Assistant Professor in Creative Writing
About The Position
Sonoma State University's Department of English is seeking candidates for a tenure-track Assistant Professor position in Creative Writing, with a specialization in Poetry. The university is located in Sonoma County wine country, north of San Francisco. The English Department offers undergraduate and graduate programs, including a Bachelor of Arts with concentrations in English and American Literature, Creative Writing, and English Education, as well as a reinstituted M.A. in English with emphases in literary criticism, creative writing, or rhetoric and English education. The department is committed to serving students from diverse backgrounds and provides access to quality education with personalized support. Faculty are expected to teach in the general education program and be flexible in meeting departmental needs. The department hosts a literary reading series and writers' festival, and is home to the AWP-award-winning student magazine, Zaum.
Requirements
- An M.F.A. in poetry or equivalent, with a strong commitment to university teaching.
- A book publication in poetry (minimum of one book with a nationally distributed press).
- Significant record of publication in nationally and internationally recognized magazines.
- An additional specialization in a genre outside of fiction, poetry, or creative nonfiction (e.g., screenwriting, multimedia, gaming, emerging genres, or genres combining creative writing with visual arts and/or design).
- Experience teaching at the university level.
- Experience in literary magazine production and editing.
- Ability to work effectively in a multicultural environment.
Nice To Haves
- Two books with nationally distributed presses.
- Experience and interest in teaching contemporary literature, literary editing and publishing, literary event organization, book arts, and digital publishing.
Responsibilities
- Teach a full-time load of 30 units per year, consisting of 6 units of service and 24 units of instruction in the B.A. and M.A. programs.
- Teach undergraduate and graduate workshops and general education courses.
- Supervise M.A. theses.
- Read yearly applications to the graduate program.
- Contribute to curriculum development.
- Actively engage in campus, community, and professional service, including SSU’s literary reading series, Writers at Sonoma, and the Sonoma Writers’ Festival.
- Publish in their field, participate in conferences, and engage in other creative activities of their specialization to receive tenure.
- Engage in regular academic advising.
- Assist the department with program assessment, administrative and/or committee work.
- Serve on campus-wide committees.
- Support undergraduate and graduate research.
- Participate in Freshman and Sophomore year programs when available.
- Advise students.
- Participate in campus and system-wide communities.
- Maintain office hours.
- Work collaboratively and productively with colleagues.
- Participate in traditional academic functions.
- Foster commitment to the CSU Graduation Initiative 2025 through excellent teaching, advising, and mentoring.
- Collaborate with faculty, staff, administration, and students to achieve university goals.
Benefits
- Service credit depends upon academic preparation and professional experience.
- During the first two years of the probationary period, the instructional assignment will be reduced by two courses per academic year to assist in establishing programs of research, scholarship, and/or creative activities.
- View Benefits Summary
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Entry Level
