Sessional Lecturer - AMS200H1F: Introduction to American Studies

Date Posted: 04/04/2025
Req ID: 42404
Faculty/Division: Faculty of Arts & Science
Department: Centre for Study of United States
Campus: St. George (Downtown Toronto)

Description: 

The Centre for the Study of the United States is seeking to hire one Sessional Lecturer for the following course:

Course number and title: AMS200H1F: Introduction to American Studies

Course description: This course examines the history, culture, and politics of the U.S. through an engagement with primarily original source materials including speeches, manifestos, songs, essays, paintings, films and more. In doing so, it will ask the central questions: What is America? and Who counts as American? This course concentrates on a series of moments in which different groups of Americans—such as women, African Americans, indigenous people, immigrants, and workers — debated, struggled over, and changed the boundaries of who and what counts as American. We will draw from, analyze, and contextualize a variety of primary source materials that make up defining moments in the contours of longstanding debates about citizenship, nationhood, and empire. Required for majors and minors, but open to all who meet pre-requisites.

Estimated Course Enrolment: 60

Estimated TA support: 1

Schedule: Tuesday, 13:00 – 15:00

*Please note, the delivery method for this course is currently in-person. Please note that, in keeping with current circumstances, the course delivery method may change as determined by the Faculty or the Department.

Sessional Dates of Appointment:  September 1, 2025 – December 31, 2025

Rate of Pay:

Salary:

Sessional Lecturer I: $9,457.90 (includes 4% vacation pay)

Sessional Lecturer I, Long Term = $9,930.79 (includes 6% vacation pay)
Sessional Lecturer II = $10,121.77 (includes 6% vacation pay)
Sessional Lecturer III = $10,362.76 (includes 6% vacation pay)

Please note that should the rates stipulated in the collective agreement vary from the rates stated in this posting, the rates stated in the collective agreement shall prevail.

Minimum qualifications:

PhD in American Studies, History, Geography,  or English with a focus on the United States.  Understanding of and engagement with the field of American Studies is required. Mastery of the subject area as related to the course description above required. Applicants must demonstrate evidence of an interdisciplinary approach and must be prepared to present an interdisciplinary course. Previous experience teaching at the university level and teaching a similar course required. Demonstrated evidence of excellence in teaching preferred.

Preferred qualifications:  Demonstrated teaching and research experience in the field of American Studies, broadly conceived. Previous experience teaching a similar course is desirable.

Description of duties:

Duties include the design and teaching of a university credit course, including preparation and delivery of course content; development, administration, and marking of assignments, tests, and exams; calculation and submission of grades; and holding regular office hours (two hours each week). There will be 24 hours of lectures in this course and one office hour per teaching week.

Duties of this position shall be performed at the campus on which the position is located.

Application instructions: Applications should be emailed to csus@utoronto.caand must include:

• application form available at https://uoft.me/CUPE-3902-Unit-3-Application-Form
• Updated CV
• Draft of course syllabi
• teaching evaluations
• two letters of reference, sent directly from your referees, that address your teaching skills

Closing Date: 04/17/2025, 11:59PM EDT
**

This job is posted in accordance with the CUPE 3902 Unit 3 Collective Agreement. 

 It is understood that some announcements of vacancies are tentative, pending final course determinations and enrolment. Should rates stipulated in the collective agreement vary from rates stated in this posting, the rates stated in the collective agreement shall prevail.  

Preference in hiring is given to qualified individuals advanced to the rank of Sessional Lecturer II or Sessional Lecturer III in accordance with Article 14:12 of the CUPE 3902 Unit 3 collective agreement.

Please note: Undergraduate or graduate students and postdoctoral fellows of the University of Toronto are covered by the CUPE 3902 Unit 1 collective agreement rather than the Unit 3 collective agreement, and should not apply for positions posted under the Unit 3 collective agreement.