Overview
The CST PhD Teaching Framework (PTF) is a programme where all PhD students have to perform a number of teaching activities as part of their Research Skills Programme (RSP).
The overriding principle is to expose all PhD students to a teaching experience in as flexible manner as possible, where they can tailor the amount as they see appropriate.
The PTF programme sets the minimum teaching that any PhD student should undertake. Students are encouraged to take upon more teaching as appropriate.
PTF Teaching Activities
The following table presents all teaching activities that are included in the PTF programme. For each activity, we discuss the minimum amount of teaching load that a student should take in order for this activity to be successfully counted for the PTF purposes. Note that students can take upon more teaching as appropriate.
| Activity type | PTF minimum load |
|---|---|
| supervision | 1 group supervision on any course in a single term |
| project | 1 Part II, III or MPhil student project in a year (for 1st-year PhD students see point 6 below) |
| demo | 1 hour of demonstration on any course in a single term |
| ticks | 1 hour of ticking on any course in a single term |
| TA | 1 TA support on any course in a single term |
| misc | 1 misc activity in a single term |
PTF Rules
- Every PhD student has to successfully complete this within their first three year of PhD studies.
- To complete this, a student has to successfully complete any single teaching activity in their first year of PhD studies, any two in their second and finally any two in their third year. So, in total a student has to successfully undertake five activities. The goal is to help students spread their teaching load over the years. Note that a PhD student cannot supervise a project in their first year. Note that the minimum load of the PTF programme over the duration of the PhD is 5h, e.g., 4 demo and 1 misc activities of 1h each.
- Within the five teaching activities at least two should be different. The goal is to allow students to engage in different activities for a better overall teaching experience.
- Both activities in a single year can be completed in any term and a student can perform two activities in the same term. However, for two activities of the same type in the same term to be counted for the PTF programme, they should be on different courses. The goal is to allow students to spread their load as they see appropriate with regards to their research work.
- Activities of the same type on the same course can be performed over different years. The goal is to encourage students to teach using their past experience to become better at it.
- For 1st-year PhD students only: a PhD student who was a Cambridge UG can supervise Part II projects; a PhD student who was a Cambridge Part III/MPhil graduate can supervise ACS/Part III projects.
- All students have to attend the MU101 “Teaching Experience” mandatory unit given in the Michaelmas term. In this unit we introduce and explain the PTF programme and discuss matters of PhD teaching in the department.
