Assistant Professor in Fiction or Creative NonFiction

The Department of English at James Madison University invites applications for a tenure-track Assistant Professorship in Fiction Writing or Creative Nonfiction, to begin August 2022.

This hire forms part of a multi-department cohort hire in Latinx studies in the College of Arts and Letters, the largest academic unit at JMU. Home to ten academic departments, several interdepartmental programs, and 269 full-time faculty, Arts and Letters in the intellectual home of humanities, social sciences, communication, and media programs at JMU. Our Latinx cohort hire will bring from five to seven new colleagues specializing in media, rhetoric, communication, creative writing, sociology, and romance languages. This cohort will join recent hires in Latinx US history, politics, and anthropology to build on already existing strengths across a variety of fields and intellectual areas. Harrisonburg is home to a vital Latinx community with whom JMU has a deep history of interconnection. This is an exciting time to join a college-wide effort to enhance research, teaching, and scholarship in this vital area of work.

The Department offers a B.A. and an M.A. in English and serves students in the university’s General Education program. It houses the university’s thriving creative writing minor, and faculty teach in interdisciplinary minors, including African, African American and Diaspora Studies (AAAD); Environmental Humanities; Film Studies; Latin American, Latinx, and Caribbean Studies; and World Literature.  

The successful candidate will be expected to teach introductory and advanced creative writing courses as well as topics courses in the General Education curriculum. The Department is especially interested in qualified candidates who have demonstrated a commitment to building an equitable and diverse creative and scholarly environment. English faculty members do not teach first-year composition. This position carries a 3/3 teaching load. An MFA or PhD in Creative Writing is required by the summer of 2022, although we will consider exceptional candidates at the advanced stages of their respective graduate degree programs. 

Review of applications will begin November 6, followed by Zoom interviews in late November to early December.  All applicants must submit the following materials to https://joblink.jmu.edu (Posting #1719), the university's HR site: a cover letter, CV,  brief writing sample, and names and contact information for three professional references.  The cover letter should summarize the candidate’s research, subject, and genre interests, as well as describe the ways in which the candidate can contribute to the diversity of the classroom, program, and university. 

A teaching dossier (course syllabi, classroom observations, assignments, and summaries of course evaluations) as well as graduate transcripts will be requested from all finalists. Please refer questions about this search to Laurie Kutchins (kutchill@jmu.edu).  

Located in the heart of Virginia’s beautiful Shenandoah Valley, the city of Harrisonburg is approximately 120 miles from Washington, D.C. and Richmond, VA. With a population of just over 53,000, Harrisonburg is one of the most diverse communities in the Commonwealth of Virginia. JMU is a selective, public institution with a growing national reputation for offering experiences that lead to an outstanding education and inclusive environment for students, faculty and staff. The student body includes approximately 20,000 undergraduate and 1,900 graduate students, with over 1,000 full-time instructional faculty.

James Madison University is an equal opportunity employer committed to creating and supporting a diverse and inclusive work and educational community that is free of all forms of discrimination. This institution does not tolerate discrimination or harassment based on age, color, disability, gender identity, genetic information, national origin, parental status, political affiliation, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, or veteran status.  We promote access, inclusion, and diversity for all students, faculty, staff, constituents, and programs. These qualities are foundational components of an outstanding education in keeping with our mission. The University is interested in candidates whose experience and qualifications support an ongoing commitment to this core quality.  Anyone having questions concerning discrimination should contact the Office for Equal Opportunity: (540) 568-6991.

 

 

 


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