Lecturer - Social Welfare ***Internal Only***

The School of Social Welfare at the University of Kansas is nationally recognized as an innovator in social work theory development and in research that makes positive contributions to our communities. The School of Social Welfare enrolls approximately 700 BSW, MSW, and DSW students on campuses in Lawrence and the state of Kansas as well as online.

The Lecturer teaches in-person and online social work courses in our BSW and MSW courses. They may teach at our Salina, Lawrence, and/or Edwards campuses as well as online BSW and MSW courses. Qualified candidates who have a doctoral degree may have the opportunity to teach in our online DSW program. Our online courses are a 50/50 blend of synchronous and asynchronous instruction and content. Candidates should have experience in and a desire to teach at the BSW and MSW levels across the School's curriculum areas: social work practice with individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities; social welfare policy; theories of change at all levels of social work; applied research; social / racial / economic / environmental justice, and/or electives in the area of the individual's expertise (e.g. substance use, cultural diversity). The School seeks to hire two Lecturers at 1.0 FTE each.

This position is subject to a collective bargaining agreement between The University of Kansas and United Academics, that UAKU is the exclusive representative for the bargaining unit, and that it is their right to be a member or not be a member of a union without fear of personal or professional repercussions.

The Lecturer for the School of Social Welfare is a non-tenure track faculty member who possesses the expertise and achievements to provide professional instruction. This is a 12-month position with a workload equivalent to 1.0 FTE:

• 60-90% Teaching: 10% effort devoted to each 3-credit hour course.
• 10-40% Service: This may involve curricular development; organizing and planning course syllabi according to a standardized syllabi guide, textbook acquisition, and media/technology needs and equipment requests; planning and organizing courses; developing and organizing course management software; program coordination or administrative responsibilities; and/or mentoring graduate teaching assistants and adjunct instructors.

This position is for a limited term and may be appointed for up to an initial three-year period with an opportunity for extension/renewal after a comprehensive review.

If, upon evaluation by the university, it is determined that an Lecturer has met all requirements and demonstrated potential for future term appointments, the University may offer a second contractual appointment of up to three years. Following the second contract appointment, the School may directly offer subsequent contracts for a term of no more than three years each. However, in no event will an appointment as lecturer ever lead to tenure. Advancement of Lecturers in the School is to the Senior Lecturer (SL) position. Appointment at the rank of SL typically does not occur prior to completion of two contract appointments as a Lecturer (i.e., six cumulative years of full-time service as a Lecturer ).

Due to complex state employment laws, the University of Kansas may be unable to hire fully remote workers for this position outside of Kansas. Specifically, we cannot currently offer employment to candidates residing in the following states: California, Idaho, Minnesota, and Delaware. We appreciate your understanding and invite interested individuals from eligible states to apply.

This position requires a formal degree in the cited discipline area(s) to ensure that candidates have advanced knowledge, analytical skills and professional competencies necessary to perform the duties of the position. The level of degree is commonly recognized as the standard qualification for similar roles in the public and private sector, ensuring that the university remains competitive with industry aligned practices, enhances collaboration with external partners, and supports the delivery of services and programs that meet professional and market-driven expectations

Required Qualifications to teach at the Bachelor's Level:

• Master of Social Work (MSW) plus 5 years of human service employment (for example in hospitals, courts, family service agencies, social service agencies, mental health centers, child welfare offices, domestic violence or sexual assault services, home health care, hospice or financial or emergency services) directly related to specific areas of instruction and content specific expertise in subject matter with at least 30 documented hours of directly relevant professional continuing education

Or,

• MSW plus 3 years of human service employment (see above for examples) related to specific areas of instruction, advanced licensure, and content specific expertise in subject matter and with at least 30 documented hours of directly relevant professional continuing education

Or,

• Master's Degree in a Relevant Social or Behavioral Science Discipline plus 7 years of human service employment (see above for examples) directly related to specific areas of instruction and content specific expertise in subject matter with at least 30 documented hours of directly relevant professional continuing education

Or,

• BSW plus 10 years of human service employment (see above for examples) directly related to specific areas of instruction and content specific expertise in relevant subject matter, along with evidence of ongoing participation in relevant Professional Continuing Education.

Required Qualifications to teach at the Master's Level:

• MSW plus 5 years of human service employment (see above for examples) directly related to specific areas of instruction and content specific expertise in relevant subject matter, along with evidence of ongoing participation in relevant Professional Continuing Education.

Or,

• MSW plus 3 years of human service employment (see above for examples) directly related to specific areas of instruction, advanced social work licensure, and content specific expertise in subject matter with at least 45 documented hours of directly relevant professional continuing education

Or

• Master's Degree in a relevant Social or Behavioral Science Discipline plus 7 years of human service employment (see above for examples) directly related to specific areas of instruction and content specific expertise in relevant subject matter with at least 45 documented hours of directly relevant professional continuing education

Required Qualifications to Teach at the DSW Level:

• Doctoral degree in a relevant Social or Behavioral Science Discipline
• At least 3 years of human service employment (see above for examples) directly related to specific areas of instruction, beyond the master's degree
• Documented history of successful teaching in higher education settings or in continuing education workshops
• Expertise in subject matter as evidenced by employment, coursework, or continuing educational experiences

Required Qualifications for all levels:

• Minimum 4 semesters exceeding continuation/renewal criteria as a single-term Instructor or Lecturer.
  • Average of 75% or greater of students indicating "Did this throughout the course" or "Did this sometimes" on 5 items of KU Student Surveys of Teaching (SST) that focus on course administration, expectations, deadlines and feedback in their classes, or more recently.
  • Average of 75% or greater of students indicating "Did this throughout the course" or "Did this sometimes" on 5 items of KU SST that refer to class environment (sometimes called course climate).

A complete application will include the following items:

1. Cover letter addressing how you meet the position qualifications
2. Resume/CV
3. List of all courses taught and associated Student Surveys of Teaching (SSTs)
4. A 500-750 narrative demonstrating teaching effectiveness (organized according to SSW Benchmarks Rubric)
5. A summary of activities and accomplishments in service, scholarly engagement, and administrative duties, should any of these areas apply
6. References: the names, addresses and phone numbers of at least three references qualified to evaluate your professional experiences and achievements.

Please note that finalists will be asked to deliver an online presentation to the School community describing qualifications and experience relevant to the position. They will also be asked to provide:

1. Recommendation by a full-time faculty member in the School for advancement informed by a peer observation of teaching that is conducted by the faculty member making the recommendation and that is structured by the SSW Benchmarks Rubric.
2. Recommendation from Academic Program Manager and Associate Dean for Academic Programs.

Application deadline is November 9th, 2026.

Dana Shafer
Dshafer@ku.edu

Commensurate with experience

Tuesday November 10, 2026