Assistant Professor – Educational Research (EdD)

The Eriksson College of Education at Austin Peay State University (APSU) invites applications for a tenure-track Assistant Professor position in the Department of Educational Specialties beginning July 30, 2027.  The EdD program prepares scholarly practitioners consistent with the Carnegie Project on the Education Doctorate (CPED) framework, emphasizing the application of research to solve complex problems of practice. The mission of the Eriksson College of Education is to prepare educators who are ethical, engaged, and effective leaders by modeling reflective practice, connecting theory to student-centered learning, and fostering continuous improvement. 

Responsibilities will include teaching graduate and doctoral courses, student advising, chairing and serving on dissertation committees, scholarship, professional service, and program development. The successful candidate will possess expertise in educational leadership and/or educational research, demonstrate excellence in graduate instruction using face-to-face and online delivery formats, maintain an active scholarly agenda, and work collaboratively to support the mission of the department, college, and university. Candidates should demonstrate the ability to mentor doctoral students through dissertation design, implementation, analysis, dissemination, and publication. 

Candidates should possess expertise in one or more of the following areas: educational leadership, leadership in K-12 and/or higher education, literacy studies, leadership in nursing or healthcare programs, and/or socioscientific studies. Candidates will also possess expertise in organizational change, systems thinking, strategic leadership, and policy implementation. Successful candidates should have experience teaching and mentoring students in organizational analysis, educational research methodologies, research inquiry and evaluation, assessment and measurement, analysis of educational policy, and dissertation research. Candidates should demonstrate expertise in teaching and applying qualitative and/or quantitative research methodologies. Candidates should be committed to mentoring students throughout the dissertation process in their respective methodological areas. The successful candidate will possess expertise in educational research and demonstrate the ability to teach doctoral and master’s-level courses in areas including research methods, quantitative and qualitative research design, statistics, assessment, program evaluation, and related fields. 

Primary Duties and Responsibilities

The successful candidate will:

• Teach doctoral and master’s-level courses within the Department of Educational Specialties Program (EDSP) including educational leadership, leadership theory and practice, organizational analysis, research inquiry and evaluation, educational policy, research methods, assessment, evaluation, statistics, and other relevant courses, as appropriate to expertise and program needs. 
• Advise doctoral and master’s students.
• Chair dissertation committees, serve as committee members, and guide doctoral students in developing, conducting, and completing quality dissertation research.
• Contribute to the recruitment, retention, and mentorship of doctoral students.
• Develop and implement curriculum, learning objectives, and course content. 
• Contribute to program development, curriculum revision, ongoing assessment, institutional effectiveness, and continuous program improvement.
• Engage in ongoing scholarly activity by maintaining an active research agenda, publishing in peer-reviewed journals, presenting at professional conferences, and contributing to the advancement of the discipline.
• Pursue external funding opportunities and grant development, where appropriate.
• Demonstrate continued professional growth through participation in professional organizations, conferences, workshops, and scholarly activities.
• Develop collaborative partnerships with P–12 schools, higher education institutions, and community organizations.
• Work collaboratively with colleagues to support departmental and university initiatives.
• Faculty are expected to meet university Retention, Tenure, and Promotion (RTP) expectations by maintaining excellence in teaching, scholarship, and service; contributing to departmental, college, and university governance; participating in professional and community service; and engaging collaboratively with students, faculty, staff, and university offices through an active on-campus presence.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

The successful candidate should demonstrate the ability to:

• Teach effectively in graduate and doctoral education.
• Work collaboratively with faculty, students, schools, and community partners.
• Communicate effectively, both orally and in writing.
• Develop curriculum and assess student learning.
• Demonstrate respect for various learners and learning environments.
• Maintain high academic expectations while providing meaningful feedback and support.
• Apply expertise in quantitative, qualitative, mixed-methods, action research, assessment, evaluation, measurement, and/or statistics.
• Support doctoral students throughout the dissertation process.

Physical Requirement 

Ability to occasionally lift, carry, push, pull, or move objects weighing up to 10 pounds. Occasional walking and standing may be required.

Required Minimum Qualifications

• Earned doctorate (EdD or Ph.D.) from an accredited institution in Educational Leadership, Higher Education, Educational Research, Research and Evaluation, or a closely related field.
• ABD candidates will be considered if all degree requirements are completed by the date of hire.
• Demonstrated excellence or strong potential for excellence in graduate and doctoral teaching in face-to-face and online environments.
• Demonstrated excellence or strong potential for maintaining an active scholarly research agenda.
• Commitment to chairing and serving on dissertation committees.
• Commitment to collaborative work within the doctoral program.
• Commitment to professional service and community engagement.
• Successful completion of a background check.

Preferred Qualifications

Preference may be given to candidates meeting one or more of the following criteria:

• Demonstrated expertise as a research scholar across quantitative, qualitative, and mixed-methods research.
• Appropriate credentials and demonstrated ability to teach introductory and advanced qualitative methods courses. 
• Demonstrated ability to teach introductory and advanced statistics, including multivariate analysis.
• Demonstrated administrative leadership experience in higher education, such as program coordination, accreditation, assessment, curriculum development, or other academic administrative responsibilities.
• Knowledge of assessment, evaluation, measurement, and statistics.
• Experience working with large datasets and innovative research designs.
• Evidence of conducting qualitative and quantitative data analysis.
• Experience mentoring doctoral students and supporting dissertation research.
• Record of peer-reviewed publications.
• Experience securing or pursuing external grant funding.
• Experience developing collaborative partnerships with schools, colleges, universities, or community organizations.
• Active scholarly research agenda including publications and presentations. 

Applicant Documents 

Required Documents 

1. Cover letter
2. Curriculum vitae 

Optional Documents 

1. Unofficial transcript 
2. Letter of recommendation 1
3. Letter of recommendation 2
4. Letter of recommendation 3
5. Teaching Philosophy 
6. Sample course syllabi from previously taught course 
7. Sample lesson plan from previously taught course

Austin Peay State University is a four-year public, doctoral-level university, with six colleges and four Chairs of Excellence. The University has an enrollment of over 11,000 students and is located in Clarksville, Tennessee, a community of an estimated 150,287 people located approximately 40 miles northwest of Nashville, TN.

Austin Peay State University is a proud supporter of hiring veterans. We hire veterans with equivalent experiences and pay grades from their military service, rather than requiring or preferring only college degrees. Please visit our website for more information on how veterans can qualify for additional employment opportunities at APSU: https://www.apsu.edu/human-resources/hiring-veterans/.

Austin Peay State University (APSU) prohibits discrimination in all employment, programs, and activities based on race, color, religion, national origin, sex (including pregnancy), disability, age, veteran status, genetic information, or any other legally protected status. For Title IX inquiries or complaints, contact: Chief of Institutional Culture & Title IX Coordinator, LaNeeça R. Williams at williamslr@apsu.edu | 931-221-7690, Browning Building, Room 140, Clarksville, TN 37044. For other non-discrimination concerns, contact: Director of Institutional Culture & Title VI & Title VII Coordinator, Dr. Jo Baldwin at baldwinjapsu.edu | 931-221-7178 or Associate Director of Accessibility Compliance & ADA/504 Coordinator, Jayme Glover at gloverj@apsu.edu | 931-221-7160. View APSU’s full nondiscrimination policy at Policy 6:001.