Faculty Part-Time Position Announcement: AY 2025-2026

The CSUN Department of Anthropology is accepting applications for anticipated Part-Time Faculty Openings during the Academic Year 2025-2026

Application Deadline: March 28,2025

Department

Department of Anthropology

Effective Date of Appointment

Academic Year 2025-2026 (Subject to Budgetary Approval)

Anticipated Needs

Note: All part-time faculty appointments are temporary and do not confer academic rank. Final determination of part-time teaching assignments is contingent upon student enrollment figures and funding. In addition to teaching, the position requires weekly office hours and participation in assessment of student learning. The successful candidate will be held to the standards and requirements of the college and department in which he/she/they is/are employed. Given CSUN’s commitment to excellence in teaching, research, and engagement in a diverse environment, the successful candidate will help the Department achieve equitable academic outcomes for all students through teaching, student mentorship, and scholarship.

Courses or Specialization

The AY 2025-2026 Schedule will be drawn from the courses listed below based on programmatic needs.

Salary Range

The salary ranges listed below are full-time (15 units per semester) entry level base salaries up to the maximum of the range. The monthly salary is a fractional amount of the base salary if teaching is less than full-time.

The Lecturer A/Rank 2 base salary range is $4,530 to $6,056 monthly. For example, teaching 3 units equates to a 0.20 time base (3/15). Calculating the entry level salary of $4,530 by the time base 0.20 for a 3-unit course will be $906 per month (paid in 6 monthly checks). The total semester salary is $5,436.
The Lecturer B/Rank 3 base salary range is $5,405 to $11,994 monthly. For example, teaching 3 units equates to a 0.20 time base (3/15). Calculating the entry level salary of $5,405, by time base 0.20 for a 3-unit course will be $1,081 per month paid in 6 monthly checks. The total semester salary is $6,486.

Qualifications

Master’s Degree in Anthropology or related discipline for 100- and 200- level courses. Ph.D. in Anthropology or related discipline or MA plus commensurate work or research experience for 300- and above level courses. Professional preparation and specialization must be appropriate to source subject. College teaching experience and evidence of teaching effectiveness preferred.

Application Deadline

For Academic Year 2025-2026: March 28,2025

Application Process:

Applicants must submit:

Teaching Interests Checklist (.PDF)
Cover Letter
Current Resume/ Curriculum Vitae (CV)
Sample syllabus for each course you are interested in teaching (Read CSUN's Syllabus Policy)

Teaching Interests Checklist

Please indicate the courses you are interested in teaching and submit it with your application materials.

Cover Letter

The cover letter should describe your contributions to diversity and designate specific courses or areas you are interested in teaching and, whenever possible, times available for teaching assignments. In your cover letter, please describe how you will be able to help the Department achieve equitable outcomes for all students.

Resume/CV

The Resume/CV should be current and include educational background, prior teaching experience, evidence of scholarship, and/or related professional experience. In later phases of the search process, applicants may be requested to provide verification of terminal degrees, licenses and certificates.

Syllabus

For each syllabus that you include in your application, the syllabus must demonstrate that you meet the CSUN Syllabus Policy. In addition, it should include:

Appropriate lecture topics, materials, assignments, activities, and readings to match the level and duration of the course.

How the course meets two or more of the six (6) program learning outcomes of the undergraduate Anthropology program at CSUN (see “Undergraduate Program Learning Outcomes”), and if applicable, how the course meets two (2) or more of the six (6) program learning outcomes of the graduate Anthropology programs at CSUN (see “Graduate Program Learning Outcomes”).

Inquiries and applications should be addressed to:

Mail:
Suzanne Scheld, Acting Chair
Department of Anthropology (SH-232)
California State University, Northridge
18111 Nordhoff Street, Mail Code 8244
Northridge, CA 91330-8244
Phone: 818-677-3331

Email:
suzanne.scheld@csun.edu , Subject: PT Faculty App: AY 2025-2026

Application material required:

Teaching Interests Checklist (.PDF)
Cover Letter
Resume/ Curriculum Vitae (CV)
Sample syllabus for each course you are interested in teaching. (Read CSUN's Syllabus Policy)

CSUN's Commitment to You:

CSUN’s Commitment to You: CSUN is committed to achieving excellence through teaching, scholarship, learning and inclusion. Our values include a respect for all people, building partnerships with the community and the encouragement of innovation, experimentation, and creativity. CSUN strives to cultivate a community in which a diverse population can learn and work in an atmosphere of civility and respect. CSUN is especially interested in candidates who make contributions to equity and inclusion in the pursuit of excellence for all members of the university community.

