1

Humanities Department Chair Jobs (NOW HIRING)

next page

Showing results 1-20

Humanities Department Chair information

See salary details

$66.5K

$102.7K

$155K

How much do humanities department chair jobs pay per year?

As of Jul 2, 2026, the average yearly pay for humanities department chair in the United States is $102,706.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $73,500.00 and $135,500.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a Humanities Department Chair, and why are they important?

To thrive as a Humanities Department Chair, you need advanced expertise in humanities disciplines, leadership experience in academia, and typically a terminal degree such as a PhD. Familiarity with academic management systems, curriculum planning tools, and accreditation standards is often required. Strong communication, conflict resolution, and organizational skills are essential for leading faculty and fostering a collaborative environment. These skills ensure effective departmental governance, academic excellence, and support for both faculty and student success.

What are Humanities Department Chairs?

A Humanities Department Chair is an academic leader responsible for overseeing the operations, faculty, and curriculum of a college or university's humanities department, which may include areas like literature, history, philosophy, and languages. They coordinate course offerings, manage departmental budgets, support faculty development, and serve as a liaison between their department and the broader administration. Department Chairs also often play a role in hiring faculty, evaluating performance, and representing the department in academic planning and decision-making.

How does a Humanities Department Chair typically balance administrative duties with teaching responsibilities?

A Humanities Department Chair often splits time between administrative tasks—such as scheduling, budgeting, and faculty evaluations—and teaching courses in their area of expertise. While the proportion can vary by institution, most chairs continue to teach at least one class per semester to remain engaged with students and curriculum development. Balancing these responsibilities requires strong organizational and time-management skills, as chairs must frequently shift between supporting colleagues, attending meetings, and maintaining their own academic interests. Collaboration with faculty, staff, and higher administration is a central part of the role, ensuring departmental goals align with broader institutional priorities.

What is the difference between Humanities Department Chair vs Humanities Program Coordinator?

AspectHumanities Department ChairHumanities Program Coordinator
CredentialsBachelor's or Master's in Humanities, often with teaching experienceBachelor's or Master's, with organizational or administrative experience
Work EnvironmentAcademic institutions, overseeing faculty and curriculumEducational programs, managing logistics and student activities
Employer & Industry UsageColleges and universities, academic departmentsEducational institutions, program management roles
Primary FocusAcademic leadership, curriculum development, faculty oversightProgram administration, event planning, student support

The Humanities Department Chair primarily focuses on academic leadership and faculty management within a department, while the Humanities Program Coordinator handles program logistics and student activities. Both roles require strong organizational skills, but the Chair emphasizes academic oversight, whereas the Coordinator concentrates on program execution.

More about Humanities Department Chair jobs
What states have the most Humanities Department Chair jobs? States with the most job openings for Humanities Department Chair jobs include:
Humanities Lecturer Pool - American Studies Pool - Environmental Humanities Focus

Humanities Lecturer Pool - American Studies Pool - Environmental Humanities Focus

California State University

San Jose, CA

$8.5K - $10K/mo

Other

Posted 6 days ago


California State University rating

7.7

Company rating: 7.7 out of 10

Based on 44 frontline employees who took The Breakroom Quiz

224th of 544 rated colleges and universities


Job description

Humanities Lecturer Pool - American Studies Pool - Environmental Humanities Focus

Apply now Job no: 532710
Work type: Instructional Faculty - Temporary/Lecturer
Location: San Jose
Categories: Unit 3 - CFA - California Faculty Association, Faculty - Letters/Humanities, Temporary, Part Time

 

Department Summary

The Humanities Department at SJSU is a prominent center for creative, interdisciplinary study and research. It offers three undergraduate degree programs: the Liberal Studies Teacher Preparation B.A.; the Creative Arts B.A.; and the Humanities B.A., in which students pursue a concentration in American Studies, Liberal Arts, or Comparative Religious Studies. The Department is also home to two team-taught, multiple-semester General Education Programs: the lower-division American Cultures GE sequence and the Humanities Honors Program, which has both lower and upper-division Humanities Honors GE course sequences.

