Divinity School Teaching Fellow at The University of Chicago in Chicago, Illinois

Job Description:

Description



The Divinity School invites applications from current and recent University of Chicago Divinity School doctoral students for a competitive two-year program designed to enhance their pedagogical skills and research profiles. Candidates should demonstrate excellence in their original scholarship as well as in undergraduate teaching. Successful candidates will be appointed as full-time Teaching Fellows to teach four courses per year at the undergraduate level, usually a combination of general education "Core" courses and teaching within disciplinary majors that will make a significant contribution to the undergraduate curriculum in their field of study. Teaching Fellows may also be assigned to teach a self-designed course which meets the curricular needs of the Divinity School. A self-designed course must be reviewed and approved by the Director of Undergraduate Studies and the Director of the Teaching Fellows Program.


The salary, terms, and conditions of employment for this position are covered by a collective bargaining agreement between the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) and the University. The salary for AY25-26 has been set at $60,610. Each Teaching Fellow also receives a range of employment benefits, including health insurance coverage options, through the University Benefits office. Each Teaching Fellow receives research and professional development funds in the amount of $2,500 per year. Each Teaching Fellow will also be provided with a workspace, library privileges, and access to career services support through UChicagoGRAD.


Teaching Fellows are expected to be fully in residence and on campus beginning September 1, 2025, and during the three quarters of the academic year. Teaching Fellows will participate in a program of pedagogical and professional development under the joint supervision of the Divinity School Director of the Teaching Fellows Program and their faculty mentor, with support from the Chicago Center for Teaching and Learning (CCTL) and UChicagoGRAD. Fellows may also participate in monthly discussions with the Director of the Teaching Fellows Program.


Teaching Fellow positions are full-time. Teaching Fellows are prohibited from accepting any other on-campus employment and from receiving additional compensation from the University during their two-year term of appointment, with the exception of summer work, which must be pre-approved by the Provost's Office before its official start and offered to the Teaching Fellow in the form of an addendum to their letter of appointment. Teaching Fellows are also subject to the University's Conflict of Interest and Conflict of Commitment Policy, which requires approval prior to accepting any outside employment and prohibits academic appointees from accepting appointments at other institutions.


Teaching Fellows are required to attend both the in-person Fall Orientation hosted by the Provost's Office and the in-person New Teaching Colleagues Orientation hosted by the Divinity School, in early September 2025.



Selection Process: The Teaching Fellows Selection Committee (Professors Fredericks, Hammerschlag, Krause, and Rosengarten) will assess the application materials as well as the likelihood of completing the dissertation within the required timeline. In February, selected candidates may be invited for an interview (20-25 minutes) with available members of the selection committee. Those selected for interviews may be asked to submit their dissertation in present form at that point, as well as a plan for dissertation completion. Interviewees may also be asked to submit teaching materials. The selection committee is advisory to the Dean.



Notification and Start of Program: Successful Teaching Fellows and alternates will receive offers between March and May 2025. The Fellow's appointment will be for a two-year period, beginning September 1, 2025, and ending August 31, 2027.



Qualifications



Program Eligibility: To be eligible for the Divinity School Teaching Fellows program, applicants must have received or be on track to complete and receive the PhD from the University of Chicago Divinity School[1] in any quarter from Summer 2023 through Summer 2025, as confirmed by the Dean of Students Office.


[1] Students and recent alumni of the Hebrew Bible and Ancient Near East program in NELC are eligible to apply if all other eligibility requirements are met.



Students completing their PhD in Summer 2025 should note the timeline to submit the dissertation. It is recommended that applicants complete their Midpoint Reviews by the end of Autumn 2024 to provide appropriate time to complete the dissertation by the summer deadline. Applicants must have their defense scheduled for no later than July 1, 2025; appointment is contingent upon a successful defense. The Dean of Students Office must receive final approval of the dissertation from all committee members and notification that the defense has been passed no later than Friday, July 25, 2025. All students are required to include a divisional approval form with their dissertation when submitting the final dissertation to the
Dissertation Office by the deadline
of Wednesday, July 30, 2025, at 4:30PM Central Time. Applicants who do not have the degree awarded by Summer 2025 will not be eligible for appointment as Divinity Teaching Fellows.




Teaching Fellows must have an appropriate work visa before they begin their appointment. The Office of International Affairs will host a visa workshop in Spring 2025 for those interested in attending.



N.B. Preference will be given to students that completed the PhD within 8 years.



Application Instructions



Applications must be submitted through Interfolio at apply.interfolio.com/160222. The application deadline is Friday, January 10, 2025, 10:59PM Central Time. If you have any questions, contact Sara Bigger at sfbigger@uchicago.edu.


Each application must include:


1. Cover letter (two pages maximum): should outline how this Fellowship fits into your long-term career goals and include an explanation of which Core Sequences are best suited to your training. Current doctoral students should include a brief timeline of dissertation completion. Descriptions of the Core Sequences for Social Sciences and Humanities may be found here:


• Social Sciences: https://college.uchicago.edu/academics/social-sciences-core


• Humanities: https://college.uchicago.edu/academics/humanities-core


2. Statement of Teaching Philosophy (one page maximum)


3. A sample syllabus for a proposed self-designed RLST course. The course should complement existing courses within the undergraduate curriculum.


• More information may be found here: http://collegecatalog.uchicago.edu/thecollege/religiousstudies


4. Current CV


5. Current UChicago transcript (unofficial transcript acceptable)


6. A reference letter, to be submitted directly to Interfolio. (Note: If you are a current student, letter must be from your dissertation advisor, confirming timeline of your dissertation completion, including: 1) detailed description of work that has been completed; 2) detailed description of remaining research and writing; 3) anticipated timeline of Midpoint Review and Defense; and 4) confirmation of dissertation completion occurring no later than Summer 2025.)


7. A single PDF of all the UChicago course evaluations you have received as TA or instructor (downloadable from https://coursefeedback.uchicago.edu/) as well as any conducted at other institutions