Professor of Political Science

University of Chicago

United States

Institution: University of Chicago – Division of the Social Sciences
Program: Master of Arts Program in the Social Sciences (MAPSS) https://mapss.uchicago.edu
Location: Chicago, IL
Appointment: Full-time, career-track, renewable
Start Date: Academic Year 2026–27
Rank: Assistant, Associate, or Full Professor
Application Review Start: March 2, 2026
Union: Service Employees International Union (SEIU)
Benefits: Full range of health, retirement, and paid time off (benefits-eligible)

Position Overview

The University of Chicago invites applications for an Instructional Professor (IP) in Political Science. MAPSS IPs are career-track teaching and mentoring faculty responsible for:

Teaching up to 4 graduate-level courses per year (IP teaching load in MAPSS)
Mentoring students on original research projects, capstones, and theses
Advising students and alumni applying to PhD programs
Participating in admissions, recruiting, and co-curricular programming
Managing teaching assistants and contributing to program operations and decision-making committees
Engaging in professional development through conferences, workshops, and mentoring

Program Context

MAPSS is a one-year interdisciplinary MA program providing students with a foundation in social science research across:

Anthropology
History
Political Science
Psychology
Sociology
Interdisciplinary research

Students conduct research projects under faculty supervision and may pursue doctoral studies or professional careers afterward.

Qualifications

Required:

Ph.D. in Political Science or related discipline prior to start date
Prior teaching experience in the social sciences

Preferred:

Experience mentoring students on original research projects
Specializations in quantitative methods, qualitative methods, and identity are of particular interest