Assistant Professor, Doctor of Social Work Program

The University of Memphis • Memphis, TN

4d

About The Position

The University of Memphis School of Social Work invites applications for a nine-month, tenure-track Assistant Professor to support the growth, quality, accreditation readiness, and sustainability of its Doctor of Social Work (DSW) program. The proposed hire date is August 2027. The DSW is a fully online, 48-credit professional doctorate preparing practitioner-scholars, executive leaders, clinical administrators, educators, and advanced practitioners to address complex social, behavioral health, healthcare, and organizational challenges through evidence-based practice, leadership, and applied research.

The position teaches doctoral-level courses, advises and mentors DSW students, and guides applied research projects as a capstone or dissertation chair or committee member. The successful candidate contributes to curriculum development, assessment, continuous improvement, and CSWE accreditation activities. The role also includes maintaining a scholarly agenda, pursuing external funding and interdisciplinary and community-engaged scholarship, and participating in professional and institutional service.

The DSW curriculum includes research, statistics, evaluation, leadership, management, supervision, informatics, teaching, and advanced practice. Typical enrollments are expected to be 15–25 students per course, with approximately 40 students taught each semester across assigned courses and sections. Advising is approximately 5–10 students per semester. The University of Memphis is an R1 institution; faculty workloads balance research, teaching, and service in accordance with college workload policy.

Requirements

• Earned doctorate in social work or a closely related field by the time of appointment.
• MSW from a CSWE-accredited program or equivalent social work educational background.
• Demonstrated ability or strong potential to teach in an online doctoral program.
• Evidence of scholarly productivity or a clearly articulated research agenda appropriate for a tenure-track appointment.
• Commitment to doctoral student mentoring, applied research, and preparation of advanced social work leaders.

Nice To Haves

• Expertise in gerontology, addiction programming, integrated behavioral health, healthcare, behavioral health workforce development, organizational leadership, clinical administration, or advanced practice across the lifespan.
• Experience teaching graduate or doctoral social work courses, particularly in online or hybrid formats.
• Experience chairing or serving on dissertations, capstones, or applied research committees.
• Potential for external funding and interdisciplinary research collaboration.
• Experience with CSWE accreditation, assessment, or curriculum development.

Responsibilities

• Teach doctoral-level required and/or elective courses in the DSW program, with teaching load determined by the Department Chair.
• Advise approximately 5–10 students per semester and provide individualized doctoral mentoring.
• Serve as a capstone or dissertation chair and/or committee member, guiding students through applied research projects.
• Contribute to DSW curriculum development, assessment, and continuous improvement.
• Support CSWE accreditation activities, including site-visit preparation, reporting, assessment, and documentation.
• Maintain an active scholarly agenda consistent with tenure-track expectations and the School of Social Work's mission.
• Pursue opportunities for external funding, interdisciplinary collaboration, and community-engaged scholarship.
• Participate in School, College, University, professional, and community service activities.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level
• Education Level: Ph.D. or professional degree