Associate/Full Professor-Doctorate of Social Work (DSW) Program Director-Social Work-Fall 2026

Description

The University of Tennessee, Knoxville College of Social Work invites applications for a full-time faculty position as Director of the Doctor of Social Work (DSW) program for our accredited DSW program. We are looking for a proven leader who has strong clinical practice experience, understands the needs of working MSW-level practitioners, and has a background working with online education. The successful candidate will help the CSW move forward in our commitment to the College’s mission and vision.  

The Director of the Doctor of Social Work Program has the primary responsibility for managing day-to-day programmatic activities for this online program. This position oversees admissions, curriculum development and implementation, student advising, faculty teaching assignments, program assessment, and compliance with accreditation standards. The DSW Program Director is responsible for establishing and maintaining effective relationships with faculty, staff, students, and other stakeholders. The DSW Director promotes the School’s connection with the practice community through active engagement with relevant professional associations at the local and national levels. The level of this position requires comprehensive knowledge and understanding of university practices and processes, sound judgment and decision-making skills, the ability to work collaboratively on a team, and the ability to create a vision and leadership for the DSW Program.

Candidates for this position must have earned a doctoral degree in social work. They also will meet the requirments for the appoinment at the appropriate rank for the University of Tennessee. Successful candidates would need to meet the qualifications in order to be eligible to pursue tenure upon initial appointment. The positions can be located on the Knoxville campus, the Nashville campus, or may work remote. This is a 12-month position.

 The University and the College of Social Work

The University of Tennessee Knoxville is a land-grant, flagship research institution, that imagines “a world enriched by our ideas, improved through action, and inspired by the Volunteer Spirit of service and leadership.” (https://chancellor.utk.edu/vision/). The university is in the midst of unprecedented growth, with current enrollment of approximately 37,000 students. The University is one of 38 land-grant universities with Carnegie Foundation classification as both a Research 1: Very High Spending and Doctorate Production, and the elective Classification for Community Engagement. Forbes Magazine recently ranked UTK as one of the best places to work in the US, including ranking it ninth among public higher education institutions in the United States. UTK offers a competitive benefits package, and 9-month tenure-track faculty are eligible for additional summer salary.

The University of Tennessee Knoxville College of Social Work (UTCSW) has almost 1,000 students enrolled in undergraduate, MSSW, DSW, and PhD programs in Knoxville, Nashville, and online. Ranked 24th nationally by the US News and World Report (2024), the college prepares highly skilled and culturally sensitive social workers to address areas of need across the state, the country, and the globe. UTCSW is home to four research centers and several individual faculty research labs. The college’s research-active faculty conduct interdisciplinary research in in partnership with faculty from other UTK colleges/departments (e.g., the Tickle College of Engineering, the College of Nursing, and Departments of Public Health, Child and Family Studies, Kinesiology, Nutrition, and Psychology, among others), the UT Health Science Center in Memphis, and UT Extension. UTCSW also has community-based partnerships with numerous state and community agencies.  

 The UTCSW is committed to the success of our faculty. We offer a strong mentoring program, manageable teaching load, competitive start-up funds, pre-tenure teaching releases, and opportunities for internal research funding. The university also offers supports for teaching and research innovation.

Campus Locations

The City of Knoxville is a hidden gem, located in the foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains. Knoxville has a beautiful and walkable downtown, a diverse music scene, active neighborhoods, unique restaurants, outstanding athletic opportunities, and a robust offering of outdoor and cultural activities. Knoxville enjoys the charm of a small city with activities that range from green energy initiatives and community greenways to thriving festival culture, music, culinary, and outdoor recreation scenes. Knoxville’s community brings events such as the Asian Fest