Associate/Full Professor and Department Head (Political Science)

Texas A&M University System; Prairie View (TX); On-site; USD 120,000 - 170,000; Full time

Job summary

Prairie View A&M University seeks an Associate/Full Professor and Department Head in Political Science. The role leads strategic direction, curriculum development, and faculty advancement within the College of Public Affairs & Societal Impact at Prairie View, Texas.

The ideal candidate has a Ph.D. in Political Science and substantial academic administration experience, with a strong record of teaching and research and a commitment to student success.

Qualifications

• Ph.D. in Political Science required.
• Minimum three years of progressively responsible academic administrative experience.
• At least 2 years of administrative experience.
• Record of teaching, research, and service meeting tenure requirements.

Responsibilities

• Lead development and implementation of a shared strategic vision for the department.
• Oversee curriculum development, program reviews, assessment, and new offerings.
• Ensure quality and integrity of academic programs and teaching innovations.
• Administer faculty evaluation, promotion, tenure, and post-tenure review processes.
• Develop strategies for faculty succession and leadership development.

Skills

Academic leadership

Curriculum development

Faculty development

Strategic planning

Education

Ph.D. in Political Science

Job description

Job Title

Associate/Full Professor and Department Head (Political Science)

Agency

Prairie View A&M University

Department

College of Public Affairs & Societal Impact

Proposed Minimum Salary

Commensurate

Job Location

Prairie View, Texas

Job Type

Faculty

Job Description

Important Immigration information: A Presidential proclamation issued on September 19, 2025, imposes a $100,000 fee on new H-1B petitions filed after September 21, 2025. Please be advised that Texas A&M University will NOT pay this fee. Therefore, if you need immigration sponsorship for your employment, we recommend that you consult with your private immigration counsel at your own expense to ascertain whether your current immigration status would make a potential offer of employment from Texas A&M University subject to this fee. In addition, on January 27, 2026, Texas Governor Abbot issued a moratorium on the filing of any new H-1B unless approved by the Texas Workforce Commission. Accordingly, if you will now or in the future require sponsorship for employment visa status this moratorium may affect our ability to employ you should you be selected as the final candidate.

The salary is determined in accordance with the University’s compensation structure and will be commensurate with the candidates’ education and experience, within the assigned salary range for this position.

Responsibilities

Strategic and Academic Leadership

• Lead an all-encompassing process for developing and implementing a shared strategic vision for the department. Establish departmental goals, priorities, performance indicators, and assessment processes aligned with the strategic plans of the College and University.
• Provide leadership for curriculum development, academic program review, assessment, and continuous improvement. Identify opportunities for new degree programs, minors, certificates, concentrations, micro credentials, and interdisciplinary initiatives.
• Ensure the quality, relevance, and integrity of the department’s academic programs and course offerings. Promote innovation in teaching, learning, civic engagement, experiential education, and the appropriate use of emerging technologies.

Faculty Leadership and Development

• Recruit, retain, support, and mentor a high-performing faculty. Foster excellence in teaching, research, scholarship, service, and community engagement. Support faculty efforts to publish scholarly work, develop research collaborations, secure external funding, and increase their professional visibility.
• Administer faculty evaluation, promotion, tenure, and post-tenure review processes in accordance with University policies. Develop strategies for faculty succession, leadership development, and long-term departmental capacity.

Student Success and Enrollment Management

• Lead strategies to strengthen student recruitment, enrollment, retention, academic progression, graduation, and post-graduation outcomes. Use enrollment, course-demand, academic-performance, and student-success data to inform decision-making.
• Expand opportunities for internships, undergraduate research, experiential learning, civic engagement, study away, conference participation, and career preparation. Strengthen pathways for transfer students and relationships with community colleges and other educational partners, as appropriate.

Research and External Funding

• Maintain an active and externally funded research program aligned with the department’s mission and disciplinary standards. Publish regularly in peer-reviewed journals and present research at professional conferences.
• Mentor graduate and undergraduate students in research, scholarship, and creative activity. Advance a departmental research agenda that builds upon faculty expertise and addresses significant public, political, governmental, legal, and societal issues. Support faculty scholarship and encourage interdisciplinary research across the College and University.
• Encourage and support faculty efforts to secure grants, contracts, fellowships, and other forms of sponsored funding. Promote opportunities for faculty-student research collaboration.
• Identify opportunities for research partnerships with public agencies, nonprofit organizations, foundations, educational institutions, and community partners.

Administration and Resource Management

• Provide effective and responsible oversight of the department’s budget, personnel, course schedule, and other resources.
• Develop annual budget requests and allocate departmental resources transparently and strategically. Ensure that faculty and staff assignments support academic priorities, student needs, and efficient departmental operations.
• Oversee departmental records, reports, assessments, reviews, and required institutional submissions.
• Collaborate with the Dean and other college leaders on budgeting, hiring, planning, assessment, and strategic initiatives. Evaluate progress toward departmental goals and make data-informed adjustments as needed.

Partnerships, Advancement and Visibility

• Build productive relationships with alumni, donors, government agencies, nonprofit organizations, educational institutions, professional associations, and community partners.
• Collaborate with college and university advancement professionals to identify fundraising priorities and cultivate philanthropic support. Develop partnerships that create internships, research opportunities, employment pathways, and professional experiences for students.
• Raise the visibility of the department’s academic programs, faculty expertise, student achievements, research, and community contributions. Promote the department to prospective students, families, alumni, partners, and supporters.

Other Duties

• Performs other duties as assigned.

Required Education and Experience

• An earned Ph.D. in Political Science or a closely related field from an accredited institution.
• At least three years of progressively responsible academic administrative experience, such as service as a department head or chair, program coordinator, center director, associate chair, associate dean, or in a comparable academic leadership role.
• At least 2 years of administrative experience.
• A record of teaching, research, scholarship, and service that meets the University’s requirements for appointment with tenure at the rank of Associate Professor or Professor. Evidence of effective leadership skills.

Preferred Qualifications

• Four or more years of progressively responsible academic administrative or comparable leadership experience, including roles such as department head/chair, associate chair, or academic program director.
• Experience leading the development, transformation, or strategic planning of an academic department, program, or organizational unit.
• Experience managing academic budgets and using data to guide planning, assessment, resource allocation, and continuous improvement.
• Experience leading curriculum development, academic program review, and the creation of new academic programs or credentials.
• Demonstrated success in student recruitment, retention, enrollment management, and degree completion.
• A record of securing or supporting external grants, contracts, philanthropic gifts, or other funding. Experience fostering interdisciplinary research and collaboration.

Job Posting Close Date

• Until Filled

Background Check Requirements

All positions are security-sensitive. Applicants are subject to a criminal history investigation, and employment is contingent upon the institution’s verification of credentials and/or other information required by the institution’s procedures, including the completion of the criminal history check.

Equal Opportunity/Veterans/Disability Employer.