The Department of Art History, Theory, and Criticism at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago (SAIC) invites applications for a tenure-track Assistant Professor position to begin in August of 2025. This full-time appointment
is for a historian of Black art and design. The successful candidate will play a crucial role in the department’s continued diversification of intellectual conversations about art and design history. Salary is competitive with peer institutions and commensurate with level of practice, scholarship, and current academic research, extent of teaching experience, and current professional standing.
Program Profile
The Department of Art History, Theory, and Criticism, one of 21 departments at the school, is composed of fourteen full-time art historians specializing in modern and contemporary art and design. Together with 50 part-
time faculty, the department currently offers 225 courses, and mentors 30 dedicated MA in Modern and Contemporary Art History students, undergraduate students pursuing a dedicated BA in Art History, and dual-
degree graduate students earning an MA in Arts Administration and Policy in conjunction with their MA in Art History.
Further information about the department can be found at: https://www.saic.edu/art-history-theory-criticism
Responsibilities
Full-time faculty in Art History, Theory, and Criticism teach and advise undergraduate and graduate students within the interdisciplinary art and design school environment of SAIC. The successful candidate will expand the full-time curricular coverage of the Department of Art History, Theory, and Criticism’s MA and BA programs in Art History, providing undergraduate courses, graduate seminars, and master’s thesis supervision. The candidate will also be an active participant in the education of studio artists, designers, architects, and arts professionals at the MFA, MA and BFA levels and will contribute to the vibrant and creative culture of a research-oriented department in a prestigious school of art and design. The successful candidate must be interested in contributing to the department’s self-governance and administration, and participate in the SAIC community through ongoing
curricular development, departmental administration, school governance, and service.
Qualifications
Ph.D. or ABD is required. For ABD candidates, a clear path to Ph.D completion prior to joining the School must be evident. Some teaching experience preferred for junior candidates. Senior candidates must show evidence of substantial teaching experience. Evidence of ongoing research and continued publication trajectory expected. Preference will be given to candidates who relate modern and/or contemporary art and design to histories of Black culture. The ideal candidate will contribute to the diversity of the School by bringing a perspective, way of thinking, and/or a unique set of experiences that expand the field. We seek candidates with the knowledge and aptitude to teach and mentor students from diverse backgrounds. Candidates should demonstrate their experience with, or aptitude for, departmental administration as service will be expected.
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