As a Hispanic-serving Institution (HSI), inclusiveness and diversity are integral to CSUN’s commitment to excellence in teaching, research, and engagement. As of Fall 2022, CSUN enrolls ~38,000 students, where 57.3% are Latinx, 19.8% are White, 9.2% are Asian-American, 4.9% are Black/African American, 0.1% are Native American, and 0.2% are Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander.

For more information about the University, visit the CSUN website.

About the College:

For information visit the CSUN College of Social and Behavioral Sciences website.

About the Department:

For information visit the CSUN Department of Anthropology website.

General Information:

In compliance with the Annual Security Report & Fire Safety Report of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act, California State University, Northridge has made crime-reporting statistics available on-line (.pdf). Print copies are available by request from the Department of Police Services, the Office for Faculty Affairs, and the Office of Equity and Diversity.

The person holding this position may be considered a 'mandated reporter' under the California Child Abuse and Neglect Reporting Act and is required to comply with the requirements set forth in CSU Executive Order 1083 as a condition of employment.

A background check (including a criminal records check) must be completed satisfactorily. Failure to satisfactorily complete the background check may affect the status of applicants. In accordance with the California State University (CSU) Out-of-State Employment Policy, the CSU is a state entity whose business operations reside within the State of California and prohibits hiring employees to perform CSU-related work outside of California.

CSUN is an Equal Opportunity Employer and prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, ethnicity, religion, national origin, age, gender, gender identity/expression, sexual orientation, genetic information, medical condition, marital status, veteran status, and disability. Our nondiscrimination policy is set forth in Interim CSU Nondiscrimination Policy. Reasonable accommodations will be provided for applicants with disabilities who self-disclose by contacting Department of Anthropology at (818) 677-3331.

