English - Assistant Teaching Professor (Cluster Hire with Catholic Studies)

Sacred Heart University; Fairfield (CT); On-site; USD 60,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

A prominent Catholic university in Connecticut is seeking full-time teaching faculty to lead foundational humanities seminars. Strong candidates will hold a PhD or MFA and demonstrate a commitment to student engagement and teaching within the liberal arts. This role includes a 24-credit teaching load, academic advising, and collaboration across departments to enhance the university's mission of inspiring enduring human questions and creative thought.

Qualifications

• PhD or MFA in hand by August 2026.
• Commitment to teaching in the liberal arts.
• Ability to inspire students and engage with human questions.

Responsibilities

• Teach First-Year Writing and Human Journey Seminars.
• Engage in academic advising and service responsibilities.
• Collaborate across departments for interdisciplinary teaching.

Skills

Teaching pedagogy

Facilitation of student discussions

Interdisciplinary expertise

Education

PhD or MFA

Job description

Posted Thursday, October 30, 2025 at 4:00 AM

About Sacred Heart University

As one of the nation’s largest Catholic universities and among the fastest-growing private doctoral institutions in the U.S., Sacred Heart University is a national leader in shaping higher education for the 21st century. SHU offers more than 100 undergraduate, graduate and doctoral programs on its Fairfield, Conn., campus. Sacred Heart also has a campus in Dingle, Ireland, and offers online programs. Nearly 10,000 students attend the University’s nine colleges and schools: College of Arts & Sciences; School of Communication, Media & the Arts; School of Social Work; School of Performing Arts; College of Health Professions; the Isabelle Farrington College of Education & Human Development; the Jack Welch College of Business & Technology; School of Computer Science & Engineering and the Dr. Susan L. Davis, R.N., & Richard J. Henley College of Nursing. Sacred Heart, a Laudato Si’ campus, stands out from other Catholic universities as it was established to be led by the laity. This contemporary Catholic university is rooted in the rich Catholic intellectual tradition and the liberal arts and, at the same time, cultivates students to be forward thinkers who enact change—in their own lives, professions and in their communities. The Princeton Review includes SHU in its Best 391 Colleges: 2026 Edition and Best Business Schools: 2025 Edition. Sacred Heart is home to the award-winning, NPR-affiliate station, WSHU Public Radio; a Division I athletics program and an impressive performing arts program that includes choir, band, dance and theatre. www.sacredheart.edu

Sacred Heart University's College of Arts & Sciences invites applications for six (6) on-ground, full-time teaching faculty positions to lead sections of the University's signature seminars: First-Year Writing Seminar (FYWS 125) and The Human Journey Seminars: Great Books in the Catholic Intellectual Tradition (CIT 201 and CIT 202). These seminars make up 9 credits of the academic foundational core and are taken by all undergraduate students in their first and second year.

Faculty course assignments will not be exclusive to one department. Candidates with cross-disciplinary degrees and teaching specialties are highly encouraged to apply. For example, we would welcome applicants with expertise in fields such as Irish Studies, American Catholic Studies, Art History, Theatre and Performance Studies, Religious Studies, Media Studies, Medieval Studies, Health Humanities, or Digital Humanities. Positions are open-discipline across the humanities and might include qualified candidates with terminal degrees in History, English, Creative Writing, Comparative Literature, Music, Philosophy, Politics, and Theology.

Commitment to seminar pedagogy and student writing is essential, regardless of candidate's disciplinary background in the humanities. All candidates must be able to facilitate student discussion in small classes (capped at no more than 20) with strong ability to relate to and inspire students to think about big and enduring human questions. This requires sympathetic engagement with students and great texts, excitement to contribute to Sacred Heart's mission, and a commitment to humanistic learning and creative composition. The First Year Writing Seminar collaborates with the University's Laudato Si' Office for Sustainability and Social Justice, so candidates should speak to these priorities. The Human Journey Seminars are offered by the University's interdisciplinary Catholic Studies department and collaborates with the Center for Catholic Studies.

These positions will be at the rank of Assistant Teaching Professor (non-tenure track) and carry a 24-credit teaching load (4/4) as well as academic advising and service responsibilities. These positions will be housed in the Department of English or Department of Catholic Studies with the expectation of teaching assignments across programs. There may also be opportunities to offer foundational core classes in other humanities disciplines as appropriate to training and expertise. Ability to work well with colleagues and chairs across department boundaries will be crucial to candidate success. This search aims to support the University's commitment to the liberal arts, the Catholic Intellectual Tradition, and collegiality, encouraging faculty and student research by teaching in a range of humanities courses and innovative programs. Sacred Heart's liberal arts offerings foreground human questions, creative thought and experimentation through critical thinking, intentional reflection, and courageous civil discourse.

Requirements: Candidates must have their PhD or MFA in hand by August 2026.

Successful candidates will embrace a strong commitment to teaching a foundation in the liberal arts and to supporting and advising first-year students as they begin their Pioneer Journey. Additionally, successful candidates will engage in service to the department, college, university, and profession through academic advising, committee work, faculty governance, and other service-related activities. Lastly, successful candidates will contribute their presence to a collegial and collaborative environment, consciously applying our mission and values to create spaces where all may thrive and succeed.

Application instructions: Qualified candidates should upload a letter of application, curriculum vitae, statement of teaching philosophy, advanced degree transcript (unofficial is sufficient for the application process), and contact information for three letters of reference.

Three current letters of recommendation will be required if selected for a screening interview. Electronic submission of application materials online only. Please do not hesitate to contact Professor Lori Bindig Yousman at [e-mail] if you have any questions regarding this search.

Review of applications will begin on January 12, 2026 and continue until all of the positions are filled.

Sacred Heart University is a space that respects and embraces differences, recognizes the unique contributions that individuals can make, and creates a community that maximizes the potential of all faculty and staff. As an equal opportunity employer, we encourage applications from qualified candidates who reflect the wider world in which we live.