Job Details

Assistant Professor of Music Theory and Composition

Position Number: 6644393
Location: Santa Clara, CA
Position Type: Fine and Applied Arts - Music

Assistant Professor of Music Theory and Composition

Position Type:
Assistant Professor of Music Theory and Composition

Position Type:
Regular

Salary Range:

The salary range for this position is $83,771 to $93,107, depending on the successful candidate's years of teaching experience at the college level.

Purpose:

The department of Music at Santa Clara University, a Jesuit, Catholic university, seeks applicants for a full-time tenure-track position in Music Theory and Composition. SCU is a welcoming and inclusive community of teaching scholars whose work is grounded in the university's fundamental values. Those values, which include academic excellence, social justice and community engagement, are infused with a culture of care that defines our community-upholding the dignity of all. The university draws on the many resources of the greater Bay Area, including Silicon Valley, where we are located.

This faculty member will maintain an active scholarly and artistic agenda as a composer, which may also include related areas of creative work and scholarship such as instrumental performance or scholarly publications in music theory or pedagogy. As a member of the music faculty, they will be responsible for coordinating our theory and composition curriculum in alignment with the department's ongoing curriculum revision. Areas of recent growth in the department include Jazz, Global Music, Music Production, and Film and Video Game Scoring.

With roots in the European Classical tradition, but grounded in a global context and inclusive of popular music practice, our theory and musicianship programs share a common goal: to build essential skills, deepen musical understanding, and empower the creativity of our students. The culture of our program emphasizes activity-based, multi-sensory learning, and this faculty member will be empowered to further develop this pedagogy to meet the diverse needs of the 21st-century musician.

In teaching, this faculty member will lead the core courses of our Theory Curriculum, which serve both music majors and minors, and will contribute to the current and future Arts Core. They will also be encouraged to design additional courses and upper-division electives in their areas of expertise that may serve the major, the Arts Core, or intersect with other areas of the evolving Core curriculum as appropriate.

The successful candidate will start on September 1, 2026 and be expected to teach, engage in scholarship and/or creative work, and do service for the department, college, and university. SCU is on the quarter system and tenure-stream faculty are expected to teach six courses per year (two each quarter), assuming they are actively engaged in scholarship or creative work.

The position comes with generous benefits (scu.edu/hr/benefits), including medical, dental, vision, and life insurance, and University contributions toward retirement. Recognizing the high cost of housing in the local area, there are two University housing assistance programs: Rental assistance to ease the transition into the local housing market, and housing purchase assistance for tenure-stream faculty.

Required Qualifications

1) Terminal degree in Music (Ph.D. or DMA) or a related field by appointment start date.

2) Demonstrated potential for effective and inclusive teaching and mentoring of a diverse undergraduate student population.

3) Experience with inclusive pedagogical practices that promote access and academic success for all students.

Responsibilities

Tenure-track faculty at SCU are teaching scholars who are expected to balance teaching, research/creative work, and service. This is an in-person position. More specifically, duties include but are not limited to the following:

Teaching

Teach lower- and upper-division courses in the major and university core curriculum, as assigned by the chair, including courses such as Music Theory, Beginning Composition, Applied Instruction in Composition, and newly designed courses within the specific areas of the candidate's expertise. SCU is on the quarter system and a typical load is two courses per quarter assuming active engagement with research or creative work. High-quality teaching is prioritized at SCU; therefore significant faculty-student interaction is expected. The university offers many different opportunities to develop teaching skills through Faculty Development, including regular lunchtime workshops on pedagogy, teaching and technology grants, communities of practice, teaching mentors, and a scholarship of teaching and learning faculty group.

Teaching will be evaluated according to the Teaching Effectiveness Standards and Evaluation (TESE) document developed by each department. Ignatian pedagogy, a hallmark of Jesuit, Catholic universities, is based on the principle of cura personalis, that is, teaching the whole person. At Santa Clara University we define effectiveness in teaching as respectful, challenging, inclusive, engaging, and evidence based. Teaching Expectations and Academic Policies at SCU can be found here.

Research/Creative Work

Develop a program of research or creative work at SCU that will result in meeting the Music Department's established scholarship/creative standards. Each department has collectively created a document that outlines the standards for scholarship or creative work that lead to tenure and promotion in that department.

SCU offers significant support to early career faculty in the development of their program of research or creative work. All new faculty will be assigned mentors, placed into a cohort learning community with other new faculty, and offered faculty retreats, workshops and numerous professional development opportunities to build their programs of research/creative work. Additionally, the incumbent may be eligible to be appointed as a Sinatra Assistant Professor during their probationary period, which carries additional salary and funding for research or creative activity.

