Description

The Division of Arts and Humanities at Columbia College invites applications for a full-time position as Lecturer of English that will begin August 15, 2024. The successful candidate must have an MFA in Creative Writing by the time of appointment. The successful candidate must demonstrate through education and publications a primary specialization in Creative Writing with secondary interests in rhetoric and composition. The successful candidate must also demonstrate experience teaching creative writing and first-year writing. The successful candidate will teach a typical semester load of three composition classes plus either Introduction to Writing Short Fiction, Introduction to Writing Poetry, Introduction to Writing Creative Nonfiction, or possibly Writing for Business and Public Affairs. The successful candidate will direct the Creative Writing Minor and will sponsor The Criterion, one of the longest-running student-based publications in the country.

Columbia College seeks candidates who aspire to excellence in teaching, leadership, and research, and who can build collaborative relationships within the college and the profession. Columbia College is a liberal arts college committed to creating a learning community that values diversity, equity, and inclusion and is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer.  

The English program provides students with a solid foundation in English with an emphasis on writing, reading, analyzing, and interpreting literature and other forms of imaginative text from diverse perspectives. Cultivating strong critical reading and thinking skills and effective written expression to prepare students for graduate studies and a variety of practical careers, the English major further helps learners develop a respect for the value of humanistic and inclusive thinking that is an essential dimension of a liberal-arts education.

This position is a nine-month, full-time appointment. The standard teaching load is twelve credit hours for each of the fall and spring semester. The candidate must demonstrate the ability to design and deliver courses in a variety of formats, including online and hybrid modalities, and is expected to teach core courses in the first-year composition sequence, literature classes in the general education curriculum, and major offerings in English. The candidate is expected to have flexibility in class scheduling to meet the needs of the college. Faculty members are expected to participate in faculty governance and academic program activities, and to engage in service as well as scholarship and professional development. Columbia College offers a competitive benefits package.

Qualifications

The successful candidate must have an earned MFA in Creative Writing by the time of appointment. All required documents must be completed for the application to be reviewed.

Applications

To apply, a candidate must submit the following materials through the online submission portal (all in one pdf file except for the cover letter, which may be uploaded as a separate document):

A cover letter describing teaching interests and experiences

A current curriculum vitae

A formal statement that addresses teaching philosophy and methodology

A formal statement regarding creative writing publications and endeavors

Names and contact information for three references

Copies of graduate transcripts (unofficial copies of transcripts will suffice for the initial stage)

In addition to submitting the above materials through the online submission portal, candidates should also send a portfolio containing several published pieces in poetry, short fiction, or long fiction to Dr. David McCracken at dmccracken@columbiasc.edu. Publications are recommended but works-in-progress may also be considered.

Review of completed applications will begin immediately and continue until the position is filled. All required documents must be completed for the application to be reviewed. Copies of official transcripts will be required of the selected finalist. 

If interested in applying for this position, submit the above materials through the online submission website at https://www.columbiasc.edu/about/employment.

If you have any additional questions regarding the position, please contact Dr. David McCracken, Division Dean of Arts & Humanities via email at dmccracken@columbiasc.edu 

Columbia College was founded in 1854 as Columbia Female College by the Methodist Conference of South Carolina. Today, Columbia College offers a personalized liberal arts education that is open and inclusive to all. The College provides educational opportunities that develop students’ capacity for critical thought and expression, lifelong learning and acceptance of personal responsibility. Columbia College empowers students to change the world with Courage for Innovation, Commitment to Social Justice, Confidence through Service, and Competence in Leadership. In furtherance of its mission, the College is responsive to the needs of students, the communities to which it belongs, and the greater global society. Columbia College encompasses the historic undergraduate day college as well as evening, online, and graduate programs. Total enrollment is approximately 1500. The College is noted for faculty who foster academic excellence through collaborative teaching and learning; a vital learning community in which character, ethics, and values are cultivated; the study of leadership enhanced by opportunities for practical application; programs that capitalize on advances in technology; and learning environments that extend beyond the classroom. 

Columbia College is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer. For information about the College, visit www.columbiasc.edu. For information about the city of Columbia, South Carolina, please visit www.columbiasc.net. 

Columbia College is EOE M/F/D/V

Qualifications