Department/Organization
212701 - Special Education
Rank
Assistant Professor
Position Summary
Appointments to the faculty of The University of Alabama are based on the personnel requirements of the University’s academic programs and on the goal of achieving and maintaining excellence in its teaching, research, and service/academic citizenship activities. The Department of Special Education in the College of Education at The University of Alabama invites applications for a tenure-track Assistant Professor position in Special Education. We seek a collaborative scholar and educator whose research, teaching, and service contribute to the preparation of highly effective special education professionals and to improved outcomes for children, youth, and adults with disabilities. The successful candidate will join a nationally recognized special education faculty with opportunities to contribute across undergraduate and graduate programs, including collaborative special education, early childhood special education, autism, and related areas. The department offers baccalaureate, Master's, education specialist, Ed.D., and Ph.D. programs, including online graduate programs in the Masters, Ed,S. and Ed.D programs. The University of Alabama's Department of Special Education prepares educators and professionals to support learners with and at risk for disabilities across the lifespan. Current programs include undergraduate preparation in special education and the Multiple Abilities Program, as well as graduate programs spanning collaborative special education, early childhood special education, learning disabilities, gifted education, autism, severe disabilities, and related areas
Detailed Position Information
Candidates with expertise in one or more of the following areas are especially encouraged to apply:
• Evidence-based instruction and intervention for students with learning disabilities
• Academic interventions including literacy, mathematics
• Autism spectrum disorder and significant support needs
• Inclusive education, teacher collaboration, and family-professional partnerships
• Teacher preparation
• Special education policy
• Research methodology
Responsibilities
• Develop and maintain a productive, externally visible program of research and scholarship in special education or a closely related field.
• Pursue external funding to support research, teacher preparation, professional learning, and community-engaged initiatives.
• Teach undergraduate special education and graduate Ed.D. and Ed.S. courses in special education and related areas, using face-to-face, online, and hybrid instructional formats as appropriate.
• Mentor undergraduate and graduate students and advise master's, Ed.S., Ed.D., and/or Ph.D. students as appropriate.
• Supervise or support practicum, internship, field-based, and clinical experiences in collaboration with schools and community agencies.
• Contribute to curriculum development, program assessment, accreditation, and continuous improvement activities.
• Develop collaborative partnerships with schools, districts, agencies, families, and other community partners.
• Contribute to departmental, college, university, professional, and community service.
• Provide leadership and outreach that advances evidence-based practices and outcomes for individuals with disabilities.
Minimum Qualifications
• Earned doctorate in Special Education, Exceptional Education, Disability Studies, or a closely related field prior to the anticipated start date with a minimum of 18 hours of special education coursework.
• Certified or eligible for Class A or Class AA special education certification in Alabama or out-of-state equivalent.
• A minimum of 2 years of classroom teaching or related teaching experience.
• Evidence of scholarly potential and a research agenda appropriate for a tenure-track faculty appointment.
• Commitment to evidence-based, ethical, inclusive, and responsive practices in special education.
• Ability to work collaboratively with faculty, students, schools, families, and community partners
Preferred Qualifications
• Evidence of peer-reviewed publication and/or a developing record of scholarly productivity. • Experience securing or contributing to externally funded research or service projects. • Prior experience teaching or supervising undergraduate and/or graduate students in special education. • Demonstrated expertise in one or more of the department's priority areas listed above. • Experience with online, hybrid, and technology-supported instruction. • Experience collaborating with school districts and other educational or community agencies.
Instructions and Required Materials for Application
To be considered, applicants should submit the following materials through The University of Alabama's faculty employment system: • Letter of application describing qualifications for the position, research agenda with statement describing current and future scholarship and potential for external funding, teaching and service interests, and fit with the Department of Special Education. • Curriculum vitae. • Names and contact information for three professional references. • Unofficial graduate transcripts. Official transcripts will be required prior to appointment. Review of applications will begin October 15th and continue until the position is filled. Questions regarding the position may be directed to Search Committee Chair Sara McDaniel scmcdaniel@ua.edu
About the Division/College/School
For over 150 years, the College of Education has been dedicated to developing professionals with the expertise needed to advance the intellectual and social conditions of all learners. By effectively preparing graduates to pursue their pedagogical and scholarly endeavors, the College of Education aims to lead Alabama in teaching, scholarship, advocacy, and service. Our faculty’s research, teaching, and service is widely recognized through their securement of external funding, national awards, professional organization leadership, established centers and offices, and outreach to the local, state, and national communities. Faculty in the college are free to pursue their passions, partner with the local communities, and excel in their many pursuits of academia.
