure that the decision is recorded and
that the situation is closely monitored to ensure that there is no adverse
academic impact on the progress of the student’s research degree studies.
Students should note, however, that some sponsoring bodies (including Research Councils,
Charities and other Sponsors) may impose a lower limit for paid activities per session. All
students funded by such bodies are required to observe the limits imposed.
Part-time students are not subject to restrictions imposed by the University on the number of
hours of paid work undertaken but the Dean of the Faculty/Head of Schooliii has
responsibility for ensuring guidance is given on the amount of time that should be devoted to
their research degree studies
6. Notification of Terms of Engagement and Payment Arrangements
6.1 All postgraduates involved in demonstrating and tutorial assistance will be asked by
the Faculty/School in which they will provide these duties to complete a document (currently
called the ‘Registration form and statement of the terms under which Demonstrating and
Tutorial Assistance is to be provided’). Students may register to undertake demonstrating
and tutorial assistance for an initial period of three years. The form asks for personal details,
which form the basis of their record on the payroll. The Dean of the Faculty/Head of Schooliii
completes details of the type and level of teaching or demonstrating, the rate of pay and the
maximum numbers of hours that the student has been allocated during the academic year.
The form is returned to the student as a record for him/her to keep. Payment will be made
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after the Faculty/School in which the teaching is carried out provides the Payroll Office with
details of the exact number of hours to be paid. Payments will be made on a monthly basis.
6.2 Postgraduate students providing teaching assistance should complete the ‘Registration
form and statement of the terms of reference under which teaching assistance is provided’.
Students may only register for teaching assistance for the periods in which such duties have
been allocated by the relevant Faculty/School.
6.3 The Registration Forms set out the terms and conditions under which the postgraduate
research student will provide teaching.
7. International (Non-EEA) Students
Nationals of countries outside the European Economic Areaiv who are studying at UK
institutions with student visas are usually permitted to work up to twenty hours per week
during term-time (and more during vacations or work placements that are part of their
studies). The policy of the Graduate Board, however, is that there is a limit of 250 hours of
paid University-based activities per session for full-time research students to allow
individuals to concentrate on their studies. The exception is the overtime period, when it
may be permissible, in special cases, for international students to work up to a maximum of
twenty hours per week.
8. Selection for and Allocation of Teaching
Teaching is to be undertaken by postgraduates on a voluntary basis only and students
should not be made to feel pressurised into taking on unwelcome teaching commitments. It
must be stressed, however, that the scope for such opportunities varies between different
schools/faculties and students should not assume teaching opportunities will always be
available.
All eligible postgraduate research students will be given the opportunity to express an
interest in teaching. The Dean of the Faculty/Head of Schooliii must ensure that
opportunities are distributed fairly and with due regard to the qualifications, experience,
aptitude and skills of each individual. The overriding factor however is to ensure the quality
of the teaching made available to the receiving students.
The student’s supervisor will be given the opportunity to comment on the appropriate stage
for a candidate to undertake teaching duties and on the potential impact on the progress of
their research degree studies. However, responsibility for the decision on allocating
teaching duties rests with the Dean of the Faculty/Head of Schooliii.
The process adopted by the Faculty/School should be transparent and ensure equality of
access and opportunity. Reasonable adjustments should be made for disabled students.v
Each Faculty/School should have a member of staff with responsibility for the coordination
and monitoring of the quality of the teaching undertaken by postgraduate research students.
In particular, care will be taken to bring to the attention of the research student undertaking
such teaching, any reasonable adjustment identified as part of an assessment of need for
disabled students.
9. Training
The University requires that all postgraduates with teaching responsibilities receive training
and guidance. It is the responsibility of the relevant schools/faculties to ensure that training
is provided. Some schools/faculties provide appropriate training and the Staff and
Departmental Development Unit (SDDU) also runs a central programme of workshops for
postgraduates who teach. Participation in SDDU training for teaching is strongly
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recommended for postgraduates with limited teaching experience. Equally significant is the
training and on-going guidance received in the Faculty/School.
