Dornsife Fellows in General Education

USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences invites applications for our 2026-2028 cohort of Dornsife fellows with a start date of August 16, 2026. Each year Dornsife will admit five fellows, who are appointed for one two-year term during which they teach five General Education seminars per academic year. They are expected to reside in the Los Angeles area during the academic year and to participate in the scholarly life of the Dornsife Ph.D. Academy, the host department, and the university. The salary for fellows is $78,000 per year plus fringe benefits.

The course topics for General Education seminars fall in the areas of Arts, Humanistic Inquiry, Social Analysis, Life Sciences, Physical Sciences and Quantitative Reasoning. The General Education Program is designed to provide undergraduate students with the interdisciplinary skills and knowledge necessary to meet the challenges of a globalized world and the demands of a satisfying personal life. To benefit the most from the opportunity provided, students reach beyond their comfort zones to engage unfamiliar questions and angles of response and to broaden the range of talents in their intellectual repertoire. GE seminars are capped at 19 students, and examples of past seminars can be found here: https://classes.usc.edu/term-20191/classes/gesm

To apply for the 2026-2028 cohort, candidates must have received their PhD from a USC Dornsife department or program within the last five years and must have completed their doctoral degree by August 15, 2026. Applicants from all disciplines and fields are encouraged to apply.

In order to be considered for this position, all candidates must apply via the "Apply" link at the top or bottom of this page. To apply, please submit a cover letter, CV, teaching statement with references to specific seminars you would design, and the names of three individuals who will be contacted by USC for a letter of reference. The deadline to apply is December 5, 2025. Further inquiries can be routed to Richard Fliegel, Associate Dean for Undergraduate Programs, fliegel@usc.edu.

The annual base salary for this position is $78,000. When extending an offer of employment, the University of Southern California considers factors such as (but not limited to) the scope and responsibilities of the position, the candidate's work experience, education/training, key skills, internal peer equity, federal, state and local laws, contractual stipulations, grant funding, as well as external market and organizational considerations.

USC will consider for employment all qualified applicants with criminal records in a manner consistent with applicable laws and regulations, including the Los Angeles County Fair Chance Ordinance for employers and the Fair Chance Initiative for Hiring Ordinance, and with due consideration for patient and student safety. Please refer to the Background Screening Policy Appendix D (https://policy.usc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/Background-Screening-Policy-Appendix-D.pdf.) for specific employment screen implications for the position for which you are applying.