Program Director, Master of Science in Mental Health Practice

Program Director, Master of Science in Mental Health Practice

Position Type: Faculty
Department: Office of Graduate Education
Full or Part Time: Full Time
Pay Grade: Dependent on Rank

Summary: The Program Director of the Master of Science in Mental Health Practice (MS‑MHP) contributes to the training and professional development of Certified Mental Health Assistants in a 2‑year training program. The Program Director is responsible for providing academic, administrative, and strategic leadership for a newly developed graduate program dedicated to preparing highly skilled, ethical, and compassionate mental health professionals. This position is designed to attract experienced educators, academic leaders, and clinicians from a broad range of disciplines including psychiatry, psychology, social work, counseling, behavioral health, public health, and related fields.

The Program Director leads curriculum development and delivery, faculty recruitment and development, student success initiatives, accreditation and continuous quality improvement, and community engagement efforts. The role emphasizes excellence in teaching, interprofessional education, workforce development, and innovative training models that respond to evolving community and healthcare system needs. This is a full‑time, non‑tenure track faculty appointment. Faculty rank will be commensurate with qualifications and experience.

• Teaching, Academic Leadership, and Curriculum Development:

  The Program Director provides instructional leadership and oversees graduate education within their area of expertise. They lead the development, implementation, evaluation, and continuous improvement of a rigorous, innovative curriculum aligned with best practices, accreditation standards, and professional competencies in mental and behavioral health. The Director ensures integration of didactic, experiential, and clinical learning; collaborates with faculty and partners to address curricular gaps and incorporate emerging evidence;
  
  and advances teaching innovations such as simulation, interprofessional education, and hybrid learning. The role also emphasizes developing students’ clinical reasoning, ethical practice, cultural humility, and collaborative skills, using program outcomes and feedback to guide ongoing quality improvement.

• Faculty Leadership and Development:

  The Program Director leads the recruitment, development, evaluation, and retention of a diverse, high‑quality faculty team across mental and behavioral health disciplines. The role fosters an inclusive, collaborative academic environment that supports excellence in teaching, mentorship, and scholarship. The Director mentors faculty in educational best practices, assessment, and curriculum design; promotes professional development and educational research; and cultivates a cohesive, interprofessional faculty community grounded in collaboration and shared governance.

• Student Recruitment, Advising, and Success:

  The Program Director works with admissions and enrollment teams to recruit and select a diverse, mission‑aligned student body, overseeing admissions standards, applicant review, and onboarding. The role ensures strong advising, mentoring, and professional development to support student success—from engagement and retention through graduation, licensure readiness, and workforce entry—using outcomes data to guide continuous improvement.

• Clinical Education and Community Partnerships:

  The Program Director builds and maintains partnerships with healthcare and community organizations to ensure high‑quality clinical and community‑based learning experiences. The role oversees clinical education to ensure training meets professional and regulatory standards and supports integration of classroom learning with practice. The Director also advances community engagement and service‑learning initiatives that strengthen student learning and address regional workforce and public health needs.

• Administrative Leadership and Program Operations:

  The Program Director provides overall administrative leadership for the MS‑MHP program, overseeing budgeting, staffing, scheduling,…