Assistant Professor of History​/Social Science Education

Assistant Professor of History/Social Science Education

The Department of History at San José State University seeks an Assistant Professor of History/Social Science Education. The Social Science Education Program in the College of Social Science (housed in the Department of History) works in tandem with the Teacher Education Program in the College of Education to prepare future secondary school educators to qualify for their single subject teaching credential.

The faculty member will work closely with teacher candidates supervising them throughout their credential program student teaching experience to ensure they meet California subject matter requirements and are well-prepared to teach secondary courses in history, ethnic studies, economics, and government.

Key responsibilities of this position include serving as the Social Sciences Subject Area Coordinator for the Single Subject Teacher Credential program facilitating the subject matter competency evaluation, admission, placement, supervision, and advising of all Social Science teacher credential candidates during the various phases of their student teaching. The faculty member will assist in the recruitment, hiring, training, and supervision of university supervisors and mentor teachers.

The position also includes teaching core courses in the program including the History/Social Science pedagogical methods course. Applicants with prior experience teaching history/social science at the secondary school level are therefore preferred. Because California history/social science requirements now mandate the teaching of ethnic studies, applicants with research speciality in and/or prior experience teaching ethnic studies are highly encouraged to apply.

The History department is part of the College of Social Sciences, which is committed to equitable and inclusive teaching and learning. The College sees faculty and student success as inextricably linked, and strives to provide culturally-sustaining, and academically-affirming approaches to supporting and engaging students and faculty. We provide opportunities for faculty development around asset-based, holistic student success, and support scholarship of engagement that addresses issues that affect our campus and community.

In all of our endeavors, we strive to build leadership capacity and foster a culture of support and belonging for faculty, staff, and students.

The History Department and San José State University value institutional excellence and are committed to advancing equity through research, teaching, and service. We enroll more than 40,000 students, many of whom are historically underserved; approximately 45% of our undergraduate students are first-generation college students and 38% are Pell Grant recipients. In addition, we are both a Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI) and an Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institution (AANAPISI).

SJSU aspires to create holistic learning environments that facilitate both individual and collective transformation. We seek teacher-scholars who cultivate inclusive, empowering spaces for mutual learning, skill-building, and knowledge exchange for all students. Our commitment to lifelong learning supports meaningful connections among faculty, staff, students, alumni, and the broader communities we serve.

We invite all applicants to include a Statement of Institutional Excellence (or incorporate it into your cover letter) to share how your lived and professional experiences will contribute to the SJSU community—particularly in relation to student success. A guide to writing this statement can be found at SJSU Institutional Excellence Statement Guidelines.

Required Qualifications:

• Ph.D. in History is required.
• Evidence of successful history/social science teaching at the secondary school level and potential for mentoring credential candidates at the university level.
• Knowledge of the latest developments in History/Social Science secondary education and of California's new ethnic studies requirement.
• Demonstration of research potential and an established agenda for future research.
• Awareness of and sensitivity to the educational goals of…