Program Director and Assistant Professor - MS Educational Psychology

Job description

ACU is affiliated with the fellowship of the Church of Christ. This position requires the employee to be a professing Christian and to be willing to support the Christian mission of ACU. ‌ The Program Director and Assistant Professor of Educational Psychology provides strategic leadership, administrative oversight, and instructional excellence for the fully online graduate program in Educational Psychology. This dual role combines institutional leadership, serving as the primary architect for the program’s concentrations (ABA, Research & Program Evaluation, Cognitive & Developmental, Gifted & Talented), with full faculty expectations regarding teaching, active scholarly research, and university service. Core Responsibilities Program Directorship & Academic Administration Provide strategic vision and operational leadership for the day-to-day administration of the Educational Psychology program and its specialized concentrations. Manage academic scheduling, instructional planning, and curriculum mapping to ensure long-term sustainability and program growth. Collaborate cross-functionally with ACU admissions, enrollment marketing, and student success teams to meet recruitment and retention benchmarks. Direct the preparation of all required institutional assessment reports, course evaluations, and university documentation. Ensure absolute compliance with university academic policies, regional accreditation bodies, and specific professional credentialing standards (e.g., BACB requirements). Assist with departmental budget planning, resource allocation, and monitoring the financial sustainability of the program's concentrations. Oversee clinical supervisors who assist students in meeting clinical requirements for the program. Teaching & Instructional Excellence Teach graduate-level courses within the Educational Psychology core and specialized concentrations. Promote high instructional quality, innovative online pedagogy, and consistency across asynchronous learning models while honoring academic freedom. Partner with Instructional Designers to continuously improve course design, data collection methods, and digital student engagement strategies. Faculty Leadership & Collaboration Recruit, onboard, mentor, and evaluate adjunct faculty to maintain instructional integrity across all tracks. Coordinate teaching assignments and facilitate continuous, collaborative communication among core and adjunct program faculty. Serve as an advocate for faculty needs while aligning departmental resources with university objectives. Student Mentorship & Success Provide robust academic and career advising to current graduate students, fostering professional identity and clinical readiness. Demonstrate a clear commitment to supporting diverse, first-generation, and non-traditional adult learners balancing professional and personal responsibilities. Serve as the primary institutional point of contact for program-level student grievances, remediation plans, and accommodation requests. Monitor metrics surrounding student progression, retention, and time-to-completion to implement proactive interventions when necessary. Scholarship & University Service Maintain an active agenda of scholarly research, publication, and professional presentation within the field of educational psychology or behavior analysis. Participate actively in university governance, faculty senate committees, and departmental service. Support the spiritual and mission-driven integration of faith and learning unique to the Abilene Christian University community. Key Qualifications Professional Credentialing & Education Earned Doctorate (Ph.D. or Ed.D.) in Educational Psychology, Behavior Analysis, or a closely related field. BCBA or BCBA-D certification is preferred, but not required Deep knowledge of current research trends, legal regulations, and ethical guidelines governing educational psychology and clinical practice. Academic Leadership & Program Development Demonstrated experience in higher education program coordination, curriculum architecture, or academic leadership (e.g., concentration lead, clinical director, program coordinator). Experience contributing to, developing, or expanding graduate-level curriculum and structuring specialized concentrations within a broader degree program. Proven familiarity with aligning academic curriculum with regional accreditation or external professional credentialing standards. Online Pedagogical Experience Proven track record of high-quality graduate-level teaching or course development in an online or hybrid format. Deep understanding of best practices in online pedagogy, including asynchronous course design, authentic digital assessment, and student engagement. Experience working with modern Learning Management Systems (e.g., Canvas) and collaborating with instructional design teams. Mission Fit ACU is affiliated with the fellowship of the Church of Christ. This position requires the employee to be a professing Christian and to be willing to support the Christian mission of ACU. Commitment to the mission and purpose of Abilene Christian University, including the ability to articulately integrate a Christian worldview into teaching, scholarship, and student mentorship. ACU does not unlawfully discriminate on the basis of race, color, age, sex, disability, genetic information, national or ethnic origin in employment opportunities, in keeping with applicable state and federal law. ACU is committed to maintaining a safe and secure campus environment and protecting the university's financial and physical assets. Therefore, Abilene Christian University conducts background checks on all candidates for employment in security sensitive positions. As a current employee, it will be determined if you need an additional background check upon your hire.