Assistant Professor of Art History

Assistant Professor of Art History

Sweet Briar is a liberal arts college for women with a long history of forging female leaders.  Sweet Briar College is repeatedly named by the US News and World Report as one of the most innovative liberal arts colleges in the nation.  Sweet Briar College is growing rapidly, attracting students who are drawn to it for its excellent liberal arts program, coupled with distinctive programs in women leadership, engineering, sustainability, arts and its legendary equestrian program. Its finances are robust, and validated by balanced budget and positive bond ratings.

Located in the foothills of Virginia's Blue Ridge Mountains approximately 12 miles north of Lynchburg and 54 miles south of Charlottesville. Its campus is one of the nation’s most spectacular, replete with nature sanctuaries, lakes, forests, trails, and most recently, vineyards, apiary and greenhouses.

The College boasts a modern core curriculum focused on women's leadership in the 21st century and undergraduate programs in the arts, sciences and humanities, as well as a Master of Arts in Teaching. It is one of only two women’s colleges in the United States with an ABET-accredited engineering degree. The women’s leadership core curriculum is innovative and energizing.

When students graduate, they are persuasive communicators who know how to think on their feet and bring people together. No matter what they study or where they go, Sweet Briar women are prepared to lead. The campus community is a family of faculty, staff, coaches, and alumnae who support and encourage students and each other. With a student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1, students lead research, ask questions and forge supportive relationships with faculty that can last for decades.

As an Equal Opportunity Employer, Sweet Briar College is committed to enhancing our community and encourages applications from qualified individuals with varied backgrounds, experiences and ideas who would increase the diversity of the College.

Job Title:   Assistant Professor of Art History

Classification:  Full-time, benefits eligible, tenure-track faculty position

 Reports To: Arts Division Head

 Job Summary/Objective:

Sweet Briar College invites applications for a full-time tenure-track Assistant Professor of Art History faculty position beginning Fall 2024. We seek candidates who will be an engaged scholar-teacher and have a strong commitment to undergraduate education. They will draw from innovative conceptual approaches in the field of modern and contemporary art history, visual culture, and art practices, and whose intellectual interests are distinctly multidisciplinary. The successful candidate will regularly teach courses that range in chronology from the 17^th century to the present day within a global framework, with a focus on the contemporary. We are particularly interested in scholars who engage in critical debates around feminisms, gender studies, and intersectionality; racism and racialization; or ecologies and environmental politics.

Sweet Briar has an excellent art collection, whose twenty-first century collecting focuses on work created by female-identifying artists, as well as a regularly rotating set of visiting exhibits featuring contemporary women artists.  With the arts in general being one of the college's greatest strengths, over 25% of our students major in those programs or complete a certificate in arts management.  Our Museum and Archives include artifacts on the pre-collegiate history of Sweet Briar as well as our last 122 years as a women’s college. As a community, we regularly engage with how the historical layers of our land intertwine with the present, most recently within the context of our Sustainability program.

Each faculty member at Sweet Briar teaches courses in our Leadership Core curriculum. The College’s academic calendar, with immersive 3-week terms bookending traditional 12-week terms, creates an opportunity for innovative courses to take advantage of close student-faculty interactions and collaboration across disciplines. Our teaching load is 3 course equivalents per semester. The successful candidate will help to shape the future of the art history program and arts management certificate program and to engage in research with undergraduates. Institutional support for research is available and includes internal faculty grants, yearlong faculty and student research opportunities, as well as the Honors Summer Research Program. 

Candidates ready to work with a diverse student body are especially welcome. Sweet Briar prides itself on creating a learning environment that encourages young women to fulfill their highest potential. Leadership in all walks of life is fostered by the special connections our faculty make with their students, and Sweet Briar women translate their academic experiences into interesting and important lives. 

How to Apply:

To apply, visit the Sweet Briar College Career Center: https://sbc.edu/human-resources/faculty-staff-job-openings/. All applications should include: 1) cover letter; 2) CV; 3) statement on teaching philosophy and research interests; 4) a statement highlighting contributions to or future plans for promoting diversity and inclusion through work in this position; and 5) the names and full contact information for three professional references. The materials should be assembled to a single pdf and loaded into the job application portal. Review of applications will begin immediately with preference given to completed applications received by November 1, 2023.

Qualifications

Required Qualifications:

• Ph.D. in Art History or equivalent discipline (exceptional all but degree candidates will be considered); 
• Demonstrated excellence in teaching;
• Demonstrated interest in working across disciplines and engaging in collaborative scholarship, teaching, and service; and
• Excellent communication skills.