Job description
Alva, OK
Position Available: Full-time, nine-month, tenure-track Assistant or Associate Professor of Sociology with additional credentials in public administration and/or political science a plus. Salary, based on qualifications and experience, is determined by the Vice President for Academic Affairs and University President and approved by the Regional University System of Oklahoma (RUSO).
General Information: Northwestern Oklahoma State University is a multi-campus, state-assisted regional institution in the Oklahoma System of Higher Education and is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission. The student population is approximately 2,000 students. Located in Alva, Oklahoma, and with additional campus locations in Enid and Woodward, the university is a center of activity for the region.
Available: August 2025
Job Summary: The successful candidate should be prepared to teach 27 credit hours per academic year in the areas of sociology, with some teaching in political science or public administration available if faculty member meets HLC faculty-qualification standards (18+ graduate hours in the field). Course responsibilities in sociology include race and ethnicity, gender, immigration, and rural studies. As the sociology major is closely tied to the political science major housed in the Social Sciences Department, appropriate credentials and a willingness to teach classes in public administration, political science, political theory, and/or political science is also a plus. Additional areas of specialization that could complement and enhance existing programmatic offerings are welcomed. Summer school employment opportunities will be available but not required.
Proficiency with online teaching and online learning management systems is a requirement, as is general technological skills and a willingness to teach distance education via internet technologies and interactive media (i.e. Blackboard and Zoom). Additionally, academic programs at NWOSU include service-learning components into its courses, and the department welcomes applicants with ideas to help meet this need. Therefore, demonstrated experience teaching online or teaching synchronous classes to multiple sites and coordinating service learning projects and internships are desirable.
Duties and Responsibilities:
As NWOSU is a teaching-focused institution, the main duties of the position are designing and teaching freshman through senior-level sociology courses, offering occasional graduate sections of courses, advising sociology majors across campus sites, and participating in collaborative student recruitment activities. In addition, faculty are expected to stay engaged as scholars and demonstrate service to the university and community. Such activities can include sponsoring student organizations, serving on university committees, maintaining memberships in professional organizations, presenting or publishing in the discipline of expertise, and volunteering for local organizations. Additional duties include contributing to program reporting and carrying out other Social Science Department tasks.
Qualifications: Master’s Degree in Sociology required. Doctorate in Sociology strongly preferred. Applicant must meet Higher Learning Commission expectations for faculty qualification. Masters-prepared faculty are appointed at the rank of instructor; terminal degree required for appointment at rank of assistant professor on tenure track.
Closing Date: Review of applications will begin immediately and continue until the position is filled.
Send Information to:
Dr. Steven Maier Dean of Faculty Northwestern Oklahoma State University 709 Oklahoma Blvd. Alva, OK 73717 Email: [email protected]
How to apply
Applicants should provide a cover letter, curriculum vita that includes contact information for at least three (3) professional references, the NWOSU application for faculty (https://www.nwosu.edu/uploads//exempt-employee-app-fillable.pdf), and academic transcripts. Unofficial transcripts are sufficient for application; official transcripts will be required before appointment. Applicants may also submit an example syllabus, as appropriate and if available. Email submission of application materials as PDF attachments is preferred. Only applicants who are authorized to be employed in the United States need apply.
Northwestern Oklahoma State University is an equal opportunity employer. Applicants who would enrich the diversity of the campus community are encouraged to apply. Only applicants who are authorized to be employed in the United States need apply.
Northwestern Oklahoma State University does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, age religion, handicap or status as a veteran in its employment policies or procedures.
