Assistant Professor in Art History

Department of Art
College of the Arts
Assistant Professor
Fall 2026

The Department of Art at California State University, Fullerton, invites applications for a tenure-track Assistant Professor position in Art History with an appointment to begin Fall Semester 2026.

California State University, Fullerton (CSUF) is an equal opportunity employer and a minority-serving institution, with a Hispanic-Serving Institution designation. CSUF earned the prestigious Seal of Excelencia in 2021 and 2024, joining a distinguished group of colleges and universities recognized for their commitment to the success of Latine/x students. CSUF has a diverse student population of over 43,000 students, including international students from 73 nations. CSUF is firmly committed to student success by equipping students to achieve academic excellence, career success, and economic mobility. Candidates who can contribute to this goal through their teaching, research, advising, and other activities are encouraged to identify their strengths and experiences. We are seeking to recruit and retain faculty who can teach and mentor our students to achieve their academic and career goals while advancing the University’s strategic plan objectives. CSUF strives to retain all faculty by providing resources to build meaningful connections and community within and across disciplines. The campus community is designed to foster an inclusive environment that enables students, staff, administrators, and faculty to thrive.

Position
This is a tenure-track Assistant Professorship in Modern and Contemporary Art History with a global perspective. CSUF is committed to scholars who bring both the breadth and depth of their specializations to the classroom, as well as to individually mentored projects, such as Independent Studies and MA theses. Teaching is focused primarily on undergraduate learning, with some combined classes that include graduate students.

The candidate will teach large lecture classes in Modern Art and Contemporary Art, both with a global perspective. Smaller, upper-division classes on a focused area of inquiry may also be offered, and course development in the area of specialization is likewise expected. CSUF faculty are responsible for sustained, active, scholarly work commensurate with the requirements for tenure. Art History faculty teach a 4/4 course load, advise Art History majors and MA students, supervise MA Theses, and serve on committees within the department, college, and university.

Required Qualifications

• Ph.D. in Art History
• demonstrated success or potential for success as a scholar in modern and contemporary art within a global perspective
• demonstrated commitment to and excellence in undergraduate teaching
• experience in working collaboratively with colleagues
• ability to balance excellent teaching, scholarly research, and service
• demonstrated potential for effective integration of technology into instruction
• demonstrated commitment to working effectively with students from intersecting marginalized social groups

Preferred Qualifications

• knowledge of institutional practices in modern and contemporary art worlds
• successful scholarly accomplishments, including publications, conference presentations, grants, and fellowships
• ability to work collaboratively with colleagues across disciplines

Application
A complete online application must be received by electronic submission to be considered. To apply, please visit http://hr.fullerton.edu/careers/Faculty.php , choose full-time faculty, search for the position 552218 and provide the following required materials:

• cover letter in which you respond to the required qualifications
• curriculum vitae
• research statement
• teaching statement
• candidate statement on commitment to inclusive excellence (no more than 500 words):
  • Inclusive excellence is a strategic framework that recognizes the importance of diversity, equity, and inclusion in achieving organizational success and high-quality learning and teaching. It's a way of thinking and acting that integrates these values into all aspects of an institution, from curriculum and pedagogy to recruitment and hiring. Essentially, it means that excellence is not just about achieving high standards, but also about ensuring that all members of the community have the opportunity to thrive and contribute (Williams et al., 2005).
  • With the Inclusive Excellence Statement, we aim to learn about the applicant’s perspective on their past and present contributions to and future aspirations for promoting and engaging with a diverse student population. This statement should showcase the candidate's professional experience, intellectual commitments, and/or willingness to teach and create an academic environment supportive of all students, including but not limited to those of diverse ages, abilities, cultures, ethnicities, gender identities, languages, religions, and sexual orientations.
  • Cal State Fullerton serves a student body that reflects the rich cultural, ethnic, and socioeconomic mosaic of Southern California. Please provide concrete examples of how you, as a faculty member, will support our students in one or more of the following areas, which fall under the areas of awareness and understanding, experience and commitment, and future plans.
  • Your contributions (past, present, or future) to embedding perspectives that are reflective of the student population into your teaching and/or scholarship.
  • Your experience in service activities that are reflective of a diverse student population.
  • Your experience and commitment to mentoring and providing opportunities to a diverse student body inside and outside the classroom environment.
  • Your experience integrating creative activities that are inclusive of the identities of our student body and communities.

a list of three references with relevant contact information

• Finalists must submit three letters of recommendation. Please have these ready for the referents to submit. On the References page of the online application, enter information and email addresses for three referents who will provide a confidential letter of reference for your application. At the appropriate time in the search process, they will receive a request via email along with information on uploading the letter. You can verify that CSUF has received each letter by logging back into your applicant portal.
• Finalists will be asked to have each of their three referents submit a letter of recommendation. Please have these ready for the referents to offer should you proceed to this search phase.

