The mission of the College of Arts and Humanities (ARHU) is to prepare versatile and visionary leaders equipped to address the complexities of the human experience, both globally and locally. Housed within ARHU, the Department of English teaches students how to think critically, communicate clearly and fearlessly. Equipped with a versatile and interdisciplinary liberal arts education, our students emerge from our classrooms well-prepared to navigate the complex landscape of the current moment.
The department’s faculty are premiere in their fields, boasting a body of work that includes award-winning digital media, scholarly essays, novels, short stories and poetry. Our faculty are regular recipients of Guggenheim fellowships, Mellon Foundation grants, NEA awards, NEH fellowships, the Rome Prize, the Whiting Award and American Academy of Arts and Letters awards.
The department is an inclusive gathering place for undergraduates, graduate students, faculty and the public. Our Center for Literary and Comparative Studies and BookLab are hubs for scholarly inquiry and partnership with other campus programs and off-campus entities. English regularly hosts readings by poets and novelists; colloquium, symposia, guest lectures and national and international conferences featuring distinguished scholars; as well as discussion groups for students and alumni and play readings and performances. Our majors are encouraged to explore a range of careers through internships, such as with the Maryland General Assembly and the Maryland Institute for Technology in the Humanities. We have a robust alumni program, ensuring continuity between currently enrolled students and those who have gone on to successful careers in marketing, law, medicine, IT, and higher education.
Physical Demands: N/A
Licenses/ Certifications: N/A
Minimum Qualifications: Qualified candidates will have a strong reputation in the field of creative writing with a primary publication record in poetry, at least one full-length poetry book with a nationally recognized publisher, and an MFA in poetry or PhD (preferred) in English literature/creative writing with a focus in poetry.Additional Job Details
The Department of English at the University of Maryland, College Park is hiring a tenure-track Assistant Professor of English with a specialization in Poetry to join a thriving creative writing program within a diverse and productive English department to begin in August 2027. Qualified candidates will have a strong reputation in the field of creative writing with a primary publication record in poetry, at least one full-length poetry book with a nationally recognized publisher, and an MFA in poetry or PhD (preferred) in English literature/creative writing with a focus in poetry.
The Department seeks a poet who also engages other media forms, genres, and/or secondary studies in literature or art, such as expertise or publications in indigenous studies, digital media, or creative nonfiction. Additional interests are also welcome, such as LGBTQIA+ and trans* literature, African American literature, multiethnic literatures, disability studies, and environmental humanities. An ideal candidate will be experienced in teaching creative writing workshops at the undergraduate/graduate levels, literature courses, and directing undergraduate honors projects or theses. Experience working on, running, or advising students on a literary journal, small press, or experimental or innovative publishing venture would be welcomed. Applicants should have demonstrated ability in working with a varied student body and documented mentorship. The poet’s tenure home will be in the Department of English and they will be a key member of the graduate and undergraduate creative writing programs.
Belonging, community, equity, and access drive the mission of the English Department, and we seek candidates whose creative work, teaching, and service have prepared them to contribute to and advance this mission. Within their applications, candidates are asked to summarize their leadership efforts and past or potential contributions to the collegiate community such as leadership in teaching, mentoring, research, or service towards building an equitable and varied scholarly environment and/or increasing access or participation of individuals from equity-deserving groups.
Best consideration date is October 15, 2026. Applications will be accepted and reviewed until the position is filled.
The University of Maryland is located in College Park, eight miles from the heart of Washington, DC, and served by the Washington Metro System, offering its faculty access to world-class library and archival facilities, an array of cultural institutions, and culturally and linguistically diverse communities. The MFA Program in Creative Writing is staffed by a stellar faculty, active on the national and international literary scene, with strong ties to the greater D.C. literary arts community. We are committed to belonging and community and run a vibrant program grounded in mentoring of young writers. MFA alumni are noted for their award-winning publications with independent and major presses, for continuing their graduate education at top-tier doctoral programs, and for starting their own nationally recognized journals and magazines.
UMD will not sponsor the successful candidate for work authorization in the United States now or in the future.
Required Application Materials:
- Letter of application
- Curriculum Vitae
- 1 page creative/research statement
- 1 page teaching philosophy statement
- 1 page statement summarizing your leadership efforts, past or potential contributions to belonging, community, equity and access
- 10 page representative writing sample
Candidates should be prepared to provide three letters of
recommendation, which the committee will request at a more advanced stage of the search process.
Best Consideration Date: 10/15/2026
Posting Close Date: N/A
Open Until Filled: Yes
For more information on Financial Disclosure, please visit Maryland's State Ethics Commission website.
For more information on Regular Faculty benefits, select this link.
Offers of employment are contingent on completion of a background check. Information reported by the background check will not automatically disqualify anyone from employment. Before any adverse decision, the finalist will have an opportunity to provide information to the University regarding disclosable background check information. The University reserves the right to rescind the offer of employment or otherwise decline or terminate employment if the information reported by the background check is deemed incompatible with the position, regardless of when the background check is completed.
Employment EligibilityThe successful candidate must complete employment eligibility verification (on Form I-9) by presenting documents that establish identity and work authorization within the timeframe required by federal immigration law, and where applicable, to demonstrate renewed employment authorization. Failure to complete employment eligibility verification or reverification within the timeframe set forth by law may result in suspension or termination of employment.
EEO StatementThe University of Maryland, College Park is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive equal consideration for employment. Please read the University’s Equal Employment Opportunity Statement of Policy.
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Skills Required
- Strong reputation in creative writing with a primary publication record in poetry
- At least one full-length poetry book with a nationally recognized publisher
- MFA in poetry
- PhD in English literature or creative writing with a focus in poetry
- Ability to teach creative writing workshops at undergraduate and graduate levels
- Ability to teach literature courses
- Ability to work with a varied student body and provide documented mentorship
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The University of Maryland, College Park offers federal student loans and covers tuition and fees for eligible students.
