University of Delaware
College of Education and Human Development
School of Education
Assistant Professor, Interdisciplinary Disability Studies (Continuing Track)
The School of Education (SOE) at the University of Delaware (UD) is searching for an Assistant Professor, Interdisciplinary Disability Studies (Continuing Track), with additional expertise in collaborative practices in inclusive environments.
The Interdisciplinary Disability Studies (Continuing Track) position is a 9-month academic-year appointment with potential for extended service and teaching agreements. As a continuing track faculty member, the candidate will have the opportunity to take on leadership responsibilities, gain promotion, take sabbatical leave, and enjoy the security of a multi-year appointment. Continuing track faculty have the same voting and governance capabilities as tenure track faculty and participate in a vibrant Continuing Track caucus. Qualified candidates should be interested in establishing a long-term career at UD. The start date of the position is September 1, 2024.
We are seeking candidates with expertise in teaching interdisciplinary disability studies and collaborative practices in inclusive education environments. The ideal candidate will share SOE’s commitment to promoting diversity and equity and to solving critical educational and social problems through the development of knowledge and excellence in teaching and service to the citizens of Delaware, the nation, and the world. We are deeply committed to creating an educational community of excellence, equity, and diversity. We welcome applications from women, underrepresented minorities, persons with disabilities, sexual minority groups, and other candidates who will contribute to the diversification and enrichment of ideas and perspectives in the disability studies and education fields.
Required Qualifications: A doctoral degree in disability studies, special education, or a closely related field by August 2024 is required. Additional requirements include:
- a record of or potential for excellence in teaching at undergraduate and/or graduate levels;
- expertise in interdisciplinary disability studies and collaborative practices in inclusive environments
- the ability to create and support diversity, equity, and inclusiveness in all aspects of their work.
Preferred Qualifications: Candidates with three to five years prior experience supporting children and/or young adults with disabilities in community-based, K-12, or higher education settings are preferred. Additional preferred qualifications include:
- teaching experience in face-to-face, hybrid, and online formats;
- experience in course development, student advising, and/or supporting undergraduate co-curricular programs
- a record of collaboration with people with disabilities, faculty, teachers, families, and students within the broader disability and education communities;
- potential for leadership opportunities, such as academic program coordination.
Responsibilities: Primary responsibilities include teaching undergraduate courses in the interdisciplinary Disability Studies Minor and Access:Ability Scholars Course of Study, including providing support for related co-curricular activities. Additional teaching opportunities include teaching courses at undergraduate and graduate levels in the special education programs about inclusive education environments. Teaching occurs primarily in face-to-face format on the main campus in Newark, Delaware and may include hybrid or online. The typical teaching load is six to seven courses per year. Candidates will work collaboratively in the development, evaluation, and growth of the disability studies and special education programs and provide service to the department, college, university, state, and to the field.
Disability Studies and Special Education at UD: Faculty from the School of Education (SOE) and the university’s Center for Disabilities Studies (CDS) have collaborated for more than 20 years to support the Disability Studies Minor, the largest minor on campus with enrollments typically exceeding 400. In 2018 with support from the College of Education and Human Development (CEHD), this collaboration extended to establishing the Access:Ability Scholars program in response to the university’s request to expand co-curricular enrichment opportunities for outstanding new students. Access:Ability Scholars currently enrolls approximately 100 undergraduates. The Minor and Scholars programs exemplify the university’s interest in promoting interdisciplinary education, attracting students from across the university’s colleges with a variety of majors. These programs also enhance the university’s commitment to inclusive excellence by framing the study of disability as central to a fuller understanding of human diversity.
Special education faculty in the School of Education (SOE) teach undergraduates pursuing a major in elementary teacher education with additional certification in special education. The faculty also teach secondary education majors in an introductory special education course. At the graduate level, special education faculty coordinate and teach courses in the M.Ed. Exceptional Children and Youth program, which has several tracks including a traditional masters, an alternate route initial certification program, and a 4+1 joint bachelors/masters program. Special education faculty are also involved in the Ed.D. in Educational Leadership and Ph.D. in Education programs with opportunities to teach and advise doctoral students. We are currently searching for three (3) faculty positions in special education and/or disability studies. More information can be found at UD Careers (https://careers.udel.edu/).
