Posting Details
Come and join the Bearkat community!
Named after Texas' legendary hero, General Sam Houston, the university boasts a rich historical legacy that resonates with the spirit of Texas, which provides a balance between a peaceful, natural setting and proximity to urban amenities. With a student population of over 21,000, SHSU offers a vibrant and dynamic community. SHSU has a small town feel with large scale opportunities. Located in the Piney Woods region of East Texas and just an hour drive north of Houston, Huntsville provides area residents with a sense of community and belonging.
SHSU offers compelling options for individuals seeking a fulfilling and impactful career including a superior benefit package, competitive salaries and a flexible work environment fostering work/life balance. SHSU offers programs that support a healthy work-life balance, contributing to employee well-being and job satisfaction, as well as, professional development opportunities with our educational assistance and dependent assistance programs.
Position Information
This position is security-sensitive and thereby subject to the provisions of the Texas Education Code §51.215, which authorizes the employer to obtain criminal history record information.
Position Title Visiting Assistant Professor of English Requisition 202600078F Rank Visiting Assistant Professor FLSA status Exempt Hiring Salary
Salary is commensurate with education and experience.
Position Category Position Type Full-Time Non-Tenure Track College College of Humanities and Social Sciences Department Dept of English Open Date 06/05/2026 Quicklink https://shsu.peopleadmin.com/postings/47476
Refer Applicants To
Contact Name Dr. Russell Willerton Title
Chair, Department of English
College of Humanities and Social Sciences
Evans Complex 458
Huntsville Campus
1905 University Ave
Contact Phone 936.294.1402 Contact Email drw067@shsu.edu
Position Details
Duties Performed in the Usual Course of the Job
Sam Houston State University's Department of English seeks one Visiting Assistant Professor of English to begin Fall 2026. This one-year position, renewable at the university's discretion, offers an excellent opportunity for professional growth, providing valuable experience teaching Composition I and II, refining pedagogical skills, and positively influencing students' academic development. Successful candidates will teach a 4/4 course load, primarily consisting of Composition I and II, with the possibility of teaching other English courses as needed. Responsibilities also include continued engagement in their field through research, presentations, and publications. The ideal candidate will be prepared to teach at both the undergraduate and graduate levels.
Educational Requirements for the Position
A Ph.D. in English or closely related field.
Experience Required for the Position
Preferred Qualifications - Prior experience teaching in higher education, both in-person and online. Proven excellence in college-level teaching. Training in American literature and experience teaching American literature are desirable.
Other Requirements for the Position
This position requires teaching in person at the Huntsville campus.
Special Instructions Summary
About SHSU and the English department: Home to a student population of over 22,000, Sam Houston State University (SHSU) is in Huntsville, Texas, on the rapidly developing Interstate-45 corridor between Houston and Dallas. SHSU is 70 miles north of downtown Houston and 170 miles south of Dallas, ideally situated between the 4th and 9th largest cities in the country and two of the 10 fastest-growing cities in the United States. In Fall 2023, SHSU welcomed its largest first-year class in history and celebrated a retention rate of over 75% for returning students.
A great name in Texas education, Sam Houston State University offers over 85 bachelor's degree programs, more than 60 master's degree programs, 10 doctoral programs, and 1 professional doctoral program (DO), including award-winning programs, nationally and internationally recognized scholars, and innovative initiatives to help students develop and succeed. SHSU is classified as a "R2: Doctoral University-High Research Activity" by the Carnegie Commission on Higher Education, and it was recently recognized by U.S. News and World Report for being one of the top performers in social mobility. In addition, the Carnegie Commission on Higher Education classified SHSU as a "Community Engaged" university. This honor has been awarded to 311 public institutions nationwide, and it acknowledges SHSU's significant commitment to serving the community. Learn more about SHSU here.
The Department of English is a large, multidisciplinary department composed of over 40 full-time and several part-time faculty members across specializations in literature, creative writing, technical communication, composition and rhetoric, secondary education, and language and linguistics. Students pursue degrees in English across the department's various graduate programs in literature, creative writing, and technical communication, and the undergraduate degree in English. Additionally, the department houses the first year composition program and the integrated reading and writing program that assists developmental students in their first-year composition classes. The department is located on campus in the Evans Complex, which contains dozens of classrooms designed for close discussion, dozens of faculty offices, two computer labs, a maker space, the award-winning Texas Review Press, a recently remodeled "engaged" classroom space, two conference rooms, a student lounge, faculty breakroom, and a 100+ seat auditorium capable of holding large lectures and film screenings.
Please note: References provided in the References section of the application will receive an automated email reference request at the time the application is submitted.
Open Until Filled Yes
EEO Statement
EEO Statement
Sam Houston State University is an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer and Smoke/Drug-Free Workplace. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, creed, ancestry, marital status, citizenship, color, national origin, sex, religion, age, disability, or protected veteran status. The University takes seriously the initiative to ensure equal opportunity in the workforce and to comply with Title VII as interpreted by the U.S. Supreme Court. Sam Houston State University is an "at will" employer. Employees with a contract will have additional terms and conditions. Security-sensitive positions at SHSU require background checks in accordance with Education Code §51.215.
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