Associate Dean of Graduate Studies

Art Institute of Chicago•Chicago, IL

1d•Onsite

About The Position

The Graduate Division at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago (SAIC) encompasses the institution's graduate degree programs, serving more than 500 students across master's degrees in studio art, architecture, design, art history, arts administration, art education, historic preservation, writing, and related fields. The Graduate Division provides strategic leadership for graduate academic programs, enrollment, student success, curriculum development, assessment, faculty support, and interdisciplinary initiatives, working collaboratively with academic departments and institutional partners to advance excellence in graduate education. The Associate Dean of Graduate Studies provides academic and administrative leadership for the School's graduate programs, supporting curriculum development, assessment, enrollment planning, and student success initiatives. Reporting to the Dean of Graduate Studies, this position collaborates with faculty, department leaders, and administrative offices to implement academic policies, advance institutional priorities, and ensure the effective delivery of graduate education. The Associate Dean represents the Graduate Division internally and externally while promoting academic excellence, operational effectiveness, and positive post-graduate outcomes.

Requirements

Master's degree (MFA, MA, or equivalent); terminal degree preferred.
Minimum five years of progressively responsible academic administration experience in higher education.
Teaching experience at the graduate or undergraduate level.
Experience with curriculum development, assessment, enrollment planning, and academic policy administration.
Knowledge of higher education administration, curriculum management, accreditation, and student learning assessment.
Strong analytical, organizational, and project management skills.
Excellent written, verbal, and interpersonal communication skills.
Demonstrated ability to collaborate across academic and administrative units.
Experience using learning management systems, student information systems, assessment platforms, and data management tools.
Ability to interpret institutional data to support planning and decision-making.
Effective supervisory, leadership, and problem-solving skills.
Commitment to supporting students from diverse educational, cultural, and socioeconomic backgrounds.

Responsibilities

Provides leadership for graduate curriculum development, implementation, revision, and approval processes in collaboration with faculty, department leadership, and institutional partners.
Oversees graduate academic policies, degree requirements, curricular documentation, and academic communications, including maintenance of the academic bulletin and syllabus guidelines.
Leads enrollment planning and course analysis to support scheduling, resource allocation, student progression, and degree completion.
Uses institutional data and assessment results to evaluate graduate programs, improve student learning outcomes, and inform strategic planning.
Collaborates with Graduate Admissions, Student Affairs, the Registrar, International Affairs, Academic Program Review and Assessment, and other offices to support graduate initiatives and student success.
Provides academic oversight for graduate student progression, advising policies, academic appeals, exhibition eligibility, awards, and other student success initiatives.
Develops and supports professional development, career readiness, and external partnership opportunities that enhance graduate education.
Chairs or serves on institutional committees and represents the Graduate Division in campus planning, governance, recruitment, orientation, commencement, and other institutional activities.
Supervises assigned professional staff and provides leadership, mentoring, and performance management.
Develops reports, presentations, and communications for internal and external stakeholders.
Represents the Graduate Division with donors, visiting scholars, professional organizations, and institutional partners as appropriate.
Performs other duties as assigned.