Assistant Teaching Professor of Political Science

80 Lower College Road, Kingston, RI 02881

Job Title Assistant Teaching Professor of Political Science

Job Description Summary, Duties and Responsibilities, Required Qualifications and Preferred Qualifications

Search will be open until filled. First consideration will be given to applications received by 11/15/2026. Applications received after 11/15/2026 may be reviewed depending on search progress and needs but are not guaranteed full consideration.

The Department of Political Science at the University of Rhode Island is hiring to fill an opening for an Assistant Teaching Professor position in our NASPAA-accredited MPA program. This is a full-time academic year appointment at the rank of Assistant Teaching Professor to begin Fall of 2027. Assistant Teaching Professors may be eligible for the promotional process to Associate Teaching Professor or Full Teaching Professor dependent on time in rank, evidence of teaching effectiveness, and possession of a Ph.D. or terminal degree.

We are seeking to attract a pool of job candidates from a wide range of backgrounds and experiences. A key pillar of URI’s mission is to “inspire an enlightened community that is characterized by vibrant cultural diversity; that embraces difference; that is built upon a learning environment that fosters respect, understanding, and social justice; and that rejects prejudice and intolerance.” Our department seeks candidates whose principles align with that mission.

The University of Rhode Island enrolls approximately 17,000 students across its graduate and undergraduate programs. It is the State’s flagship, public R1 research university as well as the land grant and sea grant university for the state of Rhode Island. The main campus is located in the historic village of Kingston. Both campuses are near major beaches in a beautiful coastal community.

URI is just 30 minutes from Providence, RI and within easy reach of Newport, Boston, and New York City.

Applicants will be expected to teach graduate courses in the areas of Public Policy and Public Administration that serve as requirements for an online Master of Public Administration (MPA) degree with online graduate certificates in Policy Analysis, Public Management, and an anticipated certificate in Public Budgeting and Finance. Based on the applicant’s strength, face-to-face teaching opportunities will be available in undergraduate political science courses on Public Administration, Public Policy, introductory courses in American politics, and other areas of expertise.

Applicants are expected to help support the governance of an MPA program that has been nationally accredited by NASPAA, work with diverse student populations, and advise students.

• Ph.D., or expectation of completion of degree requirements by September 1, 2027, in Political Science, Public Administration, Public Policy, or a public service-related discipline.
• Primary or secondary specialization in Public Administration or Public Policy or a specialized public management-related field.
• Evidence of college level teaching commensurate with level of academic experience.
• Demonstrated ability to excel in teaching graduate-level MPA courses in at least two of the following:
  Seminar in Public Administration and Policy, Administrative Law, Public Personnel Administration, Public Budgeting and/or Finance, Policy and Grant Writing, Ethics, Social Equity in Public Administration and Policy, Negotiation and Dispute Resolution, Collective Bargaining and Labor Relations, Public Policy Analysis, Program Evaluation, or courses related to specific public management-related areas.
• Demonstrated ability to teach undergraduate…