About Wenzhou-Kean University
Along with NYU Shanghai and Duke University Kunshan, Wenzhou-Kean University (WKU) is one of only three full legal-person Sino-American universities with all English instruction approved by the Ministry of Education in China. We invite applicants for full-time tenure track positions in Instruction and Curriculum (TESOL-focused) to begin in the Fall of 2025.
WKU sits on approximately 500 beautiful acres and currently enrolls 5,100 undergraduate and graduate students. It is now in the midst of rapid growth that will bring enrollment to 7,000 students within the next three years. All instruction at WKU is in English, and the curriculum is provided by Kean University and adapted to the needs of the local student population. In addition to its current 18 undergraduate programs, WKU has been approved by the Ministry of Education to offer 8 Master’s and 3 doctorate programs.
WKU highly values research-informed teaching and learning, and the average number of faculty publications and the Field-weighted Citation Impact are among the best of leading Chinese academic institutions. In 2024, about 75% of graduates have been admitted to prestigious graduate schools globally, among them more than 60% were admitted to the world’s top 50 universities.
Wenzhou is one of the most vibrant and economically developed cities on China's East Coast, located one hour by plane and just over three hours by high-speed train from Shanghai.
About the Job:
WKU launched the graduate program in Instruction and Curriculum (TESOL Concentration) in Fall 2020 with an initial cohort of 12 students. We are now in the fifth cohort with 46 students. Our student body includes both pre-service as well as experienced K-12 teachers from all over China. We anticipate a steady programmatic expansion in the future that will bring in additional students as well as faculty members.
WKU is seeking two to three candidates to teach a full range of MA TESOL graduate courses. Our faculty teaches graduate-level courses in general linguistics, TESOL methods, and language assessment, and engages in research with students, as well as in a variety of other program-specific projects.
The successful candidate will have a clear record of expertise in Teaching English as a Second Language (TESL) and the demonstrated ability to prepare MA TESOL students to teach in both ESL and EFL contexts. Candidates with EFL teaching at the K-12 level and teacher-training experience will be prioritized for this position. Candidates must have an ongoing agenda for engaging students in research and are expected to publish research outcomes in well-recognized and impactful journals. Candidates are expected to advise graduate students to develop research projects and produce publishable research outcomes. In addition to teaching and research, candidates are expected to contribute to the growth of the program, including but not limited to, curriculum development, program assessment, student recruitment and advising, faculty hiring, program promotion, and internship opportunities.
This full-time faculty position will start in Fall 2025. This position will be offered at the Lecturer level or the rank of Tenure-Track Assistant or Associate Professor. All positions will have an initial 3-year contract that is renewable. Lecturer positions are 11-month appointments and typically teach 39 credits per academic year. The Tenure-track Assistant or Associate Professor positions are 10-month appointments requiring research and publications in internationally recognized and vigorously peer-reviewed journals. Tenure-track faculty members typically carry a 24-credit-hour load per academic year. Six (6) credits course release per academic year is available in the first 3 years of appointment. After the initial 3 years, course release may be available to faculty for national-level grant proposal development or other substantial research initiatives. The candidate will be expected to participate in the full range of faculty responsibilities, including high-quality teaching, research, advising, student learning support, and service to the university and/or professional community.
The University will provide start-up grants (up to 80,000 RMB) to support candidates in starting their research projects. After joining WKU, faculty have the opportunity to apply for a variety of internal research funding, including international research collaboration grants (up to 80,000 RMB per project) and external funding opportunities at the municipal, provincial, and national levels.
Teaching assignments and related responsibilities may include day, evening, and weekend courses. Interest or experience in using advanced instructional technologies to improve the teaching/learning process is highly desirable.
TESOL faculty positions at WKU offer:
Annual salary is commensurate with qualifications and experience with the range from $68,000-$71,000 for lecturers; $70,000-$76,000 for Assistant Professors; $75,000-$82,000 for Associate Professors. A well-rounded healthcare coverage, academic travel up to $2,000, housing options and subsidy up to $3,000, home traveling up to $6,000 (2 international round-trip airfares), a reimbursement to cover relocation expenses up to $1,000, shuttle bus to campus for work, and up to 8% front-load retirement benefits within accordance with completion of years of service with the University. WKU tuition waiver up to 50% for spouse/dependent children of faculty for undergraduate programs. Tuition discount of private/international kindergarten, elementary, middle and high schools for children of faculty. A collegial environment. Startup grant of up to 80,000 RMB. Three-year initial contract. Six-credit course release per academic year for the first three years. The opportunity to teach high-quality students. About 50% of graduates have been admitted to graduate schools at the World’s Top 50 Universities, and about 60% of graduates at the World’s Top 100 Universities.
Qualifications
- A Ph.D. or Ed.D. in TESOL, Applied Linguistics, Curriculum and Instructions, or closely related areas.
- Candidates with doctorate degrees from reputable universities (Carnegie R1 institutions or comparable research institutions with strong academic reputations in the fields) are encouraged to apply.
- The successful candidate must demonstrate excellence in research and have a strong publication record.
- A minimum of two years of teaching experience at the post-secondary level is highly desirable.
- Evidence of successful teaching experience at the college level, preferably graduate level (e.g. course evaluations, teaching portfolio).
- Familiarity with current trends in pedagogy and program development.
- Knowledge of and experience with assessment and accreditation is desirable.
- Experience in teaching K-12 in ESL/EFL settings is highly desirable.
- Experience in teacher training is highly desirable.
Application Instructions
Applicants are REQUIRED to apply online. To receive full consideration by the search committee, candidates need to submit the following documents via Interfolio (https://apply.interfolio.com/157063).
Review of applications will begin immediately and continue until positions are filled. Please submit a cover letter, resume, statement of teaching philosophy, a research statement describing research interest, past accomplishments in research and research plan (for tenure track positions only), unofficial transcripts, recent teaching evaluations, and contact information of three professional references. Official transcripts for all degrees and three current letters of recommendation are required before the appointment.
Background Screening:
Wenzhou-Kean University conducts background screenings on all job candidates upon acceptance of a contingent offer and may use a third-party administrator to conduct background screenings.
