Submitted by admin on Mon, 06/07/2010 - 20:24
When Dr. MacDowell developed a debilitating disease, her access to continued education was entirely lost; even online institutions were not entirely barrier-free and accessible. Her transformation from an able-bodied individual to one with disabilities markedly changed her outlook on education. Research has shown that academic disciplines and the knowledge they ultimately give birth to are defined by the people who (and their cultures) who are included. At the same time, research has also shown that educational institutions routinely exclude qualified individuals solely based on issues of class, able-bodiedness, and other unrelated characteristics. Within the field of religion, further exclusions occur based on what religions are considered “legitimate” and worthy of concerted scholarship—often leaving behind the very robust spiritual lives of neo-shamans and neopagans. To ameliorate the wide range of inequities, Dr. MacDowell founded OSC, ensuring that at least one seminary program in the US would remain accessible to all qualified individuals and that all faiths would be represented by scholarly engagement. This creates a unique environment that is diverse along a wide range of cultural-statuses that ensures an enormous diversity of perspectives contributing to religious scholarship. In an effort to further substantiate the school, foster its expansion, and ensure its continuance, Dr. MacDowell is looking for a wide range of faculty interested in engaging and developing this unique institution.
Ocean Seminary College offers an innovative approach to education and strives toward making post-secondary education a collaborative and barrier-free process for teachers and students alike. While OSC does not financially compensate (at present) faculty for their time and service, teaching a course at OSC or becoming a full-time faculty provides a rich array of benefits, including:
1. An ideal opportunity for newly graduated students holding Masters or Doctorates who are interested in developing their teaching skills and experience in the increasingly popular online education format;
2. An opportunity to make a substantial contribution in the trajectory of OSC that larger colleges do not allow for: including the development and implementation of their own unique course ideas and research interests;
3. Increased opportunities for professional publication and journal editorial board membership both in the upcoming seminary’s official academic journal and in online interactive magazine;
4. Ground-floor involvement in a unique seminary that is not only free of traditional barriers in education and is interreligious, but has a primary emphasis on ecological responsibility and reconnection;
5. Free continuing education and graduate-level seminary education for those wishing to develop academic scholarship in additional fields of study or simply wish to continue learning.
To be qualified for a faculty position at Ocean Seminary College, you must hold a minimum of a Masters degree in the field you wish to teach in or be an ordained clergy person and have taught in your faith for at least 10 years. To teach and mentor doctoral students, you must hold a doctorate degree in the field you are supervising. OSC is also always looking to provide quality education and certification in adjunct fields linked with the faith-based traditions taught. If you hold a certification or license in a field that you feel relates to the goals of any of the academic departments at OSC, please consider applying for a position.
