Assistant Professor of English (Film Studies -- U.S. Cinema)

About the University:

Western Washington University, with over 16,000 students in seven colleges and the graduate school, is nationally recognized for its educational programs, students and faculty. The campus is located in Bellingham, Washington, on the stolen lands of the Lummi Nation and the Nooksack Tribe. This coastal community of 90,000 overlooks Bellingham Bay, the San Juan Islands and the North Cascades Mountain range. The city lies 90 miles north of Seattle and 60 miles south of Vancouver, British Columbia. Western is the highest-ranking public, master's-granting university in the Pacific Northwest, according to the 2019 U.S. News & World Report rankings. Learn about Western's commitment and ongoing work in the areas of Accessibility, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at https://www.wwu.edu/diversity.

About the Department:

The English Department has 34 tenure-line faculty members and offers BA programs in Creative Writing and Literature, with or without a secondary teaching endorsement, an MFA program in Creative Writing, and an MA program in English Studies. There is strong interest in developing a Film Studies major. The department also offers minors, including those in Film Studies and Professional Writing, Literacies, and Rhetoric. The English Department supports Western's mission, which states that together with our students, staff, and faculty, we are committed to making a positive impact in the state and the world with a shared focus on academic excellence and inclusive achievement. We encourage applications from women, people of color, people with disabilities, veterans, and other candidates from underrepresented backgrounds and with diverse experiences interested in this opportunity. Learn more about the English Department at https://chss.wwu.edu/english

About the Position:

The English Department invites applications for a tenure-track Assistant Professor position beginning September 16, 2023. This is a position in Film Studies, focused on teaching and scholarly activity in U.S. Cinema with an emphasis on race and representation in U.S. screen industries. 

The successful candidate will have the departmental standard 2-2-2 quarter teaching assignment. It will be comprised of specialty courses on U.S. cinema and other film studies topics at the undergraduate and MA/MFA levels, as well as general education courses and other courses depending on the candidate's interests and departmental needs.

Required Qualifications:

  • PhD or ABD at time of application in Film Studies or a related field. If ABD, all degree requirements must be completed by June 15th of the first year of employment (e.g., for a September 2023 start date, all degree requirements must be completed by June 15, 2024).
  • Expertise in race and representation in U.S. screen industries
  • Demonstrated currency and the potential for strong scholarship and publication in film studies
  • Demonstrated experience and excellence in undergraduate teaching
  • Experience cultivating learning environments that are equitable and inclusive of students with diverse social identities and backgrounds
  • Demonstrated knowledge of industry matters of diversity, equity, and inclusion

Preferred Qualifications:

  • Demonstrated commitment to film studies curriculum and program development
  • Secondary area of expertise (for instance, in screenwriting, disability studies, postcolonial studies, television studies, game studies, digital media, or animation)
  • Ability to teach courses in either theory or literature, or courses that combine film and literature
  • Ability to mentor students looking to find work in the film and television industries

Required Materials:

Candidates should upload a letter of application that specifically addresses the required and preferred qualifications, a curriculum vitae, and graduate transcripts. Application materials should clearly evidence how the applicant's experience (academic or non-academic) has prepared them to effectively teach Western's increasingly diverse student body.

Additionally, as part of your application, you are required to provide the names and contact information of three professional references. Please do not submit letters of recommendation; these will only be required for semi-finalists, with requests for three letters of reference addressing teaching and scholarship to be generated from the PageUp application system to the references provided.

Closing Date:

Position will remain open until filled; to receive priority consideration for a screening interview, applications must be received by October 21, 2022. Screening interviews will take place via videoconference in early winter. Finalist interviews will be conducted on campus. 


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