Academic Cover Letters
The cover letter is a single spaced, two-page introductory document that creates a narrative for your application package. It introduces the search committee to your:
- Enthusiasm for the position and your expected availability (e.g., expected defense date)
- Research
- Teaching and teaching assistantships
- Service
- Other relevant experience (internships, previous professional experience, etc.)
- Fit (why you are the right person for the position, understanding of campus culture and values, etc.)
Because no cover letter can convey all this information appropriately in only two pages, you will need to tailor your letter depending on the department, the university, the requirements specified in the job call, your application package, etc.
Keep in mind, the cover letter should not directly lift content from other supporting material. For example, if a job call also asks for a Teaching Statement or Philosophy, you should not feel pressure to condense all of that content into a paragraph. Rather use the cover letter to illustrate how your teaching fits into your scholarly identity. Consider how it is informed by your research, commitment to equity and inclusion, etc.
The cover letter could include a combination of the following paragraphs:
General Tips Before Submission
- Prior to submitting, double check that the cover letter is signed and saved as a PDF (preferably on Northwestern letterhead).
- As with all application documents, make sure to have multiple eyes on the content before submitting it to the hiring committee.
- Take advantage of the support Northwestern provides from the Graduate Writing Place and Northwestern Career Advancement.
- Postdocs can make appointments for individualized feedback with the Office of Postdoctoral Affairs.