Assistant Professor Public History, Historic Preservation, and Museum Studies

Georgia Southern University is the state's largest and most comprehensive center of higher learning south of Atlanta, and one of the most dynamic public universities in the Southeast.

Founded in 1906, Georgia Southern has grown from a single-purpose college into a Carnegie Doctoral/R2 institution with 149 degree programs at the bachelor's, master's and doctoral levels, serving 31,600 students from all 50 states, Washington D.C., Puerto Rico and more than 100 nations.

Four distinct campuses extend Georgia Southern's reach across the region: a 900-acre quintessential college campus in Statesboro, anchored by Georgian-style red-brick buildings set among oaks and pines; the Armstrong Campus in Savannah, minutes from historic downtown and a short drive from the beaches of Tybee Island; a modern, purpose-built facility in Hinesville serving local and military-affiliated students; and the East Georgia Campus in Swainsboro, an outdoor oasis nestled on a 385-acre pine forest, offering expanded pathways to higher education for students across southeast Georgia.

Through ten colleges, the Allen E. Paulson College of Engineering and Computing, the College of Arts and Humanities, the College of Behavioral and Social Sciences, the College of Education, the College of Science and Mathematics, the Jack N. Averitt College of Graduate Studies, the Jiann-Ping Hsu College of Public Health, the Parker College of Business, the Waters College of Health Professions and University College, Georgia Southern delivers academic programs backed by real-world experience, research with regional and national impact, and a faculty committed to helping every student go further than they thought possible.

Accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges and holding specialized accreditation across its professional programs, Georgia Southern prepares graduates who are ready to lead, contribute and soar beyond, in Georgia, across the nation and around the world.

For more information, visit GeorgiaSouthern.edu.

Georgia Southern University, a public Carnegie Doctoral/R2 with a Carnegie Community Engagement classification, offers approximately 149 different degree programs serving nearly 31,600 students through 11 colleges on four campuses in Savannah, Hinesville, Statesboro, Swainsboro and online instruction. Founded in 1906, Georgia Southern is a leader in higher education in southeast Georgia with expert faculty and a focus on public impact research and engaging learning opportunities through knowledge and know-how that prepare our students to soar beyond and take ownership of their lives, careers and communities. Visit GeorgiaSouthern.edu.

Statesboro Campus
1332 Southern Drive
Statesboro, GA 30458

Within this setting, the Department of History is expanding its long-established yet distinctive public-history and cultural-heritage profile. Our public history programs are grounded on strong institutional support in the forms of the Georgia Southern University Museum, University Libraries Special Collections, the R.M. Bogan Archaeological Repository, Gretsch Musical Instrument Collection, and the Botanical Garden, as well as with longstanding external partnerships with more than fifty regional heritage organizations across coastal Georgia including Savannah, the home to one of the largest publicly-designated historical districts in the country. The Department is developing an interdisciplinary Historic Preservation program housed in History and is planning new Museum and Public Humanities professional graduate offerings, all subject to normal curricular and institutional approval. Strategic planning also includes exploration of a doctoral degree in Museum and Public Humanities. The successful candidate will be invited to help shape this growth through research, teaching, preservation practice, exhibits, community partnerships, and externally funded collaborative projects.

Reporting to the Chair of the Department of History, the Assistant or Associate Professor of Public History and Historic Preservation will teach undergraduate and graduate courses in U.S. history, public history, historic preservation, museum studies, and/or cultural heritage; maintain an active peer-reviewed research and publication agenda; mentor students; develop collaborative external grant proposals; and build partnerships with museums, historic sites, preservation organizations, government agencies, and community partners. The successful candidate will be expected to play a leading role in developing the proposed interdisciplinary Historic Preservation minor and, once approved, in providing academic leadership for its curriculum, partnerships, and experiential-learning opportunities. The position will also contribute to graduate program development in Museum and Public Humanities. The standard teaching assignment is 3/3, normally combining high-demand core instruction with upper-division or graduate teaching in the candidates areas of expertise. Course release may be available when supported by external funding or other approved institutional arrangements. The position is a 10-month, tenure-track appointment. Appointment at the associate professor rank is contingent upon the candidates record and normal university review and approval processes.

• Earned Ph.D. in History, Public History, Historic Preservation, Architectural History, American Studies, Architecture/Built Environment, or a closely related field with at least 18 graduate semester hours in History, Public History, Historic Preservation, Architectural History, American Studies, or Public History, Historic Preservation, Architectural History, American Studies, Architecture/Built Environment by August 1, 2027.

• Demonstrated expertise in historic preservation and the credentials to teach upper-division and/or graduate courses in Historic Preservation and Public History, Architectural History, Museum Studies, or Cultural Heritage.

• Demonstrated ability to teach the undergraduate U.S. or World history survey.

• Evidence of, or clear potential for, a sustained program of peer-reviewed research and publication that engages historic sites, collections, museums, the built environment, material culture, cultural landscapes, and/or community partners.

