Assistant Professor of Directing

Department of Theatre and Dance
College of The Arts
Assistant Professor
Fall 2027

The Department of Theatre and Dance at California State University Fullerton invites applications for a tenuretrack Assistant Professor position in Directing with an appointment to begin Fall 2027.

Equal Opportunity and Excellence in Education and Employment
This position is open and available to all regardless of race sex color ethnicity or national origin. Consistent with California law and federal civil rights laws California State University Fullerton (CSUF) provides equal opportunity in education and employment without unlawful discrimination or preferential treatment based on race sex color ethnicity or national origin. Our commitment to equal opportunity means ensuring that every student and employee has access to the resources and support they need to thrive and succeed in a university environment and in their communities. CSUF complies with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act the California Equity in Higher Education Act Californias Proposition 209 (Art. I Section 31 of the California Constitution) other applicable state and federal anti-discrimination laws and CSUs Nondiscrimination Policy. We prohibit discriminatory preferential treatment segregation based on race or any other protected status and all forms of discrimination harassment and retaliation in all university programs policies and practices.

In addition California State University Fullerton is a leading public university known for its strong academic programs and commitment to student success. As one of the largest campuses in the CSU system Cal State Fullerton fosters innovation collaboration and professional growth. The university values teaching research and service creating an environment where students staff and faculty can thrive. Cal State Fullerton is a designated Hispanic-Serving Institution and an Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institution. The university also received the prestigious Seal of Excelencia in 2021 and 2024 from Excelencia in Education the nations leading authority on Latinx student success. Cal State Fullerton is an equal opportunity employer with a diverse student population of over 45000 and a faculty and staff population of 4000. Cal State Fullerton is firmly committed to helping students achieve academic excellence career success and economic mobility. Joining Cal State Fullerton means becoming part of a dynamic team dedicated to making a meaningful impact. We continuously seek individuals from various disciplines who share the universitys mission and core values. We welcome you to consider joining the Titan community.

CSUF is committed to retaining all faculty and has established affinity groups you can join to support your success.

Position
California State University Fullertons Department of Theatre and Dance is welcoming applications for a tenure-track Assistant Professor in Directing. CSUF serves a diverse student population inclusive of first-generation students commuter students adult learners and working students; the Assistant Professor of Directing should anticipate providing mentorship that supports students artistic development with flexibility to meet individual learning addition it is expected that faculty in this position will shape the directing curriculum across Theatre BA BFA and MFA programs as well as direct department productions as part of their teaching workload. As a tenure-track professor the work of this position includes teaching scholarship and service.

• Teaching
  The CSUF Department of Theatre and Dance is seeking an artistically active educator committed to mentoring students artistic and holistic development and to training future directors. The successful candidate will demonstrate adaptability in teaching undergraduate and graduate coursework in group settings and through individual mentorship. This positions primary teaching responsibility is undergraduate coursework in directinga requirement for all undergraduate students within our departmentand graduate coursework in directing. This position will also direct productions annually as part of its teaching load. We therefore welcome applicants whose teaching is informed by a broad range of experience directing in a variety of venues and genres. As a department with a vibrant range of BA BFA and MFA offerings we enthusiastically invite applicants to highlight how their secondary areas of expertise will broaden the learning opportunities available to our students; candidates are encouraged to communicate additional coursework you may wish to propose or teach.
• Scholarship
  Faculty are expected to remain artistically engaged with the ever-evolving field of theatre and performance and to contribute to the evolution of the craft. This may take the form of directing or other professional creative work at outside institutions scholarly publications or presentations of work at external professional conferences. The CSUF Department of Theatre and Dance considers creative work outside of the university as practice-based scholarship and encourages those who wish to remain artistically active to apply. A successful candidate will be invited to outline their current and ongoing artistic engagement with the field and speak to how they plan to balance that work with teaching.
• Service
  All faculty in our department collaborate on a variety of committees to promote the success of the department as a whole and to continue enhancing the education we offer to our students. The candidate hired into this position will be expected to have a vision for directing coursework and for the department as a whole and will be ready to collaborate with the faculty and staff in other areas of the department. A successful candidate will demonstrate awareness of the unique requirements of theatre in higher education and the potential to collaborate ethically and effectively with a diverse student population staff and faculty within higher education.

