FR-26/27 World Literatures - Assistant Professor

California State University - Fresno; Fresno (CA); On-site; USD 64,000 - 86,000; Full time

Job summary

California State University, Fresno invites applications for a tenure-track Assistant Professor position in World Literatures within the Department of English. The successful candidate will teach undergraduate and graduate courses, participate in MA thesis committees, and pursue an active research program.

Typical workload is 3/3 (4-unit courses) with potential course releases for research; new faculty receive one course release per semester for the first two years per union contract.

Qualifications

• Ph.D. in English, Comparative Literatures, or closely related discipline; degree must be completed by Aug 1, 2027.
• Expertise in comparative ancient, classical, medieval, renaissance/early modern and/or contemporary world literatures, including indigenous literatures.
• Ability to teach foundational departmental courses in text analysis and disciplinary research writing.
• Evidence of a promising research and publication agenda in world literatures.

Responsibilities

• Teach undergraduate and graduate students in World Literatures and related courses.
• Serve on M.A. thesis committees and conduct scholarly research.
• Engage in campus and community service activities.

Skills

World Literatures

Comparative literatures

Undergraduate teaching

Graduate teaching

Education

PhD in English/Comparative Literatures

Job description

FR-26/27 World Literatures - Assistant Professor

Job No: 562694

Work Type: Instructional Faculty - Tenured/Tenure-Track

Location: Central California: Fresno

Categories: Bargaining Unit: Unit 3 - CFA - California Faculty Association, Job Search Category/Discipline: Faculty - Letters/Humanities, Appointment Type: Tenured/Tenure-Track, Time Basis: Full Time

California State University, Fresno

College of Arts and Humanities

Department of English

World Literatures Assistant Professor

Tenure Track

Fall 2027 (August 2027)

The Department of English in the College of Arts and Humanities at California State University, Fresno seeks applicants for a tenure-track position in World Literatures. Preference will be given to candidates with background in comparative methodologies; and in ancient, classical, medieval, renaissance/early modern and/or contemporary world languages and literatures, including indigenous world literatures. The position brings a disciplinary focus of global diversity to students within the department, College of Arts and Humanities, and University.

The successful candidate will teach undergraduate and graduate students, serve on M.A. thesis committees, conduct scholarly research, and engage in campus and community service activities. Primary teaching responsibilities include foundational literatures, theory, and advanced writing courses for English majors, courses in World Literatures, myth and folklore, special topics, and General Education courses. Faculty proposals of topics courses in areas of research are welcomed and encouraged. Typical course load in English is 3/3 (4-unit courses), with a possible course release for research on a competitive basis. Per union-negotiated contract, new tenure-track faculty receive one course release per semester for the first two years.

Qualifications

Education (from an accredited institution or foreign equivalent):

1. An earned doctorate (Ph.D.) in English, Comparative Literatures, or other closely related discipline.
2. Applicants nearing completion of the doctorate (ABD) may be considered. Degree must be completed by August 1, 2027.

Required

1. Expertise in comparative ancient, classical, medieval, renaissance/early modern and/or contemporary world literatures, including indigenous world literatures.
2. Demonstrated ability to teach departmental courses in World Literatures, including ENGL 30, 101, 112, 113, 114, 118, 167.
3. Demonstrated ability to teach foundational departmental undergraduate and graduate courses in text analysis and disciplinary research writing, including ENGL 105, 106W, 195, 205.
4. Evidence of a promising and relevant research and publication agenda in the field of world literatures.
5. Demonstrated ability and commitment to contribute to university shared governance and service to campus and community.
6. A commitment to student success through inclusive, accessible, and transformative education and to working collaboratively and respectfully with students, faculty, staff in our diverse community.
7. Demonstrated ability to communicate effectively with students, faculty, staff and members of the campus community.

Preferred

1. Background in comparative methodologies.
2. Background in pre-1700 world literatures.
3. Expertise in one or more ancient and/or modern world languages other than English.
4. Experience teaching college courses in World Literatures.
5. Experience teaching discipline-specific (English Studies/Comparative Literatures) college courses in research and writing.

Committee Information and Search process

Search Chair: Alison Mandaville

Email: [e-mail]

California State University, Fresno

About the College and Department

Our Literature program, which offers B.A. and M.A. degrees, shares space with English Education, Creative Writing, and the Rhetoric and Writing programs of the Department of English.

