Service teaching, a few principles
The provision of service teaching is designed to be mutually beneficial for all the departments
involved. The advantages are many, but they must be balanced against any potential loss of
quality, control and integration compared to delivery in house.
Departments providing students (the home department) will expect them to be:

well taught, by high quality, motivated staff who are experts in the subject,

well treated,

well supported with suitable feedback and

fairly examined.
If the course is part of the core curriculum, it is expected that it will fit in with the home
department’s programme of study.
Departments teaching to other students (service department) will expect:

fair payment (in FTE’s) for their effort,

support from the home department in terms of student engagement, and attendance
and

not to be inconvenienced for small student numbers
A main principle that is set out in this document is that the larger the cohort that is supplied,
the more control the home department will have over what is taught, and the provision for it.
This is laid out in table 1 below.
It will be seen that using another department to teach a small number of students will be on
the basis that they will join in. Whereas, if a department is going to receive the payment for a
whole class from a large department, special provision may be expected so that the home
department’s program will not need to undergo major changes.
If more than 50 students are taught by a receiving department, the lecturer in charge (or a
proxy) will be expected to attend the examiners’ meeting in the home department.
It is hoped that this common sense approach will encourage departments to move students
around the faculty to the benefit of all. Departments will be encouraged to move teaching
around, but there will be no coercion if a mutually advantageous solution is not possible.
It is expected that the quality and support given to students at the appropriate level will be of
high quality. It is hoped that any issues can be sorted out between departments, but if there
are quality issues, a faculty officer unconnected with either department will help to achieve
resolution.
Stephen Beck 23 Feb 2010.
Cohort
size
Lectures
Tutorials
Labs
Monitoring
Students join in with existing
tutorials where possible. If not
possible, home department will pay
for postgraduate level tutorial
support.
Students join in with existing
labs. If not possible, home
department will pay for
postdoctoral level laboratory
supervision.
Student feedback
questionnaires
Students join in with existing
tutorials where possible. If not
possible, service department will
provide postgraduate level tutorial
support.
Students join in with existing
labs. If not possible, service
department will provide
postdoctoral level laboratory
supervision.
Student feedback
questionnaires
Lecturer will be aware of their
Students join in with existing
presence and suitable examples can
About half
classes. Lecturers will be made be supplied as part of the course.
of home
aware of their presence and
Students join in with existing
department
suitable examples can be
tutorials . If not possible, service
cohort
supplied as part of the course. department will provide
postdoctoral level tutorial support.
Students join in with existing
labs . If not possible, service
department can provide special
laboratory sessions.
Student feedback
questionnaires
Students join in with existing
classes. Lecturers will be
Nearly all
aware of them and suitable
of home
examples will be supplied as
department
part of the course. The home
cohort
department may negotiate for
certain topics to be covered.
Timetabled laboratory tutorial
sessions can be supplied for
students.
Timetabled laboratory sessions
can be supplied for students.
Student feedback
questionnaires. Attendance
at examiners’ meeting.
Annual meeting with DOT.
Home department may provide
Timetabled laboratory tutorial
learning outcomes if needed.
sessions can be supplied for
Students may be taught
students.
separately.
Timetabled laboratory sessions
can be supplied for students.
The topics and number will be
agreed by both departments.
Student feedback
questionnaires .Attendance
at examiners’ meeting.
Annual meeting with DOT
to discuss curriculum
Very small Students join in with existing
numbers classes.
Small
numbers
Very large
numbers
Students join in with existing
classes.
changes..
Table 1: Principles of supply of service teaching: cohort size and support.