Assistant Professor of Practice & Program Director in Applied Data Analytics

Description

The Department of Educational Psychology (EDP) in the College of Education at The University of Texas at Austin seeks applications for a full-time professional-track Program Director for a new Option III Master’s program in Educational Psychology with a specialization in Applied Data Analytics. This innovative professional master’s program is designed to serve working professionals and prepare graduates to use data to inform decision-making across education, health, policy, and related applied contexts through a flexible, online format. This is a non-tenure track position.

The Program Director will provide academic and administrative leadership for the program and play a central role in its launch, growth, and long-term success. This position offers a distinctive opportunity to shape and lead a high-impact professional graduate program at a flagship R1 institution.

UT-Austin's Department of Educational Psychology has robust graduate programs and is currently ranked #6 among the Best Educational Psychology Programs rated by U.S. News & World Report. The department advances knowledge about the human experience at the intersection of education and psychology through research, teaching, and practice. It provides an interdisciplinary and contemporary approach to learning and development and seeks to enhance the quality of the human experience through rigorous educational and psychological research, and effective translation of findings to policy and practice.

Responsibilities

• Provide strategic and operational leadership for the Option III Master’s program.
• Oversee curriculum implementation and continuous refinement in collaboration with departmental faculty and college leadership.
• Recruit, advise, and support graduate students, including working professionals and non-traditional learners.
• Coordinate course scheduling, instructional staffing, and instructional quality for online courses.
• Lead program assessment, reporting, and continuous improvement efforts.
• Support marketing, outreach, and enrollment management in collaboration with the College and Graduate School.
• Teach graduate-level courses in the Master’s program, including one or more of the following: Fundamentals of Probability and Statistics; Data Analytics: Fundamentals and Ethics; Data Wrangling and Preprocessing; Data Visualization; Regression Methods; Machine Learning for Applied Research; Applications in Data Mining; Social Network Analysis in Applied Research; Longitudinal Data Analytics; and Fundamentals of Text Analytics.

Qualifications

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Ph.D. in Data Science, Data Analytics, Quantitative Methods, Quantitative Psychology, Statistics, Applied Statistics, or a closely related field earned by January 1, 2027
• Demonstrated expertise in applied quantitative methods, data analytics, or related domains.
• Experience with or strong potential for graduate-level instruction and/or professional training in quantitative or data-focused areas.
• Experience with or strong potential for leadership, program coordination, or administrative experience in academic or professional settings.
• Strong organizational, interpersonal, and communication skills.

Appointment Details

This is a full-time professional-track appointment. The position includes administrative responsibilities with associated support (e.g., course releases or equivalent workload adjustments). In addition to leadership of the Option III program, the Program Director will carry an instructional load that includes formula-funded courses in the Department of Educational Psychology. The anticipated start date is January 1, 2027.

Established in 1891, the College of Education at UT-Austin consistently ranks among the nation’s top public colleges of education. It is home to approximately 3,500 undergraduate and graduate students and more than 300 faculty. In addition to its longstanding commitment to academic excellence, the college has an extraordinary record of advancing innovation, opportunity, health and well-being, and educational improvement through research, teaching, and public engagement. With annual research expenditures totaling ~$60 million, the college generates knowledge with direct relevance for schools, communities, health systems, and government agencies across Texas and beyond. We also contribute to the state through the preparation of educators and health professionals and through a large network of external partnerships.

Over the past five years, the college has expanded its academic programs and enrollment. The college serves students from major metropolitan areas, smaller cities, rural regions, and border communities in Texas, while also welcoming students from other states and countries. Our students diverse experiences and perspectives strengthen the college’s mission to prepare educators, professionals, researchers, and leaders who can address pressing educational and community needs.

The University of Texas at Austin is the state’s leading research university, with approximately $1.3 billion in annual research expenditures and a total enrollment of more than 55,000 students. As a member of the Association of American Universities, UT-Austin provides a robust ecosystem for interdisciplinary research through partnerships with the College of Natural Sciences and with many other academic and research units on campus including Dell Medical School, the School of Social Work, and the Population Research Center.

The campus is situated in Austin, one of the nation’s most dynamic and fastest-growing cities, and it is in a state that offers outstanding opportunities for scholarly inquiry. Texas is home to more than 10% of the nation’s PK–12 student population, and approximately 30% of Texas students speak a home language other than English, collectively representing more than 100 languages. Texas has also experienced significant growth in its healthcare, sports, and education sectors. Together, the scale and complexity of Texas, the dynamism of Austin, and the research strength of UT-Austin offer an exceptional environment for scholars seeking to advance knowledge and improve lives.

Application Instructions

Applications must be submitted via Interfolio and should include the following documents: 

• Letter of application with stated qualifications
•  Curriculum vitae 
• Contact information including title for three references 

Review of applications will begin on October 1, 2027, and continue until the position is filled. Pre-employment screening includes verification of academic credentials and background check. For additional information about the department, see https://education.utexas.edu/departments/educational-psychology/

For questions regarding the application process, please contact Becky Cook ([email protected]). Questions about the positions can be directed to the chair of the search committee: Dr. Tiffany Whittaker ([email protected]).

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement

The University of Texas at Austin, as an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer, complies with all applicable federal and state laws regarding nondiscrimination and affirmative action. The University is committed to a policy of equal opportunity for all persons and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, marital status, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, disability, religion, or veteran status in employment, educational programs and activities, and admissions.