Assistant Professor of Political Science (International Relations)

Stetson University, College of Arts and Sciences

Assistant Professor of Political Science (International Relations)

Stetson University seeks a candidate with broad interests and training in International Relations for a position at the rank of Assistant Professor of Political Science. 

Qualifications:

A Ph.D. in Political Science is preferred, but applicants who are ABD will be considered if they are at the final stage of the dissertation process.  Teaching experience beyond typical teaching assistant duties in graduate school is an advantage but not required.  Candidates should have a strong commitment to innovative teaching, a creative approach to pedagogical design and implementation, and a strong commitment to all aspects of diversity in our learning-centered community.  The candidate must have a desire to teach in a liberal arts setting with significant personal interactions with undergraduate students. 

Responsibilities:  

The teacher-scholar model at Stetson requires that tenure-track faculty teach three courses each semester complemented with quality scholarship and service.  Primary teaching responsibilities for this position include introductory and upper-level courses in International Relations and related subdisciplines (e.g. migration studies, international diplomacy, international law, security studies, etc.).  Besides teaching introductory and upper-level undergraduate courses in the subfield of international relations, and offering innovative First Year and/or Junior Seminars, the candidate will develop courses to complement existing strengths in the Department of Political Science and in one or more related programs (e.g. International Studies; Africana Studies; Asian Studies; Gender Studies; Social Studies; Global Development; Latin American & Latino Studies; and Russian, East European and Eurasian Studies). 

Other courses can be based on the candidate's expertise and training.  The faculty member is also expected to mentor students academically and professionally.

The Department:

The Department of Political Science (http://www.stetson.edu/artsci/political-science/) offers academically rigorous majors in both Political Science and Public Management.  Departmental faculty contribute regularly to interdisciplinary programs such as International Studies; Russian, Eastern European and Eurasian Studies; Latin American & Latino Studies; Africana Studies; the Honors Program; Environmental Science and Studies; and Public Health.  We have had considerable success placing students in high-quality graduate programs in Political Science, International Affairs, Public Administration, and in prominent law schools.  Faculty in the Department are committed to the teacher-scholar model, which involves teaching within a traditional liberal arts environment where the primary focus is extensive interaction with undergraduate students in a small class environment, while also maintaining an active research agenda.

The College of Arts and Sciences:

Stetson’s College of Arts and Sciences (http://www.stetson.edu/portal/artsci/) is the largest and most diverse of the University’s colleges and schools; it includes the humanities, social sciences, natural sciences, education, and creative arts.  With nineteen academic departments and eight interdisciplinary programs, the College is the liberal arts core of the University.  A great strength of the College is its faculty of approximately 140 full-time teacher-scholars.  The College offers 31 undergraduate majors and 34 undergraduate minors; six graduate degrees are offered in Education, Counselor Education, and Creative Writing.  Every undergraduate major requires a senior research project, giving students the opportunity to design and carry out independent research under faculty mentorship.  Our academic programs are shaped by the values of social justice and civic responsibility.  All of our courses and programs of study promote engaged learning, whereby students create connections between the classroom or lab and the local, regional, and global community.  The academic programs of the College of Arts and Sciences prepare students to live significant lives, to interact with and positively affect the world around them.

The University: 

Founded in 1883, Stetson University (http://www.stetson.edu) is a private, selective university comprised of a rich array of liberal arts and professional academic programs. Collectively, Stetson’s faculty works with nearly 4,000 students in undergraduate, graduate, and professional programs. The University’s historic main campus, located in DeLand, enrolls more than 2,600 students in undergraduate programs in the College of Arts & Sciences, the School of Business Administration, and the School of Music. Stetson University College of Law, Florida’s first law school, moved from the main campus to Gulfport in 1954, and, with the addition of the Tampa Law Center, serves approximately 1,000 students working full-time or part-time toward J.D. or LL.M. degrees. Graduate programs offered include Business, Accounting, Educational Leadership, Counseling, and Creative Writing. Florida’s oldest private institution of higher learning, Stetson has regularly been ranked among the best regional universities in the Southeast and was the first private college in Florida to be granted a chapter of Phi Beta Kappa.

Stetson University provides an inspiring education that engages students with rigorous academic and creative study grounded in liberal learning and promotes civic values of personal and social responsibility.  Working closely with faculty and with one another, students cultivate abilities to explore issues deeply, think critically, reason empirically, speak persuasively, and connect ideas creatively.  Firmly committed to inclusive excellence, our vibrant community of teacher-scholars nurtures the potential of individual students to lead lives of significance and prepares each to meet the challenges of shaping the future—locally, nationally, and globally.

The Community:

DeLand is a picturesque residential community of 34,000 located 20 miles west of Daytona Beach and 35 miles northeast of Orlando.  The area offers extensive cultural as well as recreational activities.

Salary:  Salary is competitive.

Starting Date:  August 8, 2023

Application:                                                                

Applicants must send the following materials for consideration: 1) a cover letter summarizing the candidate’s interest in the position and qualifications, 2) a statement of the candidate's teaching philosophy, a representative sample of teaching evaluations, and other relevant teaching materials (e.g. syllabi, assignments, etc.), 3) a curriculum vitae, 4) copies of graduate transcripts, and 5) the names and contact information for three recommenders  (at least one of whom should be able to evaluate the candidate’s teaching ability).  Candidates who advance in the review process may be asked to provide letters of recommendation. In their materials, candidates are encouraged to highlight skills and experiences that demonstrate a commitment to social justice, diversity, and inclusion.

Review of applications will begin on November 1^st, 2022 and continue until the position is filled.

Application materials may be submitted electronically to the search committee at polisearch@stetson.edu or mailed to the following address:

Dr. William Russell Nylen
Chair, IR Search Committee
Department of Political Science
Stetson University
421 N. Woodland Blvd. Unit 8301
DeLand, FL 32723

Stetson University is an Equal Opportunity Employer that affirms cultural diversity and inclusion as a core value of academic excellence at Stetson University. We are committed to achieving equal access in education, employment, and participation through the recruitment and retention of outstanding faculty, staff, and students from diverse backgrounds, and to meaningful academic and intellectual transformation in curriculum, research and service. We are dedicated to actions and policies that foster a community in which individuals with various identities, cultures, backgrounds, and viewpoints work together to create opportunities for engagement through rewarding and fulfilling careers and personal experiences in a culturally and racially diverse society and a globalized world. We strongly encourage members of historically under-represented and economically-disadvantaged groups and women to apply for employment. Stetson University is an EEO, ADA, ADEA, and GINA employer.