Wayne State University is searching for an experienced Associate/Full Professor Tenured Faculty Appointment at its Detroit campus location.
Wayne State is a premier, public, urban research university located in the heart of Detroit, Michigan where students from all backgrounds are offered a rich, high-quality education. Our deep-rooted commitment to excellence, collaboration, integrity, diversity and inclusion creates exceptional educational opportunities which prepare students for success in a global society.
Position Purpose:
The College of Education (COE) at Wayne State University (WSU) is pleased to invite applications for a tenured faculty position at the rank of Associate Professor or Full Professor. Salary and rank for position are commensurate with qualifications and experience.
Application Deadline: October 16, 2026. Start Date: Fall 2027
The Wayne State University College of Education invites applications for a full-time, 9-month, tenured faculty position in the History of Education and/or Cultural Studies in Education, with a research agenda centered on the study of Black education broadly defined. This innovative role will include graduate teaching and advising responsibilities in the COE Educational Leadership and Policy Studies (ELPS) program, inform and assist in the development and oversight of curriculum, youth and professional development, and school-community engagement programs in coordination with the newly established WSU Detroit Center for Black Studies.
The College of Education:
Since beginning as the Detroit Normal Training School in 1881, the College of Education at Wayne State University has grown to offer award-winning, nationally recognized bachelor’s, master’s, education specialist, and doctoral degree programs in 29 programs with 39 degree and certificate options, which are accredited through their national professional organizations and by the Michigan Department of Education. The College of Education educates approximately 2,000 students annually.
The College’s diverse academic programs benefit greatly from its history of engagement with urban communities and the comprehensive range of programs spanning teaching and research opportunities afforded by its location in metropolitan Detroit. The College of Education’s faculty and staff are dedicated to preparing professionals who can contribute in meaningful ways to a global, technology-oriented society by helping them acquire the knowledge, skills and attitudes necessary to succeed in their chosen careers in education, health, wellness, sports, counseling, government, and more.
The Wayne State University Community:
Wayne State University is classified as a “doctoral university: very high research activity” by the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education. We are located in Midtown Detroit, the city center and one of the country’s fastest growing neighborhoods, which welcomes more than 2.5 million visitors annually. Here, you’ll find 200 acres of green space, walking paths, and state-of-the-art facilities surrounded by renowned cultural institutions and industry-leading employers.
Candidates should possess scholarship that demonstrates a sustained commitment to advancing the study of Black education while contributing to broader conversations in the history of education, cultural studies, educational foundations, curriculum studies, and related interdisciplinary fields.
Essential Functions:
Exceptional candidates are humanities-oriented scholars whose research examines the historical, cultural, political, intellectual, and institutional dimensions of Black educational experiences in the United States and/or across the African Diaspora. Areas of specialization may include, but are not limited to:
Histories of Black education and educational thought.
Curriculum, pedagogy, and the politics of knowledge production.
Black cultural studies and education.
Black educational politics, policy, and social movements.
Arts, humanities, and cultural production as sites of Black teaching and learning.
Black independent schools and institution-building traditions.
Informal, community-based, and out-of-school educational practices.
Homeschooling, home education, and alternative educational formations within Black communities.
Black abolitionist, and liberatory educational traditions.
Afro-Pessimist, Black feminist, Africana, and other critical theoretical approaches to education.
Rehumanizing, culturally sustaining, and community-centered methodologies in Black educational research.
Interdisciplinary approaches that expand conventional understandings of schooling, education, knowledge, and Black intellectual life.
Minimum Qualifications:
A Record of Community-Engaged Research and Curriculum : We seek a scholar who has established a community-engaged and Black Studies-focused research agenda, preferably through works supporting the work of urban schools and cultural institutions, including museums and youth & community organizations. Scholars who have engaged in humanities-focused educational and curriculum initiatives and with a track record of ongoing engagement with educators, youth, community leaders and organizers, and/or cultural workers will be prioritized.
Scholarly Productivity: Compelling candidates will have publications in reputable academic journals in education, humanities, and/or cultural studies, monographs, edited volumes, and and/or journal special issues who are engaged in multi- and trans-disciplinary research and collaborations both within and beyond education. They will also be engaged in dissemination practices that raise the visibility of Black Studies in Education (e.g., publications in influential journals and/or media outlets, state- or national-level speaking engagements, community-based programming with notable impact, etc.).
Doctoral Advising: As the College of Education moves to establish a new Ph.D. program, applicants must have experience and an interest in and capacity to advise doctoral students early in their appointment, especially to guide and support Ph.D. and Ed.D. students already enrolled in the ELPS program.
Embody College Values: Important review criteria include evidence of a commitment to working with communities and organizations that reflect Detroit’s demographics and address their socio-cultural, economic, and political realities; commitment to excellence in research, teaching, and graduate student advising; and eagerness to embody the College’s vivid vision of radical neighborliness (i.e., supporting all members of the College and local communities by taking bold and provocative actions to foster compassion, inclusivity, social connection, and a sense of the common good).
Applicants must have an earned doctorate in Education, Black or African/African American Studies, a disciplinary or interdisciplinary field in the humanities, or a related field.
Application Process :
All applicants must use the WSU Online Hiring System at www. https://hr.wayne.edu/jobs , referring to position req # 3604 . Electronic applications must include a cover letter; curriculum vita (CV); names and contact information for at least 3 references, and 2 to 3 representative publications. The search committee will begin reviewing applications on October 16, 2026, and continue until the position is filled.
Inquiries about the position may be directed to the chair of the search committee:
Dr. Rema Vassar
Professor, Educational Leadership and Policy Studies
College of Education
[contact details available in the full listing]
Preferred Qualifications:
Educational Experience : We are especially interested in applicants who have served as educators in K-20 schools, community-based organizations, or cultural institutions, particularly in urban and diverse settings.
Externally Funded Research : We are excited about applicants who have demonstrated the ability to raise external funds to support their research and other collaborative projects.
School/College/Division:
H02 - College of Education
Primary Department:
H0252 - Administrative & Organizational Stu
Employment Type:
- Regular Employee
- Job type: Full Time
- Job category: Academic/Faculty
- Compensation type: Annual Salary
- Annual Salary: To be determined
Normal faculty environment.
Job Openings:
- Number of openings: 1
- Reposted position: No
University policy requires certain persons who are offered employment to undergo a background check, including a criminal history check, before starting work. If you are offered employment, the university will inform you if a background check is required.
