Doctoral College

Teaching opportunities

We understand that a big part of the PGR experience is to get involved in teaching and at the University of Exeter there are a variety of different teaching opportunities available. These include:

PTAs

Postgraduate Teaching Associates (PTAs)

These opportunities will be advertised within colleges, with contracts managed by HR. 


Study Space Facilitation

Volunteer to help in running online study spaces for fellow postgraduates.

Study Spaces

Widening Participation

Teaching through the Widening Participation Team

Tutoring

Work through the Brilliant Club – an award-winning charity that recruits, trains and pays doctoral and post-doctoral researchers £500 per place to deliver programmes of university-style teaching to small tutorial groups of high-performing pupils in schools that serve disadvantaged communities. 

How does it work?

On The Scholars Programme, tutors are trained to create a course based on their own academic research pitched at pupils in Key Stage 4 or 5. Tutors also have the opportunity to deliver a pre-designed programme to younger pupils aged 8-10. They deliver this course in university-style tutorials to groups of 7. 

To help fit alongside their other commitments, tutors indicate their availability on a termly basis. Placements are paid from £550 per placement, with an additional £121 for designing a Scholars Programme course (plus London weighting). Travel expenses are also paid.  

Why Become a Brilliant Club Tutor?

 Support local pupils from underrepresented backgrounds to access university

  • Get expert training and real experience to develop your teaching and other transferable skills
  • Earn from £550 per placement plus an additional £121 for designing a new course (plus London weighting), and travel expenses
  • Disseminate your research to small groups of school pupils
  • Join a nationwide community of like-minded researchers making a huge impact on university access

Tutors are supported by a, currently online, training programme including sessions on tutorial pedagogy, assessment and designing a course handbook.

The Placement Journey consists of a Launch Event followed by six further tutorials either socially distanced in school or delivered remotely via The Brilliant Club’s VLE. At the end of the programme pupils submit an assignment which is marked by their tutor.

You can find out more about The Brilliant Club and the tutoring opportunity online here. Or to sign up for an information webinar, click here.

To apply immediately to work as a Brilliant Club tutor please complete The Brilliant Club’s online application form.

If you have any queries, please do not hesitate to email The Brilliant Club at apply@thebrilliantclub.org.

Thinking of applying? You might find the following resources useful:

Part of the focus of The Brilliant Club recruitment is PGRs approach to interactive, reflective teaching. Therefore, PGRs interested in applying to The Scholar's Programme may benefit from having attended Learning and Teaching in Higher Education Programme (LTHE), which introduces the underlying principles and practical methods of effective learning and teaching.

Examples of Exeter PGRs projects taught in skills, and placement workbooks:

Further support

The Learning and Teaching in Higher Education (LTHE) Programme introduces the principles of effective learning, teaching, and assessment in higher education (HE). It is designed to provide early-career developmental support for doctoral students who will be undertaking work as postgraduate teaching associates (PTAs).

The LTHE programme is designed to inspire educators to think creatively about a range of aspects of learning and teaching in HE and to make connections between personal experiences, the experiences of others, and learning and teaching theories that have been developed by researchers and practitioners. 

The LTHE programme is comprised of five taught units, divided into two stages:

  • Stage One = Unit 1
  • Stage Two = units 2-5

Completing Stage One is mandatory prior to undertaking any Postgraduate Teaching Associate (PTA) duties, while prospective PTAs should also register for Stage Two if they are going to be designing/planning their own teaching sessions, or supporting marking and feedback activity.

LTHE participants also have an opportunity to submit an optional assessment; successful completion of which results in Associate Fellowship of the university’s EduExe Framework and of AdvanceHE (AFHEA) – a professional body that accredits LTHE and recognises achievements in educational practice at institutions around the world.

 

PGRs who are working alongside their study are encouraged to read the TQA PGR Handbook Employment of postgraduate students: code of good practice, which details the expectations of managing study and working during your degree. Students are reminded to consider the number of hours that they work alongside study, as detailed in Section 6 of the chapter, which confirms that the total study and work hours should add up to a maximum of 1830 hours in the year.

For anyone who is undertaking paid teaching for the University of Exeter as a Postgraduate Teaching Associates (PTA), your contract and payment is looked after by the HR team- any enquiries you may have about payment and contracts need to be directed to the HR team. 

Full details of the support available for PTA can be found on the HR website.