Tenured or Tenure Track English Professor in Creative Writing (Poetry)

The University of South Dakota Department of English seeks a tenure-track assistant or tenured associate or full professor of creative writing (poetry) to teach a range of undergraduate and graduate creative writing courses, mentor MA and PhD students, serve as editor-in-chief for the quarterly South Dakota Review, pursue an active agenda in research and creative scholarship, and contribute to an engaged departmental community. 

Teaching responsibilities for the new member of the department will include undergraduate creative writing courses in poetry, graduate workshops in poetry, and seminars in literature matching the candidate’s areas of expertise. This position has an expectation of a 2/2 teaching load per academic year (12 credits), an active research and creative scholarship agenda, and an engaged service role. The successful candidate will advise undergraduate and graduate students as well as serve on creative thesis and dissertation committees. The editor-in-chief of South Dakota Review works closely with the managing editor and the staff to guide the direction of the quarterly.

Required qualifications for this position:

1) terminal degree in English or related subject (MFA accepted, PhD preferred)

2) potential for teaching excellence

3) record of research and creative scholarship
 

Additional preferred qualifications for this position:

1) editorial experience

2) experience working with thesis and/or dissertation students

3)  secondary interest in one or more of the following areas: creative nonfiction, screenwriting, digital humanities, or environmental humanities.

Candidates for Associate or Full Professor should meet the University of South Dakota’s current expectations for tenure by demonstrating the capacity and ability to meet the standards of performance expected at this rank. These include appropriate time in-rank at the Assistant/Associate Professor level, an established research and creative scholarship agenda, active and significant publication in the years preceding application, and an excellent teaching and service record at various levels. For the Assistant Professor rank, doctoral candidates at the ABD stage will be considered dependent on a successful defense by the position start date.

This benefits eligible position will begin in August of 2025. First review of applications will begin on 22 Nov 2024 and continue until the position is filled.

Interested candidates must submit application materials online at https://yourfuture.sdbor.edu.

The application should include:

1) Cover letter

2) Curriculum Vitae

3) A statement of teaching philosophy

4) Writing sample (of 20-25 pages), and

5) Contact information for three references.

Letters of reference, transcripts and other materials may be requested later.

The English programs at USD include B.A. and B.S. degrees in English with specializations available in creative writing, professional writing, and English education. M.A. and Ph.D. programs in English at USD include literary critical and creative writing tracks. The Department of English houses the quarterly literary journal South Dakota Review, the award-winning student-run Vermillion Literary Project, the state’s only chapter of Sigma Tau Delta, the independent Astrophil Press, the biannual Vermillion Literature and Writing Conference, and a robust calendar of visiting writers and scholars. The English department faculty teach in a range of modalities to support the literary critical and creative writing undergraduate and graduate programs, the general education writing courses, as well as having the University Writing Center affiliated with the department.

The University of South Dakota, in Vermillion, SD, is the flagship liberal arts university in the South Dakota university system. Located in the southeastern corner of South Dakota, near the Missouri River, Vermillion is a vibrant, small community with a low cost of living.

Questions about the position may be directed to Darlene Farabee (Chair, Department of English) at Darlene.Farabee@usd.edu.