Courses potentially available for AY 2025-2026

Course Number	Course Title	Description
ANTH 108.	Latin American Cultures	Study of major social institutions and lifestyles in Central and South America focusing on contemporary peoples, their traditional cultural base and current cultural changes. (Available for General Education, F Comparative Cultural Studies.)
ANTH 150	The Human Adventure: Introduction to Anthropology	Overview of human physical and cultural origins and the development and distribution of diverse populations, languages, social institutions and beliefs; introduction to the methods and insights of cultural anthropology, archaeology, linguistics and physical anthropology. (Available for General Education, D1 Social Sciences.)
ANTH 151	Introduction to Biological Anthropology	Anthropological perspective on biological variation in human and non-human primates in the past and the present; examines the interaction between biology and culture in the evolution of human society. Evolution and behavior of non-human primates are examined for what they reveal about the human condition. (Available for General Education, B2 Life Science or D1 Social Sciences)
ANTH 152	Introduction to Cultural Anthropology	Study of the variety of cultural patterns that human societies use to adapt to the environment, guide social interaction and understand the human condition. Emphasizes the ideas and methods anthropologists use to develop a scientific and humanistic understanding of the world’s cultures. (Available for General Education, D1 Social Sciences.)
ANTH 153	Temples, Tombs and Treasures? An Introduction to Archaeology	Although we are often captivated by the ancient past, many of the reconstructions of this past found in popular culture are not based on the premises of scientific archaeological practice. This course introduces students to the methods, theories and results of scientific archaeological study. Students learn how archaeologists collect and analyze data in order to reconstruct the lifeways and culture histories of our prehistoric ancestors from the Pleistocene to the first civilizations. Students analyze the causes and effects of significant events in humankind’s prehistoric cultural development and their relevance to the present. Students also learn the importance of the stewardship of archaeological resources and principles of cultural heritage management. (Available for General Education, D1 Social Sciences.)
ANTH 212	Anthropology of Sex	This course will examine human sexuality from a holistic anthropological perspective. Subjects such as sexual anatomy and physiology, sexual intercourse, prostitution, sexual coercion, homosexuality and masturbation will be examined from a biological perspective looking to the non-human primates for comparison, and a cultural perspective using ethnographic and archeological data. Additionally, the course will examine the role of sex in language and folklore. (Available for General Education, D1 Social Sciences.)
ANTH 222	Visions of the Sacred	Study of the varieties of religious beliefs, rituals and experiences showing the relationship between people and their society, culture, environment and universe. (Available for General Education, C2 Humanities.)
ANTH 232	Expressive Culture	This course presents an introduction to the anthropological analysis of expressive culture. Each course offering will focus on a specific form of expressive culture, such as clothing, food, music, or visual art. Students explore the history of the cultural form; consider how it reflects and communicates societal structures and cultural meanings and values; and examine how the study of expressive culture can be used to probe broader environmental, social, political, economic, and ideological issues. (Available for General Education, C1 Arts.)
ANTH 262	Forensic Anthropology	This course introduces forensic anthropology, the study of human skeletal remains in the context of criminal investigations, war crimes, mass fatalities, and unexplained deaths, among other contexts. Students will learn how forensic anthropologists combine traditional and cutting-edge techniques in the field and laboratory to investigate crimes, provide scientific evidence for prosecution, and resolve complex mass fatality situations, including disasters and terrorist attacks. Students will also become familiar with issues associated with positive identification, skeletal trauma analysis, the legal system, and ethical practices. (Available for General Education, D1 Social Sciences.)
ANTH 302	Introduction to Applied Anthropology	This practical, hands-on course introduces students to the ways in which anthropologists apply our field’s skills, knowledge, and perspectives towards the resolution of social problems in today’s world. Students are introduced to a variety of applications anthropology has for other disciplines and professions, including education, health, environmental issues, and business. (Available for General Education, D1 Social Sciences.) (WI)
ANTH 303	Anthropological Thought	Study of the conceptual foundations of contemporary anthropological thought. Topics include evolutionary theory, functionalism, historicalism, structuralism and interpretative anthropology.
ANTH 305	Individual and Culture	Comparative study of the relationship between the individuals and their culture. Child-rearing in nonwestern cultures. Exploration of individual identity and group character. Regular written assignments required. (Available for General Education, D1 Social Sciences.) (WI)
ANTH 307	Anthropology of Native California and the Southwest	American Indians in what is now California and the Southwest from the earliest times until today.
ANTH 308	Gender and Culture	Discussion of gender in Western and non-Western, modernizing, industrializing, and globalizing societies; gender and the impact of cultural change. (Available for General Education, F Comparative Cultural Studies.) (WI)
ANTH 310	Language in Culture: Anthropological Linguistics	Study of basic linguistic concepts in cultural contexts; an examination of language diversity and sociocultural factors of language use. (Available for General Education, F Comparative Cultural Studies.) (WI)
ANTH 315	World Cultures and Societies	Compares and contrasts the world’s diverse cultures and societies and examines their current and ever changing relationships in anthropological perspective. (Available for General Education, F Comparative Cultural Studies.) (WI)
ANTH 319	World Prehistory	Encompasses the origin and development of prehistoric human culture from hunting and gathering to the origin of urban societies. Surveys the archaeological evidence from both the New and Old World. (Available for General Education, D1 Social Sciences.) (WI)
ANTH 326	Introduction to Folklore	Introduction to the study of folklore from a cross-cultural perspective, including major forms such as folktale, legend, ballad, joke, riddle, proverb and festival, and the theories used to interpret them. (Available for General Education, C2 Humanities.) (WI)
