The English Department seeks an Assistant Professor of Creative Writing-Poetry beginning September 1, 2027 at a lively, diverse, urban university with about 250 undergraduate majors and minors, over 40 MA students in literature, composition, pedagogy, and creative writing, and a fulltime MFA program enrolling 30 students in creative writing. Responsibilities include teaching poetry workshops, classes on poetry as literature, and the pedagogy of creative writing, as well as eventually participating in the regular rotation of tenured MFA faculty into the directorship of the MFA program. Secondary areas of expertise, particularly in digital storytelling and creative nonfiction, hybrid genres, and/or multicultural literatures are of interest to us and should be described.

We seek a candidate with a breadth of expertise and interests who will not just teach creative writing workshops but who will also contribute to the literature offerings of the department. We seek candidates with experience in and strong commitment to teaching creative writing, literature, and the pedagogy of creative writing; with enthusiasm for working with talented undergraduate and graduate writers of all ages and backgrounds; and with a strong record of publication, including at least one published volume of poetry.

The course load is normally 2 courses per semester. 

Candidates must have Ph.D. or M.F.A. in hand by August 31, 2027.

Applications are submitted via PageUp; the online application portal will prompt you to upload the following required materials: a letter of application; curriculum vitae; a writing sample consisting of 15-20 pages of poetry, with each poem beginning on a new page; and contact information for three references. Applicants who are invited for preliminary interviews will be asked for further materials, including a copy of the applicant’s book (published or under contract); a statement of teaching philosophy, including evidence of demonstrated or potential teaching excellence in a diverse environment; sample syllabi; and letters of recommendation.

To ensure full consideration, applications should be received by October 24, 2026.

UMass Boston is an urban public research university with a teaching soul, whose impact is both local and global. We are the third most diverse university in the country - more than 60% of our undergraduate students come from minoritized communities and groups and more than half of our students are the first in their families to attend a college or university. Thus, our students come to us from richly diverse life experiences and backgrounds; they bring to our classrooms and research settings the robust range of perspectives growing out of the socio-cultural, economic, and historical contexts in which they have lived, along with the challenges they encounter, engage, and strive to overcome. We invite applications from candidates who engage the diverse life experiences of our student body, who appreciate that students bring their holistic selves into the academic setting, and who recognize and articulate how their own life experiences and backgrounds have shaped their journeys, practices, and commitments as researchers, scholars, and educators.

UMass Boston is committed to the full inclusion of all qualified individuals. As part of this commitment, we will ensure that persons with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodations for the hiring process. If reasonable accommodation is needed, please contact HR@umb.edu or 617-287-5150.