Description:

The Creative Writing Program at the University of Houston announces the Cynthia Woods Mitchell Center for the Arts Scholar in Residence, a nine-month, non-tenure track, post-graduate fellowship in Creative Writing for the 2026-27 academic year. The opportunity is open to any practice in Creative Writing (e.g., Fiction, Poetry, Nonfiction). Candidate is expected to reside in Houston for the duration of the residency and will work alongside faculty in the Creative Writing Program while vigorously pursuing their creative/scholarly activities.

The Scholar in Residence is an honored award to a post-graduate candidate of the highest caliber in their respective field. Supported by the Mitchell Center to engage in interdisciplinary methods of inquiry and collaborate with faculty, students and schools across the UH campus, the ideal candidate should be motivated to engage with these pursuits and whose work/research aligns with the mission of the Mitchell Center. Teaching ideally could cross over to Interdisciplinary Arts courses. Applicants must work in two or more artistic disciplines OR have clear interdisciplinary research interests they wish to pursue while in residence.

This nine-month appointment, which carries a 1/1 teaching load, is not benefits-eligible and may be renewed for a second year.

The CWMCA Scholar-in-Residence in Creative Writing will:
• Meet regularly with the Director of the Center and with the other Scholars (in Music, Theatre/Dance, Curatorial, and Visual Arts) to address how their activities can best address the goals and vision of the CWMC.
• Teach one course per semester in the Creative Writing Program, and/or the IARTS curriculum to be decided in discussion with the Directors of Creative Writing and the Mitchell Center.

Salary is $45,000/annually, with a $1,250 budget towards a project.

Please submit with your application by attachment:
• Cover Letter - please discuss how interdisciplinary practice/research informs your work and how you hope to expand your practice with these methods of inquiry through a residence at the University of Houston.
• An interdisciplinary arts class proposal and sample syllabus of this prospective class (this class should engage, in some way, with the arts in Houston).
• A narrative that describes your teaching and presents your teaching evaluations (quantitative summary, relevant student comments) and/or a letter from a Creative Writing professor who has observed your class.
• A Curriculum Vitae
• A sample of your creative work. For prose, up to 15 pages; for poetry, five poems.

Qualifications
Applicants must have terminal degree in hand at the start of the fellowship (either MFA or PhD in Creative Writing).

Official transcripts are required for a faculty appointment and will be requested upon selection of the final candidates.

All positions at the University of Houston-System are security sensitive and will require a criminal history check. Individuals conducting research in critical infrastructure areas (i.e., communication infrastructure systems, cybersecurity systems, electric grid, hazardous waste treatment systems, and/or water treatment facilities) are subject to regular review to ensure the security and integrity of the research is maintained.

The University of Houston System and its universities are Equal Opportunity Institutions. Everyone is encouraged to apply.