Description:
The Department of English at the University of Houston invites
applications for several 9 month, full-time, non-tenure track,
Professors of Practice to teach Freshman Composition I and Freshman
Composition II beginning Fall 2027.
With over forty faculty, the University of Houston’s English
Department contributes substantially to the institution. With more
than 48,000 students located in the fourth-largest city in the
United States, the University of Houston is a major force in higher
education, driving innovation, research, and workforce development
across the region.
The English Department has a deep commitment to writing and the
teaching of writing, starting at the first-year level. In addition
to its programs in Literature and in Creative Writing, the
Department offers a doctoral concentration in Rhetoric,
Composition, and Pedagogy. In particular, the Department is
interested in how the field of Rhetoric and Composition intersects
with such areas as cultural, digital, and literacy studies, and how
these areas contribute to the theory and practice of writing and
writing instruction. The concentration aspires to build on the
dynamic relationship that exists between the University and its
setting.
These teaching Professor of Practice positions grow out of our
commitment to putting recent composition theory into practice,
mainly in our two-course sequence of first-year writing (ENGL 1301
and 1302). We are looking to hire a total of three (3) positions,
each with the possibility for yearly renewal depending on funding
and satisfactory job performance.
The positions are as follows:
Two (2) positions, each of which will
• Teach a 4-4 load of ENGL 1301 and/or 1302 sections, primarily
through in-person or hybrid instructional modes, and sometimes
asynchronously online
• Supervise the teaching of 7-9 Graduate Teaching Fellows (GTFs),
most of whom also teach ENGL 1301 and/or 1302. Supervision will
include reviewing syllabi of the GTFs, meeting periodically with
the GTFs, observing the GTFs’ teaching, giving feedback on the
GTFs’ own feedback to undergraduate students, and fielding teaching
questions from the GTFs, among other needs as they arise.
• Rotate into serving on the English Department’s FYW
Committee
One (1) position with the following responsibilities:
• Teach a 4-4 load of ENGL 1301 and/or 1302 sections, primarily
through in-person or hybrid instructional modes, and sometimes
asynchronously online
• Assist the First Year Writing Program with planning and leading
an annual New TA Orientation, Returning TF Orientation, and January
Teaching Conference; assessing the FYW program; updating
pedagogical resources; and liaising with on-campus groups also
involved in FYW
• Rotate into serving on the English Department’s FYW
Committee
In their cover letter, applicants should indicate which of these
positions they are more interested in. This will be among the
points discussed at the interview stage.
We expect these instructors to become an integral part of a team of
scholar-teachers who refine and sustain a collective commitment to
theoretically aware teaching at the first-year level. Also, these
instructors may choose to be considered for additional paid
teaching in summers or minimesters, pending availability.
At the University of Houston, ENGL 1301: First Year Writing I
focuses on analytical and expository writing, and ENGL 1302: First
Year Writing II focuses on research-based persuasive writing. These
courses take a rhetorical perspective on textual meaning making and
connect the English Department to the University’s entire
undergraduate student population.
Minimum Qualifications
Individuals who have received their PhD or MFA degrees in English
or a closely related field are invited to apply · Evidence of
innovation in teaching first-year writing · Graduate coursework,
research, or other exposure to scholarship in Rhetoric and
Composition/Writing Studies
Preferred Qualifications
PhD in Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies · 2+ years of
experience teaching first-year writing · Experience mentoring or
otherwise assisting instructors of first-year writing classes ·
Ongoing activity in relevant professional organizations and/or
relevant university service · Experience with online and hybrid
teaching at the college level
Application Review Timeline
Although this is an open application process, we will be reviewing
applicants who have submitted the required materials by Nov. 1,
2026. Then, if or as needed, we will review applicants who have
submitted the required materials by Feb. 1, 2027.
Special Instructions to the Applicant
Through the University of Houston’s employment website, the candidate should submit:
• a cover letter addressed to the English Department’s Search
Committee and speaking to the candidate’s teaching experience,
research interests in writing pedagogy, and potential contributions
to the Department
• a curriculum vitae
• transcripts of their graduate degree(s)
• a list of three references
• one or more teaching evaluations
• sample course syllabi.
More successful applicants will combine a record of teaching and
academic excellence with evidence of their ability to contribute to
the intellectual community of the Department.
Employees are expected to have a home address in the state of
Texas for the duration of their appointments.
Official transcripts are required for a faculty appointment and
will be requested upon selection of the final candidates.
All positions at the University of Houston-System are security
sensitive and will require a criminal history check. Individuals
conducting research in critical infrastructure areas (i.e.,
communication infrastructure systems, cybersecurity systems,
electric grid, hazardous waste treatment systems, and/or water
treatment facilities) are subject to regular review to ensure the
security and integrity of the research is maintained.
The University of Houston System and its universities are Equal
Opportunity Institutions. Everyone is encouraged to apply.
