Humanities Lecturer Pool - Creative Arts

Department Summary

The Humanities Department at SJSU is a prominent center for creative, interdisciplinary study and research. It offers three undergraduate degree programs: the Liberal Studies Teacher Preparation B.A.; the Creative Arts B.A.; and the Humanities B.A., in which students pursue a concentration in American Studies, Liberal Arts, or Comparative Religious Studies. The Department is also home to two team-taught, multiple-semester General Education Programs: the lower-division American Cultures GE sequence and the Humanities Honors Program, which has both lower and upper-division Humanities Honors GE course sequences.

San José State University is a teaching-centered institution that is a national leader in graduating historically underserved students. SJSU has achieved both HSI (Hispanic Serving Institution) and AANAPISI (Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institution) status. Moreover, 40% of our student population are first-generation college students and 38% are Pell-qualified. As a result, we are ranked #1-as the most transformational university in the country.

Learn more about our department at our website . NB: The website is under revision, so what you will see is slightly out of date. The new website rolls out at the end of September, 2021.

Brief Description of Duties

Teach a range of courses in the Creative Arts Program in the Humanities Department, including lower- and upper-division courses. In addition, you will hold regular office hours for students, work cooperatively with other department faculty, staff, and department chair, as well as participate in required course grading and assessment activities, etc.

“Creativity Matters” (CA60) Study why creativity matters, from imagining possible career paths to improving communication, expressing ideas, and flourishing over the course of one's lifetime. Creativity is not just for artists and inventors! It is a human faculty that matters for life.

“Introduction to Queer Arts” (CA95) Exploration of the ways that LGBTQ individuals and groups have used the arts, in various times and places, to make their lives, communities, and selves meaningful and to resist the domination of non-queer cultures.

“The Arts in U.S. Society” (CA172) Study of American arts and artists in their aesthetic, social, and political contexts, focusing on 20th and 21st centuries. Arts examined may include architecture, poetry, music, visual arts, dance, theatre, performance art, and fiction. Special emphasis on issues of cultural diversity and social justice.

“Thinking about Contemporary World Arts” (CA173) An interdisciplinary investigation of the connections between the contemporary arts and global cultures. Use of critical and creative thinking to develop global understanding and to explore personal and cultural identities.

“Creativity & Creative Leadership” (CA176) Relationships among creativity, the arts, and leadership. Contemporary theories of creativity applied to the study of leadership within education, the arts, and social change through exploration of research, role models, and case studies. Application of relevant theories of creativity and leadership through collaborative projects, participant observation, or critical analysis of theories in practice.

Candidate must demonstrate awareness and experience understanding the needs of a student population of great diversity – in age, cultural background, ethnicity, primary language and academic preparation – through inclusive course materials, teaching strategies and advisement.

All Faculty should be organizing their classes within the Canvas Learning Management System (LMS), the official LMS provided for the SJSU community. All classes at SJSU, whether online or not, must be anchored in the Canvas platform to ensure faculty-student connection in a common space as all students are directed to log in to Canvas for online access to their classes. You will have access to this system prior to the semester start date.

Required Qualifications
  • MFA, ABD, or Ph.D. in Performance Studies, Art History, Literature, or a related arts discipline with working knowledge of more than one arts area.
  • Strong college level teaching skills and experience required.
  • Awareness of and sensitivity to educational goals of serving a multicultural and diverse student population, which may have been gained through lived and embodied experience, cross-cultural study, training, teaching, and/or other comparable experience.


Preferred Qualifications
  • Interest in and record of scholarly activity desirable.
  • MFA & PhD preferred as is a professional practice in at least one arts area.


Conditional Appointment

Please be advised that an appointment is contingent upon budget and enrollment considerations and subject to order of assignment provisions in the collective bargaining agreement between California State University and California Faculty Association. These provisions state the “Order of Work,” or the order in which available courses must be assigned to faculty, starting with tenure line faculty and ending with new lecturer appointees.

Salary Range - To commensurate with experience.

Application Procedure

To apply, complete the SJSU Online Employment Application on this page: https://jobs.sjsu.edu/en-us/job/500332/humanities-lecturer-pool-creative-arts and attach the following documents:
  • Cover Letter
  • Statement of Teaching Philosophy (optional)
  • Statement of Expertise, including professional experience, and list of courses you are qualified to teach
  • List of References


The position advertised will remain open until filled. Interviews will follow. Qualified applicants not hired at this time will remain in this pool for future consideration.

The University

San José State University enrolls over 35,700 students, a significant percentage of whom are members of minority groups. As such, this position is for scholars interested in a career at a national leader in graduating URM students. SJSU is a Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI) and Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander (AANAPISI) Serving Institution; 40% of our students are first-generation, and 38% are Pell-qualified. The university is currently ranked third nationally in increasing student upward mobility. The University is committed to increasing the diversity of its faculty so our disciplines, students, and the community can benefit from multiple ethnic and gender perspectives.

San José State University is California's oldest institution of public higher learning. Located in downtown San José (Pop. 1,000,000) in the heart of Silicon Valley, SJSU is part of one of the most innovative regions in the world. As Silicon Valley's public university, SJSU combines dynamic teaching, research, and university-industry experiences to prepare students to address the biggest problems facing society. SJSU is a member of the 23-campus California State University (CSU) system.

Equal Employment Statement

San José State University is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer. We consider qualified applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, age, gender, gender identity/expression, sexual orientation, genetic information, medical condition, marital status, veteran status, or disability. This policy applies to all San José State University students, faculty, and staff as well as University programs and activities. Reasonable accommodations are made for applicants with disabilities who self-disclose. Note that all San José State University employees are considered mandated reporters under the California Child Abuse and Neglect Reporting Act and are required to comply with the requirements set forth in CSU Executive Order 1083 as a condition of employment.

Additional Information

A background check (including a criminal records check) must be completed satisfactorily before any candidate can be offered a position with the CSU. Failure to satisfactorily complete the background check may affect the application status of applicants or continued employment of current CSU employees who apply for the position.