Operating Procedures for Post-Graduate Teaching Assistant and Postgraduate University Teacher (PGTAs and PGUTs)

Purpose and definition

Postholders are employed on a five year training contract on a full-time basis during which they are also registered for a PhD on a part-time basis. The purpose of the role is to offer able students the opportunity to develop their academic career by supporting the teaching activity within Schools, thereby gaining valuable experience, while studying for a PhD with tuition fees covered by the University.

In general, the employment terms relate to the postholder’s teaching role and their PhD studies are governed by the relevant academic regulations and procedures Continued employment in the role is dependent on satisfactory progress with the PhD. Further details are set out below.

 

Vacancies will be advertised in accordance with normal staff recruitment procedures (see: Recruitment & probation). Opportunities will include the general areas of research interest available for PhD projects but will not normally be based on a specific PhD project. Candidates will therefore be asked to provide a brief proposal covering their PhD interests as part of the application. Candidates must meet the standard academic requirements for registration as a PhD student in the relevant subject area. Candidates will receive separate offer letters confirming their employment terms and the offer of PhD registration.

Posts will normally start on 1 September or 1 of January of a given year and individuals will be registered with effect from 1 October or 1 January respectively for their PhD. The maximum period of appointment will be for five years and one month to 30 September for 1 September starters and five years exactly to 31 December for January starters.

Only individuals with existing rights to work and study in the UK can be considered as the role does not meet the requirements for visa sponsorship under UK immigration regulations.

The views of potential PhD supervisors on suitability for research study and of staff with responsibility for teaching on suitability for the teaching duties of the role will both be taken into account to generate the shortlist of candidates. During the final stage of the selection process including the interview, the candidate’s ability to undertake a PhD and the teaching duties will be evaluated and supervisors will be identified. The selected candidate will be offered the appointment and if they accept, directed to complete the on-line application form for registration for PhD study. A formal offer to register as a part-time PhD student for a period of five years with one of the relevant start dates noted above will then be issued by the Doctoral College Office.

All PGTAs will be subject to a 12 month probation period. They will be line managed in respect of their teaching duties by an appropriate member of academic staff within the School who will be responsible for managing their probationary period and subsequently conducting their Performance and Development Reviews (PDR).

Each postholder will have a Principal and Secondary PhD supervisor and their PhD studies will be overseen by the School’s Director of Doctoral Programmes (DDP). Their PhD progress will be monitored according to the standard University and School procedures for part-time PhD students, taking into account that the duration of registration is 5 years.

Each postholder will also have a mentor who will be responsible for resolving any conflicts between the demands of their teaching activities and their PhD studies.

Employment will continue for the duration of the contract as long as teaching performance and research progress remain satisfactory unless the postholder completes their PhD early (see section 6 below).

PGTAs will initially be appointed to SSA grade 5 and will be expected to gain Associate Fellow status of the Higher Education Academy (or other such body) within the first two years of employment.

Not before the conclusion of the second year a review will take place to assess the contribution that the PGTA is making to teaching in the School. If they have secured Associate Fellowship and have demonstrated sufficient ability to take on greater responsibility, they should be transferred to SSA grade 6 and their post will be retitles Postgraduate University Teacher. Deans of School will be prompted by Human Resources (HR) to consider whether promotion to grade 6 is merited when PGTAs are close to completing two years’ service.

Postholders will be expected to teach no more than the equivalent of 2 days per week over a 52 week period and will receive a full training programme, which will be delivered by colleagues in the Centre for Academic Practice. (CAP). The core training programme is mandatory.

In relation to their teaching duties, all University terms and conditions in relation to employment will apply to postholders and in relation to their studies, the relevant terms and conditions for research students will normally apply. Should disciplinary action be required, the relevant staff procedures will be used. In the event of any other conflict between a staff policy and a student policy, the Chief Operating Officer will adjudicate on which policy should be followed. 

Postholders’ performance as a staff member and a student will be managed separately in accordance with the relevant staff and student policies. 

There is a requirement that performance in both roles (student and staff member) will be at least satisfactory. Where this is not the case, the appropriate procedure (s) should be implemented to address this and the postholder should be made aware of the potential consequences for their continued employment (see section 6 below). 

Extensions to the contract of employment in these roles will be granted only in exceptional circumstances, for example, where the postholder has been absent for a considerable period of time, e.g. maternity, paternity, adoption or long-term sickness.

Extensions to employment will not be made during extensions of registration to complete the PhD beyond the 5 year period of study. 

The appointment will conclude after 5 years except where an employment contract extension has been approved for the reasons outlined in section 5 above. Postholders will not be placed on the redeployment register at the conclusion of the contract.

If a postholder stops being a PhD student at any point during the contract, for whatever reason, the employment contract will automatically lapse, subject to contractual notice provisions. Where the PhD is completed successfully (examiners have recommended the award of the degree), the employment will be brought to end with a minimum of the contractual notice period. This may be extended for a short period at the discretion of the Dean to allow teaching for the current Semester to be concluded.

If a postholder resigns during the contract, discussions may take place separately regarding their PhD studies. The postholder will have the same rights as other part-time PhD students and as long as they are able to fulfil the requirements to engage with their research and to cover the tuition fees, it should be possible for them to continue with their PhD programme. 

 

Anne Lamb, Deputy Director (Human Resources)

Jennifer Nutkins, Academic Registrar

October 2017 vs4