Department/Organization
212501 - Ed Leadership/Policy/Tech Studies

Rank
Teaching Assistant Professor

Position Summary
The Department of Educational Leadership, Policy, and Technology Studies at the University of Alabama invites applications for a Visiting Teaching Assistant Professor in the Social, Historical, and Philosophical Foundations of Education.

Detailed Position Information
The Department of Educational Leadership, Policy, and Technology Studies at the University of Alabama invites applications for a Visiting Teaching Assistant Professor in the Social, Historical, and Philosophical Foundations of Education. This is a nine-month, non-tenure-earning position with a contract of two years.

The Department of Educational Leadership, Policy, and Technology Studies at the University of Alabama invites applications for a Visiting Teaching Assistant Professor in the Social, Historical, and Philosophical Foundations of Education. We seek a generalist prepared to teach across the Foundational disciplines (sociology, history, anthropology, philosophy). The successful candidate will join 30 active research and teaching faculty, as well as a vibrant student community.


Program faculty teach courses in educational foundations to all pre-service teachers in the College of Education and deliver state-mandated coursework (in history, sociology, and philosophy) required for graduate certification programs across the College. The program also offers the Instructional Leadership PhD with a concentration in Social and Cultural Studies in Education, which aims to prepare scholars, researchers, and instructional leaders for work in schools and colleges. The program is guided by principles of reflective practice, professional growth, democratic action, and individual responsibility.


This is a nine-month, non-tenure-earning position with a contract of two years.

The ideal candidate holds a doctorate degree in the Historical, Philosophical, and/or Social Foundations of Education or a closely related field (e.g. cultural studies). The candidate will be expected to teach primarily undergraduate foundations classes.


Based on their areas of expertise, the ideal candidate would contribute in one or more of the following areas:

a) Teach multiple sections of the undergraduate preservice teacher education foundation courses and supervise graduate assistants teaching similar sections (BEF 362)

b) Potentially have the opportunity to teach Masters, EdS, EdD and PhD “service” courses across COE degree programs (e.g., Educational Leadership, Instructional Leadership, Higher Education, Teacher Leader, Special Education, Curriculum and Instruction) offered in online or Weekend College format per the needs of the programs.

c) Teach and manage the undergraduate courses for the minor in Educational Policy and Reform

The position start date is August 16, 2026.


About the Social and Cultural Studies in Education Program

The Social and Cultural Studies in Education Program is central to the Mission of the College of Education since faculty teach required courses at the both the undergraduate and graduate levels for all students in the College. In addition to teaching courses in educational foundations to all pre-service teachers in the College, the Program also offers state-mandated diversity courses (areas of History, Sociology, and Philosophy) for all graduate certification programs in the College. The program also offers the Instructional Leadership PhD with a concentration in Social and Cultural Studies in Education with the aim to develop scholars, researchers, and instructional leaders for schools, colleges guided by the principles of reflective practice, professional growth, democratic action, and individual responsibility. The overarching goal is to prepare theoretically informed leaders and scholars with a critical understanding of social and cultural issues necessary to enact insightful organizational, curricular, and pedagogic decisions within their respective institutional settings.

Minimum Qualifications
Earned doctorate in any field in the Philosophical, Historical, and Social Foundations of Education with ability to teach across a variety of Foundational disciplines that address history, sociology, anthropology, philosophy); educational policy (K-12),

· Evidence of growing a strong research agenda in one of the areas of expertise noted above.

· Familiarity with basic principles governing K-12 operations.

· Commitment to research and teaching that support a variety of backgrounds .

Preferred Qualifications

Instructions and Required Materials for Application
Review of applications will begin immediately and will continue until the position is filled. The priority deadline for application is July 1, 2026. To be considered for the position, applicants must submit: a cover letter, CV, 3-4 references, and an unofficial transcript. Only completed applications will be considered. Materials can be submitted online at https://careers.ua.edu. Salary and benefits are competitive and commensurate with experience. Questions may be directed to the chair of the search committee, Dr. Chris Hu (chu8@ua.edu).

About the Division/College/School
For over 150 years, the College of Education has been dedicated to developing professionals with the expertise needed to advance the intellectual and social conditions of all learners. By effectively preparing graduates to pursue their pedagogical and scholarly endeavors, the College of Education aims to lead Alabama in teaching, scholarship, advocacy, and service. Our faculty’s research, teaching, and service is widely recognized through their securement of external funding, national awards, professional organization leadership, established centers and offices, and outreach to the local, state, and national communities. Faculty in the college are free to pursue their passions, partner with the local communities, and excel in their many pursuits of academia.

