Job Summary
Assistant Teaching Professor in the Cornerstone Integrated Liberal Arts Program in the College of Liberal Arts, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN
The College of Liberal Arts at Purdue University is seeking to fill multiple Assistant Teaching Professor (clinical) positions to teach courses in its Cornerstone Integrated Liberal Arts program at Purdue West Lafayette. The Cornerstone Integrated Liberal Arts program is recognized by the National Endowment for the Humanities as a national model for general education (https://cla.purdue.edu/academic/cornerstone/index.html).
Cornerstone offers an enriched first-year sequence anchored in transformative texts. It is designed to provide all students with the opportunity to broaden their understanding of the world and themselves while strengthening the skills to read closely, write clearly, speak with confidence, and engage with different viewpoints and perspectives through general education courses.
The Cornerstone program enrolls several thousand students each semester from disciplines across Purdue’s West Lafayette, IN, campus.
Required Duties
Successful candidates will be responsible for teaching courses:
SCLA 10100 Transformative Texts, Critical Thinking and Communication I: Antiquity to Modernity (3 credit hours; fulfills the Written Communication and Information Literacy requirements) and/or SCLA 10200 Transformative Texts, Critical Thinking and Communication II: Modern World (3 credit hours; fulfills the Oral Communication requirement).
A successful candidate should also be able to teach in our new program, Cornerstone for Business, teaching a tailored sequence of SCLA 10100 and 10200 focused on classic texts in political economy.
Applicants must demonstrate experience teaching a variety of approaches to a diverse student population. All courses are offered every semester.
Required Duties
- Teach the SCLA course series – both standard and for Business.
- Collaborate with Cornerstone faculty and staff to develop, support and advance the mission of the Cornerstone Integrated Liberal Arts program.
- Attend Cornerstone and CLA-related seminars and events.
- Mentor students in critical thinking and leadership skills.
The normal full-time workload is 4-4 teaching. Summer teaching is an additional possibility. The positions begin in August 2026.
Non-tenure Track Clinical Position
These are non-tenure-track, renewable three-year positions with opportunities for advancement within Purdue’s clinical faculty system. The Cornerstone Director reviews the performance of successful candidates each year. Faculty in these positions may hold affiliate appointments with departments in the College of Liberal Arts. As members of the clinical faculty of Purdue University, appointments are subject to all Purdue University policies, as they may be amended from time to time. Purdue University offers a comprehensive benefits package.
Qualifications
Applicants must have a Ph.D. in a Liberal Arts field in hand before the start of the position in August 2026. Demonstrated excellence in teaching written and oral communication and student engagement in an interdisciplinary environment. Evidence of preparation to teach core texts.
The College and University
The College of Liberal Arts at Purdue University is positioned at the intersection of liberal arts and STEM, leveraging Purdue’s strengths to prepare graduates for leadership and innovation. The college houses the nationally recognized Cornerstone Integrated Liberal Arts Program, which challenges students to become independent thinkers and bold, visionary leaders.
Purdue University is Indiana’s public land-grant university and a world-class research and teaching institution. For six consecutive years, U.S. News & World Report has ranked Purdue among the Top 10 Most Innovative Schools in the nation. Purdue enrolls over 40,000 undergraduates and 10,000 graduate students, with a dynamic and welcoming campus
Application Procedures
To apply:
- External candidates visit:
https://careers.purdue.edu/job/Clinical-Assistant-Teaching-Professor/39755-en_US/
- Internal Purdue University candidates visit:
Applications must include the following items uploaded into the online application portal:
- Cover Letter describing teaching experience and alignment with the program’s mission.
- Curriculum Vitae
- Teaching Statement
- Student Teaching Evaluations
If contacted by the committee, candidates must provide at least two letters of reference. Letters of reference must be sent to the Cornerstone Assistant Director of Operations,
Dr. Stephanie Ayala-Chittick, at smatosay@purdue.edu.
Candidates who advance in the review process may be asked to provide additional materials.
Questions about the position should be directed to the Director, Dr. Melinda Zook, at mzook@purdue.edu.
The review of applications will begin on January 21 2026, and continue until the position is filled. A background check is required for employment in this position.
Purdue University is an equal opportunity/equal access university.