Assistant Professors are full-time employed faculty who provide a variety of educational services to degree, certificate, and non-degree learners. Assistant Professors are responsible for meeting the expectations and requirements of Capella University while establishing and maintaining effective relationships with learners, colleagues, staff, and administration. Assistant Professors are able to perform well in all key accountabilities of the role, are nimble and flexible and expected to be able and willing to take on essential roles and other duties as needed, within the department, school or university. Assistant Professors ensure that learners receive quality educational experiences consistent with stated course outcomes as well as HLC and any program accreditation standards. They provide high-quality, impactful, and inclusive experiences that deliver exceptional learning outcomes. Capella values the scholarly-practitioner model and expects Assistant Professors to continue learning and development through participation in scholarly activities or professional practice in the discipline. Among the responsibilities that Assistant Professors are expected to perform include: teaching (online), mentor and committee work (graduate level only), and contributing to curriculum development. Assistant Professors also participate in school governance through faculty committees and may participate in a variety of other activities based upon the university’s needs and the faculty member’s unique skill set.
Essential Duties & Responsibilities:
Teaching and Instruction – Assistant Professors are highly engaged instructors in the courses and residencies they teach. They are sought out by learners and consistently exceed set expectations for faculty who teach courses at Capella. Assistant Professors use course data to constantly improve their individual teaching performance and contribute regularly to the improvement and refinement of the courses they teach. Regularly reviews course feedback and implements change to continually strengthen performance and enhance learner experience.
Doctoral Mentoring – Assistant Professors are highly knowledgeable about established dissertation and doctoral capstone processes and resources. They interact effectively with learners, develop strong relationships and offer guidance. They have demonstrated success in chairing and serving on doctoral committees. Assistant Professors facilitate highly interactive dissertation and capstone courserooms and their learners are supported to timely completion of the dissertation or capstone product.
Curriculum and Course Development – Assistant Professors are knowledgeable in the Capella course development process and have demonstrated the ability to work successfully with cross functional partners across Capella to plan and deliver high-quality course and curriculum in the area of their expertise. Participates in the design development and continuous improvement of courses and course materials including course plans, objectives, and outcomes, teaching aids, competency-based assessments, and authentic assessment tools. Ensure sensitivity diversity and inclusiveness in curriculum design, course content, and study materials as needed.
School and University Governance – Assistant Professors regularly demonstrate leadership roles in school and university governance. They willingly assume school and university committee roles as active participants and are effective in driving the positive impact of these governance structures. They are the role models and leaders among faculty and serve as peer mentors.
Professional Service and Practice – Assistant Professors are active in contributing their professional knowledge and skills to the needs of their local communities and within their professional network affiliations. They carry the “Capella Brand” and mission to their local regions and communities. Research and Scholarship – Assistant Professors stay current in their scholarly field(s) and demonstrate expertise through writing, speaking and conference attendance.
Leadership through Team Engagement – Assistant Professors are expected to take on essential roles and other duties as needed, within the department, school or university. Bringing their unique skills and perspectives, Assistant Professors regularly contribute to departmental leadership whether it be through specific roles, active contribution of innovative ideas, or taking on challenging tasks. All full-time faculty are depended on, and relied upon, for immediate and unplanned needs and must be nimble and adjust to changes as they occur. These roles may include specialized assignments such as faculty and cross functional staff meetings, commencement, residencies, Capella-sponsored faculty development, problem resolution, faculty orientation/mentoring, webinar facilitation, course revisions, etc.
Job Skills
Teaching and Assessment and/or Doctoral Mentoring:
Understand and apply Capella’s competency-based education model that aligns program outcomes, competencies, assessments, and reports with external standards and Capella educational philosophy to improve learning.
Convey and share content knowledge and relevant professional experience in the discipline.
Facilitate learner acquisition of course and/or research competencies aligned with their program.
Consider learner differences and appreciate the diversity of experience and interpretation among students.
Effectively assess and document learner knowledge, skills, and dispositions through formative and summative feedback.
Monitor learner progress and achievement and refers students to additional resources as needed.
Display cultural awareness and sensitivity to learner differences and seek information about strengths, needs, and interests of the learner to provide personalized support.
Engage students in effective, timely, and relevant interactions and nurtures a learning community that cultivates a spirit of trust, interaction, and learning.
Effectively manage key online course and/or advanced doctoral processes and tools.
Provide a timely, visible, consistent, and responsive presence in the courseroom and/or mentoring process, and communicate appropriately and respectfully.
Encourage learner engagement consistent with the learner code of conduct and support the free exchange of ideas.
Research And Scholarship
These activities advance teaching and mentoring as well as professional development. Activity varies by person and field. Meeting research and scholarship requirements as defined by external accreditors, where appropriate. Schools may identify focus areas of research, specific conferences, or professional journals.
Scholarship for applying innovative teaching methods, especially those that can be empirically validated as having a positive impact on learner success (e.g., course success, continuation, graduation).
Submit proposals and/or present at workshops or conferences (internally and externally).
Showcase original/innovative work/exhibition.
Maintain an active research agenda.
Attend professional development events, attain continuing education credits, and pursue additional credentials.
Present research (whether applied or teaching-focused).
Submit paper and/or publish at industry-recognized channels.
Professional Service And Practice
Includes external-facing activities related to students, institution, profession, and/or community. Activities increase the service of the institution and strengthen its external reputation. Meeting professional service and practice requirements as defined by external accreditors, where appropriate. In most situations, the activities are with reduced fee/pro bono/honorarium.
To students: Career and well-being advising, leading student organizations, guidance on learning and projects outside of courseroom, learner-facing webinars.
To institution: Providing support for institutional activities with external audience (e.g., presentations for employer partners, job fairs, representing the institution at conferences).
To profession: Leadership in organizations or professional associations, advocacy for the advancement of the profession and communities served, organize professional conferences.
To community: Sharing knowledge with the public, volunteer for community-based events with their expertise (e.g., volunteering at clinics for underprivileged communities).
Governance And Leadership
Include internal-facing
