Job Title

Leadership, Development, and Educational Systems (Instructional Leadership), Tenure-Track Faculty

Department

Leadership, Development, and Educational Systems

University Expectation

MTSU seeks candidates committed to innovative teaching, robust research/creative activity, and meaningful service. We also seek to attract culturally and academically diverse faculty who value working with diverse students.

Salary

The salary is commensurate with education and experience.

Job Summary/Basic Function

The Department of Leadership, Development, and Educational Systems at Middle Tennessee State University invites applicants for a full-time, tenure-track faculty position (#115080) for its Administration and Supervision Program, including its Instructional Leadership concentration, at the rank of assistant or associate professor. The start date for the position is August 1, 2027.

Key Responsibilities

• Teaching graduate-level courses in the Instructional Leadership Program and demonstrating excellence in instruction, curriculum development, and online teaching and learning environments.
• Advising and mentoring graduate students, fostering a respectful and supportive learning environment, and overseeing embedded internship experiences as assigned.
• Contributing to doctoral education through dissertation committee service and, where expertise and workload permit, chairing dissertations within the LDES department.
• Developing or maintaining a sustained program of scholarly activity, including research, peer-reviewed publications, and pursuit of external funding, in areas aligned with leadership, development, and educational systems, consistent with academic rank and expectations for tenure and promotion.
• Contributing to program development, accreditation, recruitment, and continuous improvement efforts, including collaborating with the EdD program in Assessment, Learning, and Student Success to strengthen educational pathways.
• Developing and sustaining collaborative relationships with local and regional partners, school systems, and relevant professional organizations to advance the work of the program and department.
• Engaging actively in departmental, college, and university service, including committee work, program and departmental meetings, and collaborative initiatives.
• Maintaining current knowledge of research, emerging practices, and professional developments in instructional leadership through ongoing professional development and engagement in the field.

Required Education

A terminal degree in educational leadership, instructional leadership, educational administration, administration and supervision, or a closely related field is required by the appointment date.

Required Related Experience

Two (2) years of full-time professional leadership or administrative experience in K-12 education, including school administration, district leadership, instructional supervision, or positions with comparable responsibilities, are required by the appointment date.

Other Desirables

Applicants with the following will receive special consideration:

• Eligibility for or possession of a current administrative license.
• Experience providing supervision of instruction to educators.
• Experience working on CAEP accreditation work.
• Skills to support or teach in other programs in the Department of Leadership, Development, and Educational Systems.
• Full-time professional teaching experience in K-12 educational systems.
• Evidence of successful teaching in instructional leadership courses at the graduate level.
• Evidence of successful teaching in online contexts.
• Demonstrated potential for a record of research, scholarship, and publication in instructional leadership or related areas.
• Experience with grant writing, including submission of external awards, and successfully obtaining grant awards.
• Active involvement in instructional leadership professional organizations.

Documents Needed to Apply

To successfully apply, applicants must include a cover letter, curriculum vitae, statement of teaching philosophy, and statement of research or creative activities (as appropriate to the discipline) as separate attachments when submitting the application.

Special Instruction to Applicants 

When applying, applicants must provide complete contact information, including email addresses, for three professional references. References will be contacted to provide a reference letter if the applicant is selected for an interview. In addition, if the applicant is selected for the position, official transcripts of all degrees conferred, including translations and evaluations of international transcripts from an approved credentialing agency, will be required before a contract is issued. All submitted materials become the property of MTSU and will not be returned. Submission of materials is the applicant’s responsibility. Applications without all required materials are incomplete and will not be considered.

If you need help with the application, please contact Mitzi Dunkley, Faculty Recruitment Specialist, at (615) 898-5128. If you have position-specific questions, please contact Lando Carter at Lando.Carter@mtsu.edu.

MTSU offers a comprehensive benefits package, including but not limited to the following:  

• Sick Leave
• Vacation Leave for Administrative/Classified Staff/12-month Faculty
• 13 paid University holidays
• Medical, dental, vision, and life insurance
• Retirement plans
• Optional 401K and 403B Deferred Compensation Plans
• Educational benefits for the employee and their spouse and dependents

Application Review Date: 12/03/2026