APAP Career Center

Join a vibrant equity-minded campus community whose excellence is reflected in its community, cultural engagement, and student success. The Department of Languages and Cultures invites applicants for a full-time, tenure-track, Assistant Professor of American Sign Language (ASL) and Deaf Studies position. The position begins in January 2026 or August 2026.

West Chester University (WCU), a member of the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education, is a public, comprehensive institution committed to offering high-quality undergraduate education, selected post-baccalaureate and graduate programs, and a variety of educational and cultural resources for its students, alumni, and citizens of southeastern Pennsylvania. The University offers more than 100 graduate and undergraduate programs in the sciences and mathematics, business and public management, arts and humanities, health sciences, education and social work, music, and interdisciplinary studies. We are a community of educators dedicated to developing graduates who succeed personally and professionally and contribute to the common good.

The Department of Languages and Cultures, home to the American Sign Language and Deaf Studies programs, is dedicated to the teaching of languages and the preparation of language-teaching professionals to be knowledgeable in the facts and issues that inform second language education. As part of this dedication, we promote student and community understanding of the languages that we teach and the cultures that these languages represent. We are a community of teacher-scholars dedicated to excellence in teaching, scholarship, and service to local and global communities. Learn more about West Chester University's American Sign Language (ASL) and Deaf Studies Program.

The faculty member will teach undergraduate courses in the ASL and Deaf Studies programs. Courses are offered in-person during the day and evening. The ideal candidate will use innovative and up-to-date teaching skills and demonstrate attention to the learning and teaching needs of the department's students. The candidate's experience, expertise, and specialized training will strengthen departmental and campus-wide efforts. The successful candidate will join the growing ASL & Deaf Studies programs in a diverse department committed to student success. The successful candidate will be expected to complete a distance education training program within the first two years of employment.

Responsibilities include:

• Teach undergraduate courses in American Sign Language (most ASL courses will be ASL as an L2) and Deaf Studies programs. Additional courses within area(s) of specialization may be assigned based on department needs
• Engage in scholarly activities such as research, presentations, and publications
• Serve the Department, College, University, and the community through participation in various committees
• Mentor and advise students
• Perform other duties as assigned

• A doctorate in American Sign Language, Deaf Studies, Modern Languages, Linguistics, Educational Leadership, Education, Literature, Theater/Performing Arts, or closely related field. ABDs will be considered - must be completed within a year of appointment.
• Specialized training in Deaf Studies or a similar Deaf-specific field
• Native or near native proficiency in American Sign Language
• Active participation in research and/or scholarly activity
• Active participation in the Deaf community
• Experience teaching American Sign Language as a second language, and Deaf Studies courses

• Specialization in American Sign Language pedagogy; and/or
• Experience teaching courses at a college level; and/or
• Participation in curricular development in American Sign Language and Deaf studies

About West Chester University of Pennsylvania

West Chester University (WCU) of Pennsylvania is among the top regional comprehensive public universities in the nation, serving more than 17,500 students at the undergraduate and graduate levels with a national reputation for excellence, value, and student success. Founded in 1871 as an institute for teacher preparation, West Chester offers more than 118 undergraduate and 103 graduate programs in more than 50 fields of study. In addition to the main campus in West Chester, the University offers programs through its graduate center, the Philadelphia campus, and online. Five colleges and two schools comprise the University: Colleges of Arts and Humanities, Business and Public Management, Education and Social Work, Health Sciences, and the Sciences and Mathematics, as well as the School of Music, and the School of Interdisciplinary and Graduate Studies. Located in Chester County (25 miles from downtown Philadelphia) the area combines the best of enjoyable daily living with easy access to the full spectrum of country and city attractions. We are a community of educators dedicated to developing graduates who succeed personally and professionally and contribute to the common good.

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