Assistant Professor, Tenure-Track Position, Art History

Art History and Visual Cultures of Africa and its global connections, Latin America, and / or Indigenous Americas

The Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences (HSS) at The Cooper Union invites applications for a full-time, tenure-track position at the rank of Assistant Professor or Advanced Assistant Professor of History and Theory of Art specializing in the arts and visual cultures of Africa and its global connections, Latin America, and / or Indigenous Americas from the sixteenth to the twentieth centuries.

Applicants should demonstrate a record of scholarship and plans for future work as well as evidence of undergraduate teaching excellence. While Cooper Union does not offer degrees in HSS, the humanities and social sciences are foundational to the education of the students in Cooper’s three professional Schools of Art, Architecture, and Engineering. HSS also offers minors in art history. The ideal candidate will have a vigorous research agenda and a genuine desire to teach both electives and a core of introductory courses to non-majors. Candidates must be able to teach in our core History and Theory of Art (HTA) curriculum as well as offer elective courses in the fields listed above; serve on faculty, college, and university committees; and conduct research and publish in relevant areas of their field.

This position allows for the opportunity to cultivate a fresh vision of the HTA core curriculum that is a critical component of our professional degree programs, particularly in the School of Art. We seek a colleague who will collaborate with faculty from our professional degree programs, while pursuing individual research that takes advantage of the scholarly networks within the broader New York City academic community and beyond. The individual appointed to this position will have a significant voice in the future development of the faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences within an institution focused on pre-professional training in Art, Architecture, and Engineering.

Teaching obligations : HSS faculty are expected to teach two core courses and one elective as part of a 3 / 3 teaching schedule, with nine credits of course release within the first six semesters.

Requirements : Candidates should have completed the Ph.D. by September 1st, 2026.

Application Instructions :

Applicants should submit the following materials to  hr@cooper.edu :

Cover letter

Curriculum Vitae

Teaching philosophy

Writing sample

Sample syllabus

List of references

Review of applications will begin November, 15th 2025 for optimal consideration.

We plan to conduct Zoom interviews for selected candidates in January and February, with campus visits to follow in March.

The Cooper Union offers faculty a competitive compensation and benefits package covering health insurance, retirement benefits, paid parental leave, and savings programs. While the final salary is negotiated based on expertise, skills and experience, the starting salary is approximately $92,000 - $95,000

This is a unionized position.

The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

Email materials to :   hr@cooper.edu