We believe the best English classrooms are communities in which teachers and students work together to analyze, construct, and apply meaning. Class sizes are typically up to 25 for undergraduate courses and 15 for graduate courses. Faculty members have ample opportunity to design new courses in response to changes in the field, student interests, and their own scholarly leanings. Students from the department have gone on to national and international graduate programs and are successful in a wide variety of careers.

English Department faculty are scholars of literature, rhetoric, and teacher education, as well as award-winning creative writers. Our faculty include Fulbright recipients, NEH Summer Scholars, research fellows, and MLA Delegates. Our department is home to several thriving literary journals and hosts multiple conferences and literary readings. We also have a strong tradition of serving in leadership positions of campus-wide governance, academic programs, and in the faculty union.

The English Department serves as a base for many student-led organizations, including the Students of English Studies Association (SESA), which organizes an annual symposium of student research in English Studies; the Sigma Tau Delta Honors Society, the 30+ year-old Chicanx Writers and Artists Association (CWAA), and the Hmong American Ink and Stories (HAIS) club. Students were active participants when the department hosted the 33rd International Conference on Virginia Woolf (2024). Having hosted the 2007 national Multi-Ethnic Literatures of the Americas (MELUS) conference, the English Department launched the Undergraduate Conference on Multiethnic Literatures of the Americas (UCMLA) in 2009. Since then, UCMLA has provided a platform for presentation of undergraduate scholarship in the field and brought to campus such writers and scholars as Cherrie Moraga, Roxane Gay, Maxine Hong Kingston, Ishmael Reed, Gary Okihiro, Erica L. Sanchez, Shadab Zeest Hashmi, Dr. LeiLani Nishime, Gerald Vizenor, and Danez Smith.

Across campus there are numerous opportunities for collaboration with other departments and programs, including American Indian Studies; Asian American Studies; Africana Studies; Armenian Studies; Chicano and Latin American Studies; Hmong Studies; and the Women's, Gender, and Sexuality Studies Department. The Fresno State Library houses the national MELUS archives. The Arne Nixon Center for Children's Literature is home to one of the nation's best collections of LBGTQ literature for young readers.

English Department faculty and students are actively engaged with local communities. A service-learning class for aspiring secondary English teachers offers students experience working with local community literacy projects. The department organizes a Young Writers Conference that for over 40 years has drawn 400+ high school students and educators from all over the region annually. Department members and alumni participate in a variety of local organizations and events including the Reel Pride Film Festival, the Fresno Area Council of English Teachers, Fresno LitHop Festival, the Fresno Rogue Fringe Festival, the Fresno Poets' Association, and Respite by the River Reading series.

Faculty joining the university are expected to follow department, university, and Modern Language Association guidelines for AI best practices in teaching and research.

About Fresno State

California State University, Fresno is an engaged University. We focus on broadening students' intellectual horizons, fostering lifelong learning skills, developing the leaders of tomorrow, promoting community involvement, and instilling an appreciation of world cultures. We nurture cultural competence by celebrating the rich diversity of the campus community and welcoming the participation of all. Members of the University community are expected to work effectively with faculty, staff, and students from diverse ethnic, cultural, and socioeconomic backgrounds.

The campus is ranked 2nd in the nation by Washington Monthly for tuition (and tax) dollars; ranked No. 31 for social mobility in U.S. News and World Report's 2025 Best Colleges rankings; and received a 4.5-star rating on a 5-star scale in Money's 2025 Best Colleges list.

Tenure-Track Faculty members gain a clear path to tenure through the University's Probationary Plan Process. For additional information, please visit: www.fresnostate.edu/academics/facultyaffairs/procedures/facultyrtp/.

Commensurate with qualifications and experience the anticipated hiring salary is $6,250 per month for Assistant Professor (12 monthly payments per academic year). As a member of the 23-campus CSU System, we offer an extremely competitive benefits package. See the CSU Employee Benefits Summary for details about the CSU's excellent benefits package.

Territorial Acknowledgement

The Fresno State campus sits in the midst of the San Joaquin Valley, a valley rich in the traditions and representation of Native American peoples and cultures. We are grateful to be in the traditional homelands