Career Center

The Department of Music in the College of Fine Arts, Humanities, and Social Science at the University of Massachusetts Lowell seeks a tenure-track Assistant Professor in Secondary Music Education in General Music and Band. Review of applications will begin December 1, 2023, and continue until the position is filled. The appointment is scheduled to start on September 1, 2024.

The Program in Music Education at UMass Lowell is an accredited, competitive program that offers training for future music educators at the undergraduate level and music teaching licensure at the graduate level. We serve a diverse student population, many first-generation college students. We aim to provide excellent education and support for our students through a rigorous, intensive program of study. Our students are at the center of our work: we are dedicated to helping them develop into great music teachers with the potential for a lifetime of service to their students. We train our students to become highly valued and valuable members of their school communities. As such, we are presently at a one hundred percent placement rate for full-time teaching positions.

We seek someone whose work is founded on the philosophy that music is essential to humanity and the healthy functioning of communities. The successful candidate will be an excellent collaborator, dedicated to furthering the development of our music education program and to supporting our students. They will be a flexible, critical thinker and creative problem solver whose experience encompasses knowledge and application of inclusion, differentiation, universal design, and spiral curriculum. We are seeking a candidate who can integrate theory with practice in research and teaching, emphasizing practical applications in ensemble settings, the secondary general music classroom, and community music settings. In addition, the successful candidate will participate in the leadership and vision of our many innovative and successful school-university partnerships, interdisciplinary projects, and community outreach programs. This is a tenure-track appointment; the successful candidate will have a research agenda, a scholarly/creative program in their specialization, and a demonstrated commitment to excellence in undergraduate teaching.

The candidate must have experience teaching diverse forms of “band,” for example, modern band, jazz band, and traditional large ensembles, as they will be training future teachers in these areas. They also must show that they have developed and implemented student-centered approaches to teaching general music and bands in formalized education. Candidates must also demonstrate knowledge and experience with music educational technology in both settings. Please note: this position does not include ensemble directing, which is part of our performance program; however, there is potential for the successful candidate to collaborate with our ensemble directors in research and work with our community partners in Lowell to develop a modern band program with children in K-12 education.

Aside from our intensive licensure program, the Music Education curriculum at UMass Lowell includes a service-learning solid component. Our students must work within the Lowell community and beyond to gain experience teaching, advocating, and supporting community music endeavors. The successful candidate must have experience in community music contexts in teaching and leadership positions and must be able to integrate that experience into our students’ education.

About the Position:

• Potentially teach courses at the undergraduate and graduate levels in the following areas:
  • Secondary general and band music education
  • Community music education
  • Technology in the Music Education Classroom
• Supervise undergraduate pre-practicum experience in secondary music education.
• Supervise undergraduate and graduate theses and projects.
• Act as an academic advisor to music education majors.
• Produce a significant dossier of peer-reviewed publications and/or equivalent creative works during the pre-tenure years and beyond.
• Contribute to the Department of Music, the College of Fine Arts, Humanities, and Social Science, and the University by serving on committees and participating in community building and interdisciplinary activities.
• Work effectively with diverse groups of people and in interdisciplinary collaborations.

About UMass Lowell:

UMass Lowell is a national research university committed to preparing our students for work in the real world--solving real problems and helping real people--by providing an affordable, high-quality education. US News and World Report ranks UMass Lowell among the top 200 research universities in the country, and our rankings have been consistently rising. In 2023, the Wall Street Journal ranked UMass Lowell the #1 public university in the state and the #10 university in Massachusetts. The university faculty are fully unionized under the Massachusetts Society of Professors and receive excellent salaries and benefits.

The College of Fine Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences (FAHSS) is the University's largest academic unit, with 12 academic departments and over 210 full-time faculty. FAHSS has experienced significant growth in recent years, including hiring over 70 new faculty members, achieving a 70% growth in funded research expenditures, and adding several new interdisciplinary graduate programs. 

Greater Lowell, Merrimack Valley, and the Boston region are home to diverse communities. The historic city of Lowell, MA, is a gateway city that is a majority-minority city (20.9% Asian American, 17.9% Hispanic, 8% Black/African American). UMass Lowell has robust partnerships with the City of Lowell, Lowell Public Schools, health organizations, and many other local nonprofits and businesses. The Boston region is also home to many potential research partners.  

UMass Lowell is an equal education/employment opportunity institution dedicated to building a diverse community. We strongly encourage applications from women, underrepresented minorities, individuals with disabilities, and veterans.

Minimum Qualifications (Required):

Education:

• EdD or PhD in Music Education (ABD will be considered; however, the candidate must have completed the doctorate before the appointment begins).

Experience:

• A robust research program and demonstrated excellence in publication
• Five years or more of teaching experience in secondary public school band and general music education
• College-level teaching experience in undergraduate and/or graduate education
• Documented teaching and leadership experience in community music education
• Demonstrated experience with and application of music educational technology
• Documented commitment to DEAI in the music classroom

Preferred Qualifications:

• Evidence of strong leadership and collaborative skills
• Evidence of experience with teaching underrepresented communities of children
• Evidence of inclusive teaching practices across cultures, learning styles, neuro-presentations, and abilities
• Dedication to teaching through culturally sustaining pedagogy and to equity in music education

Special Instructions to Applicants:
 
Review of applications will begin December 1, 2023 and continue until the position is filled. However, the work may close when adequate qualified applications is received. 
 
 Please submit the following required documents with your application:

• Curriculum Vita
• Cover Letter
• Writing Sample
• Teaching Statement/Philosophy
• Teaching Evaluations
• Research Statement
• Statement of commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and access in teaching.
• Names and contact information for three references will be required at the time of application. References will be contacted for a letter of reference immediately after application submission. References will be required to upload recommendation letters to our online portal; neither emailed nor hard-copy letters will be accepted. *Three letters of reference are required.

The University of Massachusetts Lowell is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action, Title IX employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, sex, color, religion, national origin, ancestry, age over 40, protected veteran status, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity/expression, marital status, or other protected class.