Job Details and Essential Duties
The School of Historical, Philosophical, and Religious Studies in The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences at Arizona State University (ASU) invites applications for School Director, with a concurrent appointment as tenured Professor. Appointment will be at ASU’s Tempe campus with an anticipated start date of 1 July 2027. Salary will be competitive and commensurate with experience and qualifications. The College values our inclusive and interdisciplinary culture, and continually strives to foster a welcoming and inclusive environment.
The Director will work to recruit, develop, and retain exceptional faculty and staff; promote excellence in the graduate and undergraduate programs; develop and build interdisciplinary research and teaching initiatives; support ASU’s charter mission; and expand the School's outreach initiatives. The Director’s vision is expected to resonate with the design aspirations of the “The New American University,” fostering growth and innovation in the School’s research and teaching mission, advancing entrepreneurial opportunities, and enhancing relations within and outside the university community.
Reporting to the Dean of The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences through the Dean of Humanities, the Director will provide administrative leadership and academic vision, and will engage a dynamic faculty in shaping a productive, collegial environment that advances the School’s mission. The Director will also employ collaborative and solution-oriented leadership in fiscal planning and administration, in recruiting and retaining faculty, in promoting scholarship and external research funding, in fostering donor relations, in developing and implementing strategic initiatives related to faculty, staff and/or students, and in exploring and developing opportunities for collaboration within and beyond the university. Applicants must be currently authorized to work in the United States on a full-time basis.
About the School of Historical, Philosophical, and Religious Studies
ASU’s School of Historical, Philosophical, and Religious Studies is one of the nation’s largest and most innovative transdisciplinary humanities institutions. With 92 faculty and nearly 1,600 majors, the school teaches more than 33,000 students each year in bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral programs. A substantial portion of the student population is online, including a pioneering master’s program in World War II Studies in collaboration with the National World War II Museum in New Orleans. Additionally, the school hosts transdisciplinary programs and affiliated research and education centers.
About The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences is the academic heart of Arizona State University, committed to improving communities on a local, national and global scale. We support the professional development and growth of our faculty and staff in their cutting-edge research to advance these aims. Within The College, our faculty engage with a large curious student body, guiding them as they grow into socially aware, critical thinkers and writers able to succeed in a wide range of careers and to address the challenges of the twenty-first century. Advancing the success of our students remains our top priority. To learn more about The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, please visit https://thecollege.asu.edu.
About Arizona State University
ASU exemplifies a new prototype for the American public research university. As articulated in the ASU Charter, ASU is a comprehensive public research university, measured not by whom it excludes, but by whom it includes and how they succeed; advancing research and discovery of public value; and assuming fundamental responsibility for the economic, social, cultural and overall health of the communities it serves.
Essential Functions:
● Recruit, develop, and retain exceptional faculty and staff
● Promote excellence in the graduate and undergraduate programs
● Develop and build interdisciplinary research and teaching initiatives
● Support ASU’s charter mission
● Expand the School's outreach initiative
● Provide leadership in managing the operational, academic, financial and personnel-related aspects of the School with a vision that is expected to resonate with the design aspirations of the “The New American University
● Foster growth and innovation in the School’s research and teaching mission
● Advancing entrepreneurial opportunities
● Enhance relations within and outside the university community
Required Qualifications:
● A terminal degree in History, Philosophy, Religious Studies, or a closely related field
● An established record of research and teaching excellence commensurate with the rank of tenured full professor in The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences at ASU
● Demonstrated record of relevant experience and evidence of effective leadership
● Demonstrated capacity to engage faculty members across a broad range of disciplines
Desired Qualifications:
● Demonstrated commitment to working with faculty, staff, students, and communities to advance the principles of the ASU charter
● Experience with complex budgeting environments
● Understanding of and experience with online education in the humanities
● Experience with program development
● Experience with interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary collaborations
● Experience with development and donor relations, and external funding
● Involvement with community-based initiatives
Application Instructions:
The application deadline is 31 August 2026. Applications will continue to be accepted on a rolling basis for a reserve pool. Applications in the reserve pool may then be reviewed in the order in which they were received until the position is filled. Candidates will be asked to create or use an existing Interfolio Dossier to submit the following application materials, https://apply.interfolio.com/187054:
● a curriculum vitae
● a letter of interest describing how they meet the qualifications noted above and their vision for leadership of a multidisciplinary school
● the names, positions, and contact information of three references who may be contacted directly
Equal Employment Opportunity Statement
A background check is required for employment. Arizona State University is a VEVRAA Federal Contractor and an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer. All qualified applicants will be considered without regard to race, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, national origin, disability, protected veteran status, or any other basis protected by law. ASU’s full nondiscrimination statement (ACD 401) is located on the ASU website at https://www.asu.edu/aad/manuals/acd/acd401.html and https://www.asu.edu/titleIX.
Clery Act Statement
In compliance with federal law, ASU prepares an annual report on campus security and fire safety programs and resources. ASU’s Annual Security and Fire Safety Report is available online at https://www.asu.edu/police/PDFs/ASU-Clery-Report.pdf. You may request a hard copy of the report by contacting the ASU Police Department at 480-965-3456.
ASU's School of Historical, Philosophical, and Religious Studies is one of the nation's most innovative humanities units for education and research in and across disciplines. With >80 faculty, the school teaches >20,000 students, including 40% online students, in bachelor's, master's, and doctoral programs in History, Philosophy, and Religious Studies, as well as bachelor's programs in Asian Studies and Jewish Studies. A new masters program is being launched in World War II Studies in collaboration with the National World War II Museum in New Orleans. The school has affiliated programs in Public History and research and education centers, including the Center for Asian Research, Center for Jewish Studies, and the Center for the Study of Religion and Conflict.