Semifinalists and/or finalists may be asked to submit additional materials for further consideration (e.g., scholarly articles, portfolio, etc.). Graduate Transcripts (unofficial copies are sufficient for initial review)
Please direct all questions about the position to Dean of the College of the Arts, Dr. Arnold Holland, aholland@fullerton.edu

Application Deadline
To be assured full consideration, all application materials must be received by January 14, 2026. The anticipated appointment date is August 2026.

The College and Department
The Department of Visual Arts serves approximately 3000 undergraduate art majors and 24 graduate students, with 27 full-time and 100+ Lecturer faculty. The department offers both a BA in Art and BFA in Art with 13 areas of concentration, in addition to an MA and MFA in Art with 9 areas of concentration. CSUF is located about 30 miles from downtown Los Angeles in metropolitan Orange County and presents a full range of fine arts and professional programs including a nationally recognized art gallery located in the Visual Arts complex and the Grand Central Art Center, a 45,000 sq. ft. graduate studio/residence/exhibition facility located 15 minutes from campus. The Department of Visual Arts at California State University, Fullerton, is fully accredited by the National Association of Schools of Art and Design. For more information about the Department of Visual Arts and the College of the Arts, please refer to the website https://www.fullerton.edu/arts/art/

Compensation
The Assistant Professor (2025/2026) classification salary range is $6,221 - $13,224 per month (12 monthly payments per academic year). The anticipated hiring range is $6,884 - $7,022 per month.

Salary offered is commensurate with experience and qualifications. In addition, the California Equal Pay Act prohibits employers from paying its employees less than those of the opposite sex and/or another race or ethnicity for substantially similar work ( https://www.dir.ca.gov/dlse/california_equal_pay_act.htm ).

Summer research grants, moving expenses, start-up funds, and a reduced teaching load may be available.

CSUF Benefits
An excellent comprehensive benefits package includes health/vision/dental plans; spouse, domestic partner, and dependent fee-waiver; access to campus child-care; and a defined-benefit retirement through the state system and optional tax-sheltering opportunities. For a detailed description of benefits, please visit https://hr.fullerton.edu/total-wellness/ .

New employees hired by the CSU for the first time who first become CalPERS members on or after July 1, 2017, are subject to a 10-year vesting period for retiree health and dental benefits.

Additional Information
Multiple positions may be hired from this recruitment based on the strength of the applicant pool.

CSU Policies
The person holding this position is considered a ‘mandated reporter’ under the California Child Abuse and Neglect Reporting Act and must comply with the requirements set forth in CSU Executive Order 1083, revised July 21, 2017, as a condition of employment.

A background check (including a criminal records check) must be completed satisfactorily before any candidate can be formally offered a position with the CSU. Failure to satisfactorily complete the background check may affect the application status of applicants or the continued employment of current CSU employees who apply for the position.

Reasonable accommodations will be provided for qualified applicants with disabilities who self-disclose.

Notice of Non-Discrimination based on Gender or Sex and Contact Information for Title IX Coordinator (http://www.fullerton.edu/titleix/about/notice.php) .

In accordance with the California State University (CSU) Out-of-State Employment Policy, the CSU is a state entity whose business operations reside within the State of California. It requires hiring employees to perform CSU-related work within the State of California. The employee must be able to accept on-campus instruction, as assigned, and come to campus when needed. The CSU also prohibits hiring and retaining employees working permanently from a business location outside of the United States.

California State University, Fullerton, is not currently sponsoring faculty positions for H-1B employment visas. At the time of appointment, the successful candidate, if not a U.S. citizen, must have authorization from the Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Services to work in the United States. For information on the University policy on support for non-immigrant probationary faculty visa acquisition, please visit the Faculty/Staff Visas and Permanent Residency page: https://hr.fullerton.edu/risk-management/faculty-staff-visas-permanent-residency/default.php

Advertised: Oct 16 2025 Pacific Daylight Time
Applications close:

• 

• Cal State University (CSU) Fullerton

• 657-278-2200

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