Tutoring at LSHTM

1. Tutoring at LSHTM Anna Foss Educational Supervisor for the Postgraduate Certificate in Learning and Teaching (PGCILT) and Tutor and Project Supervisor / Advisor for the Control of Infectious Diseases MSc

2. Helpful reference document on intranet • You are here: Home > Teaching Programme > Staff Resources • Teaching Programme - Staff Resources • Teaching Policies and Codes of Practice - covers Orientation, Tutorial Support, Module Design and Management, and Evaluation and Review: http://intra.lshtm.ac.uk/tpd/taughtcourses/staffresources/tpols_cop_1_2_3_5.pdf

3. Faculty of Public Health & Policy (PHP)

4. PHP MScs PHP, through Taught Course Director (Hannah Babad), allocates Tutors to 4 MScs: • Health Policy, Planning & Financing (HPPF) • Course Director: Neil Spicer • Public Health (PH) • Course Directors: Helen Hogan, Kiran Nanchahal, Jennifer Gosling, Wendy MacDowall • Control of Infectious Diseases (CID) • Course Director for PHP: Anna Foss • Public Health in Developing Countries (PHDC) • Course Director for PHP: Tanya Marchant

5. Policy • Each student allocated a personal Tutor to deal with academic matters and pastoral care • If academic matters beyond scope of Tutor then Tutor to find another member of staff • Where the personal relationship is clearly not working – first contact MSc Course Director • Tutors to be familiar with School’s formal policies on tutoring • Each Tutor must keep him/herself fully informed of the actions of PHP Teaching Committee, via MSc Course Committee and/or MSc Course Director

6. Role of personal Tutor in PHP • Tutor should make him/herself available to each tutee for one half-hour every fortnight in Term 1 and then once every 3 weeks • Tutorial must be for tutee alone • Responsibility of tutee to make regular appointments to see Tutor – but Tutors should follow-up on students who do not make contact • Students may request additional meetings and these should be accommodated when appropriate • If Tutors are absent for longer than two weeks they should delegate another Tutor

7. Tasks of tutor The Tutor will where possible: • provide guidance on choice of teaching modules • report problems to Course Director • be aware of problems with languages, literacy or numeracy • offer advice on assessments • offer help with examination skills • approach staff for help and advice on behalf of tutee • maintain awareness of mental & physical health of tutee and provide guidance if appropriate • provide information regarding changes to course

8. Tutorial Record Form • Available from MSc Course Administrators • Tutor responsible for ensuring form is completed and signed by Tutor and student • Copy should be retained by Tutor • Completed forms should be given to MSc Course Administrator each term • Discussion via email with students should also be retained

9. Key Skills • Tutors have a particular duty to support their tutees in identifying and addressing any problems • English for Academic Purposes (Lucy Allen) • Basic Maths (Anna Foss) • Student Advice & Counselling Service (Frankie Edwards / Emma Nabavian) • Careers Office (careers@lshtm.ac.uk) • Tutors may be expected to set and review a piece of written work during Term 1

10. Academic roles • Supervising / advising / tutoring and marking MSc Projects • Examination setting and marking for the June Exam Papers • Attending teaching related Committees and events • Not all roles required of all tutors - depends on MSc and level of experience • It is recommended that staff only Tutor on one MSc to avoid duplication of allocated responsibilities

11. Faculty of Infectious and Tropical Diseases (ITD) Taught Course Director: Graham Clark

12. ITD: Term 1 • Meetings: minimum - fortnightly (term one), about every three weeks thereafter (at least once in C, D and E slots) • Ask tutee how they want to arrange this: • regular fixed time during the week (weekly/fortnightly) • tutor available at fixed time • ad hoc - student to e-mail tutor to set up meeting • Tutor to keep contact by periodic e-mail and meet if desired • If initial meeting indicates language difficulties enquire if attending English for Academic Purposes classes • Set an essay based on agreed topic to be handed in at fixed time before end of Term 1 • Explain how projects are organised - see project handbook • Meeting to discuss Term 2/3 module choices

13. ITD (and PHP and EPH): Terms 2 and 3 • “Struggling students” may be eligible for extra support (PASS) • If requested, advise on Module assessments • Monitor Module grades posted by TSO on U drive • Advise / encourage completion of the project CARE form • Offer to advise on organising revision for exams and to review attempts for structure / depth of content • Regularly check on progress during the project and write-up period • Be willing to act as referee on job / academic applications

14. Main differences in ITD compared to PHP • Tutor is rarely the supervisor on most MScs • Way in which projects are found by / allocated to the student: • Student discusses ideas with tutor who directs them to potential supervisors (internal or external) • ITD send round list of potential projects and supervisors towards end of Term 1 • Tutors often tutor on more than one MSc • Tutors not expected to be involved in exams unless invited to be part of exam board or provide questions • Limited use the tutor record form but tutors must keep email correspondence

15. Faculty of Epidemiology and Population Health (EPH) Taught Course Director: Craig Higgins

16. Main differences in EPH compared to PHP All the procedures / policies are the same in EPH as PHP except for: • In EPH some but not many use the tutor record form – responsibility for this is left with tutor  • MSc courses vary slightly from each other in some of their practises such as whether tutors help students with past exam questions • Once assigned to an MSc you will be informed of what is expected