What are the responsibilities and job description for the Core Faculty - Myth Program position at Pacifica Graduate Institute?
Description
Pacifica Graduate Institute:
Core Faculty, MA/PhD Program in Mythological Studies
Applications are invited for a full-time Assistant Professor position in the MA/PhD Program in Mythological Studies at Pacifica Graduate Institute, effective Fall 2025.
Pacifica Graduate Institute is an accredited graduate school offering degree programs in the fields of Psychology, Mythological Studies, and Humanities. We are located between the foothills and the Pacific Ocean a few miles south of Santa Barbara, California. This full-time position will require the candidate to be located within acceptable proximity to Pacifica’s campus to allow for regular campus presence/engagement.
Pacifica is committed to providing an open, fair, inclusive, non-discriminatory environment for all individuals across differences of race, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, socio-economic status, ethnicity, age, physical ability, or medical condition. We encourage applications from people in historically underrepresented groups.
About the Program
The Mythological Studies Program at Pacifica cultivates scholarship, self-inquiry, and imagination in those who seek to understand and express the depths of the psyche and earth-centered wisdom through myth, story, ritual, religion, literature, and art. This is an interdisciplinary, transdisciplinary, and multicultural program leading to an M.A/Ph.D. or an M.A. degree, depending on the students’ goals—it is the only doctoral program in the country dedicated to the exploration of human experience and the wisdom of the earth through myth. The program fosters mythic imagination as a precursor to self-revelation and a dynamic understanding of cultural and ecological relationships. Myth and story have the power to touch our deepest creative energies—they generate images and symbols that confer understanding and significance upon a complex and plural world. They open us to paradox, ambiguity, and the shape-shifting ways that metaphor informs and transforms our lives.
Examples of Duties
Job Description
The candidate for this position will primarily teach coursework, serve on dissertation committees, and perform administrative functions in the Mythological Studies Program. The candidate might also serve as affiliate faculty in other Pacifica degree programs as needed and per qualifications. The candidate will maintain a profile of active research or creative practice (as per qualifications and specialty).
We are particularly interested in applicants who can teach the following courses and subject areas:
- African Diaspora Traditions
- Methodology and Theoretical Frameworks
- Indigenous Cosmologies and Narrative Traditions
- Research Strategies for Dissertation Writing
- Dissertation Formulation
We are particularly interested in applicants with teaching experience in and willingness to develop courses that include the following perspectives: non-western epistemologies; decolonization; feminist and queer spirituality and goddess traditions; and arts-based research.
The applicant must additionally be conversant in and appreciative of depth psychological perspectives which form the underpinnings of the Institute’s approach to mythological studies. We are open to applicants who identify as scholar-practitioners or scholar-activists and who are interested in incorporating their research and practical specializations into their curricula and research skills training for our students. We particularly welcome applicants with a passion for mentorship, whether in connection with professional development, or sharing work with a wider public.
Typical Qualifications
- Ph.D. in mythology/folklore, depth psychology, literature, religious studies, or interdisciplinary humanities. Doctorate must be completed by start date of Fall 2025
- Three years of teaching experience at the undergraduate or graduate level
- Record of publications in the field (books, articles) and active research profile
- Demonstrated ability to teach online or in a distance-learning format
- Willingness to contribute innovative approaches to student-centered pedagogy
- Commitment to fostering diversity, equity, and inclusion in graduate education
- Commitment to Pacifica’s mission to “tend the soul of the world.” We value transformative and collaborative learning, social justice, community building, environmental awareness, imagination, embodied learning, and the arts.
Desirable Qualifications
- Engagement with depth psychological and/or indigenous epistemologies in teaching and research, and ability to combine these theories with other contemporary interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary methodologies (for example, rooted in decolonial practice, feminist and queer approaches, arts-based research, and others)
- Experience serving on graduate-level dissertation committees and ability to supervise graduate research
- Interest and experience in curriculum design and development
- Experience performing administrative duties in graduate education, such as applicant file reviews and interviews, open house/admissions events, and capstone exam coordination
Compensation
- Salary is commensurate with experience.
How to Apply
Please visit our website to familiarize yourself with our program – www.pacifica.edu
Submit the following:
- cover letter
- curriculum vitae
- recently published peer-reviewed journal article
- 2-page statement including the following: teaching philosophy (with examples of implementation), research interests, current open courses you would be qualified to teach, and your experience of working with students of diverse backgrounds
- contact information for three academic references
Supplemental Information
Pacifica Graduate Institute is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer advancing inclusive excellence. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, age, protected veteran status, or other protected categories covered by nondiscrimination policy.
