Stetson University seeks a broadly trained teacher-scholar for a position as Assistant Professor of Philosophy, with an area of competence in philosophy of law or a related philosophical area with legal experience relevant to the position.
This is a full-time, 9-month position beginning in August 2027.
QUALIFICATIONS:
A Ph.D. in Philosophy, or in a closely related field with substantial graduate preparation in philosophy, completed by August 2027. The successful candidate will have an active scholarly agenda and demonstrated excellence in teaching undergraduates. With respect to legal experience, a J.D. is preferred. However, candidates with comparable legal preparation or substantial professional experience in legal practice, courts, government, public-interest advocacy, mediation, regulatory or compliance work, or legal education will also receive full consideration. Experience with pre-law advising, LSAT preparation, or coaching Mock Trial or Moot Court is welcome but not required. The ability to teach Introduction to Logic is also desirable.
RESPONSIBILITIES:
The annual teaching load includes five regular courses and one student-centered immersive experience (equivalent to one course) as a part of the University’s experiential, contemporary, and integrative learning initiative – Hatter Ready. Teaching responsibilities will include introductory and advanced courses in the candidate’s areas of competence, regular contributions to law-related undergraduate programming, and courses in Stetson’s General Education curriculum. Depending on the candidate’s expertise, courses might include Philosophy of Law, Political Philosophy, constitutionalism, theories of rights and justice, legal reasoning and interpretation, or other philosophically informed courses concerning law and legal institutions. The successful candidate will also help strengthen connections among the Philosophy Department, the Law Ready curriculum, Stetson’s broader pre-law programming, and Stetson’s College of Law.
For more information on our expectations in teaching and scholarship, our tenure policies, and our support for faculty development, please see the Academic Affairs website at https://www.stetson.edu/administration/provost/prospective-faculty/index.php.
The successful candidate will contribute to Stetson’s growing Law Ready undergraduate curriculum, which serves approximately 300 students interested in attending law school. Law Ready brings together interdisciplinary coursework, the Law, Society, and Advocacy and Business Law minors, a living-learning community, pre-law advising, and experiential opportunities such as Mock Trial and Moot Court. Stetson’s Mock Trial team is currently ranked number one in Florida, providing students with an exceptional opportunity to develop practical skills in trial advocacy alongside the excellence of Stetson Law’s trial-advocacy programs.
Law Ready approaches preparation for law school through the liberal arts. We therefore seek a colleague who can help students develop the close reading, analytical reasoning, clear writing, oral advocacy, ethical reflection, and understanding of legal institutions needed for success in law school and civic life. The successful candidate should be prepared to engage students seriously and respectfully with competing positions on contested legal, moral, and political questions.
THE DEPARTMENT:
Stetson’s Department of Philosophy takes a rigorous, interdisciplinary, and pluralistic approach to undergraduate liberal arts education. The successful candidate will join a close-knit department as its third full-time faculty member. Our faculty are active scholars with strong publication records and wide-ranging interests in analytic, continental, feminist, historical, experimental, and applied philosophy. We work deliberately to create a welcoming intellectual home for philosophy students through close mentoring, undergraduate research, and immersive activities such as Philosophy Club, Idle Talk, and a Film Club. The department is also closely connected to Stetson’s expanding pre-law initiatives: its chair currently serves as Pre-Law Director for the University’s Law Ready program.
THE COLLEGE OF ARTS AND SCIENCES:
Stetson’s College of Arts and Sciences (https://www.stetson.edu/artsci/) is the largest and most diverse of the University’s colleges and schools; it includes the humanities, social sciences, natural sciences, education, and creative arts. With nineteen academic departments and nine interdisciplinary programs, the College is the liberal arts core of the University. A great strength of the College is its faculty of approximately 140 full-time teacher-scholars. The College offers 31 undergraduate majors and 34 undergraduate minors; seven graduate degrees are offered in Education, Counselor Education, and Creative Writing. Every undergraduate major requires a senior research project, allowing students the opportunity to design and carry out independent research under faculty mentorship. Our academic programs are shaped by the values of social justice and civic responsibility. All of our courses and programs of study promote engaged learning, whereby students create connections between the classroom or lab and the local, regional, and global community. The academic programs of the College of Arts and Sciences prepare students to live significant lives, to interact with and positively affect the world around them.
