Postgraduate Teaching Assistant (PGTA) - BA Education, Culture and Society

About Us

The Department of Education, Practice and Society (EPS) at UCL Institute of Education brings together specialists from disciplines including history, sociology and philosophy to undertake research supporting education across the life course. The department contributes to economic, social and political debate and partners with external organisations to ensure educational research delivers academic, professional and practical impact for individuals and communities.

Our work addresses current and emerging societal challenges—such as economic change and social injustice—by building networks and partnerships that strengthen knowledge exchange between education, work and communities. The department has an exciting portfolio of research projects.

About the Role

The main purpose of this PGTA role is to support teaching and learning on modules for the BA Education, Culture and Society within the Department of Education, Practice and Society. You will work closely with academic staff to deliver small-group teaching (typically seminars of approximately 15–20 students), provide feedback to students, attend lectures, report attendance, and undertake coursework assessment and marking. Regular meetings with the course lecturer are expected.

PGTAs are required to be present on the Bloomsbury campus during the terms for which teaching is allocated and during the examination period, as required.

Modules

We are currently appointing to the following Year 1 modules:

• Philosophical Reflections on Education with Film (Term 1)
• Living in a Schooled Society (Term 1)
• Foundations in the Sociology of Education (Term 1)
• Understanding Education Research: Numbers, Narratives, Knowledge and Nonsense (Term 1)
• Literacy, Language and Communication (Term 2)
• How People Learn (Term 2)
• Education in the Age of Globalisation (Term 2)
• Youth in a Globalising World (Term 2)
• The Worlds of UCL: Critical Histories of Education, Nation and Empire (Term 2)

Contract Dates and Eligibility

• Roles are available from 1 September 2025 to UCL Postgraduate Research (PGR) students registered from September 2025.
• The contract length will align with the duration of the applicant’s doctoral studies and will be confirmed at appointment.
• Students may be employed up to a maximum of 180 hours in total as a PGTA across all UCL programmes.
• Apply only if you do not hold a PGTA contract elsewhere at UCL. If appointed as a PGTA on the BA Education, Culture and Society programme, you will not be able to work as a PGTA on any other UCL programme.

About You

Qualifications and Experience

• Currently a UCL PGR student, or registered as a UCL PGR student from September 2025, and not already working—or intending to work—as a PGTA on any other UCL programme in the 2025–2026 academic year.
• Educated to Master’s level (or with equivalent experience) in Education or a related Social Sciences field, and working toward a relevant postgraduate degree (PhD).
• Demonstrable knowledge relevant to the module(s) to be supported.
• Ability to tutor and support undergraduate students on assigned modules.
• Excellent organisational and time-management skills.

Application Guidance

• Your application should address all person specification criteria, clearly numbered, with a response to each one.
• Please state clearly which module(s) you feel able to teach; allocation to preferred modules cannot be guaranteed.
• Please include your CV and do not submit additional materials (e.g., work samples or references).

What We Offer

As well as the exciting opportunities this role presents, we offer a comprehensive benefits package, including:

• 41 days’ holiday: 27 days annual leave, 8 bank holidays and 6 closure days (pro rata for part-time staff)
• Option to purchase an additional 5 days’ annual leave (pro rata for part-time staff)
• Defined benefit career average revalued earnings pension scheme (CARE)
• Cycle to work scheme and season ticket loan
• Immigration loan
• Relocation scheme for certain posts
• On-site nursery
• On-site gym
• Enhanced maternity, paternity and adoption pay
• Employee assistance programme: Staff Support Service
• Discounted medical insurance

Further information about rewards and benefits is available on the UCL website.

Our Commitment to Equality, Diversity and Inclusion

As London’s Global University, UCL knows that diversity fosters creativity and innovation, and we want our community to represent the diversity of the world’s talent. We are committed to equality of opportunity, to being fair and inclusive, and to being a place where we all belong.

We particularly encourage applications from candidates who are likely to be underrepresented in UCL’s workforce, including people from Black, Asian and ethnic minority backgrounds; disabled people; and LGBTQI+ people. For certain senior roles (Grades 9 and 10), we also particularly encourage applications from women.