Lecturer, History (Modern East Asia with a focus on China)

Job Description Summary

The Bentley University History Department invites applicants for a full-time, renewable lecturer position in Modern East Asia with a focus on China. The anticipated start date is July 1, 2027. History has a strong undergraduate presence at Bentley, with nearly 200 minors, several dozen majors, and a newly established chapter of Phi Alpha Theta, the national history honor society. The teaching load is four classes a semester and History courses are capped at 30 students.

The successful candidate will be an accomplished and committed teacher with a strong scholarly background and an active research agenda. They should be able to engage students in introductory surveys and upper-level undergraduate courses while contributing to the intellectual life of the department and the university.

The candidate’s primary teaching responsibilities will be in Chinese history from approximately 1650 to the present. We also welcome candidates prepared to offer courses that place China in broader East Asian, transnational, or global contexts, including courses involving Japan or Korea. Depending on the candidate’s interests and departmental needs, occasional offerings might include contemporary world history, the Vietnam War, or other topics related to Asia.

Bentley’s distinctive combination of business and the arts and sciences creates promising opportunities for a historian of East Asia. We are particularly interested in candidates who can help students understand the connections between modern East Asian history, capitalism, technology, and global trade. Candidates will have opportunities to develop courses that draw upon their own expertise while contributing to the department’s expanding curriculum.

Bentley University is committed to the teacher-scholar model in which excellent teaching, active scholarship, service, and community engagement are expected and valued. We seek qualified faculty who represent diverse backgrounds, interests and talents and share a commitment to high ethical standards and a willingness to embrace challenge and change.

The History Department offers undergraduates a wide and expanding array of courses. Our faculty are dedicated teacher-scholars with expertise and publications in the histories of colonial America, the U.S., modern and medieval Europe, the Middle East, South Asia, North Africa, the Caribbean, and Soviet and post-Soviet Russia. Members of the department have received awards for excellence in research and innovative teaching, and all are actively engaged in the administrative life of the university.

Bentley University, located in suburban Boston, is an AACSB and NECHE accredited institution that enrolls approximately 5,500 students at the undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral levels. Bentley is ranked at or near the top in several categories by US News & World Report, including Best Regional Universities North and Most Innovative Schools, with Bloomberg ranking Bentley in the top 20 undergraduate business programs. Bentley’s high graduation and retention rates and top-ranked Pulsifer Career Center reflects a commitment to student success and inclusiveness. With a strong faculty of teacher-scholars, Bentley strives to be a “Force for Good” through the integration of business with the arts and sciences, and a strong emphasis on ethics and social responsibility. Providing a stimulating academic community for faculty, staff, and students, Bentley supports its faculty as they pursue cutting-edge research and bring their expertise and real world understanding into the classroom.

For questions, contact Clifford Putney, Chair, Bentley University History Department.  Email: cputney@bentley.edu. Phone: 781-891-2285.

Minimum Qualifications:

Applicants should have a Ph.D. in a relevant field of history, or be scheduled to complete their Ph.D. by September 1, 2027.

Special Instructions to Applicants:

For full consideration, candidates must submit the following as part of the application before January 15, 2027:

• An up-to-date curriculum vitae

• A letter of interest

• A Teaching Statement, which should include a description of how the faculty member has demonstrated or intends to create and support an inclusive classroom environment

• Three letters of recommendation

Confidential recommendations should not be handled by candidates but sent directly to the Department of History at Bentley University by U.S. mail or as attachments. 

If recommenders are providing hard copies, please direct them to send the letters to: 

Bentley University

Department of History 

175 Forest Street

Waltham, MA 02452

ATT:  Stacen Goldman

Electronic letters or dossiers should be emailed to sgoldman@bentley.edu.

Pay Transparency:

At Bentley we offer a “total rewards” package designed to attract, motivate, retain, and reward our employees.  This includes competitive compensation, robust benefits, career development and opportunities, generous paid time off, workplace flexibility and a positive, engaging employee experience.  In alignment with the Massachusetts Pay Transparency Act and our commitment to equity and transparency, we’re sharing the salary grade range for this role. The grade range is based on market data and the scope of responsibilities. Final pay will depend on your experience, education, and other relevant qualifications.

Salary Ranges (depending on rank, qualifications and experience):

• Lecturer: $66,326 - $81,065

If you have questions about the salary grade range or need additional information, please contact us at GA_HR_Employment@bentley.edu.

Bentley University requires references checks and may conduct other pre-employment screening.

DIVERSITY STATEMENT

Bentley University strives to create a campus community that welcomes the exchange of ideas, and fosters a culture that values differences and views them as a strength in our community.

Bentley University is an Equal Opportunity Employer, building strength through diversity. The University is committed to building a community of talented students, faculty and staff who reflect the diversity of global business. We strongly encourage applications from persons from underrepresented groups, individuals with disabilities, covered veterans and those with diverse experiences and backgrounds.