CSUF faculty are committed teacher/scholars who bring research and creative discovery to life for students in classrooms labs studios and individually mentored projects. They teach broadly in the curricula of their departments advise students and serve on departmental and university-wide committees. The primary responsibilities of the person in this position will include the development and teaching of introductory and core courses in the discipline and the development of courses in their area(s) of specialization. Specific courses that this person will teach include Directing coursework at the undergraduate and graduate levels. This person will also be responsible for publishing written scholarship or participating in professionally produced creative works outside of the CSUF campus commensurate with the requirements for tenure. The successful candidate will also be expected to contribute to and participate in the life and development of the department advise students serve on committees and participate in the broader university and disciplinary communities.

Required Qualifications

• MFA or Ph.D. in Theatre Performance Performance Studies Directing or a related field. ABDs are welcome to apply but must show evidence that the degree will be completed by the time of appointment.
• An engaged and continuing artistic practice in directing illustrated by directing credits in university and/or professional settings.
• Demonstrated commitment to mentoring culturally diverse students from many artistic and educational backgrounds.
• Previous experience teaching or assisting with teaching coursework in higher education.
• Ability to balance excellent teaching scholarship and service.
• Demonstrated commitment to working effectively with students from intersecting marginalized social groups.

Preferred Qualifications

• A secondary area of expertisesuch as acting devising design or other skills within the field of theatreis supported through coursework training or experience fortifying the candidates ability to expand the departments coursework and training opportunities.
• Previous teaching experience in higher education at both graduate and undergraduate levels.
• Engagement in the field of directing illustrated by directing credits across a variety of genres and venues active participation in other directing and educational organizations and/or SDC membership.
• Ability to clearly articulate scope and sequence for a directing curricula spanning undergraduate and graduate coursework.
• Demonstrated commitment and ability to work effectively and collaboratively within a culturally diverse campus community.

Application
A complete online application must be received by electronic submission to be considered. To apply please visit choose full-time faculty search for the position 562537 and provide the following required materials:

• Cover letter addressing the required qualifications.
• Curriculum vitae listing the candidates experience in teaching scholarship and creative activity and service.
• Graduate transcripts (unofficial copies are sufficient for initial review).
• Teaching philosophy describing the candidates approach to teaching their professional development as a teacher and capacity to teach graduate and undergraduate coursework in directing (suggested max 1 page).
• Statement of scholarly/creative practice clarifying the candidates current projects and providing an overview of the scope and plans for continuing scholarly and artistic engagement within the field while teaching (suggested max 1 page).
• Commitment to inclusive excellence that illustrates the applicants aspirations for supporting the artistic and academic development of students inside and outside the classroom. This statement should showcase the candidates approach to creating an academic environment supportive of all students and the candidates commitment to embedding perspectives and approaches that uplift the identities of our student body and community in the candidates approach to teaching and directing (no more than 500 words):
• Inclusive excellence is a strategic framework that recognizes the importance of diversity equity and inclusion in achieving organizational success and high-quality learning and teaching. Its a way of thinking and acting that integrates these values into all aspects of an institution from curriculum and pedagogy to recruitment and hiring. Essentially it means that excellence is not just about achieving high standards but also about ensuring that all members of the community have the opportunity to thrive and contribute (Williams et al. 2005).
• With the Inclusive Excellence Statement we aim to learn about the applicants perspective on their past and present contributions to and future aspirations for promoting and engaging with a diverse student population. This statement should showcase the candidates professional experience intellectual commitments and/or willingness to teach and create an academic environment supportive of all students including but not limited to those of diverse ages abilities cultures ethnicities gender identities languages religions and sexual orientations.
• Cal State Fullerton serves a student body that reflects the rich cultural ethnic and socioeconomic mosaic of Southern California. Please provide concrete examples of how you as a faculty member will support our students in one or more of the following areas which fall under the areas of awareness and understanding experience and commitment and future plans.

1. Your contributions (past present or future) to embedding perspectives that are reflective of the student population into your teaching and/or scholarship.
2. Your experience in service activities that are reflective of a diverse student population.
3. Your experience and commitment to mentoring and providing opportunities to a diverse student body inside and outside the classroom environment.
4. Your experience integrating creative activities that are inclusive of the identities of our student body and communities.

• Semi-Finalistsmust submit three letters of recommendation. Please have these ready for thereferents to submit. On the References page of the online application enter information and emailaddresses for three referents who will provide a confidential letter of reference for your application. Atthe appropriate time in the search process they will receive a request via email along with information onuploading the letter. You can verify that CSUF has received each letter by loggingback into your applicant portal.
• Finalists will be asked to have each of their three referents submit a letter of recommendation. Please have these ready for the referents to offer should you proceed to this search phase.

