About the Antoinette Westphal College of Media Arts & Design:

The creative heart of Drexel University, the Antoinette Westphal College of Media Arts & Design trains the next generation of scholars, thinkers, makers, and doers in the fields of media, entertainment, design, and the visual and performing arts. Westphal offers 18 undergraduate and nine graduate majors, housed in award-winning facilities that encourage collaboration across creative disciplines. At Westphal, we reimagine the role of design, media, and the arts in building a better future. Our programs challenge students to center sustainability, access, and equity in their approaches to art, fashion, architecture, gaming, entertainment, and scholarship. Through experiential learning, studio-based curriculum, and Drexel’s widely-recognized Cooperative Education program (co-op), our students are uniquely positioned to face the world’s challenges and define the creative careers of the 21st century. 

About the Program

The history of art explores the meanings, values, and purposes of the visual arts within the historical cultures that create them. Works of fine and applied arts are understood not merely as aesthetic forms, but as expressions of the social, economic, scientific, religious, and political contexts that gave rise to them. The study of art history thus effectively serves the high purposes of a liberal education by equipping students with an understanding of world cultures and their histories from multiple disciplinary perspectives, and by encouraging the development of critical thinking, reading, research, and writing skills.  

Drexel’s Art History program has a uniquely flexible curricular design that permits students to pursue art history as either a Bachelor of Arts or a Bachelor of Science degree. The BA degree is intended for students wishing to become professional art historians or who wish to supplement the art history curriculum with other courses leading to a specific career path. The BS degree is designed to allow students to combine the art history major with another major or to tailor the curriculum to their specific interests and aspirations.

Job Summary

The course meets in person twice a week on Drexel’s main campus. Art historians whose teaching spans a broad base of media and intermedial approaches in Modern Art are encouraged to apply. The successful applicant will be able to teach a course in Modern Art (c. 1850 – present) that considers an expanded canon beyond Europe and the U.S. We are especially interested in candidates whose teaching and research expertise are concerned with aspects of gender and sexuality, empire and globalism, especially expertise in the Global South. Applicants should demonstrate a dedication to pedagogy, inclusive classrooms, and courses that incorporate critical approaches to the history of art and visual culture.

Adjunct faculty members employ a variety of strategies to foster student artistic development, learning and discussions, as well as encourage active learning in all students, maintain proper course-related records, and evaluate student work and provide students with feedback as to the progress toward meeting the objectives of each course. Each adjunct faculty member is responsible for effectively teaching students in the assigned setting. Each adjunct faculty member is responsible for effectively implementing the mission of the Department of Art & Art History within Drexel’s Westphal College of Media Arts & Design.

Essential Functions

Teach required number of credit hours per quarter based on contract Teach studio, lecture, and/or practicum courses per contract Plan and provide instructional experiences that reflect an understanding of the philosophy, objectives, and curriculum of the discipline and program Evaluate student achievement of curricular objectives/outcomes Maintain communication with the program director regarding any course or student issues Perform other similar duties as assigned

Required Qualifications

PhD (or ABD) in Art History or related discipline 1 year of experience teaching undergraduate students. Ability to teach in-person twice a week.

Special Instructions to the Applicant

Please make sure you upload your CV/resume and cover letter that indicates your area(s) of expertise when submitting your application. Please also submit a writing sample (such as an article or dissertation chapter) and the names of three references with contact information.