San Jose State University is a teaching-centered institution that is a national leader in graduating historically underserved students. SJSU has achieved both HSI (Hispanic Serving Institution) and AANAPISI (Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institution) status. Moreover, 40% of our student population are first-generation college students and 38% are Pell-qualified. As a result, we are ranked #1-as the most transformational university in the country.

Learn more about our department at our website.

Brief Description of Duties

Teach a range of courses in the American Studies concentration of the Humanities BA, including "Animals & Society" (AMS139) and "Nature & World Cultures" (AMS159). In addition, you will hold regular office hours for students, work cooperatively with other department faculty, staff, and department chair, as well as participate in required course grading and assessment activities, etc. 

  • "Animals & Society" (AMS139) This new course explores the emerging field of human-animal studies; it fulfills the upper division Area R G.E. requirement in Earth & Environment. Courses in Earth and Environment will cultivate a student's knowledge of the scientific study of the physical universe and its life forms. Students will understand and appreciate the interrelationship of science and human beings to each other.
  • "Nature and World Cultures" (AMS159) This course explores the influence of industrialization and globalization on the earth and the environment as seen through culture; it fulfills the upper division Area V G.E. requirement in Culture, Civilization, and Global Understanding. In Area V courses, students should receive an appreciation for human expression in cultures outside the U.S. and an understanding of how that expression has developed over time. Additionally, students should understand how traditions of cultures outside the U.S. have influenced American culture and society.
  • Demonstrate awareness of and address the needs of a student population of great diversity-including age, abilities, cultural background, ethnicity, religion, economic background, primary language, sexual orientation, gender identity, and academic preparation-through inclusive course materials, teaching strategies and advisement.
  • Faculty shall organize all their classes within the Canvas Learning Management System (LMS).
  • All classes must be offered and meet as scheduled throughout the entire semester or term, in the mode assigned and listed in the schedule of classes (i.e., asynchronous, synchronous, bichronous, in-person, or hybrid).

Required Qualifications

  • ABD or Ph.D. in American Studies, Ethnic Studies, Women's/Gender Studies, Literature, History, Environmental Humanities, or a related discipline or field with a focus on the environmental humanities and/or human-animal studies.
  • Strong college level teaching skills and experience required.
  • Applicants should demonstrate an awareness of and sensitivity to the educational goals of a multicultural population as might have been gained in cross-cultural study, training, teaching and other comparable experience.

Preferred Qualifications

  • Interest in and record of scholarly activity desirable.

Compensation

Compensation and salary range placement are determined by qualifications and experience. To learn more about range placement, please see University Policy S21-2.

Anticipated starting salary:

L-A / Range 2 - $5507 - $5959
L-B / Range 3 - $6221 - $7481
L-C / Range 4 - $6825 - $9431
L-D / Range 5 - $8593 - $10347

Range salaries above are the anticipated monthly salary rate of full-time AY faculty--part-time rates are prorated. There are 6 monthly payments per semester (full-time AY annual salary = rate x 12). See the Faculty Salary Schedule for more information.

Application Procedure

Click Apply Now to complete the SJSU Online Employment Application and attach the following documents:

  • CV
  • Cover Letter
  • List of at least three (3) or as many as five (5) references
  • Statement of Teaching Philosophy (optional)
  • Statement of Expertise, including professional experience, and list of courses you are qualified to teach

Employment Conditions

Faculty employees must complete CSU employee training as assigned and required based on their role (e.g., preventing discrimination and harassment, gender equity and Title IX, health and safety). Pursuant to the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act (Clery Act) and CSU systemwide policy, the faculty member in this position will subject to ongoing review for designation as a Campus Security Authority (CSA). Individuals designated as Campus Security Authorities are required to immediately report Clery incidents to the institution and to complete Clery Act training as determined by the University Clery Director. Questions regarding CSA designation and training can be sent to the Clery Director at clerycompliance@sjsu.edu. The President may recommend or require compliance with safety measures that decrease the likelihood of COVID-19 transmission or illness and allows the core mission and activities of the campus to continue.

Conditional Offer

The work for this faculty position is located in the State of California and requires commuting to the campus. Employment is contingent upon US residence and proof of eligibility to work in the United States. Offers of employment are conditional, and may be rescinded if the background check reveals disqualifying information, and/or it is discovered that the candidate knowingly withheld or falsified information. Failure to satisfactorily complete the background check may affect the continued employment of a current CSU employee who was conditionally offered the position.

