Assistant Professor/Associate Professor of Visual Arts (tenure-track)

Salary Range or Pay Grade

Assistant Professor: $108,000-$115,000, Associate Professor: $115,000-$135,000

Field of Specialization

Any Medium/Discipline

The Visual Arts Program in the School of the Arts at Columbia University invites applications for a position at the rank of Assistant Professor/Associate Professor of Visual Arts (tenure-track) specializing in any medium or discipline, effective July 1, 2027.  

The successful candidate will be innovative and passionate, and have a significant exhibition record and advanced technical skills grounded in the history of their respective medium(s) and possess strong leadership qualities. Appointees must have a thorough knowledge of contemporary art discourse and a demonstrated ability to mentor and engage critically with our diverse student population regardless of medium. A minimum of three years teaching experience at both the undergraduate and graduate level, full-time or adjunct, strongly preferred. 

Columbia’s Visual Arts Program is interdisciplinary and fosters rich creative work at both the graduate (MFA in Visual Arts) and undergraduate (BA with Visual Arts major) levels in the areas of Moving Image, Painting, Photography, Printmaking, Sculpture, and Expanded practice. The Visual Arts Program, in collaboration with the Department of Music and the Computer Music Center, also offers a course of study in the discipline of Sound Art which leads to an MFA in Visual Arts. The Program offers undergraduate studio classes in all areas mentioned, enrolling over 700 registrations each school year, and offers a major in Visual Arts leading to a BA awarded by Columbia College or the School of General Studies.

The appointee will teach graduate students across all mediums as well as undergraduate studio courses, advise students at both the graduate and undergraduate levels, lead Grad Studio or Group Critiques, oversee MFA theses, and mentor postgraduate careers. The full-time teaching load consists of four classes each school year, and Independent Study at faculty’s discretion. Participation is required in rotating service and leadership roles, including committee work in collaboration with other programs in the School. A fully engaged presence on campus is expected along with a willingness to collaborate with peers to help shape the future of the Visual Arts Program and the School of Arts at both the graduate and undergraduate levels.

Candidates for Assistant Professor or Associate Professor (tenure-track position) must have demonstrated and shown promise of the capacity for creative work and the accompanying pedagogy qualifying them for future nomination to tenure.

Rank and salary commensurate with experience.

Review of applications will begin January 10th, 2027 and continue until the position is filled.

Qualifications

Minimum degree required: BA or equivalent

Preferred degree: MA or MFA strongly preferred

Teaching experience: Minimum of three years teaching at the undergraduate and graduate level strongly preferred. 

Application Instructions

All applications must be made through Columbia University’s Academic Search and Recruiting (ASR) system. Please upload the following required materials: cover letter, CV, teaching philosophy, contact information for three referees, and samples of your work, provided through a word or PDF document with a live URL link to a website with a minimum of 15 work sample images (No slideshows or PowerPoints accepted).

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement

Columbia University is an Equal Opportunity Employer / Disability / Veteran

Pay Transparency Disclosure

The salary of the finalist selected for this role will be set based on a variety of factors, including but not limited to departmental budgets, qualifications, experience, education, licenses, specialty, and training.  The above hiring range represents the University’s good faith and reasonable estimate of the range of possible compensation at the time of posting.