Assistant Professor-FixedTerm

Working/Functional Title

Ast Professor, Fixed Term, English Education

Position Summary

The Department of English at Michigan State University invites applications for a fixed-term Assistant Professor position in English education with an expected start date of August 16, 2025. The English education program develops teachers who will value the assets youth bring with them, teach toward educational justice, and design meaningful learning experiences for young readers and writers. Across courses in the College of Arts and Letters and College of Education, the program centers critical and anti-racist language and literacy pedagogies, community-engaged arts and writing, and youth participatory approaches. The successful candidate's primary teaching responsibilities will be in the English education program, with one course assignment in the Center for Integrative Studies in the Arts and Humanities.  Applicants must be prepared to teach undergraduate courses in critical language pedagogies, writing pedagogies, community-engaged and critical literacies, and English language arts curriculum design. The successful candidate will be appointed on an academic year basis with  a 3/3 teaching load.

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, citizenship, age, disability or protected veteran status.

Required Degree

Doctorate -English Education, Language and Literacy, Teacher Education, or an equivalent

Minimum Requirements

Doctoral degree in English Education, Language and Literacy, Teacher Education, or an equivalent field by the start date. Minimum of two years teaching English language arts in a secondary school context or equivalent community-based setting.

Desired Qualifications

The ideal candidate will have a critical disposition toward language, literacies, writing, and the teaching of English. This disposition may generate from a variety of intellectual traditions (e.g., raciolinguistics, decolonial theory, ethnic studies, BlackCrit) and/or expressive inquiry through poetics, creative writing, etc. This disposition will be evident in the candidate's design of English education courses and desired outcomes for the aspiring English teachers who take their courses. We especially welcome applicants with direct experience in and/or a commitment to supporting the language, literacy, and writing practices and pedagogies of historically overlooked communities through humanizing,  asset-based approaches to English education that center equity and justice.  Particular teaching and programmatic needs exist around areas including: indigenous, multilingual, digital, and global contexts of language/languaging and literacy; however, applicants with areas of specialization beyond these interests will also be considered.

Required Application Materials

• a letter of application
• a curriculum vitae
• a writing sample
• a 1-2 page teaching statement that outlines your pedagogical commitments/orientations in English education and how these manifest in the learning experiences you design for students
• a 1-page summary of your philosophy of diversity, equity, and inclusion as it pertains to intellectual leadership in the areas of teaching/curriculum development, research/creative activities, service, outreach, advising, and/or administration. The statement should also include an explanation of related past or planned activities/endeavors as well as how the candidate will advance our goals of inclusive excellence. For more about MSU’s DEI efforts, see https://inclusion.msu.edu/. For more information about writing diversity statements, see https://cal.msu.edu/documents/cal-guidelines-for-the-writing-of-diversity-statements/ 
• a sample syllabus from a course you taught, preferably within the context of English Education
• names and email addresses of three references, at least one of whom can speak to your teaching experience

Special Instructions

Review of applications will begin March 10th, 2025, and will continue until the position is filled. Applications must be submitted electronically to the Michigan State University Human Resources website (https://jobs.msu.edu/). Posting #1020874. Inquiries may be directed to the chair of the search, Dr. Danielle Filipiak, at filipia2@msu.edu. 

Persons with disabilities have the right to request and receive reasonable accommodation. 

Review of Applications Begins On

03/10/2025

Website

english.msu.edu

Department Statement

The College of Arts & Letters recognizes that only an academic and organizational culture which actively seeks out and strengthens diverse voices and perspectives among its members results in true excellence. We are an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer. The College of Arts & Letters is particularly interested in candidates of all backgrounds who are committed to the principle that intellectual leadership is achieved through open access and pro-active inclusion.

The Department of English is a dynamic inclusive community that encourages intellectual and cultural diversity, prepares students for a range of careers that require global cultural knowledge, and is an integral part of the College of Arts & Letters and Michigan State University's international engagement. The department is deeply committed to initiatives such as the MUSE Scholars Program, which mentors graduate students in English from underrepresented groups, and the Women of Color Initiative, which organizes events for women of color and their allies working toward social and racial justice and equity. Digital Humanities at MSU (DH@MSU) is an academic program and a research center bringing together faculty, librarians, staff, and students in a broadly interdisciplinary exploration of the intersections of digital and computational technologies and the traditional content and questions of the humanities. The College of Arts & Letters recognizes that only an academic and organizational culture, which actively seeks out and strengthens diverse voices and perspectives among its members results in true excellence. We are an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer. The College of Arts & Letters is particularly interested in candidates of all backgrounds who are committed to the principle that intellectual leadership is achieved through open access and pro-active inclusion.

MSU Statement

Michigan State University has been advancing the common good with uncommon will for more than 160 years. One of the top research universities in the world, MSU pushes the boundaries of discovery and forges enduring partnerships to solve the most pressing global challenges while providing life-changing opportunities to a diverse and inclusive academic community through more than 200 programs of study in 17 degree-granting colleges.