Professor of the Practice, Sociology and Anthropology

Job Description:

The Master of Public Administration Program and the Sociology and Anthropology Department, in the Meditz College of Arts and Sciences at Fairfield University, invite applications for a full-time Professor of the Practice (POP) in public administration with expertise in nonprofit leadership/organizations. Areas of specialization include but are not limited to nonprofit management, policy implementation & program evaluation, and strategic planning. The appointment begins in September 2026, pending final budgetary approval.
 

Position Description

• Teaching at both the graduate and undergraduate levels, including the graduate course in Nonprofit Management as a primary responsibility.
• Teach one course in Sociology per semester at the undergraduate level as a primary responsibility.
• Offer additional courses in the MPA program and the Department of Sociology and Anthropology as needed.
• Teach in a variety of formats: The MPA program is a fully online, asynchronous program, while undergraduate courses are face-to-face on campus.
• Assist the MPA director with recruitment, student advising, and other program needs.
   

Successful candidates will demonstrate teaching effectiveness in both online and in-person environments. Demonstrated commitment to mentoring students and engaging with a diverse community of learners is a plus.
 

The teaching load is 4 courses each semester (3 credit hours each). Class sizes are intentionally small to support meaningful student engagement. Faculty have access to professional development opportunities through Fairfield University’s Center for Academic Excellence and other campus resources. The salary and the benefits for the position are highly competitive for the New England/Northeast region of the United States.
 

Qualifications

• Required: MPA, MA in Sociology, or an advanced degree in a closely related field.
• Preferred: PhD in Sociology, Political Science, or related social science
• Preferred: Experience in Nonprofit Management
   

Additional Information: The Sociology and Anthropology department consists of nine full-time faculty members and two professors of the practice representing a range of specialties in Sociology, Anthropology, and related programs at Fairfield University, including Women, Gender and Sexuality Studies, American Studies, Black Studies, Educational Studies, Environmental Studies, Health Studies, Humanitarian Action, and International Studies. Our department colleagues offer courses in all of the Magis Core signature elements and are active in Community Engaged Learning and Research. We also work closely with the Fredrickson Family Innovation Lab in their growing work on social science research, data analysis, and visualization.
 

The MPA Program currently includes 7 part-time and 1 full-time faculty members and also oversees the Graduate Certificate in Nonprofit Management and the undergraduate Public Administration minor. The MPA program attracts a wide range of students, including nonprofit and government professionals, career changers, and traditional graduate students who are preparing for leadership roles in public service.
 

Fairfield University is a comprehensive, co-educational, Jesuit Catholic university with a 200-acre campus located in the scenic shoreline community of Fairfield, CT, one hour from New York City. In academic year 2022-2023, Fairfield University moved into the U.S. News and World Report’s National Universities category. Consistently ranked as a top comprehensive university in New England, Fairfield enrolls approximately 5,400 undergraduate and 1,300 graduate students pursuing degrees within five schools: the John Charles Meditz College of Arts and Sciences, the Charles F. Dolan School of Business, the School of Engineering, the Marion Peckham Egan School of Nursing and Health Studies, and the School of Education and Human Development. As an expression of our Jesuit identity, Fairfield embraces a liberal, humanistic approach to education, encouraging critical thinking, cultivating free and open inquiry, and fostering ethical values.

Fairfield University provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation, and training.

Application Instructions:

Review of applications begins January 10th. Please click “Apply Now” and submit the following materials:

• a cover letter
• a curriculum vitae
• a statement of teaching philosophy and interests
• unofficial graduate transcript
• names and contact information of three reviewers

Candidates on the shortlist will be contacted to submit:

• Three letters of recommendation

Category:

Academic - Faculty Non-Tenure Track

Performs such other duties, responsibilities, and activities as required by supervisor and as departmental/University needs indicate. 
 

*Disclaimer

The above information indicates the general nature and level of work performed by employees within this classification. It is not designed to contain and should not be interpreted as a comprehensive inventory of all duties, responsibilities, activities, and/or qualifications required or expected of employees assigned to this job. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change and new ones may be assigned at any time, with or without notice.

All offers of employment are contingent upon a satisfactory background check.

Fairfield University provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation and training.

Load a resume or CV first, then upload supporting documents including a cover letter at the bottom of the third page under the "My Experience" section where it says to upload a Resume/CV. You will be able to upload up to 5 other documents in this section. You will be unable to edit your application, so please have all documents available before applying.

Faculty Positions: If you need to upload more than 5 documents, please either combine them to upload or email the additional documents to the applicable contact in the job description.

Staff positions: If you need to upload more than 5 documents, please either combine them to upload or email them to hr@fairfield.edu