Temporary Lecturer Position(s)
Department of Geography
San José State University
San José, CA 95192-0116 (408) 924-5475

Lecturer Positions

The Department of Geography at San José State University usually fills four (4) to eight (8) courses each semester with temporary lecturers. Preferences for continued employment are given to temporary faculty continuing from a previous semester. However a pool of applicants is maintained continously to fill new opportunities as they occur. New temporary lecturers are selected from this pool. Please contact the department chairperson or the department administrative assistant to find out if new opportunities are available for the next semester. Hiring for all these courses ultimately depends upon student enrollment in these courses.

General Qualifications:

To enter the pool of possible appointments, applicants must have a masters or doctorate degree in Geography or a closely related discipline. Applicants with a Ph.D. degree are preferred. University teaching experience is preferred. Professional experience in addition to the graduate degree will also be considered in evaluation. Applicants must be well-organized, energetic, professional, and interested in working with students of diverse personal and employment backgrounds.

Specific Course Qualifications:

In addition to the General Qualifications, applicants must meet course-specific requirements. Here are some examples:

Geography of the Natural Environment (Geog 001):

Applicants must have general experience in the content, methods, and goals of physical geography, as measured by past coursework, research, past employment, and/or application of teaching methodologies. In particular, applicants must have qualifications in the physical sciences to meet the standards of the Board of General Studies at San Jose State University. Appreciation of the continuing impacts of globalization is important.

Cultural Geography (Geog 010):

Applicants must have general experience in the content, methods, and goals of cultural geography, as measured by past coursework, research, and/or application of teaching methodologies. Appreciation of the continuing impacts of globalization is important.

Global Geography (Geog 101):

Applicants must have general experience in the content, methods, and goals of world-regional geography, as measured by past coursework, research, and/or application of teaching methodologies. Appreciation of the continuing impacts of globalization is important.

Upper Division and Graduate Courses:Applicants with a Ph.D. or other important advanced training may also be assigned to upper division and/or graduate courses. Assignment to these courses will be completed after a full discussion of qualifications and work expectations with the department chairperson or her/his assignee.

Applicants are urged to visit the Department website to learn more about the department, its courses, and its degrees and programs. Applicants are also urged to visit the Department and the SJSU campus as well as the University website to learn more about the University, it policies, and its procedures.

Application Procedure:

To enter the pool of potential temporary lecturers, please send the department chairperson a letter of application, vitae, and names of three professional references. In addition, for employment a copy of graduate transcripts ultimately will be required.

General Information:

The Department of Geography at San José State University offers B.A. and M.A. degrees in Geography as well as a Certificate in Geographic Information Science.  San José State University is the oldest institution of higher learning in the American West. With about 30,000 students, it is located in downtown San José, the “capital” of the famous Silicon Valley. Nearby are San Francisco Bay, the city of San Francisco, and the numerous tourist and recreational opportunities of the Bay Area. The University is extraordinarily diverse. The University is committed to developing a diverse faculty so our disciplines, students, faculty, and community can appreciate multiple cultural perspectives. San José State University is an Equal Opportunity, Affirmative Action Employer committed to core values of inclusion, civility, and respect for each individual. Reasonable accommodations are made for applicants with disabilities who self-disclose.