Postgraduates must:
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receive an induction into teaching in their Faculty/School;
receive training in Health and Safety procedures;
be fully informed of all risks and controls required as an outcome of any risk
assessments;
receive training in the use of any special equipment required for demonstrating or
other techniques specific to the Faculty/School;
receive all information for the module(s) on which they are teaching – module
materials, handouts, etc.
be assigned a mentor with whom they should meet regularly to discuss their specific
teaching duties and responsibilities, the modules within which their teaching takes
place, their progress and any problems and marking conventions within the
Faculty/School;
be encouraged to meet together in the Faculty/School to share ideas, resources and
concerns. Appropriate issues arising should be considered by the Faculty/School
learning and teaching committee;
be kept informed about relevant administrative procedures, e.g. plagiarism and
cheating, late or non-submission of work, attendance at classes;
be advised of any reasonable adjustments identified as part of an assessment of
need for a disabled student that they will be engaged in teaching;
receive constructive feedback on their performance from the module manager or
another member of the academic staffvi;
receive appropriate assessment training where postgraduate research students are
involved in assessment.
In addition any teaching undertaken by postgraduates should be included in
module/programme review.
10. Module Design
Module design should remain the responsibility of academic staff. It is not expected that
postgraduates paid on an hourly basis will be involved in module design. However,
postgraduates who teach should be involved in programme and module review by being
invited to report back on the structure, level and content of modules on which they teach.
11. Marking
Schools/Faculties are required to give careful consideration as to whether or not
postgraduates should be involved in marking and assessment. Adequate guidance, including
clear criteria and marking schemes where appropriate, should be made available to the
postgraduate, and their marking must be comprehensively monitored and moderated.
Assessment design must remain the responsibility of the Module Manager. Postgraduate
Demonstrators and Tutorial/Teaching Assistants may be involved in assisting academic staff
in the design of assessments; such duties should be carried out under close supervision and
guidance from the member of staff involved.
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12. Accommodation and Resources
It is expected that adequate accommodation, equipment and facilities such as photocopiers
will be made available to postgraduates. Many postgraduates are allocated desks in shared
offices, and where postgraduates are required to carry out individual tuition suitable
accommodation should be made available for this purpose.
13. Faculty/School Support
Schools/Faculties are required to organise support for postgraduates with teaching
responsibilities by the following means:
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the nomination of a member of staff who will co-ordinate postgraduate teaching
within the Faculty/School
assignment of a mentor to each postgraduate involved in teaching, demonstrating
and tutorial work and assessment
peer support mechanisms such as regular meetings of postgraduates to pool ideas,
discuss teaching methods, problems and solutions. (A member of staff could be
present at such meetings to offer advice and facilitate feedback.)
14. Procedures for Evaluation and Review
There should be clear and regular procedures within schools/faculties for the evaluation and
review of the performance and role of postgraduate research students who teach.
The University will only continue to employ postgraduate students when their performance is
judged to be satisfactory.
The University of Leeds also has a Code of Practice for Postgraduate Teaching Assistants
(Part-time Students who are also Part-time Junior Members of Teaching Staff). This Code of
Practice is available at www.hr.leeds.ac.uk/policies/UploadedFiles/Teaching%20Assistants%20%Teaching%20Assistance.doc
JYF/ST/rdscommo/sarah/gradboard/sess06/review of cop for students engaged in teaching/final copy of code
EXT 35778
25/06/08
i
In exceptional circumstances, approved by the relevant Faculty Pro-Dean for Learning and Teaching,
students studying for taught Masters’ degrees (with appropriate relevant experience) may be
recommended to provide teaching. For those taught postgraduate students engaged in teaching the
principles and arrangements set out in this Code will apply.
ii
Other duties that may be undertaken by postgraduate research students include:
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Oversight of the computer facilities available at the University
Supervision of laboratory facilities (out of hours)
Bookshelving in the University library
Invigilation and other related duties during examinations
Other duties may be added from time to time.
iii
or individual to whom responsibility has been delegated
Details of those countries within the European Economic Area can be found at
http://www.ukcisa.org.uk/student/eea.php
v The Equality Service provides guidance and advice to staff and students (www.equality.leeds.ac.uk)
vi The feedback provided should be recorded.
iv
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