Assistant Professor of Practice, Spanish & Portuguese; CT

Overview

Assistant Professor of Practice, Spanish & Portuguese (CT). The Department of Spanish and Portuguese in the College of Humanities at the University of Arizona seeks to fill a full-time in-person career-track position at the rank of Assistant Professor of Practice in Spanish. This position is set to start at the beginning of the fall semester in August 2026. This career-track appointment is not eligible for tenure.

The successful candidate will lead the Spanish language program in different modalities, engage in data-driven strategic planning, and collaborate across programs to enhance teaching effectiveness and support student success.

Review of candidates will begin on November 1, 2025.

Alumni Jacquelynn and Bennett Dorrance have made a gift commitment of $5.4 million to endow the deanship of the University of Arizona College of Humanities to bring the humanities to the forefront of the University of Arizona's life and mission through a continuous and fearless spirit of open inquiry.

The successful candidate will assume a pivotal role in promoting and enhancing Spanish language instruction, leading the lower-division Spanish language program. Key responsibilities will include:

• Direct all aspects of the Lower Division Spanish Language Program, including curriculum alignment, scheduling, and program evaluation.
• Teach a maximum of 3 undergraduate courses per semester in Spanish. Train and supervise graduate teaching assistants and instructors in the Spanish Language Program, including leading orientation and regular meetings.
• Lead cross-functional initiatives to improve program operations and effectiveness using robust data analysis.
• Collaborate with faculty, leadership, and staff to develop evidence-based pedagogical innovations and operational pathways.
• Periodically review the curriculum and maintain cohesion through alignment and assessment of course sequences, outcomes, and objectives.
• Participate in recruitment and retention initiatives for Spanish minors and majors.
• Organize and participate in the Department’s community outreach initiatives.
• Contribute to University initiatives that foster excellence by mentoring students from diverse backgrounds and supporting career readiness for graduates.

• Evidence of strong communication and collaboration skills.
• Ability to mentor and supervise instructors and teaching assistants.

• PhD in Spanish, Second Language Acquisition, or a related field (in hand at time of appointment).
• Superior proficiency in Spanish and English.
• Demonstrated excellence and experience in teaching Spanish at the college level.
• A minimum of three years of experience in coordination and curriculum development in a Spanish language program.
• Demonstrated effectiveness in recruiting and retaining undergraduate students.

• Experience applying best practices in language program direction.
• Proven excellence in curricular innovation and use of technology-enhanced teaching.
• Experience analyzing programmatic data and making strategic recommendations for program development.
• Experience fostering community engagement and building partnerships beyond the university.
• Experience coordinating multi-modality instruction (in-person, hybrid, online).
• Experience supporting learners from diverse perspectives at a public land-grant institution.

Rank:
Assistant Professor of Practice

Tenure Information:
Career-Track (CT)

• FLSA:
  Exempt
• Full Time/Part Time:
  Full Time
• Hours per Week: 40
• Benefits Eligible:
  Yes
• Compensation Type:
  Salary at 1.0 FTE
• Type of background check:
  Name-based (non-security sensitive)
• Number of Vacancies: 1
• Open Date: 10/6/2025
• Open Until Filled:
  Yes

Documents Needed to Apply:
Curriculum Vitae (CV), Cover Letter, and Four Additional Documents

Special Instructions:
Applicants should upload materials through the University of Arizona Talent System, including:

• Cover letter and CV
• One-page statement of language program leadership and teaching philosophy (in Spanish)
• One-page statement on recruitment/retention and related experiences
• One sample…