Assistant Professor, Music Theory and Composition

Job Summary

Lamar University's Mary Morgan Moore Department of Music invites applications for a full-time, tenure-track appointment in Music Theory and Composition at the rank of Assistant Professor, beginning Fall 2026. The successful candidate will teach graduate (online) and upper-level undergraduate courses in theory, analysis, and aural skills, coordinate instructionof all music theory and aural skills in the department, and recruit and maintain an active composition studio.

Principal Duties and Responsibilities:

* Teach undergraduate and graduate courses in music theory and in a secondary area of expertise.

* Recruit, teach, and mentor undergraduate students in the BM in Composition degree program.

* Coordinate the music theory area by providing leadership, overseeing curriculum delivery, course instruction, course development (including online courses), and conducting placement exams.

* Undertake substantial creative/scholarly activities.

* Serve on various committees at the department and university level, and contribute to the success of the music department as a unit.

Mary Morgan Moore Department of Music

* The Mary Morgan Moore Department of Music is a comprehensive department within the College of Fine Arts and Communication. A vital link to the university and the community, the Department of Music includes 20 full-time faculty, 9 part-time faculty, and 154 students majoring in music, with approximately 80% majoring in music education. The department offers Bachelor of Music degrees in composition, music education (choral track & instrumental track), and performance;
Bachelor of Arts degree; and Master of Music degree in music education (fully online) and performance.

Lamar University

* Lamar University (LU) is a state-supported public university offering a wealth of collegiate opportunities for academic, personal, and professional development. Over 18,000 students are enrolled in over 100 programs of study in the fields of Education, Engineering, Business, Liberal Arts, Sciences, Fine Arts, Communications, Health Sciences, and Behavioral Sciences. Promoting the development of interpersonal student/faculty relationships, LU maintains a student/faculty ratio of 20:1 and offers Programs of study leading to a variety of bachelor's, master and doctoral degrees and associated research opportunities.

Lamar University is an R2 institution and a member of the Texas State University System. Lamar University is in Beaumont, Texas, the center of the Golden Triangle region of southeast Texas, which boasts a population of nearly 400,000. Beaumont is on Interstate 10, just 85 miles east of Houston, Texas. Other major cities near Beaumont are fully accessible via interstate highway include Austin, Texas (250 miles);
Dallas, TX (285 miles);
Lake Charles, Louisiana (60 miles); and New Orleans, Louisiana (265 miles).

Essential Job Functions

* Teach undergraduate and online graduate courses in music theory and in a secondary area of expertise.

* Serve as music theory coordinator.

* Research and/or Creative Activities.

* Service to the department, college, university, and profession.

Minimum and Desired Qualifications

Minimum Qualifications:

* Doctorate in Music Theory/Composition.

* A completed doctorate in music theory or composition is required.

* ABD candidates will only be considered if they have a doctorate in hand by August 30, 2026.

* Teaching experience at the collegiate level in music theory and aural skills as the instructor of record.

* Publications and/or creative output that demonstrate a commitment to scholarly production are necessary to establish a national reputation and earn tenure: leadership, communication skills, and a commitment to working in a collegial and collaborative environment.

Desired

Qualifications:

* Three or more years of collegiate instructor experience.

* Nationally recognized reputation in music composition.

* Awareness of and engagement in current trends in music theory pedagogy.

* Record of presentations at conferences.

Supplemental Information

Key

Competencies:

* Excellent verbal and written communication skills - positively advocating for the department, college, and university both on…