ANTH 341	Bones: An Introduction to the Study of Human Remains	Anthropology has been popularized in recent years by a range of popular media. But what can human remains really tell us? In this class, we will review the methods used by physical anthropologists to study the human skeleton and critically examine the array of information that can actually be scientifically extracted from human skeletal remains. Based on this knowledge, we will analyze the biological and cultural information bones may yield about past human populations. (Available for General Education, B5 Scientific Inquiry and Quantitative Reasoning or D1 Social Sciences.) (WI)
ANTH 353	The Maya: Ancient and Modern	This course is an introductory survey of their culture and society from prehistoric times to the present. The course addresses the cultural history, social organization and political history of the Maya, as well as their artistic and intellectual achievements. Discussions include examination of ancient Maya sites, architecture, art and writing, as well as examining the state of the Maya in the modern world.
ANTH 356	Anthropology of the Mediterranean	Issues in and perspectives on culture in the Mediterranean region, including Spain, southern France, Italy, Greece, the Middle East and North Africa.
ANTH 360	Immigration and Ethnicity	Examines the basic concepts that inform our understanding of immigration and ethnicity: race, class, gender; the politics of multiculturalism and cultural diversity; and the conflicts and problems inherent in the immigrant experience.
ANTH 423	Human Behavior: Evolutionary Perspectives	Introduction to the various methods and approaches anthropologists use to understand human behavior from a biocultural perspective. Examines the determinants of human behavior, past and present. Regular written assignments required.
ANTH 425	Culture, Health and Healing	Introduction to medical anthropology, the study of the interaction of biological, psychological and sociocultural factors in human promotion of health and adaptation to disease.
ANTH 426	Old World Archaeology	Survey of the culture history of the Old World from Paleolithic times to the rise of the major Old-World civilizations, with an emphasis on the prehistory of the Southwestern Asian, Mediterranean and European regions. Regular written assignments are required.
ANTH 428	Archaeology of Mesoamerica	Overview of the cultural achievements and developments in Mesoamerica prior to the Spanish Conquest.
ANTH 429	Archaeology of South America	Overview of the cultural achievements and developments in South America prior to the colonialization by European countries.
ANTH 451	Economic Anthropology	Comparative study of the economic component of human cultures. Emphasizes the problems of theoretical conceptualization.
ANTH 453	Human Paleontology	Origin of humanity and the history of physical evolution beginning in Miocene times and continuing through to the present.
ANTH 460	Gender Archaeology	Examines the data and theories that provide insights into gender in prehistoric societies. Discussion of fundamental issues such as the origins of the gendered division of labor, the origins of gender hierarchy, the universality of female subordination and variability in women’s activities, status, and power in human societies. Taught from a cross-cultural perspective and combines insights provided by cultural anthropology, archaeology, art history, physical anthropology, and history.
ANTH 462	Anthropology of the Arts	Anthropological approaches to the study of artistic expression in diverse sociocultural settings from the prehistoric to the present. Regular written assignments are required.
ANTH 468	Cultural Heritage	Introduction to cultural heritage studies that focuses on the politics of the representation and conservation of tangible and intangible remains of the past. An examination of the issues at stake in the interpretation, management, and portrayal of the past that contribute to the complexity of contemporary identity politics. The course also explores the uses (and abuses) of the past in the present for social, political, and economic purposes.
ANTH 473	Theory and Method in Archaeology	This course provides students with the basic theoretical and methodological skills and background needed to become practicing archaeologists. By the end of this course, students will be able to analyze and evaluate archaeological arguments on a range of key topics in terms of their theoretical approach, research design and logic. Students will master the key concepts that provide the underpinnings to successful research design and allow them to intelligently engage with other scholars at the national and international level.
ANTH 475	Ethnographic Research Methods	Upper division standing; Completion of the lower division writing requirement. Introduction to the integration of anthropological perspectives with other social scientific research, including quantitative and advanced qualitative methods.
ANTH 486	Integrating Globalization: The Ethnography of Global Problems	This course studies globalization using ethnography. It examines both the debates related to characterizing globalization and ethnographies that analyze some of its aspects, such as the rise of high-tech societies, the decentralization and feminization of labor, the dynamics and consequences of international migration and the causes and impacts of international commodity trade.
ANTH 490A	Seminar in Anthropology: Archaeology	Faculty-directed research on primary data in the major sub-disciplines of Anthropology.
ANTH 490B	Seminar in Anthropology: Biological Anthropology	Faculty-directed research on primary data in the major sub-disciplines of Anthropology.
ANTH 490C	Seminar in Anthropology: Cultural Anthropology	Faculty-directed research on primary data in the major sub-disciplines of Anthropology.
ANTH 490E	Seminar in Anthropology: Applied Anthropology	Faculty-directed research on primary data in the major sub-disciplines of Anthropology.
ANTH 518/L	Lab Methods in Archaeology and Lab	Participation in description, analysis and interpretation of archaeological collections. Classification, measurement and description, cataloging and recording of pottery, lithic and other materials are discussed.
ANTH 521	California Archaeology	Study of the archaeology of California from the earliest times through the Mission Period, with particular attention to the ecology of foraging and the causes of the cultural changes exhibited in the sequence.
ANTH 527	Advanced North American Archaeology	Archaeological research in North America has produced evidence for more than 15,000 years of human occupation. This advanced course details this history and the material evidence through which it is studied, with a particular emphasis on new discoveries and controversies.
ANTH 593	Teaching Anthropology	This course introduces students to the methods and practices used in communicating and teaching anthropology to diverse audiences across the lifespan and in a variety of settings: higher education, museums, interpretive sites, and in environmental and primatology conservation. Students learn to create measurable learning outcomes, develop lesson and learning plans, select and use instructional strategies, and clearly communicate key concepts in anthropology to diverse audiences.