About SOE: The School of Education, housed within the College of Education and Human Development (CEHD) has over 60 full-time and jointly appointed faculty, nearly 600 students pursuing undergraduate majors and minors, and 360 graduate students. In addition to the elementary and special education programs, the SOE offers an undergraduate concentration in teaching English as a second language and minors in educational studies, educational technology, and race, culture, and equity in education. The department also supports multiple robust graduate programs at both the master’s and doctoral level. a Ph.D. in education, a Ph.D. in educational statistics and research methods, an Ed.D. in educational leadership, an Ed.S. in school psychology and interdisciplinary, joint programs with other University of Delaware colleges, including a Ph.D. in education and social policy, an M.S. in evaluation science and an M.S. in environmental education.
Supported by the National Science Foundation, the Institute of Education Sciences and other foundations and federal agencies, SOE faculty contribute rigorous and methodologically diverse research that addresses critical issues in education. Their research programs contribute to many areas, including educational policy, educational leadership and administration, language and literacy, mathematics education, the science of learning, sociocultural and community-based approaches, special education and disability studies and teacher preparation, among others. SOE faculty are recognized for their contributions to national and international conversations about critical educational issues, lead organizations working to address those issues and provide a range of supports to the agencies at the front lines of improving educational opportunities and outcomes.
About CEHD: The College of Education and Human Development (CEHD) comprises two academic departments, the SOE and Human Development and Family Sciences. Additionally, the CEHD hosts several centers and resources, such as the Center for Disabilities Studies (CDS), which promotes increased access, opportunity, and accomplishment among people with disabilities—across ages and life domains—through its multifaceted research, training and service portfolio. CDS partners with academic units to support the undergraduate interdisciplinary Disability Studies Minor and the Access:Ability Scholars course of study. CDS affords access to a fertile environment for applied research, community engagement, and program development.
About UD: Founded in 1743, the University of Delaware (UD) combines tradition and innovation, offering students a rich heritage along with the latest in instructional and research technology. Located in Newark, Delaware, within two hours of New York, Philadelphia, Baltimore, and Washington, D.C., the University is a Land Grant, Sea Grant, Space Grant, and Carnegie Research University. A state-assisted, privately governed institution, the University enrolls more than 18,000 undergraduates and 4,500 graduate students.
The University of Delaware strongly believes that our future success is firmly predicated on our steadfast commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusive excellence. Diversity is a core value and guiding principle for our School and College’s educational mission to prepare future scholars, educators, and leaders to educate and lead in increasingly diverse schools and communities. A
recipient of the NSF ADVANCE Institutional Transformation award, UD has a service to
assist dual-career couples and supports work-life balance through family-friendly policies.
Applications: Applicants must submit 1) a cover letter in which they specify the specific position of interest, and outline their area of expertise including contributions to promoting diversity, equity, and inclusiveness in teaching and service; 2) a current CV; 3) a statement of teaching philosophy, including evidence of teaching effectiveness; and 4) contact information for at least three references. Candidates will be notified before references are contacted.
Applications received by December 1, 2023 will receive first consideration, and applications received subsequently may be reviewed on a rolling basis. Questions should be directed to Dr. Laura Eisenman, Search Committee Chair, at eisenman@udel.edu
Applicants who also have an interest in other faculty positions must apply separately to those positions.
The School of Education is responsive to the needs of working parents and families, welcomes applicants who may have nontraditional career paths or who may have taken time off for personal reasons (e.g., children, elderly family), and is committed to supporting the work-life balance of its faculty. UD is an affirmative action, equal opportunity employer. UD is dedicated to building a culturally diverse and pluralistic faculty and staff committed to teaching and working in a diverse environment, and strongly encourages applications from women, people who identify with minoritized groups, individuals with disabilities, and veterans.
