Instructor/ Assistant/ Associate Professor of Urban Studies (Tenure-Track)

(Tenure-Track) Category: Faculty and Librarian Subscribe: New Job Alerts RSS Job Feed Department: 669-Urban Studies Locations: Worcester, MA Posted: Aug 7, 2026 Closes: Open Until Filled Type: Full-time Salary Type: Annually Position ID: 203485 Share About Worcester State University: WORCESTER STATE UNIVERSITY is a liberal arts and sciences university with a long tradition of academic excellence dating back to 1874, as well as an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer that seeks to reflect the diversity of its community. Our workforce is dedicated to academic quality, student-centered programming, engaged citizenship, open exchanges of ideas, diversity and inclusiveness, and civility and integrity. We are looking for job applicants who share these values and commitment to our students. Worcester State is centrally located in Massachusetts, about an hour's drive from Boston, Springfield, and Providence, Rhode Island.

Our 58-acre campus is nestled in the residential northwest side of Worcester--the second largest city in New England and home to 37,000 college students at more than a dozen colleges and universities. Over 6,000 of those students attend Worcester State--approximately 5,300 are undergraduates and 1,000 are graduate students. Learn more about us at worcester.edu/about.

Job Description

About the Department of Urban Studies at WSU The Department of Urban Studies at Worcester State University is an interdisciplinary academic department. It has an undergraduate major with 2 concentrations and 3 minors, a graduate program with 3 Master's degrees, and 2 centers, CityLab and the Urban Action Institute, overseen and advised by the department faculty. Many Urban Studies students are first-generation to college and come to the department with a variety of backgrounds and experiences. Our graduates go on to work in fields such as social work, education, policy, nonprofit management, public administration, planning, human services, and law.

The Department of Urban Studies seeks to fill a full-time benefited position beginning in the fall semester of 2027. The department is dedicated to academic coursework and student-centered community engagement. We seek a teacher-scholar whose research and teaching actively engage with issues related to the communities of our student population. The ideal candidate's interests will include applied social policy analysis, housing and homelessness, urban food systems, transportation systems, attention to how geographic processes impact urban life and culture, or community-engaged urban planning and development.

Applicants should be able to teach courses in quantitative and qualitative methods and situate these methods in a sociocultural context for non-specialist students. They will teach introductory and upper-level undergraduate electives, community fieldwork courses, and more specialized graduate courses. In addition to an Intro to Urban Studies class, applicants should be able to teach courses such as Urban Housing Dilemma, Urban Politics & Policy, Public Policy & Cultural Diversity, Introduction to Urban Policy, Environmental Systems & Public Policy, Transportation Planning, or Policy Analysis, as well as supervise students in their capstone projects.

Requirements

Ph.D., conferred by September 1, 2027. Previous experience teaching undergraduate students. Applicants with diverse backgrounds, experiences, abilities, and perspectives are encouraged to apply. Experience with student-centered community engagement.

Additional Information: This is a full-time, benefited, exempt position. Salary is commensurate with experience and discipline, with a minimum established by the Appendix O of the MSCA contract. The anticipated start date for this position is September 1, 2027. Here at Worcester State University, it is strongly recommended that all employees be vaccinated against COVID-19 before they begin employment.

Worcester State University offers a competitive benefits package that includes: a choice of 8 different pre-taxed, health insurance plan options pension and supplemental plan retirement options life insurance up to 8x the annual salary long-term disability coverage dental insurance 10 sick days accrued per year 2 personal days per year paid holidays Free on-campus gym access. tuition remission for self, spouse, and dependent children and more... We are an equal opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer. M/F/D/V. Members of traditionally underrepresented groups are strongly encouraged to apply.

Application Instructions

Initial screening of applications will begin immediately and will continue until the position is filled. The appointment will begin fall semester 2027. Applicants must apply online and may do so by visiting www.worcester.edu/careers, and submitting the following documents: CV Letter of Interest Contact information for three (3) professional references. Proof of degree(s) is required.

Applicants must either electronically sign the National Student Clearinghouse Authorization Form as part of the online application process, or submit sealed, original transcripts. If the institution granting the degree does not participate in the clearinghouse, transcripts are required. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) Powered by Hide Main Navigation Worcester State University 486 Chandler St, Worcester, MA 01602