Adjunct Instructor- Music History

SUNY Ulster; Town of Marbletown (NY); On-site; USD 3,100 - 4,200; Part time

Job summary

SUNY Ulster invites applications for adjunct teaching assignments in Music History to begin in January 2027 on SUNY Ulster’s Stone Ridge campus. The on-campus, face-to-face class will run through Spring 2027 with responsibilities including instruction, assignments, and assessments aligned to approved course descriptions.

The ideal candidate will have a strong foundation in Western music history, effective teaching skills, and the ability to connect historical development with contemporary media

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Music, Music History, Musicology, Music Education, Music Performance, or a closely related field with substantial undergraduate or graduate coursework in music history, or an equivalent combination of education and relevant professional experience.
• Strong knowledge of Western music history, including major historical periods, composers, genres, styles, and representative repertoire.
• Strong knowledge of fundamental musical elements: melody, rhythm, meter, texture, form, harmony, style, and expression.
• Ability to place music and developments within historical, political, economic, social, and cultural contexts.
• Ability to engage students through active listening, aural recognition, score study, musical analysis, and instructional approaches.
• Ability to communicate concepts clearly to students with varying musical training.
• Commitment to making music history meaningful to students pursuing media, film, and related fields.
• Interest in student-centered teaching and active learning.

Responsibilities

• Meet each scheduled class and teach for the full period.
• Communicate course information including grading and evaluation criteria at course start.
• Maintain attendance, withdrawal, and grading records.
• Submit required reports such as attendance and grade reports on time.
• Comply with institutional policies, procedures, and deadlines.
• Monitor SUNY Ulster email for departmental communications.

Skills

Music history

Active listening and analysis

Lecture and discussion delivery

Communication to diverse students

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Music or related field

Undergraduate/graduate coursework in music history

Equivalent combination of education and experience

Tools

Brightspace LMS

Job description

Part‑time Starting January 2027

Application Deadline: Open Until Filled

Priority Screening: 15 November 2026 at 4PM EST

Position Summary:

SUNY Ulster, a two‑year branch of the State University of New York located ninety miles north of New York City in the Catskill Mountains, is currently accepting applications for adjunct teaching assignments in Music History to begin in January 2027. The course will be taught face-to-face, in person on SUNY Ulster’s Stone Ridge campus. This is not an online or hybrid teaching assignment. Applicants must be available to teach on campus throughout the Spring 2027 semester.

The Spring 2027 semester begins the week of 25 January 2027 and ends 19 May 2027. Spring break is 15–20 March 2027.

Under the general supervision of the Program Coordinator of Media & Performing Arts, the Adjunct Instructor will provide instruction, listening activities, demonstrations, discussions, assignments, and assessments related to Music History in accordance with approved course descriptions, learning outcomes, outlines, and schedules.

The instructor will guide students in developing an understanding of major composers, musical styles, historical periods, representative works, and the fundamental musical elements necessary to listen to, discuss, and analyze music critically.

Particular emphasis should be placed on helping students recognize music history as relevant to a broad range of contemporary creative and media practices. The instructor should encourage students to make connections between historical musical developments and the ways music functions in areas such as film, television, digital media, audio storytelling, podcasting, and other forms of contemporary communication and artistic expression. The ideal candidate will make music history accessible and relevant to a diverse community college student population, including students who may have limited formal musical training or may not initially see music history as directly connected to their academic or career goals. The instructor should be able to engage these students through active listening, discussion, musical analysis, historical and cultural context, and connections between the development of music and contemporary creative practice.

The instructor will evaluate student progress, provide constructive feedback, maintain appropriate course records, and perform other instructional duties as assigned.

Course descriptions may be viewed in the SUNY Ulstercatalog.

Key Responsibilities:

• Meet each scheduled class and teach or conduct learning exercises for the entire period.
• Contact the appropriate division chair or administrator in advance to make arrangements for unavoidable absences.
• Provide each student at the beginning of the course with written information about the course, to include a full description of the grading system and how the student will be evaluated.
• Accurately keep required class records on attendance, withdrawal, and grading.
• Submit when due, all necessary reports such as attendance and grade reports, roll books, and class information sheets, and certify their accuracy.
• Comply with all institutional policies, procedures, and deadlines.
• Give careful attention to all departmental and administrative communications by checking your SUNY Ulster email frequently.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in Music, Music History, Musicology, Music Education, Music Performance, or a closely related field with substantial undergraduate or graduate coursework in music history; or an equivalent combination of education and relevant professional experience demonstrating preparation to teach college‑level music history.
• Strong knowledge of Western music history, including major historical periods, composers, genres, styles, and representative repertoire.
• Strong knowledge of fundamental musical elements, including melody, rhythm, meter, texture, form, harmony, style, and expression.
• Ability to place music and musical developments within relevant historical, political, economic, social, and cultural contexts.
• Ability to incorporate active listening, aural recognition, score study, musical analysis, and other appropriate instructional approaches into the classroom.
• Ability to communicate musical and historical concepts clearly and effectively to students with varying levels of previous musical training and experience.
• Demonstrated ability or strong interest in making music history meaningful to students pursuing applied creative disciplines, including media, film, audio, podcasting, and related fields.
• Demonstrated commitment to engaging, student‑centered teaching and active learning.
• Strong interest in teaching and mentoring community college students, with excellent interpersonal, communication, organization, and technology skills.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Master’s degree in Music History, Musicology, Music Education, Music Performance, or another closely related music field with demonstrated academic preparation in music history.
• Previous college‑level teaching experience in music history, music appreciation, or a related music discipline.
• Community college teaching experience.
• Broad knowledge of musical repertoire and the ability to incorporate recorded and/or live musical examples effectively into classroom instruction.
• Experience teaching students with a wide range of musical backgrounds, including non‑music majors and students with limited formal music training.
• Experience connecting music history and musical analysis to contemporary creative practices such as film, media production, audio storytelling, podcasting, popular music, or other interdisciplinary contexts.
• Familiarity with Brightspace or a comparable Learning Management System.
• Demonstrated ability to engage students through dynamic instruction that integrates historical context, critical listening, discussion, analysis, and connections between music and the broader cultural forces that shaped its development.

Salary: $1049.00 per credit

We invite you to be part of a dedicated community of learners in an academic department that puts students first. Please go to www.sunyulster.edu for additional campus community information.

SUNY Ulster is an Affi… The college encourages applications from all qualified applicants. This position is contingent upon adequate funding.Offer and assignment of employment is subject to verification of all information provided on the employment application, credentials, transcripts, fingerprint check, verification of the right to work in the United States andall other required pre‑employment conditions are met.

Applicants who are protected under the Americans with Disabilities Act and who, due to a disability, require accommodations for completing the application process, testing (if required for the position), or the interview, should notify the Human Resources Office 10 working days before the accommodation is required.

Neither the smoking of tobacco (nor other substances) nor the use of electronic vaporizers is permitted on the campus grounds.

SUNY Ulster does not reimburse applicants for travel, lodging or any other costs incurred by applicant to attend interviews. All interviewing costs incurred will be the responsibility of the applicant. Meeting the minimum qualifications does not guarantee an interview. Internal applicants are not guaranteed an interview.

Conditions of Employment

Employment with SUNY Ulster is not complete or official until applicants meet all pre‑employment requirements, and the Board of Trustees has approved. Offer and assignment of employment is subject to verification of all information provided on the employment application, fingerprint check, verification of the right to work in the United States and all other required pre‑employment conditions are met.

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