Please direct all questions about the position to the chair of the hiring committee Dr. Amanda Rose Villarreal at

Application Deadline
To be assured full consideration all application materials must be received by December15 2026. The anticipated appointment date is August 2027.

The College and Department
The candidate hired into this position will be joining a large and evolving department that features healthy enrollment and a variety of academic and artistic offerings. The Department of Theatre & Dance serves approximately 600 undergraduate Theatre Majors across our BA and four BFA programs and our post-baccalaureate programs currently include an MFA in Design and Technical Production and a Teaching Credential in K-12 Theatre Education. Our team currently includes 14 full-time and 28 part-time faculty as well as 14 full-time Professional Staff across all areas of design performance pedagogy and production. The Department of Theatre & Dance annually produces 8 mainstage and 8 studio series productions as well as numerous curricular showcases and student-produced works. Included among these annual productions are plays musicals devised works dance productions operas and new works at varying stages of workshopping and production. Our department is housed within the modernized Clayes Performing Arts Center which encapsulates a variety of venues ranging from black box spaces to large prosceniums and concert halls. The Department of Theatre and Dance is accredited by NAST (National Association of Schools of Theatre) NASD (National Association of Schools of Dance) and California States Commission on Teacher Credentialing and is a member of both URTA (University Resident Theater Association) and USITT (United States Institute for Theatre Technology).

Compensation
The Assistant Professor 2027-28 classification salary range is $6221 to $13224 monthly (12 monthly payments per academic year). The anticipated hiring range is $7139 to $7282 per month to be determined in alignment with union guidelines.

Salary offered is commensurate with experience and addition the California Equal Pay Act prohibits employers from paying its employees less than those of the opposite sex and/or another race or ethnicity for substantially similar work ( research grants moving expenses startup funds and a reduced teaching load may be available.

CSUF Benefits
An excellent comprehensive benefits package includes health/vision/dental plans; spouse domestic partner and dependent feewaiver; access to campus childcare; and a definedbenefit retirement through the state system and optional tax-sheltering opportunities. For a detailed description of benefits please visit employees hired by the CSU for the first time who first become CalPERS members on or after July 1 2017 are subject to a 10-year vesting period for retiree health and dental benefits.

Additional Information
Multiple positions may be hired from this recruitment based on the strength of the applicant pool.

International Candidates
California State University Fullerton is not currently sponsoring any new H-1B petitions for staff management or faculty positions.

For tenure-track faculty positions California State University Fullerton is currently not sponsoring H-1B applicants subject to the $100000 fee established by the Presidential Proclamation: Restriction on Entry of Certain Nonimmigrant Workers issued on September 19 2025. Individuals in the U.S. who hold a valid lawful nonimmigrant status visa can have a petition filed on their behalf to change their status to H-1B without being subjected to the fee. For example the fee does not apply to an H-1B petition filed by an individual presently in the U.S. who is an F-1 J-1 or O-1 status holder.

CSU Policies
The person holding this position is considered a mandated reporter under the California Child Abuse and Neglect Reporting Act and must comply with the requirements set forth in CSU Executive Order 1083 revised July 21 2017 as a condition of employment.

A background check (including a criminal records check) must be completed satisfactorily before any candidate can be formally offered a position with the CSU. Failure to satisfactorily complete the background check may affect the application status of applicants or the continued employment of current CSU employees who apply for the position.

Reasonable accommodations will be provided for qualified applicants with disabilities who selfdisclose.

Notice of Non-Discrimination based on Gender or Sex and Contact Information for Title IX Coordinator.

In accordance with the California State University (CSU) Out-of-State Employment Policy the CSU is a state entity whose business operations reside within the State of California. It requires hiring employees to perform CSU-related work within the State of California. The employee must be able to accept on-campus instruction as assigned and come to campus when needed. The CSU also prohibits hiring and retaining employees working permanently from a business location outside of the United States.

Applicants will be required to disclose whether they have received a final administrative decision or final judicial decision determining that they have committed sexual harassment within the last 7 years only after a determination is made that they meet the minimum qualifications for the position and before an offer of employment is extended. Applicants who reach the final stages of the application process must also sign a release form that authorizes the release of information by the applicants current and/or former employers to the CSU concerning any substantiated allegations of misconduct.