The College of Education consists of six academic departments and 29 high-caliber programs, including opportunities that enable students to earn specialized degrees in teacher education, exercise science, and educational neuroscience. Through a robust offering of main campus options, online degrees, and certification programs, the College is poised to accommodate any learner. The College of Education is also home to the No. 1 competitive adaptive sports program in the nation, UA Adapted Athletics, and proudly supports their successes at their state-of-the-art facilities. With teaching, research, and outreach efforts that serve the local community and beyond, the College of Education continues to expand its footprint in both the world of academia and in our global society.

The College of Education is committed to advancing opportunities for all of its community members, including increasing and retaining faculty, staff, and students from a range of backgrounds and areas of expertise, creating a culture that welcomes a vibrant and global college community, and providing opportunities for faculty, staff, and students to develop competencies that support these efforts. For more information on the College of Education’s commitments and efforts, please visit our website: https://education.ua.edu/

About the University
The University of Alabama is located in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, named one of Travel + Leisure’s 25 Best College Towns and Cities in the U.S. As one of the nation’s premier universities, UA offers bachelor’s, master's and doctoral degrees in nearly 200 fields of study. With more than 1,400 acres of tree-lined academic core campus and over 300 state-of-the art facilities, UA has been ranked among the most beautiful and most impressive college campuses in the South, in the state of Alabama and in the nation.

In Fall 2023, the Capstone set a new enrollment record with more than 39,000 students, including more than 8,200 in the freshman class. The current enrollment includes students from every county in Alabama, every state in the nation and 92 countries around the world. More than 1,100 National Merit Scholars are currently enrolled, making UA one of the largest enrolling institutions of the scholars in the country.

UA was recently recognized as a Top Producing Institution of Fulbright U.S. students for the seventh time in nine years, as well as a Top Producing Institution of Fulbright U.S. Scholars for the first time. UA is one of only 12 universities in the nation to receive both honors.

For reasons like this, the University made Forbes list of America’s Top Colleges for 2023 and Time magazine’s list of Top 50 Best Colleges for Future Leaders. It also made Princeton Review’s list of Top Value Colleges.

UA is also designated among the top doctoral research universities in the United States in the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education. One of the fastest growing major research institutions in the nation, UA saw a 21% increase in sponsored awards in the 2023 fiscal year.

Since 2015, UA has invested over $1.1 billion in the physical campus, adding more than 2.55 million gross square feet of space, over 150 new research-intensive faculty, signature research areas (e.g., “The Alabama Research Institutes”), and a growing number of partnerships with industry and with state and federal agencies.

The University employs nearly 2,100 faculty and over 4,500 staff, with 52 UA researchers included in the National Academy of Inventors. An additional 40 current faculty have received the NSF CAREER Award, the nation’s most prestigious recognition of top performing young scientists in disciplines ranging from nanoscience and engineering to biological sciences.

Background Investigation and EEO Statement
Background Investigation Statement: Prior to hiring, the final candidate(s) must successfully pass a pre-employment background investigation and information obtained from social media and other internet sources. A prior conviction reported as a result of the background investigation DOES NOT automatically disqualify a candidate from consideration for this position. A candidate with a prior conviction or negative behavioral red flags will receive an individualized review of the prior conviction or negative behavioral red flags before a hiring decision is made.

Equal Employment Opportunity: The University of Alabama is an Equal Employment/Equal Educational Opportunity Institution. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment or volunteer status without regard to any legally protected basis and will not be discriminated against because of their protected status. Applicants and employees of this institution are protected under Federal law from discrimination on several bases. More information is available in the EEOC’s Know Your Rights: Workplace (https://www.eeoc.gov/sites/default/files/2023-06/22-088_EEOC_KnowYourRights6.12ScreenRdr.pdf) discrimination is illegal poster.

The University of Alabama affirms its longstanding commitment to institutional neutrality, free speech, and academic freedom.

About University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa

As the state’s flagship university, The University of Alabama family has always focused on being the best. After all, we are The Capstone of Higher Education. Founded in 1831 as the state’s first public college, The University of Alabama is dedicated to excellence in teaching, research and service. We provide a creative, nurturing campus environment where our students can become the best individuals possible, learn from the best and brightest faculty, and make a positive difference in the community, the state and the world. You’ll like what you find here. Become part of The University of Alabama family.

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