Education Faculty, Full-time

Calvin University invites applications for a full-time regular, tenure-track faculty member to join the Education Department to teach special education with a preference for a specialization in literacy or early childhood education beginning in August 2025.

The opening is at the rank of assistant professor.

REQUIREMENTS

The university seeks applicants with vibrant Christian faith who are dedicated to integration of that faith with their field of study.

Ideal candidates will hold a PhD or EdD in special education, learning disabilities, or a related field and also literacy studies or early childhood education.

Candidates with a master’s degree in special education and five years of relevant experience will also be considered.

Studies have shown that members of marginalized communities are less likely than others to apply for jobs if they don't believe they meet every single one of the qualifications as described in a job description.

We are committed to building a diverse and inclusive faith-based organization, and we are most interested in finding the best candidate for the job.

That candidate may be one who comes from a background less traditional to our field of work, and that's okay. We would strongly encourage you to apply, even if you don't believe you meet every one of the qualifications described.

Candidates are expected to demonstrate excellence in teaching as well as an active stream of relevant research, publication, or creative work.

Preference will be given to candidates with experience teaching using a variety of methods and instructional technology.

The university will prioritize candidates with broad interdisciplinary interests, demonstrated commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion, ability to integrate questions of meaning, significance, and ethics into all course content, and deep commitment to engaging students beyond the classroom.

FACULTY RESPONSIBILITIES

Faculty members typically teach 24 semester hours per academic year. Faculty are expected to grow in Reformed Christian commitment, to pursue an active scholarly agenda, to teach effectively, and to serve the university, department, students, and the wider community.

Candidates will be asked to affirm their commitment to the educational mission of Calvin University as a Christian liberal arts university in the Reformed tradition, affiliated with the Christian Reformed Church.

See Educating for Shalom and Faculty Expectations .) Calvin University provides numerous faculty development opportunities to foster growth in these commitments.

FACULTY RESOURCES

Calvin University stands at the forefront of Christian scholarship across disciplines. The University hosts a number of Centers and Institutes and provides other funding opportunities to support faculty teaching and research, including sabbaticals, grants, course releases, summer research stipends, travel funds, and student research opportunities.

ABOUT THE EDUCATION PROGRAM

For more than 100 years, Calvin’s Education Department has been a leader in Christian education, committed to living out Calvin’s mission.

The Education Department is committed to justice, equity, and supporting the next generation of teachers teachers who will teach in Michigan, the Midwest, various locations in the United States, and in schools around the world.

We are living into our new undergraduate program, which emphasizes content area knowledge and responsive practices for all learners, Christian teaching in a wide variety of settings, and building community within our classes and across the profession.

Our Master of Education program challenges teachers from around the world to grow their expertise and leadership, while our Master of Arts in Teaching program equips participants to teach within their content area expertise.

Across all programs, our faculty are dedicated to developing and maintaining research and scholarship agendas that serve students, PK-12 education, and the broader educational research community.

Additionally, Calvin’s School of Education includes Life and Career Studies, an inclusive postsecondary education program designed for students with intellectual disability.

This program promotes collaboration among students, staff, and faculty to enhance college access for historically underserved students.

We are approved by the Michigan Department of Education and accredited by the Association for Advancing Quality in Educator Preparation (AAQEP).

ABOUT CALVIN UNIVERSITY

Calvin University is a top-ranked national university that equips students to think deeply, to act justly, and to live wholeheartedly as Christ’s agents of renewal in the world.

Approximately 3,600 Calvin students study the liberal arts and select from a broad range of majors and professional programs, including a growing portfolio of graduate level offerings.

The university is located in Grand Rapids, Michigan , in a thriving metropolitan region of approximately one million people situated equidistant from Chicago and Detroit.

Furthermore, the West Michigan region is ranked by Forbes as the #1 place to raise a family. For more information, please visit Careers at Calvin Calvin University .

Calvin is building a tradition of diversity and accessibility and welcomes applications from persons whose personal characteristics will further that commitment.

Calvin does not discriminate in the employment of individuals on the basis of race, color, national or ethnic origin, disability, sex, or age.

Calvin University is an educational agency of the Christian Reformed Church and, in compliance with Title VII and other applicable law, reserves the right to give preference in employment based upon religion.

TO APPLY

Complete the online application process and attach the following :

• Letter of application that addresses the requirements and responsibilities of the position, including your interest in teaching and scholarship at a Reformed Christian University
• Full curriculum vitae
• Sample(s) of scholarship

Review of applications will begin immediately and will continue until the position is filled. Contact department chair, Marj Terpstra, at marj.

[email protected] , with questions.

FAITH and EDUCATIONAL COMMITMENT

1. Commitment to the educational mission of Calvin as a Christian liberal arts university affiliated with the Christian Reformed Church.

2. A commitment to the Christian faith and to the integration of faith, learning, and student development.

DIVERSITY COMMITMENT

Demonstrated awareness and commitment to effectively establishing relationships and positive communication across multiple dimensions of diversity including, but not limited to, race, gender, physical limitations, class, or religious perspectives.