Teaching Fellow in International Relations College of Social Science Department of Politics and International Relations Salary Grade 7-31,644 to 36,661 per annum Fixed Term Contract from 1 August 2014 30 June 2016 (** see below for contract information) Ref: SSC00520 At Leicester we re going places. Ranked in the top 20 universities in Britain our aim is to climb further. A commitment to high quality fused with an inclusive academic culture is our hallmark and led the Times Higher Education to describe us as elite without being elitist. You will teach a second year undergraduate module on US Foreign Policy and a final year undergraduate module on the Politics of Nuclear Weapons and contribute to the first year undergraduate module The Classics of International Relations. You will also be expected to teach postgraduate modules in an area of international relations on both campus and DL programmes. You will also undertake dissertation supervision, administration and other activities supporting the work of the Department and developing and enhancing its reputation, both internal and external to the University. You will be expected to take a full part in examining duties within the Department of Politics and International Relations, and other administrative duties assigned by the Head of the Department. Candidates with expertise in international politics with a focus on American foreign policy and an interest in the politics of nuclear weapons are encouraged to apply. You should have completed, or be near to completing, a PhD, and have teaching experience in an equivalent educational setting. The University There s never been a more exciting time to join us. At the University of Leicester we are enjoying research success on a world stage and gathering the awards and plaudits to match. We are described as elite without being elitist. We are proud to be elite. But we are at least as proud to be an inclusive and progressive university. This commitment to high quality, an inclusive academic culture and belief in the synergy of teaching and research are our hallmarks. We believe that teaching is inspirational when delivered by passionate scholars engaged in world-changing research that is delivered in an academic community that includes postgraduate as well as undergraduate students. Our approach to research yields great rewards. Our research impact, measured by citations per academic, is ranked in the UK top 10. Our success in the 2008 Research Assessment Exercise saw Quality Related research income rise by 18% placing us firmly amongst Britain s top 20 research universities by this measure. The RAE also revealed that Leicester is home to Britain s top-rated
research department Museum Studies which has the highest concentration of world class research of any department of any discipline in the UK. We believe that teaching and research are synergistic, and the National Student Survey demonstrates that the quality of our teaching is amongst the highest in the country. Since the launch of the survey in 2005, Leicester has consistently featured amongst the top-10 universities in England for student satisfaction. The Sunday Times described Leicester as "top... amongst mainstream multifaculty universities for student satisfaction". Currently a University of 23,000 students, with a turnover in excess of 260m and 3,300 colleagues, our future is bright. Our Strategic Vision describes our plans to invest a billion pounds in our estate as we transform our campus. Ranked 13 th out of 120 universities by the Guardian, by 2015 we aim to rise further to become top-10. Leicester is the most inclusive of Britain s top-20 universities with the greatest proportions of students from under-represented groups. As a group of talented individuals we are more diverse than ever and stronger for it. At Leicester we are proud of our distinct approach, our achievements and our ambitious plans. If you share our approach join us. Please see http://www2.le.ac.uk/about/facts for more information about the University. We are proud holders of the Athena Swan Bronze Award which recognises and celebrates good practice for employment in science, engineering and technology (SET) in higher education and research. The award reflects our commitment to the advancement and promotion of diversity and equality. We are actively seeking Silver and Gold awards. http://www.athenaswan.org.uk College of Social Science This is a great time to be part of the College of Social Science at the University of Leicester. The College is committed to pursuing excellence in teaching and learning, research and enterprise and the administration of our activities. We share the University s ambition to become one of the top 150 universities in the world and we seek to align our activities with the pursuit of that ambition. We are home to nearly 11,000 students and 350 staff across eight departments covering a wide range of social science disciplines. We also support interdisciplinary work both within the College and across the wider University. We are in a financially healthy position, owing to a diverse range of income sources. Our teaching is successful and growing, with substantial growth in our student population since 2004/5. Demand for student places is underpinned by innovative offerings, particularly at postgraduate level and through distance learning. We are passionate about both teaching and research and committed to providing our students with a research-led teaching environment which combines academic excellence with a friendly student-centred learning experience. We are proud of our consistently high scores in the National Student Survey. World-class research in a range of disciplines is complemented by significant interdisciplinary research activity. Our policy related and applied work links our academics to governments, the third sector and commercial organisations in the UK, Europe and across the world. We are building on our strong performances in the RAE2008 by investing in staff and PhD studentships and by supporting individual researchers with a range of initiatives to help them grow and develop their research. Department of Politics and International Relations The successful candidate will be joining a dynamic and expanding department. The Department is one of the most popular in the UK in terms of student satisfaction. We were placed 5th out of 66 HEIs University of Leicester 2 23 April 2014
