Hi all,

I have been successfully awarded the ESRC (1+3) studentship a few month ago and will be starting my MA in October, hopefully followed by the PHD I aim to complete. After completing my undergraduate degree in Education and TESOL, I decided to take a year out from uni and use my TESOL teaching qualification to work. I have been teaching TESOL now for a year at a college and my employer has agreed for me to continue my role there on a part time basis ( 9 hours a week- 3 mornings 9am-12pm).

The problem is i'm not sure how many hours I am permitted to work according to ESRC regulations. I love teaching but my research is my main priority so can anyone please tell me how many hours i'm permitted to work so I can inform my employer of whether or not I can accept the job offer. As the studentship included a maintenance grant, i'm not worried about the financial aspect.

Hope you can help!

Mona x

I'm pretty sure it's 6 hours a week, it is for NERC and I think they have the same regulations. Check online though there should be a handbook available for you to read on the ESRC website. I'm pretty sure the handbook says you have to check with your supervisors if it's ok for you to work too.

It could be possible that you will be able to work more for your first year as it's not a PhD, not sure though! Also will you not have classes to go to etc that may clash with your work times?

Hope you get it all sorted anyway!

Caroline

Thank you.

The timetabling for the new academic year at the college has not been created yet, so i'm waiting on my timetable from the university to take into work and explain the times I am able to work. However I don't think it will be a problem as the MA i'm doing is taught but only 2 days a weeks, which leaves me with 3 days free for teaching. 6 hours a week doesn't seem to bad either. I looked at the ESRC website but it all seems very vague. It says a "small" amount of work is permitted, but what constitutes as small? I've just emailed my supervisor but he's not the most punctual person, so I can probably expect an email back mid-sept. lol

Thank you for the advice, I really appreciate it.

Mona x

http://www.esrc.ac.uk/_images/Postgraduate-Funding-Guide-2010-11-studentships_tcm8-14765.pdf

Looked it up as I was curious, it seems they have different rules as they cater for more part time students but it did say:

"Students may undertake a small amount of other paid work either in term time or vacation. The ESRC does not, however, encourage such work especially during the times when they are expected to be engaged fully in research training and thesis preparation. Full-time ESRC studentship award holders cannot also hold either a full-time job, or a permanent part-time job, during the period of their award."

I think they are more lenient if it is related to your research, but again I think it is down to your supervisor overall.

Caro

Sorry I didn't see your post until after my second one! 'Small' amount of work is very vague! But I guess it means you can argue that 9 hours is small compared to the at least 37 hours that you'll be doing your MA/PhD a week! Hope it works out!

Good point! I'll speak to my employer and try and get it down to 6 hours, if not I will argue that 9 hours isn't that much.

Thanks again! x

======= Date Modified 16 Aug 2011 18:39:02 =======
Mona,

Definitely check your timetable - it might end up being more complex than you think to cover the training the ESRC demands you get - I had various blocked two/three day courses for example in addition to the standard weekly meetings. You might end up missing compulsory taught sessions and that could be a progression issue for the ESRC given how crazy they are about research methods training. Another thing you might just want to consider is whether you would want to / are likely to be asked to take on any university seminar teaching. When I had an ESRC award that counted for the 6 hours permitted work, and if you are hoping for an academic career then it would be more useful. THat said I know my university didn't allow anyone to teach until they'd finished the first year of the PhD proper (I don't know whether that's the norm or not) so it might be some way off for you.

Hi,

I don't have my timetable yet, and to be honest have no idea when i'm due to get it. All I was told was that the taught sessions would amount to 2 days a week. Hopefully I get my timetable soon and if I does appear that work will mean missing compulsory taught sessions then the course will always take priority. Do you have any idea when about timetables are handed out? and what is the general structure of the MA like?

Yes my supervisor said that after the 1st year of the PHD I should consider some supportive teaching roles at the university. To be honest i'm very shy so don't think I would have the confidence to do that right now anyway, in a couple of years time who knows.

I think i'm just really nervous at the moment, i'm always doubting myself and the standard of my work and even though being given the studentship has given me more self belief, I feel like I need to prove myself more than ever. I worked 3 jobs and self funded my way through my undergraduate degree and now I feel really humbled that the ESRC see my research proposal and worth exploring. That's why i'm being overly cautious about everything I do now like paid work. I don't want to do anything that might compromise the opportunity I've been given.

Thank you all for the advice, I do genuinely appreciate it.

Mona x

Probably if all universities are as chaotic as the ones I've studied in and now teach at, you won't get the timetable until your induction. THat said the person who will know and who might be able to find the previous year's one to give you an idea is the secretary / administrator for the MA - it might be worth a bit of a nose around the website to identify someone. Often for practical issues such folk are much better informed and reliable than the academics!

Sounds like a good idea! Will do!

Thanks :-)

======= Date Modified 02 Dec 2011 04:20:11 =======

Did anybody confirm this for sure? I have a similar situation and was just wondering how confident we were that it was 6 hours. Thanks!

Brent
http://www.legitonlinejobsscam.com

======= Date Modified 01 Dec 2011 09:31:39 =======
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I am having a similar issue. I have been undertaking part-time work for over a year now whilst studying for my PhD on a full-time ESRC studentship. It's not research or teaching related work but it is relevant for my future desired career in Clinical Psychology. I checked through all the guidelines when I first started, and was sure it said nothing about restrictions on employment other than I couldn't undertake full-time employment. However I have read the guidelines today and I am worried about this particular sentence:

"Full-time ESRC studentship award holders cannot also hold either a full-time job, or a permanent part-time job, during the period of their award."

Eeeeek! I only do one shift a week...but am I breaking the rules???

It also says "Students may undertake a small amount of other paid work either in term time or vacation". What on earth is a 'small amount of work'? :S

Help?!