The College of Education consists of six academic departments and 29 high-caliber programs, including opportunities that enable students to earn specialized degrees in teacher education, exercise science, and educational neuroscience. Through a robust offering of main campus options, online degrees, and certification programs, the College is poised to accommodate any learner. The College of Education is also home to the No. 1 competitive adaptive sports program in the nation, UA Adapted Athletics, and proudly supports their successes at their state-of-the-art facilities. With teaching, research, and outreach efforts that serve the local community and beyond, the College of Education continues to expand its footprint in both the world of academia and in our global society.
The College of Education is committed to advancing opportunities for all of its community members, including increasing and retaining faculty, staff, and students from a range of backgrounds and areas of expertise, creating a culture that welcomes a vibrant and global college community, and providing opportunities for faculty, staff, and students to develop competencies that support these efforts. For more information on the College of Education’s commitments and efforts, please visit our website: https://education.ua.edu/
About the University
The University of Alabama is located in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, named one of Travel + Leisure’s 25 Best College Towns and Cities in the U.S. As one of the nation’s premier universities, UA offers bachelor’s, master's and doctoral degrees in nearly 200 fields of study. With more than 1,400 acres of tree-lined academic core campus and over 300 state-of-the art facilities, UA has been ranked among the most beautiful and most impressive college campuses in the South, in the state of Alabama and in the nation.
In Fall 2023, the Capstone set a new enrollment record with more than 39,000 students, including more than 8,200 in the freshman class. The current enrollment includes students from every county in Alabama, every state in the nation and 92 countries around the world. More than 1,100 National Merit Scholars are currently enrolled, making UA one of the largest enrolling institutions of the scholars in the country.
UA was recently recognized as a Top Producing Institution of Fulbright U.S. students for the seventh time in nine years, as well as a Top Producing Institution of Fulbright U.S. Scholars for the first time. UA is one of only 12 universities in the nation to receive both honors.
For reasons like this, the University made Forbes list of America’s Top Colleges for 2023 and Time magazine’s list of Top 50 Best Colleges for Future Leaders. It also made Princeton Review’s list of Top Value Colleges.
UA is also designated among the top doctoral research universities in the United States in the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education. One of the fastest growing major research institutions in the nation, UA saw a 21% increase in sponsored awards in the 2023 fiscal year.
Since 2015, UA has invested over $1.1 billion in the physical campus, adding more than 2.55 million gross square feet of space, over 150 new research-intensive faculty, signature research areas (e.g., “The Alabama Research Institutes”), and a growing number of partnerships with industry and with state and federal agencies.
The University employs nearly 2,100 faculty and over 4,500 staff, with 52 UA researchers included in the National Academy of Inventors. An additional 40 current faculty have received the NSF CAREER Award, the nation’s most prestigious recognition of top performing young scientists in disciplines ranging from nanoscience and engineering to biological sciences.
Background Investigation and EEO Statement
Background Investigation Statement: Prior to hiring, the final candidate(s) must successfully pass a pre-employment background investigation and information obtained from social media and other internet sources. A prior conviction reported as a result of the background investigation DOES NOT automatically disqualify a candidate from consideration for this position. A candidate with a prior conviction or negative behavioral red flags will receive an individualized review of the prior conviction or negative behavioral red flags before a hiring decision is made.
Equal Employment Opportunity: The University of Alabama is an Equal Employment/Equal Educational Opportunity Institution. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment or volunteer status without regard to any legally protected basis and will not be discriminated against because of their protected status. Applicants and employees of this institution are protected under Federal law from discrimination on several bases. More information is available in the EEOC’s Know Your Rights: Workplace (https://www.eeoc.gov/sites/default/files/2023-06/22-088_EEOC_KnowYourRights6.12ScreenRdr.pdf) discrimination is illegal poster.
The University of Alabama affirms its longstanding commitment to institutional neutrality, free speech, and academic freedom.
