What are the responsibilities and job description for the Assistant/Associate Professor - English - Tenure Track position at Western Michigan University?
Position Details
Posting Summary
College
College Of Arts And Sciences
Executive Area
Provost & VP Academic Affairs
Department
English
Posting Detail Information
Posting Number
F332P
Job Type
Tenure Track
Pay Type
Exempt/Salaried
Pay Grade
I30/I20
Campus Location
WMU-Kalamazoo - Main Campus
Salary Range
Commensurate with experience. Generous benefit package.
General Summary
The Department of English at Western Michigan University invites applications for a full-time tenure-track position at either the Assistant Professor or Associate Professor rank in Creative Writing (Fiction). This is an academic-year position, with the possibility of Summer instructional assignments for additional compensation.
Major Duties
The successful candidate is expected to maintain an active publishing agenda in fiction; provide effective instruction and mentoring to undergraduate and graduate students across creative writing and literature courses; support the success of a diverse population of undergraduate and graduate students; develop new curricula and course offerings; and contribute to department, college, and university service.
Minimum Qualifications
- An M.F.A. or Ph.D. in Creative Writing or a closely related area, awarded by August 15, 2027.
- An original book-length work of fiction published by a reputable commercial, academic, or independent press.
- A record of effective teaching in creative writing at the undergraduate level.
Desired Qualifications
- Creative productivity in a speculative fiction genre such as science fiction, climate fiction, fabulist fiction, or fantasy, as demonstrated by publication of an original book-length work by a reputable commercial, academic, or independent press; and/or record of multiple speculative fiction publications in peer-reviewed journals or magazines.
- A record of effective teaching in creative writing and literature courses, including in one or more speculative fiction areas, at the undergraduate and graduate levels.
- An established capacity for leadership in projects, programs, or partnerships, whether internal or external to the university.
- A demonstrated commitment to advancing equity across the areas of research and creative scholarship, teaching, and service.
- A documented history of promoting student engagement, success, and achievement.
Special Instructions to Applicants
Applications: Review of applications will begin on November 1, 2026, and will continue until the position is filled.
The following documents will need to be submitted:
- Curriculum vita, including list of references
- Letter of application addressing minimum and desired qualifications
- Writing sample (no more than 30 pages)
- Statement of teaching philosophy
Additional Position Information
Department: One of the largest units in Western Michigan University’s College of Arts and Sciences, the Department of English consists of 20 board-appointed, full-time faculty members. The department enrolls over 250 undergraduate majors and minors in creative writing, literature and language, and rhetoric and writing studies, and over 50 graduate students in master’s and doctoral programs in creative writing and literature and language. It is also home to the Gwen Frostic Reading Series and Third Coast Magazine.
The College: Housing 23 academic departments, schools, and institutes that enroll nearly 3,000 undergraduate students and 700 graduate students, the College of Arts and Sciences represents the foundation of learning and the academic heart of WMU. The College is committed to fostering a community of diverse, inclusive, equitable, and globally engaged scholars, learners, and leaders, and it seeks candidates who can contribute to the College’s distinctive educational objectives, which promote interdisciplinary perspectives, intercultural understanding, and concern with social responsibility and the ethical implications of knowledge and action.
University: Western Michigan University (WMU), located in Southwest Michigan, is a vibrant, nationally recognized student-centered research institution with an enrollment of 18,000. WMU delivers high-quality undergraduate instruction, has a strong graduate division, and fosters significant research activities. The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching classifies WMU as a doctoral university and one of just 185 public universities in the nation conducting research at a high level. WMU recently received a $550 million endowed, multi-year Empowering Futures Gift, which will fund many projects and initiatives that aim to break down the barriers created by historic inequities.
Kalamazoo: Kalamazoo is located only two and a half hours by car or train from Chicago and Detroit and only 45 minutes from the beaches of Lake Michigan. It occupies one of Michigan’s designated research corridors, maintaining a strong life sciences/biotech presence and supporting two leading medical centers. With 263,000 people in the greater Kalamazoo area, the community offers an array of cultural events, entertainment, and all-season recreation. The city supports a nationally recognized symphony and enjoys a vibrant community theatre and visual arts scene. Kalamazoo is dedicated to social justice, community development, and the elimination of generational poverty. The city is also home to the Kalamazoo Promise, a scholarship program offered to all Kalamazoo Public School students that covers up to 100% of tuition and fees to all Michigan public (and many private) institutions of higher learning.
Compensation: Competitive and commensurate with qualifications and experience, with an excellent benefits package. Opportunities exist to teach in summer for additional compensation.
Starting Date: August 15, 2027.
Benefits:
Health Insurance, Sick Leave, Vacation & Paid Time Off