Dean of School of Education

| THE OPPORTUNITY

Columbia College seeks an innovative educator and strategic leader for the position of Dean of the School of Education to begin July 1, 2027. The School of Education is a cornerstone of Columbia College’s mission, housing seven undergraduate and four graduate academic programs. Backed by more than $12 million in state and federal grants, the incoming Dean will inherit a highly successful team. Columbia College seeks an accomplished leader who will guide the School of Education into its next chapter of growth, with a strategic focus on innovation, expanded community partnerships, and the development of new advanced graduate curricula, including doctoral-level programming.

| THE ROLE OF THE POSITION

The Dean of the School of Education reports to the Provost/Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs and serves as a member of the Senior Leadership Team. The School of Education is home to two distinct Centers of Excellence awarded by the South Carolina Commission on Higher Education: one in Alternative Certification and one in Mathematics. The School also proudly hosts the Call Me MISTER and South Carolina Teaching Fellows programs. Known for its dedication to the community, the School of Education maintains a robust focus on multilingual learners and special education through deep-rooted institutional partnerships.

| ABOUT COLUMBIA COLLEGE

Columbia College is a private liberal arts institution committed to preparing students for lives of purpose, responsibility, and impact. Since its founding, the College has cultivated a learning environment where academic rigor is paired with a deep investment in personal growth, ethical leadership, and community engagement. Students are encouraged to engage deeply with their communities, take initiative, and approach challenges with resilience. Whether in the classroom, through service, or in professional settings, they learn to lead with empathy and integrity. The College offers undergraduate, graduate, and online programs that blend a liberal arts foundation with career-focused preparation. Small class sizes and close faculty mentorship foster a culture of support. 

| THE HISTORY

Founded in 1854 and rooted in the United Methodist Church, Columbia College is one of the oldest institutions of higher learning in South Carolina. Established as Columbia Female College, it opened in 1859 with a mission to provide women a rigorous liberal arts education. The College became fully coeducational in 2020 and welcomed its first coeducational residential class in 2021.

The College has demonstrated resilience and adaptability throughout its history. The campus rebuilt after fires, including the 1964 fire that destroyed Old Main. Its surviving columns remain a College symbol and are incorporated into the institutional logo. Today, Columbia College offers an inclusive, personalized education centered on critical thinking, effective communication, lifelong learning, and personal responsibility.

The Dean will provide overall leadership to the School of Education in the following ways: 

• Oversight of curriculum and programs: develop new programs, coordinate program review and accreditation process with program chairs, supervise the assessment of the programs within the school, promote programs within the school; 
• Oversight of accreditation and state department requirements of the Education Program Provider (EPP): coordinate state report submissions with Director of Teacher Education (DTE) and Field Experience Coordinator, organize and lead accreditation cycle requirements with DTE and program chairs;
• Hire, develop, and supervise faculty and academic support staff: oversee hiring process of faculty, orient and support development of new faculty with assistance of program chairs, coordinate peer-review of teaching, oversee student course evaluations, evaluate faculty annually (teaching, service, and scholarship, as appropriate for faculty position), recommend faculty for tenure and promotion, oversee advising, hire and orient adjunct faculty with assistance of program chairs, conduct/coordinate in-class observations of new adjunct faculty, review faculty loads and assignments with each faculty member at the beginning of each academic year;
• Maintain a positive working environment;
• Tend to academic student issues;
• Manage resources, including proposing and monitoring budgets;
• Serve as a liaison with administration and other College departments;
• Work with admissions to recruit new students;
• Work with marketing to develop consistent, on-brand collateral materials;
• Represent the College externally when appropriate;
• Maintain and share program and school data as appropriate;
• Complete other duties as assigned.

• Holds or has held a valid educator certification;
• Has an earned doctorate (Ph.D. or Ed.D.) in Education from an accredited institution;
• Has at least 5 years of successful public school teaching experience;
• Is knowledgeable/has experience with the certification requirements in the state of South Carolina or other US state;
• Has experience with accreditation through a national or state process and specialty program areas (SPA) reports;
• Has a minimum of 3 years of progressive academic leadership experience, such as department chair or associate dean;
• Has a distinguished record of teaching, scholarship, and service for more than 5 years, qualifying for a senior faculty rank;
• Experience with submission and monitoring of state and federal grants is desired;
• Experience with doctoral program development at the advanced level is desired.

Candidates must apply online through the Columbia College website application portal (www.columbiasc.edu/about/employment).  Applicants should be prepared to attach the following:

• A letter of application/interest
• Current curriculum vitae
• List of at least three references with current email addresses and phone numbers (references will not be contacted until final stages and only after candidates have been informed)
• Statement of teaching philosophy
• Copies of graduate transcripts (transcripts may be unofficial but official would be submitted upon hire).
• Depending on the rank, evidence of scholarly activity may be requested.

Please submit all documents in one combined pdf file.  Review of applications will begin October 1, 2026, and continue until the position is filled.

Columbia is the capital of South Carolina with a growing metropolitan population of over 800,000. The city is a central hub for government, healthcare, and commerce, and is home to more than 40,000 college students, contributing to a vibrant academic and research community. The city’s central location in the state's geographic center provides convenient access to the Atlantic coast and the Blue Ridge Mountains. Columbia’s downtown features over 70 restaurants and shops, with ongoing investment in infrastructure, housing, and public spaces. The Main Street District, Five Points, the Vista, and The Bull Street District have become key destinations for dining, arts, and community events, including the weekly Soda City Market, where vendors must make or grow their own products. The city supports a range of cultural institutions, including the Columbia Museum of Art, the South Carolina State Museum, and the Nickelodeon Theatre, South Carolina’s only nonprofit art house cinema. Columbia is also home to the Columbia Fireflies, the city’s minor league baseball team. Outdoor amenities are easily accessible, including the Three Rivers Greenway, which connects parks and neighborhoods along the Congaree, Saluda, and Broad Rivers. Just outside the city, Congaree National Park offers hiking and kayaking opportunities in one of the country's largest old-growth bottomland hardwood forests.

Columbia College is an affirmative action and equal opportunity employer. Columbia College does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, ancestry, national origin, gender, identity sexual orientation, marital status, religion, age, disability, national origin, results of genetic testing, or service in the military.