St. Ambrose University
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Position description
The Core Curriculum program and Civics, Ethics, and Catholic Intellectual Tradition division
at St. Ambrose University (Davenport, Iowa), along with its affiliate, Mount Mercy University (Cedar Rapids, Iowa) seek qualified applicants to serve as adjunct instructors for Philosophy, Political Science, and Theology courses in the Core Curriculum.
By applying, candidates will be considered for inclusion in an adjunct faculty pool. Positions are filled on a semester-by-semester basis, depending on programmatic needs.
Course Details and Format
Specific course assignments and formats, including online and face-to-face instruction, vary by semester based on teaching needs. Openings develop on a periodic basis.
We are seeking candidates with expertise and interest in teaching one or more of the following courses:
- PHIL 100. The Examined Life fulfills the Philosophical Foundations Core requirement. This course explores the question, “What does it mean to live a meaningful life in light of the world we hope for?”, by introducing basic philosophical tools to engage with contemporary and enduring questions such as this. With these tools, students examine the deeper assumptions and the practical consequences of time-honored responses. They will learn how to parse, clarify, and better articulate the questions themselves, reflect on possible answers, and defend these with careful, well-constructed arguments that illuminate the various aspects of our lives and what it means to be human.
- PHIL 146. Humanity, Conflict, and Nonviolence fulfills the Evidence-Based Reasoning: Diverse Human Experience Core requirement. Guided by the question, “How do experiences of conflict help clarify one’s sense of a meaningful life and the common good?“, the course examines how conflict shapes understandings of purpose, identity, ethics, and community. Students explore conflict across multiple social scales-from struggles with nature and self to interpersonal power dynamics, community dilemmas, and global conflicts. Using evidence-based reasoning, they analyze diverse experiences of conflict and nonviolence across cultures and historical periods while considering the ongoing tension between self-interest and the common good.
- PHIL 301/THEO 301. Beyond Productivity: Human Thriving in a Culture of Efficiency fulfills the Integrative Faith and Reason Core requirement. This course addresses the essential question: “In a rapidly changing world driven by technology, how can we thrive?” Students consider how we live in a world where rapid technological development has changed the way humans live and relate to each other and their world. Technological innovation promises constant progress. At the same time, the commodification of everything, from water and land to attention and human creativity, leads to experiences of alienation from our bodies, our work, our communities, and the land we inhabit. How do we address this sense of alienation in the midst of human progress? (The course is taught in a specific discipline, depending on the instructor’s expertise-e., Philosophy or Theology).
- PHIL 302/ THEO 302. Thinking Through the Hard Stuff fulfills the Integrative Faith and Reason Core requirement. This course addresses the question, “When we face complex real-world problems, how can the big ideas from theology or philosophy help us think through what really matters? This course investigates how philosophical and theological traditions provide resources for addressing complex moral and social problems. Students engage primary texts and significant thinkers to examine how concepts such as justice and the common good shape ethical decision-making. Particular attention is given to distinguishing intuitive reactions from carefully articulated arguments and to assessing the strengths and limits of different frameworks. Students gain practical tools for making sense of our complex world and your place in it. (The course is taught in a specific discipline, depending on the instructor’s expertise-e., Philosophy or Theology).
- PSCI 145. Civil Discourse & Civil Society fulfills the Communication: Other Core requirement. This course explores the central question: “How can the practice of civil discourse help us to achieve deeper mutual understanding and healthier social bonds?” Students will be able to define civility, explain how it respects human dignity and promotes the common good of society, and model civil discourse knowledge, skills, and virtues in a public forum.
- THEO 100. Understanding Theology and the Common Good fulfills the Theological Foundations Core requirement. This course addresses the following question: “How can a catholic perspective deepen one’s understanding of what it means to create a more just society?” Designed as a student’s first theology course, this course introduces students to the ways in which the study of theology and its sources can be applied in a questioning search for deeper understanding in the pursuit of truth and social justice. By engaging the course question, students expand awareness of their own beliefs and those of others about faith perspectives in relation to contemporary issues of justice throughout the world. They also generate collaborative problem-solving skills for assessing theological responses for just action, according to the principle of the common good.
- THEO 146. Memento Mori: Death & Dying fulfills the Evidence-Based Reasoning: Diverse Human Experience Core requirement. Guided by the question, “We all die, so why do we interpret death and dying in different ways?”, this introductory course explores how individuals and societies interpret dying, death, and grief. Students will learn basic concepts in the study of death and dying and examine how medical systems, cultural beliefs, religions, and public policies shape end-of-life experiences. The course also compares diverse practices and attitudes across cultures and introduces major ethical questions related to end-of-life care.
- THEO 300. Saving Nature fulfills the Integrative Faith and Reason Core requirement. This class addresses the complex question of what our responses should be to environmental crises: “How can we find hope, meaning, and purpose in saving nature?” Students use experience, academic work, and course resources to understand ecological issues and theological ethics. With this grounding they craft and apply their own environmental ethic to a real environmental issue of their choosing. Throughout this process students are constantly asked to reflect on how our actions to save nature may inspire hope, meaning, and purpose in their lives.
Qualifications
Successful candidates must hold a master’s degree or have completed at least 18 graduate credit hours in the specific subject area or a closely related field. Preference may be given to applicants with prior teaching experience.
Due to state employment regulations, candidates must reside in one of the following authorized states to be considered for online adjunct teaching assignments: AK, AZ, AR, CO, FL, GA, IL, IN, IA, LA, MI, MN, MO, NE, NV, ND, SD, TX, VA, WV, or WI. Candidates who reside outside of these states may not be eligible for appointment.
Application instructions
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