Service

Provide effective service to the Department of Music, the College of Arts and Sciences, the University and the profession through contributions other than teaching and scholarship, such as service on committees, participation in professional organizations and activities, leadership, and community service performed by virtue of professional expertise or association with the university, as appropriate to rank and experience.

Santa Clara University is an equal opportunity employer. For a complete copy of Santa Clara University's equal opportunity and nondiscrimination policies, see https://www.scu.edu/title-ix/policies-reports/.

Addition Information

Inquires about this position can be emailed to music@scu.edu

More information about the department can be found at https://www.scu.edu/cas/music/

Required Documents
1) Cover letter specific to this particular opportunity, including a description of how the applicant's unique background could enhance teaching and research in the department.
2) Current curriculum vitae
3) Contact information for three professional references who can speak to the candidate's suitability for this position. External letters of recommendation will be requested for selected candidates after an initial evaluation is complete.
4) Brief statement of teaching philosophy
5) Samples of representative creative work in recorded or score form

Deadline for Applications

November 10, 2025

EEO Statement

Equal Opportunity/Notice of Nondiscrimination

Santa Clara University is an equal opportunity employer. For a complete copy of Santa Clara University's equal opportunity and nondiscrimination policies, see https://www.scu.edu/title-ix/policies-reports/

Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972

Santa Clara University does not discriminate in its employment practices or in its educational programs or activities on the basis of sex/gender, and prohibits retaliation against any person opposing discrimination or participating in any discrimination investigation or complaint process internally or externally. Information about Title IX can be found at www.scu.edu/title-ix. Information about Section 504 and the ADA Coordinator can be found at https://www.scu.edu/oae/, (408) 554-4109, oae@scu.edu. Inquiries can also be made to the Assistant Secretary of Education within the Office for Civil Rights (OCR).

Clery Notice of Availability

Santa Clara University annually collects information about campus crimes and other reportable incidents in accordance with the federal Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act. To view the Santa Clara University report, please go to the Campus Safety Services website. To request a paper copy please call Campus Safety at (408) 554-4441. The report includes the type of crime, venue, and number of occurrences.

Americans with Disabilities Act

Santa Clara University affirms its' commitment to employ qualified individuals with disabilities within the workplace and to comply with the Americans with Disability Act. All applicants desiring an accommodation should contact the Department of Human Resources, and 408-554-5750 and request to speak to Indu Ahluwalia by phone at 408-554-5750 or by email at iahluwalia@scu.edu.

Telecommute

Santa Clara University is registered to do business in the following states: California, Nevada, Oregon, Washington, Arizona, and Illinois. Employees approved to telecommute are required to perform their work within one of these states.

EEO Statement

Equal Opportunity/Notice of Nondiscrimination

Santa Clara University is an equal opportunity employer. For a complete copy of Santa Clara University's equal opportunity and nondiscrimination policies, see https://www.scu.edu/title-ix/policies-reports/

Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972

Santa Clara University does not discriminate in its employment practices or in its educational programs or activities on the basis of sex/gender, and prohibits retaliation against any person opposing discrimination or participating in any discrimination investigation or complaint process internally or externally. Information about Title IX can be found at www.scu.edu/title-ix. Information about Section 504 and the ADA Coordinator can be found at https://www.scu.edu/oae/, (408) 554-4109, oae@scu.edu. Inquiries can also be made to the Assistant Secretary of Education within the Office for Civil Rights (OCR).

Clery Notice of Availability

Santa Clara University annually collects information about campus crimes and other reportable incidents in accordance with the federal Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act. To view the Santa Clara University report, please go to the Campus Safety Services website. To request a paper copy please call Campus Safety at (408) 554-4441. The report includes the type of crime, venue, and number of occurrences.

Americans with Disabilities Act

Santa Clara University affirms its' commitment to employ qualified individuals with disabilities within the workplace and to comply with the Americans with Disability Act. All applicants desiring an accommodation should contact the Department of Human Resources, and 408-554-5750 and request to speak to Indu Ahluwalia by phone at 408-554-5750 or by email at iahluwalia@scu.edu.

To view the full job posting and apply for this position, go to https://wd1.myworkdaysite.com/en-US/recruiting/scu/scu/job/Santa-Clara-CA/Assistant-Professor-of-Music-Theory-and-Composition_R6745-1