Assistant Professor or Associate Professor of Communications, Geography / Geographic Information

The College of Arts and Humanities at Lindenwood University invites applications for an assistant professor or associate professor of Communications, Geography / Geographic Information Systems, History, or Political Science and Department Head of the Human Culture and Society Department.

Qualified applicants will possess a terminal degree (PhD) in one of the fields specified. The successful candidate will be expected to teach 5 courses (15 credit hours) over 12 months with 5 alternative deployments for department head duties. Preference will be given to candidates with experience teaching online. All Lindenwood faculty members are expected to advise and mentor students, continue to develop their expertise through research and scholarship, and participate in faculty governance and campus life.

This position is a full-time, 12-month faculty position that will begin on August 13, 2026. Review of applications will begin immediately and will continue until the position is filled., The Department Head of the Human Culture and Society Department is responsible for supporting the college dean in overseeing and assisting students in their academic learning. This position leads and shapes the ongoing strategic direction of the department to include curriculum oversight, assessment, evaluation, and development, as well as faculty performance supervision and evaluation.

The successful candidate will be a team player who is deeply committed to the craft of teaching, creative work, and the work of a department that is highly interdisciplinary, innovative, and newly reorganized. The department's academic programs include Applied AI; Art History; Communications; Geospatial Intelligence and Sustainability; History; Human-Centered Artificial Intelligence (Masters); Philosophy, Politics, and Economics; Political Science; and Public Administration (Masters), along with various minors and certificates. They will be an inspiring teacher, an excellent communicator and organizer, and a strategic leader who is prepared to work with a broad team to deliver high-quality individualized education, experience, and support to the program's students while ensuring alignment with the mission and priorities of the College and University.

Essential Job Functions and Performance Indicators

The intent of this job description is to provide a representation of the types of duties and level of responsibility that will be required of positions given this title. This job description shall not be construed as a declaration of the total of the specific duties and responsibilities of any particular position. Employees may be directed to perform job-related tasks other than those specifically presented in this description.

Academic Leadership

Teaching and Learning

• Collaborates with dean and administrators on academic and curriculum initiatives
• Facilitates department assessment and accreditation
• Engages in and provides oversight of faculty and student learning
• Oversees development of new academic offerings such as programs, certificates, courses, and credentials
• Ensures the department curriculum, content, and delivery methods incorporate emerging practices, changes in discipline and data on instructional effectiveness
• Teaches a course load as outlined in the faculty appointment letter

Leadership and Strategic Thinking

• Collaborates with appropriate parties in development and execution of department reviews
• Oversees department's academic, personnel, financial and administrative affairs
• Leads efforts to build, integrate and grow department
• Participates in promotional events to market the department to prospective students, including conferences, informational events, college days, one-on-one meetings, and other similar opportunities

Service

Human Resources Management

• Recruits, screens, oversees, and evaluates department faculty and adjunct instructors
• Facilitates and conducts classroom observations, providing faculty with constructive feedback
• Assists faculty members in developing and improving skills as student advisors, mentors, and teachers
• Collaborates with faculty and administrators on performance issues
• Supports dean in selection of new full-time faculty members

Administrative Duties

• Collaborates on course offerings, deployments, and curriculum within the school
• Collaborates on student recruitment and retention efforts
• Monitors and engages in student enrollment and retention data
• Collaborates on the resolution of student complaints and grade appeals
• Oversees department compliance with policies, processes, standards, and deadlines, including appropriate learning management usage

Communication and Collaboration

• Supports the mission of the university and serves as an ambassador of the Q2 culture of service excellence
• Models, supports, and holds others accountable to university values - integrity, dedication, excellence, creativity, and teamwork
• Ensures timely, effective, and professional communication

Subject Matter Expertise and Scholarship

Lifelong Learning and Scholarship

• Demonstrates command of subject matter and continuous growth in subject field
• Maintains professional development and activities to upgrade and augment existing skills or develop new ones
• Maintains necessary affiliation with professional organizations

Job may require other duties as assigned.

Required Qualifications - An equivalent combination of education, training and experience will be considered. Additional requirements may be designated by position.

• Terminal degree appropriate to the subject area (PhD in one of the specified academic fields)
• At least three years of experience in leading academic programs with preference for experience leading programs in more than one academic discipline
• At least three years of effective teaching experience (as documented by student evaluations) at the undergraduate level
• Excellent collaboration, communication, and organizational skills, as well as a commitment to service excellence

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities - May be representative, but not all inclusive, of the knowledge, skills and abilities commonly associated with this position.

• Demonstrated ability to work effectively with individuals from diverse communities and cultures
• Effective leadership and collaborative skills
• Demonstrated record of establishing and maintaining effective relationships with faculty, staff and students
• Effective analytical, organizational, and creative skills
• Effective initiative and interpersonal skills
• Strong skills in communication through speaking, listening, reading, and writing
• Proficient technology skills, including but not limited to, Microsoft Word, Outlook, Excel, PowerPoint, Learning Management Systems (LMS), Student Information Systems (SIS), Student 360 and Workday

Work Environment - Environmental or atmospheric conditions commonly associated with the performance of this job's functions.

• General office setting
• Position requires some work in the evening and on weekends

Physical Abilities - The physical demands described below are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform this job's essential functions. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions.

• Ability to sit at computer for extended periods of time daily
• Regular attendance is a necessary and essential function

• Upon hire, employer-paid tuition benefits for bachelor's (employee, spouse, and dependent) and master's degree programs (employee and spouse only).
• Tuition discounts for doctoral programs (employee only).
• Comprehensive benefits plan: medical, dental, vision, life insurance, disability insurance, and retirement options.
• Paid holidays: MLK Jr. day, Good Friday, Memorial Day, Juneteenth, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving break (Wednesday - Friday), and winter break (Dec. 23 - Jan. 1).
• Free lunch Fridays: LU employees are eligible for a free meal on Fridays at the Evans Commons Dining Hall or Spellman Dining Hall; Chick-fil-A and Qdoba included.
• Professional development opportunities through the Lindenwood Learning Academy .

Founded in 1832, Lindenwood is a dynamic four-year institution dedicated to excellence in higher education. Our historic campus is situated in the heart of Saint Charles, Mo., a growing community of more than 65,000 just west of St. Louis. Lindenwood University is known nationally and internationally for innovation, entrepreneurship, and extraordinary dedication to students. We believe that education is the way to personal freedom and responsibility, which are the keystones of any democracy. We have a heritage that dates back nearly 200 years. In that time, we have learned how to educate in a way that helps each student become an enlightened, principled citizen of a global community. Lindenwood is an independent institution firmly rooted in Judeo-Christian values. Those values include belief in an ordered, purposeful universe, the dignity of work, the worth and integrity of the individual, the obligations and privileges of citizenship, and the primacy of truth. Lindenwood is a great place to work, and we would love for you to join us as we strive daily to accomplish our University mission: REAL EXPERIENCE. REAL SUCCESS. Enhancing lives through quality education and professional preparatory experiences. Lindenwood University is home to over 800 full- and part-time faculty and over 400 staff members that work together to provide more than 100 degree programs to students from every state and over 70 countries through values-centered education that lead to development of the whole person. Our faculty, staff, and administration are committed to an integrative curriculum that focuses on the talents, interests, and future of our students. Lindenwood values its employees and provides MANY employee perks including great tuition benefits!