in the 2011 National Student Surveys after being placed first in both the 2010 and 2009 Surveys. The Department was ranked 12th in The Guardian s 2012 Politics subject league table. In addition to our undergraduate programmes, on which over 230 students are currently enrolled, we offer an established range of campus-based MA awards as well as a new MA in Human Rights and Global Ethics. We also have a highly successful and expanding MA Distance Learning programme, and host an expanding community of PhD students. The Department currently has 22 full-time academic staff - including two professors, four readers and four senior lecturers as well as two emeritus professors and eight administrative staff. The Head of Department is Professor Mark Phythian. All academic staff are active researchers and experts in their respective fields. Research within the Department is organised around the broad themes of global ethics and human rights and comparative party politics, with particular staff expertise in areas such as: human rights; animal rights; children and social justice; the politics of property; victimhood ; security and military intervention; intelligence; migration; post-communist democratisation in eastern Europe; US government and politics; US foreign policy; South African politics; the Conservative Party; the centre-right in British politics; the politics of Northern Ireland; the question of Europe in British politics; and the European Parliament. Your Role The post-holder will be responsible to the Head of Department of Politics and International Relations. The post holder will be expected to contribute to the teaching of international relations at undergraduate and postgraduate levels as decided by the Head of Department. The post holder will be expected to teach a second year undergraduate module on US Foreign Policy, and a final year undergraduate module on the Politics of Nuclear Weapons and contribute to the first year undergraduate module The Classics of International Relations. The post holder will also be expected to teach postgraduate modules in an area of international relations on both campus and DL programmes. The person appointed will also undertake dissertation supervision, administration and other activities supporting the work of the Department and developing and enhancing its reputation, both internal and external to the University. The post-holder will be expected to take a full part in examining duties within the Department of Politics and International Relations, and other administrative duties assigned by the Head of the Department. Principal Accountabilities To give lectures, seminars, tutorials and other classes, as appropriate, in support of the required teaching obligations, and to supervise dissertation and project work in Politics and International Relations. To teach a range of core and optional modules at undergraduate and postgraduate level, to include undergraduate modules on American foreign policy, the politics of nuclear weapons and classics of International Relations. To develop course materials to enhance teaching delivery Supervision of BA student dissertations, including assessment Personal tutoring of students to include monitoring of student activities and provision of responses to student inquiries in order to ensure student satisfaction. To ensure that student feedback on teaching is sought, through questionnaires and other means, and to respond constructively to such feedback and to advice from peers. To maintain a broad knowledge of up-to-date research and scholarship in relevant fields to ensure that teaching meets the standards expected within a research-led University. University of Leicester 3 23 April 2014
To undertake academic duties (e.g. setting examination papers, marking, invigilation and pastoral support of students) required to sustain the delivery of high quality teaching. To support and comply with the University and departmental teaching quality assurance standards and procedures, including the provision of such information as may be required by the Department or the University. Administration To undertake such specific departmental roles as may be reasonably required by the Head of Department (or such person to whom responsibility may have been delegated). To attend departmental meetings and to participate in other committees and working groups within the department, the faculty and the University to which appointed or elected. To participate in relevant professional activities. To ensure compliance with health and safety requirements in all aspects of work. Qualifications, Knowledge and Experience Essential Desirable Degree in Politics and/ or International Relations* Ability to teach modules in American foreign policy and the politics of nuclear weapons PhD finished* Teaching experience* Experience of and/or interest in Distance Learning* Skills, Abilities and Competencies Essential Evidence of ability to teach undergraduate and postgraduate students in lectures, tutorials and seminars* Good effective written and oral communication skills, presentation and training skills Good interpersonal skills Ability to work independently as well as part of a team Ability to plan, organise, implement, and deliver programmes of work Competence in IT and familiarity with a computerised environment (* Criteria to be used in shortlisting candidates for interview) Informal Enquiries Informal enquiries are welcome and should be made to on Professor Mark Phythian on mp249@le.ac.uk or 0116 252 2704 Applications For further information and to apply on-line, please visit our website: www.le.ac.uk/joinus University of Leicester 4 23 April 2014
The closing date for this post is midnight on Thursday 01 May 2014. Candidates short-listed for interview will be contacted by the University. If you do not receive a communication from the University within 4 weeks of the closing date, please assume that your application has been unsuccessful. University of Leicester 5 23 April 2014