Swarthmore College
Assistant Professor of Educational Studies - Literacy Studies
Swarthmore College, Swarthmore, Pennsylvania, United States
Overview
Assistant Professor of Educational Studies – Literacy Studies
Location: Swarthmore, Pennsylvania
Open Date: Jul 11, 2025
The Department of Educational Studies at Swarthmore College invites applications for a tenure-track position in Literacy Studies at the Assistant Professor level, beginning in fall 2026.
Responsibilities
Teaching responsibilities include two courses per term and thesis supervision as assigned by the department chair. Typical courses and supervisory responsibilities include:
The department’s introductory course (which provides a foundation for student work in upper-level courses).
Supervision of student teachers.
An upper-level honors seminar in Literacies.
An intermediate-level course associated with the applicant’s research focus.
The two-credit Curriculum and Methods Seminar that accompanies student teaching.
The successful applicant will be a scholar and teacher who maintains an active research program with opportunities for student collaboration.
Knowledge of PK-16 reading and writing instruction is expected, with special encouragement for candidates specializing in structured literacy, adolescent literacy, digital literacies, or content-area and disciplinary literacy.
The position requires institutional and departmental service, including attendance at weekly department meetings, department events, committee service, and department chairing (post-tenure).
Faculty serve as advisors for majors, minors, and pre-majors, and supervise senior theses.
About the Department The Department of Educational Studies at Swarthmore is collaborative and interdisciplinary, employing qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methodologies to examine educational research, policy, theory, pedagogy, and related practices. Students develop informed perspectives on the role of education in society and go on to become leaders in various fields. The department values joy in learning and aims to contribute to a more just and equitable world through reflective, innovative, and collaborative work.
Programs and Commitment The department offers course and honors majors in Educational Studies, along with partnered majors and opportunities for elementary or secondary teacher certification. Research and fieldwork are distinctive components of all majors. Faculty engage in engaged scholarship—research and practice grounded in partnerships with schools, practitioners, and communities, involving students as research assistants and collaborators.
Benefits and Diversity Swarthmore College offers competitive start-up packages to support faculty research and teaching, funds for travel to professional meetings, summer support for undergraduate research collaborators, and a generous sabbatical policy. Swarthmore is located in the suburbs of Philadelphia, near Wilmington, DE. It is a highly selective liberal arts college with a mission that combines academic rigor with social responsibility. The college has a strong institutional commitment to diversity and inclusive excellence, with substantial minority and international student enrollment. More information on faculty diversity and excellence is available on the Swarthmore site (no external links included here).
Qualifications
Ph.D. or Ed.D. in Literacy Studies or a related discipline with post-doctoral research or similar experience following doctoral training.
K-12 teaching or school-based experience, preferably at the middle school or secondary level, required.
Demonstrated commitment to teaching and mentoring undergraduate students of diverse backgrounds and identities.
A program of innovative and impactful research with strong potential for future growth.
Application Instructions
An expression of interest that includes a cover letter of no more than two pages describing the candidate's qualifications for the position and a curriculum vitae as part of the initial application process.
A select number of candidates will be invited to submit a complete dossier that includes a teaching statement, a research statement, and three professional letters of recommendation. The teaching statement should describe the applicant’s interests in teaching at an undergraduate institution, previous teaching experience, and approach to teaching and mentoring students from diverse backgrounds. The research statement should describe the applicant’s program of research (including research interests, recent and current research, and anticipated areas for future work) and its potential to engage undergraduate students. At least one letter of recommendation should comment specifically on the candidate’s teaching. Applications will not be considered until letters of recommendation have been submitted.
Candidates may then be invited to participate in a Zoom interview.
Candidates may be invited to campus to give a talk and interview with members of the faculty and students.
Apply at the following address: (contact details removed from this refined version). Please address any questions to the Educational Studies Department chair, K. Ann Renninger, at the department email.
All expressions of interest received by October 6, 2025, will receive full consideration.
#J-18808-Ljbffr
Location: Swarthmore, Pennsylvania
Open Date: Jul 11, 2025
The Department of Educational Studies at Swarthmore College invites applications for a tenure-track position in Literacy Studies at the Assistant Professor level, beginning in fall 2026.
Responsibilities
Teaching responsibilities include two courses per term and thesis supervision as assigned by the department chair. Typical courses and supervisory responsibilities include:
The department’s introductory course (which provides a foundation for student work in upper-level courses).
Supervision of student teachers.
An upper-level honors seminar in Literacies.
An intermediate-level course associated with the applicant’s research focus.
The two-credit Curriculum and Methods Seminar that accompanies student teaching.
The successful applicant will be a scholar and teacher who maintains an active research program with opportunities for student collaboration.
Knowledge of PK-16 reading and writing instruction is expected, with special encouragement for candidates specializing in structured literacy, adolescent literacy, digital literacies, or content-area and disciplinary literacy.
The position requires institutional and departmental service, including attendance at weekly department meetings, department events, committee service, and department chairing (post-tenure).
Faculty serve as advisors for majors, minors, and pre-majors, and supervise senior theses.
About the Department The Department of Educational Studies at Swarthmore is collaborative and interdisciplinary, employing qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methodologies to examine educational research, policy, theory, pedagogy, and related practices. Students develop informed perspectives on the role of education in society and go on to become leaders in various fields. The department values joy in learning and aims to contribute to a more just and equitable world through reflective, innovative, and collaborative work.
Programs and Commitment The department offers course and honors majors in Educational Studies, along with partnered majors and opportunities for elementary or secondary teacher certification. Research and fieldwork are distinctive components of all majors. Faculty engage in engaged scholarship—research and practice grounded in partnerships with schools, practitioners, and communities, involving students as research assistants and collaborators.
Benefits and Diversity Swarthmore College offers competitive start-up packages to support faculty research and teaching, funds for travel to professional meetings, summer support for undergraduate research collaborators, and a generous sabbatical policy. Swarthmore is located in the suburbs of Philadelphia, near Wilmington, DE. It is a highly selective liberal arts college with a mission that combines academic rigor with social responsibility. The college has a strong institutional commitment to diversity and inclusive excellence, with substantial minority and international student enrollment. More information on faculty diversity and excellence is available on the Swarthmore site (no external links included here).
Qualifications
Ph.D. or Ed.D. in Literacy Studies or a related discipline with post-doctoral research or similar experience following doctoral training.
K-12 teaching or school-based experience, preferably at the middle school or secondary level, required.
Demonstrated commitment to teaching and mentoring undergraduate students of diverse backgrounds and identities.
A program of innovative and impactful research with strong potential for future growth.
Application Instructions
An expression of interest that includes a cover letter of no more than two pages describing the candidate's qualifications for the position and a curriculum vitae as part of the initial application process.
A select number of candidates will be invited to submit a complete dossier that includes a teaching statement, a research statement, and three professional letters of recommendation. The teaching statement should describe the applicant’s interests in teaching at an undergraduate institution, previous teaching experience, and approach to teaching and mentoring students from diverse backgrounds. The research statement should describe the applicant’s program of research (including research interests, recent and current research, and anticipated areas for future work) and its potential to engage undergraduate students. At least one letter of recommendation should comment specifically on the candidate’s teaching. Applications will not be considered until letters of recommendation have been submitted.
Candidates may then be invited to participate in a Zoom interview.
Candidates may be invited to campus to give a talk and interview with members of the faculty and students.
Apply at the following address: (contact details removed from this refined version). Please address any questions to the Educational Studies Department chair, K. Ann Renninger, at the department email.
All expressions of interest received by October 6, 2025, will receive full consideration.
#J-18808-Ljbffr