THE UNIVERSITY:
Founded in 1883, Stetson University (http://www.stetson.edu) is a private, selective university comprised of a rich array of liberal arts and professional academic programs. Collectively, Stetson’s faculty works with approximately 3,700 students in undergraduate, graduate, and professional programs. The University’s historic main campus, located in DeLand, enrolls approximately 2,300 students in undergraduate programs in the College of Arts and Sciences, the School of Business Administration, and the School of Music. Stetson University College of Law, Florida’s first law school, moved from the main campus to Gulfport in 1954, and, with the addition of the Tampa Law Center, serves approximately 1,000 students working full-time or part-time toward J.D. or LL.M. degrees. Graduate programs based at the main campus in DeLand include Business, Accounting, Education, Counseling, and Creative Writing, with Educational Leadership cohorts also offered at the Gulfport campus. Stetson is Florida’s oldest private institution of higher learning and was the first private college in Florida to be granted a chapter of Phi Beta Kappa.
Stetson University provides an inspiring education that engages students with rigorous academic and creative study grounded in liberal learning and promotes civic values of personal and social responsibility. Working closely with faculty and with one another, students cultivate abilities to explore issues deeply, think critically, reason empirically, speak persuasively, and connect ideas creatively. Firmly committed to inclusive excellence, our vibrant community of teacher-scholars nurtures the potential of individual students to lead lives of significance and prepares each to meet the challenges of shaping the future—locally, nationally, and globally.
THE COMMUNITY:
DeLand is a picturesque residential community of 38,000 located 20 miles west of Daytona Beach and 35 miles northeast of Orlando. The area offers extensive cultural as well as recreational activities.
SALARY: Salary is competitive.
STARTING DATE: August 9, 2027.
APPLICATION:
Applicants are asked to supply:
- a cover letter that includes a statement about the candidate’s teaching and research interests, experience relevant to the position, and a discussion of how the candidate proposes to develop as a teacher-scholar
- a teaching portfolio, inclusive of teaching philosophy, sample syllabi (classes taught or that you would like to teach), and student evaluations for courses taught (where available)
- a curriculum vitae
- the names, addresses, e-mail addresses, and telephone numbers of three professional references to be contacted later in the process
In the cover letter, candidates are encouraged to highlight skills and experiences that demonstrate a commitment to promoting inclusive academic environments and engaging across differences.
Please visit our Career Opportunities Website (https://www.schooljobs.com/careers/stetson/delandfaculty?) to apply and to upload your application documents.
Review of applications will begin on November 1, 2026, and continue until the position is filled.
WORK AUTHORIZATION REQUIREMENTS:
Work authorization sponsorship may be available for this position. However, sponsorship is contingent upon the non-applicability of the visa petition fees outlined in the relevant Executive Order. International candidates are encouraged to apply, but should be aware that eligibility for sponsorship will be evaluated in accordance with current U.S. immigration regulations and institutional policies.
Stetson University is an Equal Opportunity Employer that affirms inclusive environments and engaging across differences as a core value of academic excellence in which all employees and candidates are treated equally no matter their age, color, disability, ethnicity, gender, gender identity, genetic information, marital status, military status, national origin, pregnancy, race, religion, sex, or shared ancestry. We are committed to achieving equal access in education, employment, and participation through the recruitment and retention of outstanding faculty, staff, and students from a tapestry of backgrounds, and to meaningful academic and intellectual transformation in curriculum, research and service.
We are dedicated to actions and policies that foster a community in which individuals across all identities, cultures, backgrounds, and viewpoints work together to create opportunities for engagement through rewarding and fulfilling careers and personal experiences in an increasingly diverse society and a globalized world. We encourage qualified candidates across all backgrounds and identities to apply for employment. Stetson University is an EEO, ADA, ADEA, and GINA employer.
