Tenure-Track Associate Professor and Director of Bachelor of Liberal Arts Program

The College of Fine Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences at the University of Massachusetts Lowell seeks a full-time faculty member to be appointed at the Associate Professor level to direct the Bachelor of Liberal Arts (BLA) program. This position is part of a cluster hire focusing on Social & Health Policy. 

The BLA degree offers students the opportunity to design a personalized program of study primarily based in the College of Fine Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences, but also with option in Health Studies and Environment and Society. Students also take interdisciplinary courses to help them synthesize knowledge, including foundation and capstone courses, and identify interdisciplinary opportunities in research and industry. The robust BLA program currently offers 27 concentrations; there is also a fully-online BLA degree. On campus and online, BLA majors total almost 500; we seek a dynamic, innovative faculty member to build on the program’s solid foundations and develop experiential learning opportunities.

The faculty appointment will be in one of the following departments as appropriate: Education, History, Philosophy, Political Science, or Sociology. Half of the faculty member’s teaching and primary service duties will be to the Bachelor of Liberal Arts Program. While the area of specialization is open, the ideal candidate should demonstrate a clear and active research agenda in an interdisciplinary field(s) and a history of excellence in teaching and service. Desired secondary specializations are race and ethnic studies, particularly Latinx studies, studies of migration, Asian studies, and diasporic studies. Candidates should also have significant experience advising students, developing interdisciplinary programs, and expanding experiential learning opportunities.

Teaching includes introductory and capstone courses for the BLA and additional courses in areas of expertise. The teaching load for faculty in FAHSS ranges from 2-1 to 3-3, based on research productivity. Other duties include strategic planning for BLA (in conjunction with a faculty advisory board and the Dean’s office), curriculum design and assessment, coordinating advising for BLA students, and increasing community engagement and experiential learning for BLA students.

The Bachelor of Liberal Arts Program (BLA) is housed within the University’s College of Fine Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences (FAHSS). The College is the largest unit of the University, with 12 academic departments and over 230 full-time faculty. FAHSS has experienced significant growth in recent years, including hiring over 70 new faculty members, achieving a 70% growth in funded research expenditures, and adding several new interdisciplinary graduate programs.

This hire will be part of the University of Massachusetts Lowell hire of six tenure-track faculty members (various ranks) as part of our 2022-2023 Social & Health Policy cluster hiring initiative. As outlined in our values statement, the University of Massachusetts Lowell, as a public higher education institution, recognizes its responsibility to serve the public good and immediate surrounding communities.  Faculty in the College of Fine Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences are nationally and internationally recognized for research and work engaging some of the pressing social issues facing the world today, such as race equity, health, and education (for more information about UML FAHSS Research Centers, please visit the college website.) The FAHSS cluster hiring initiative marks an essential step towards our goal of increasing inclusive excellence by recruiting outstanding faculty across disciplines who share our commitment to interdisciplinary collaboration, impactful socially- and community-engaged research, student engagement and experiential learning, and institutional transformation.

Greater Lowell, Merrimack Valley, and the Boston region are home to diverse communities. The historic city of Lowell, MA, is a gateway city that is a majority-minority city (20.9% Asian American, 17.9% Hispanic, 8% Black/African American). UMass Lowell has robust partnerships with the City of Lowell, Lowell Public Schools, health organizations, and many other local nonprofits and businesses. The Boston region is also home to a large number of potential research partners.

About University of Massachusetts Lowell:

UMass Lowell is a national research university committed to preparing our students for work in the real world--solving real problems and helping real people--by providing an affordable high-quality education. US News and World Report ranks UMass Lowell among the top 200 research universities in the country, and our rankings have been consistently rising.  The university offers an excellent salary and benefits package.

UMass Lowell is an equal education/employment opportunity institution dedicated to building a diverse community. We strongly encourage applications from women, underrepresented minorities, individuals with disabilities, and veterans.

Minimum Qualifications (Required):

• An earned Ph.D. in relevant humanities or social science field
• A robust research publication portfolio that meets the expectations for an appointment as an Associate or Full Professor with tenure in a relevant discipline
• At least six years of teaching experience at the undergraduate level (beyond graduate assistantship), including online teaching experience
• Demonstrated excellence in teaching at the undergraduate level
• The ability to work effectively with diverse groups

Special Instructions to Applicants:

Review of applications will begin December 15th and continue until the position is filled. However, the position may close when an adequate number of qualified applications is received. 

The appointment is scheduled to begin on September 1, 2023.

Please submit the following required documents with your application:

• Curriculum Vita
• Cover Letter
• Research Statement
• Teaching Philosophy; include teaching interests and objectives as they pertain to interdisciplinary teaching
• Evidence of Teaching Excellence; include syllabus or course description and summary of class evaluations
• Diversity statement that describes your commitment to equity, inclusion, and diversity across scholarship, teaching, and service activities
• Names and contact information for three references will be required at the time of application. References will be contacted for a letter of reference immediately after application submission. References will be required to upload recommendation letters to our online portal; neither emailed nor hard-copy letters will be accepted. *Three letters of reference are required.

The University of Massachusetts Lowell is committed to increasing diversity in its faculty, staff, and student populations, as well as curriculum and support programs, while promoting an inclusive environment. We seek candidates who can contribute to that goal and encourage you to apply and to identify your strengths in this area.

The University of Massachusetts Lowell is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action, Title IX employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, sex, color, religion, national origin, ancestry, age over 40, protected veteran status, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity/expression, marital status, or other protected class.

Please read this "EEO is the Law" poster (pdf), which provides an overview of many relevant equal opportunity laws.