Appointment is contingent upon budget and enrollment considerations and subject to order of assignment provisions in the collective bargaining agreement between California State University and California Faculty Association. These provisions state the order in which available courses must be assigned to faculty, starting with tenure line faculty and ending with new lecturer appointees.

San Jose State University: Silicon Valley's Public University

Located in the heart of Silicon Valley-one of the most innovative and diverse regions in the world-San Jose State University is the founding campus of the 23-campus California State University (CSU) system and the first public university in the West. Recognized as a national leader in transformative higher education, San Jose State University is an essential contributor to the economic, cultural, and social development of Silicon Valley, the Bay Area, and California. SJSU ranks high nationally in research funding and is second highest in research productivity in the CSU system. Cutting-edge research, combined with world-class scholarship, student-centered learning opportunities, and experiential and interdisciplinary programs, allows SJSU to provide transformative opportunities that advance the public good locally and globally.

San Jose State enrolls more than 36,000 students - many are historically underserved, and around 45% are first-generation and 38% are Pell-recipients. SJSU is a Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI) and an Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander (AANAPISI) Serving Institution. The university's commitment to social justice extends from its vibrant, inclusive campus to an international network of over 275,000 alumni. As such, San Jose State is committed to increasing the diversity of its faculty so our disciplines, students, and community can benefit from different and divergent cultural and identity perspectives.
Equal Employment Statement

San Jose State University prohibits discrimination on the basis of Age, Ancestry, Caste, Color, Disability, Ethnicity, Gender, Gender Expression, Gender Identity, Genetic Information, Marital Status, Medical Condition, Military Status, Nationality, Race, Religion, Religious Creed, Sex, Sexual Orientation, Sex Stereotype, and Veteran Status. This policy applies to all San Jose State University students, faculty, and staff as well as University programs and activities. Reasonable accommodations are made for applicants with disabilities who self-disclose. Note that all San Jose State University employees are considered mandated reporters under the California Child Abuse and Neglect Reporting Act and are required to comply with the requirements set forth in CSU Executive Order 1083 as a condition of employment.

Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Crime Statistics Act and Campus Housing Fire Safety Notification

Pursuant to the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act, the Annual Security Report (ASR) is also now available for viewing at https://www.sjsu.edu/clery/docs/SJSU-Annual-Security-Report.pdf. The ASR contains the current security and safety-related policy statements, emergency preparedness and evacuation information, crime prevention and Sexual Assault prevention information, and information about drug and alcohol prevention programming. The ASR also contains statistics of Clery crimes for San Jose State University locations for the three most recent calendar years. A paper copy of the ASR is available upon request by contacting the Office of the Clery Director by phone at 408-924-1501 or by email at clerycompliance@sjsu.edu.

Pursuant to the Higher Education Opportunity Act, the Annual Fire Safety Report (AFSR) is also available for viewing at https://www.sjsu.edu/clery/docs/SJSU-Annual-Fire-Safety-Report.pdf. The purpose of this report is to disclose statistics for fires that occurred within SJSU on-campus housing facilities for the three most recent calendar years, and to distribute fire safety policies and procedures intended to promote safety on Campus. A paper copy of the AFSR is available upon request by contacting the Housing Office by phone at 408-795-5600 or by email at uhs-frontdesk@sjsu.edu.

Advertised: Oct 10 2023 Pacific Daylight Time
Applications close:

Back to search results Apply now Refer a friend

Whatsapp Facebook LinkedIn Email App

What California State University employees say

Pay

Benefits

Hours and flexibility

Workplace

Get the full story on Breakroom


California State University logo

About California State University

Sourced by ZipRecruiter

California State University, Fresno is one of 23 campuses in the California State University System. The University's mission is to boldly educate and empower students for success through our values of Discovery, Diversity and Distinction. The current student population is more than 25,000, including a large percentage of students with diverse and culturally rich backgrounds. The University serves the San Joaquin Valley while maintaining deep involvement with the state, nation, and across the globe.

Industry

Colleges, universities, and professional schools

Company size

1,001 - 5,000 Employees

Headquarters location

Long Beach, CA, US