Assistant Professor - Creative Writing

The Department of English at California State University, Northridge (CSUN) is seeking a tenure-track faculty member in Creative Writing, with a specialization in narrative, at the rank of Assistant Professor.

The successful candidate will be expected to contribute to the ongoing development of a thriving Creative Writing Option at both undergraduate and graduate levels; teach upper division and graduate courses in fiction, creative nonfiction, and other emerging prose forms with a focus toward issues of race, class, gender, sexuality, ability, and other forms of diversity; regularly teach a multi-genre GE introduction to creative writing that covers poetry, fiction, creative nonfiction, and drama; and continue to develop as an active artist and scholar. Desirable secondary interests include: poetry/poetic forms, experience or interest in managing an undergraduate literary magazine, critical theory and/or cultural studies especially as they relate to creative writing, new media and digital writing, video gaming narrative, graphic narrative/comics, mixed/multiple writing genres, popular literatures, and/or genre-based writing.

In addition to teaching, the position requires weekly office hours, attending faculty meetings, and service to the department, college, and university. The successful candidate will be held to the standards and requirements of the college and department in which the faculty member is housed for recommending tenure and promotion.

The standard teaching load at Northridge is 12 units (4/4; 3/3 for the first two years), although competitive reassigned time is available for research, creative activity, and/or curriculum development.

Applications are especially encouraged from candidates with understanding and expertise related to the experiences of students historically underrepresented in higher education.

Required Qualifications:   

As a Hispanic-serving Institution (HSI), inclusiveness and diversity are integral to CSUN’s commitment to excellence in teaching, research, and engagement. As of Fall 2020, CSUN enrolls ~40,000 students, where 56% are Latinx, 20.8% are White, 9.3% are Asian-American, 4.8% are Black/African American, 0.1% are Native American, and 0.1% are Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander.  The successful candidate will help the Department achieve equitable academic outcomes for all students through teaching, student mentorship, scholarship, and service.

  • M.F.A. or Ph.D. in Creative Writing or related field, with a specialization in narrative, awarded prior to August 19, 2023 by an accredited institution
  • Evidence of teaching effectiveness
  • Evidence of published creative work and potential for continuing development as a writer

Preferred Qualifications:

  • Evidence that scholarly or creative work focuses on race, class, gender, sexuality, ability, or other forms of diversity 
  • Evidence of effective engagement OR potential to engage with a diverse student body
  • Experience teaching creative writing focused courses, in person or online
  • Experience using culturally responsive pedagogy that enables equitable outcomes for all students
  • Experience creating a student-centered learning environment
  • Experience adopting inclusive approaches to mentorship
  • Evidence of scholarly or creative work in collaboration with students from diverse backgrounds

Application Deadline: 

Screening of applications will begin January 6, 2023. Priority will be given to applicants who meet the screening deadline; however, the position will remain open until filled.

Candidates should apply by completing the CSUN online application. To apply and for more detailed information on the application and hiring process, please visit this link: www.csun.edu/careers.

Applicants must submit to the website: (a) a letter of application that addresses how they meet the qualifications and with specific examples where relevant, and (b) a CV that includes the names and contact information for at least three references. In later stages of the search process, applicants may be requested to provide additional materials, including writing samples and evidence of teaching effectiveness.

At time of appointment, the successful candidate, if not a U.S. citizen, must have authorization from the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) to work in the United States.


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