Question regarding the Teaching Salary Scale

GTE

Hey all,

Just a quick question. I followed the sticky to the TUI website about salaries and got a little confused.

What is the difference between:

College Teacher
Lecturer Scale I
Lecturer Scale II
Senior Lecturer Scale I
Senior Lecturer Scale II
Senior Lecturer III

The main thing im wondering about is why there are different scales for lecturer and senior lecturer.

I hope to get into the teaching profession.

Thanks
bbk

xt40

im afraid i cant answer your specific query but, in my opinion (which of course may be wrong) you wont need to worry about lecturer scales unless you are A very lucky or B have or are on the way to getting a PHD.

hairybro

Hi bbk,

Well, they are simply different salary grades, and which one you are on depends on what you do, when you started, and whether you’ve been promoted.

College Teacher (CT) => Teaching role for vocational/trade occupations only (though some CTs have IIRC later gone onto the lecturer scales so there are trades lecturers in some instances). Not sure how much recruitment goes on at the CT scale anymore TBH.

Assistant Lecturer (AL) => This is the standard entry point for new entrants today (and for the last 10+ years). AL is where you have to set your sights starting off.

Lecturer Scale I (L1) => This is a legacy scale. It was the old “entry point” and you can’t be recruited or moved onto it anymore. Many (most?) long-established lecturers are at the top of this scale and will basically stay there until they retire.

Lecturer Scale II (L2) => This is, again, a legacy scale and no longer available. Generally, L1’s could apply for L2 positions whenever they arose (which was a rare event – if an L2 retired, for instance).

Lecturer Scale (L) => This has the exact same salary structure as the old L2 scale, but it is a current scale that people can be recruited/promoted onto. Generally, AL’s who have reached the top of the AL scale (plus a year IIRC) can be promoted onto the first point of the L scale if they have the requisite postgraduate qualifications. The top of this scale is generally where the newer (non-L1) lecturers will end up at the end of the day.

Senior Lecturer Scale I (SL1) => This is, in effect, the highest *teaching* grade you can reach. Very rare, and there may only be one or two in a department (if any). Almost like a “chair” in a university, I suppose. You will only be able to apply for SL1 if it becomes available (e.g. retirement of an existing SL1 and the Institute decide to refill it). Have your PhD/publications record/PhD supervision record/funding record/nobel prize etc. in place to stand a fighting chance. Basically, don’t count on or expect to get SL1; most lecturers end up on the top of L1 or L2/L and stay there.

Senior Lecturer Scale II => This is reserved for Head of Department (management).

Senior Lecturer III => This is reserved for Head of School (management).

All scales follow a “one increment per year” pattern until the top of the scale is reached (the increment isn’t technically automatic, but IIRC your manager has to notify you officially and in good time for you to rectify things if your performance is demonstrably inadequate to receive the next increment). You can jump over increments on only a few occasions e.g. promotion to a higher grade => your point will be the one that is equal to/just above your current salary; AL’s with a PhD can get onto point 1 of the Lecturer scale a couple of years earlier than AL’s without one (they have to stay at that point for a couple of years before getting further increments, though). Initial appointments to AL do not technically have to be on point 1 (for exceptional/experienced applicants, say), but point 1 AL appointments are still pretty much standard.

I sure there have been exceptions/nuances, but the above is pretty accurate. Note that lecturers (of any grade) do not get any qualifications allowances in the way that e.g. secondary teachers do. Additional part-time/overtime work is paid at the lowest point of the lowest scale (AL Pt 1) regardless of your actual grade.

So, in short, you will start out on the AL scale (usually point 1) and end up on the top of the L scale. Competition will be fierce for that AL appointment, though – saw an ad recently for a psychology AL that baldly expected a PhD, and I know of a recent PhD who has only 2 hours per week pro-rata teaching and can’t get any more at the moment. Yikes!

Anyway, the best of luck, and I hope this helps!

GTE

Thanks for that detailed response HB! Very insightful.
I best save a copy of that!

atgate

Amazing post hairybro. Thanks.

hairybro

No problem at all; glad to be of some help

DesignA

If you are on Lecturer Scale 2 and complete your PhD can you jump over increments? (Mainly any financial benefit to completing a PhD?)