Studentships/Teaching Assistantships

[Mick Perkins]

UNIVERSITY OF SHEFFIELD
DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN COMMUNICATION SCIENCES

TWO STUDENTSHIPS / TEACHING ASSISTANTSHIPS IN HUMAN COMMUNICATION SCIENCES

The Department of Human Communication Sciences at Sheffield is one of the
leading UK centres for education and research in communication and its
disorders, offering undergraduate and postgraduate degree courses. It has
ESRC 1+3 and CASE recognition for research training, and was awarded a 4 in
RAE 2001.

Two graduates with a bachelor's (1st or 2.1) or masters degree in
psychology, linguistics, speech and language therapy, education or related
subjects, are sought, to pursue research into an area of human communication
sciences for which supervision is available. The department has strong
research interests in clinical phonetics and linguistics, cognitive
neuroscience of speech and language; speech, language and literacy
development and disorders; psychosocial aspects of communication. For
details of staff research interests, see the departmental web page:
http://www.shef.ac.uk/hcs or the Human Communication Sciences Graduate
Prospectus, obtainable from the address below.

The successful candidates will register initially for MPhil, with a view to
transferring to PhD subject to satisfactory progress. In addition, they will
undertake tutorial duties up to 6 hours per week during term-time, with
associated preparation and marking. This will involve backing up lectures on
various degree courses offered in the department (i.e. the BMedSci Speech
and MMedSci in Clinical Communication Studies leading towards qualification
as a speech and language therapist, and the non-clinical BSc in Human
Communication Sciences and MSc/Diploma in Language and Communication
Impairment in Children). In the case of a qualified and experienced speech
and language therapist, this may include student supervision and teaching in
the departmental clinic. In particular, ability to support teaching in
practical phonetics or statistics and research design is sought. Training is
provided.

The studentship is for 3 years in the first instance, subject to an annual
progress review, with the possibility of extension for a fourth year. The
stipend, which does not attract UK income tax, is £11000. plus MPhil/PhD
fees (home rate).  In addition, monies will be available for the purchase of
equipment relevant to the area of research and for conference attendance and
travel.

Applicants should in the first instance submit a c.v. including details of
relevant courses taken in previous degrees; an abstract of any research
project(s) already undertaken; details of any relevant teaching experience;
and description of possible PhD research topic (up to 1 side of A4).

Applications should be sent either electronically or by post to Mrs Jill
Raffo, Department of Human Communication Sciences, University of Sheffield,
31 Claremont Crescent, Sheffield S10 2TA, j.raffo at sheffield.ac.uk to arrive
by 21 June 2006 with interviews likely to take place during week commencing
27 June.