• Evidence of, or clear potential for, developing competitive external grant proposals and collaborative research projects.

• Willingness to engage with institutional student success initiatives.

• Commitment to engaging with best practice initiatives in instruction and pedagogy, mentoring, and curriculum design and development.

• Demonstrated commitment to advancing a strong and growing research and scholarship agenda and the production of research/creative activities as appropriate to the discipline.

• For appointment at the rank of Associate Professor: a minimum of five years of full-time college/university teaching experience at the assistant professor level and a record of research, publication, teaching, and service commensurate with appointment at the associate professor rank at Georgia Southern University, including demonstrated capacity to develop or lead externally funded and collaborative work.

• Research and teaching expertise in architectural history, preservation planning, the history of the built environment, cultural-resource management, material culture, heritage interpretation, museum studies, environmental/coastal history, and/or agricultural/rural history.

• Experience with preservation field methods and documentation, such as archival/site documentation, GIS/CAD, photogrammetry, 3D imaging or laser scanning/LiDAR, architectural survey, or related cultural-resource technologies.

• Experience developing, administering, or providing academic leadership for a historic preservation curriculum, minor, certificate, program, or comparable interdisciplinary initiative.

• Experience developing external grant proposals, serving as PI or co-PI, or participating in funded collaborative projects, with potential to lead or substantially contribute to major multi-partner proposals.

• Experience with museum collections, exhibitions, public interpretation, and/or collections-based research and teaching.

• Experience partnering with historic sites, museums, preservation organizations, the National Park Service or comparable agencies, state or local preservation offices, and/or community organizations.

• Experience with graduate teaching and mentoring, community-engaged or experiential learning, and interdisciplinary collaboration.

Commensurate with experience.
This is an exempt position paid on a monthly basis.

A complete application consists of a letter addressing the qualifications cited above; a curriculum vitae; a research statement (approximately 23 pages) describing the candidates current and future research, publication agenda, public or preservation-based scholarship, and plans for external funding; links to representative preservation, museum, public-history, or digital projects where applicable; and the names, addresses, telephone numbers, and email addresses of at least three professional references. Other documentation may be requested.

ABILITIES
Consistently exhibit engaging customer service
Ability to support various constituencies served by the University
Proven proficiency with computers including Microsoft Office, Google, and/or applications as required for specific position

KNOWLEDGE
Adhere to University policies and procedures to meet Institutional goals and support University's mission for student success

SKILLS
Effective communication (verbal and written), organizational and human relations skills

Open Until Filled
Screening of applications begins December 1, 2026 and continues until the position is filled. Preferred start date is August 1, 2027.

Christopher Curtis

ccurtis@georgiasouthern.edu

912-478-4478

The University System of Georgia is comprised of our 25 institutions of higher education and learning as well as the System Office. Our USG Statement of Core Values are Integrity, Excellence, Accountability, and Respect. These values serve as the foundation for all that we do as an organization, and each USG community member is responsible for demonstrating and upholding these standards. More details on the USG Statement of Core Values and Code of Conduct are available in USG Board Policy 8.2.18.1.2 and can be found on-line at https://www.usg.edu/policymanual/section8/C224/#p8.2.18_personnel_conduct.

Additionally, USG supports Freedom of Expression as stated in Board Policy 6.5 Freedom of Expression and Academic Freedom found on-line at https://www.usg.edu/policymanual/section6/C2653.

All work (with limited exceptions such as research and study abroad outside activities such as grading and email correspondence) for Georgia Southern University must be completed while the employee is physically present in the state of Georgia, unless specifically authorized by the university for a specific purpose and limited period of time within current policy.

Faculty are expected to contribute to the vibrant university community by engaging students, participating in events, and performing other responsibilities on-campus. 

Faculty may be required to teach, conduct research, or perform service duties on any of the three campuses. Georgia Southern provides accessible transportation options between campuses.

Offers of employment are contingent upon completion of background investigation including a criminal background check demonstrating your eligibility for employment with Georgia Southern University, as determined by Georgia Southern University in its sole discretion, confirmation of the credentials and employment history reflected in your application materials and, if applicable, a satisfactory credit check. Applicants may be subject to a pre-employment drug test.

Offers are made expressly subject to the applicable federal and state laws, to the statutes, rules and regulations of this institution and to the Bylaws and Policies of the Board of Regents (BOR) of the University System of Georgia (USG), which are available for your inspection upon request.

Georgia Southern University is a Tobacco and Smoke-Free Community.

More information about the institution is available through http://www.georgiasouthern.edu or https://www.georgiasouthern.edu/colleges/arts-humanities/departments/history. The names of applicants and nominees, vitae, and other non-evaluative information may be subject to public inspection under the Georgia Open Records Act. Georgia Southern University provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, religion, age, veteran status, political affiliation, or disability. Individuals in need of reasonable accommodations under the Americans with Disabilities Act to participate in the search process should notify Human Resources: (912) 478-6947.

This is not a supervisory position.
This position will not be required to drive.
This role is not considered a position of trust.

Standard + Education