Adjunct Faculty - MFA Critical Thesis

Naropa University • Boulder, CO

8d • Onsite

About The Position

The Jack Kerouac School of Disembodied Poetics seeks a talented adjunct faculty member to teach WRI 875: Critical Thesis during the Fall 2026 semester. This course serves as a foundational component of the MFA curriculum for second-year students as they prepare to undertake their Creative Thesis in the spring semester. Working in both a collective and individual mentoring capacity, the instructor will guide students through the process of conceiving, researching, writing, and revising a substantial critical thesis that articulates the intellectual, artistic, historical, and cultural contexts informing their creative practice. The instructor will help students develop scholarly research methodologies, engage literary and theoretical texts, formulate original arguments, and articulate a personal poetics. Through seminar discussion, individual mentorship, and sustained feedback, the course supports students in producing a critical thesis that serves as both a rigorous scholarly inquiry and a foundation for the creative work that follows. In addition, the instructor of this course is expected to organize, collaborate with JKS administration, MC (acting as panelist & moderator) for the critical thesis panel (which occurs usually at the end of the semester). This is usually a multi-hour event in the afternoon/early evening.

Course Description: WRI 875: Critical Thesis is a weekly communal mentorship course designed to support second-year MFA students in the development of a substantial critical thesis. Positioned as a gateway to the Creative Thesis process, the course helps students identify and investigate the literary, artistic, theoretical, historical, and cultural concerns that animate their creative work. Through research, reading, discussion, writing, peer exchange, collective and individual mentorship, students develop the skills necessary to produce an original scholarly text that situates their work within broader conversations and traditions. The course encourages students to critically examine questions of influence, lineage, aesthetics, form, genre, politics, and artistic practice while articulating the intellectual foundations of their own poetics. Students will engage with literary criticism, poetics, theory, archival materials, and other scholarly resources as they develop, draft, and revise their critical thesis. Particular emphasis is placed on cultivating an independent critical voice and generating the intellectual framework that will support the student's Creative Thesis in the succeeding spring semester.

Requirements

• Terminal degree (MFA or PhD) in Creative Writing, English Literature, Poetics, Cultural Studies, Comparative Literature, or a related field.
• At least one full-length book with a reputed press published or under contract. Self-published books do not count.
• Demonstrated scholarly engagement with literary criticism, poetics, theory, or related fields.
• Demonstrated knowledge of contemporary literary culture, particularly innovative, experimental, and avant-garde writing traditions.
• Graduate-level teaching experience.
• Experience mentoring advanced student research and writing projects.
• All job candidates must demonstrate their level of understanding of the dynamics of privilege and oppression, and the impact these have on equity, access, and opportunity.
• All job candidates must demonstrate an appropriate level of understanding of and appreciation for the values of Naropa University and the capacity to demonstrate an integration and embodiment of these values as evidenced in work, communication, collaboration styles, and other general workplace behaviors.

Nice To Haves

• Demonstrated expertise in contemplative education.

Responsibilities

• Develop a rigorous and coherent syllabus with a full semester-long arc.
• Teach and facilitate all scheduled class meetings.
• Create a supportive, collaborative, and intellectually rigorous seminar environment.
• Guide students through the process of developing, researching, drafting, and revising a critical thesis.
• Mentor students both collectively and individually throughout the semester. Create a class structure that maps out time for group meetings in addition to one on one meetings.
• Support students in articulating a personal poetics and identifying the intellectual, artistic, and historical contexts of their work.
• Introduce students to relevant scholarly, literary, theoretical, and critical methodologies.
• Provide substantive written and verbal feedback on student writing and research.
• Facilitate peer discussion, workshop, and critical exchange.
• Assess student work and submit grades in accordance with university policies.
• Maintain regular communication with students and respond to questions in a timely manner.
• Organize, collaborate with JKS administration, MC (acting as panelist & moderator) for the critical thesis panel (which occurs usually at the end of the semester).

Benefits

• medical
• dental
• vision
• FSA
• HSA
• employer-paid short-term and long-term disability
• employer-paid life insurance and accidental death and dismemberment
• employer-sponsored pre-tax retirement savings plan, which includes up to 2.5% employer matching
• variety of voluntary, employee-paid supplemental insurance plans
• generous tuition remission opportunities for themselves and their family members
• participation in the Council of Independent Colleges Tuition Exchange Program (CIC-TEP)

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Part-time
• Career Level: Mid Level