"Social Studies Education (Tenure-Track, Assistant Professor)"

Job Description

Posting Number: F-1005
College/Unit: College of Liberal Arts & Social Sciences
Home Department: Department of History, World Languages, and Cultures
Employee Group: Tenure-Track Faculty - Academic Year
Employment Status: Full-Time
Position Type: 9 month (Academic Year)
Position Classification: Tenure Track Faculty
Position Begin Date: 08/24/2026
Position End Date:

Position Summary:

The Department of History, World Languages, and Cultures at Central Michigan University invites applications for a tenure-track assistant professor position in secondary social studies education beginning August 2026. As a member of the regular faculty, duties and responsibilities of this position include but are not limited to teaching, research, and service. Instructional duties include teaching social studies education methods courses as well as advising students in the program. Additionally, this position will include an initial director appointment of the Social Science Interdisciplinary Council (SSIC), which is the curricular council responsible for secondary social studies education courses and programs. Director responsibilities include leadership of the SSIC, overseeing curriculum and assessment for relevant courses and programs, and membership on at least one educator preparation program committee.

Required Qualifications:

• Ph.D. in Social Studies Education or related field.
• Knowledge of Social Studies pedagogy.
• Experience teaching Social Studies or a related discipline at the secondary level, in addition to knowledge of secondary education curricular requirements.
• Expertise and experience in teaching undergraduates, particularly in Social Studies methods courses.
• Knowledge of and experience with state teacher licensing requirements.
• Ability to directly interact with and support faculty, as well as work productively and successfully with the full range of internal and external stakeholders.
• Demonstrated verbal and written communication skills.
• Demonstrated organizational skills and attention to detail.
• Ability to perform the essential functions of the job with or without reasonable accommodation.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Familiarity with Michigan Department of Education Social Studies content and teacher certification standards.
• Three years of teaching experience at the middle/high school level.
• Membership in a professional organization, such as the Michigan Council for the Social Studies.
• Experience with Michigan Secondary Education Social Studies requirements.
• Experience with Michigan Secondary Education teacher licensure requirements.
• Experience completing growth evaluations and assessments.
• Experience advising undergraduate students.
• Previous or current teaching certification in Secondary Social Studies Education or ability to obtain certification.

Message to Applicants:

Central Michigan University is dedicated to fostering an environment that is reflective of the communities we serve. We are especially interested in highly qualified candidates who will advance and promote CMU’s mission, vision, and leadership standards.

You must submit an online application in order to be considered as an applicant for this position. For full consideration, please submit your application by December 15, 2025.

Cover letters may be addressed to the Hiring Committee.

About the Department:

Please visit our department website for more information about our curriculum, faculty members, and about Central Michigan University.

Posting Begins: 11/17/2025
Posting Ends:
Open Until Filled: Yes

About CMU:

Central Michigan University has a more than 125-year legacy of preparing students to become leaders and changemakers in their communities and in their personal and professional lives.

We serve nearly 15,500 students on our Mount Pleasant campus, in satellite locations around the state and throughout the country, and through flexible online programs. Many of our approximately 300 undergraduate, master’s, specialist and doctoral programs in the arts, media, business, education, human services, health professions, liberal arts, social sciences, medicine, science and engineering are nationally ranked for excellence.

CMU leads the nation in leadership development programming through our Sarah R. Opperman Leadership Institute, and we are proud to be among only 5% of U.S. universities in the top two Carnegie research classifications. Our faculty work with graduate and undergraduate students in areas such as Great Lakes research, medical innovation, engineering technology and more.

Central is home to 17 men’s and women’s Division 1 sports including football, basketball, gymnastics, baseball, wrestling and more. Our student-athletes achieve great success in competition and in the classroom, capturing Mid-American Conference championships and maintaining an average cumulative GPA of 3.17.

CMU is located in Mount Pleasant, a community that blends the best of small-town living with big-city amenities. It’s part of the culturally varied and vibrant Great Lakes Bay Region that also includes Saginaw, Bay City, Midland and the state’s largest Native American community, centered on the Saginaw Chippewa Isabella Reservation in Mount Pleasant.

Area residents enjoy the mix of outdoor activities, cultural events, shopping and dining options, and family attractions. Other major Michigan destinations and attractions — Lansing, Grand Rapids, Detroit, Traverse City, wineries, beaches, golf and ski resorts, and many more — are within easy reach of the city’s central location in Michigan’s Lower Peninsula.

CMU employees enjoy access to a nationally recognized wellness program along with health care and benefits that exceed regional, state and national norms.