Duke University 

Sanford School of Public Policy

Adjunct Professor of Public Policy (multiple positions)

The Sanford School of Public Policy at Duke University invites experienced practitioners to apply for adjunct teaching positions in the school’s new executive Master of Public Affairs (MPA) program, which will welcome its first cohort of students in Summer 2025.

The Duke MPA will be a hybrid, accelerated program for mid-career professionals working in government and politics, the non-profit and philanthropic sectors, or private-sector roles such as consulting and government relations, and for professionals in other sectors seeking to make a mid-career transition into public affairs. Its curriculum will combine a core emphasis on policy analysis and data analysis with a concentration in leadership, management, and ethics, offering applied, skills-based training for established or emerging public affairs leaders. Every course will be newly developed for the program, using a hybrid format that includes an initial in-person residency, a weekly virtual class meeting, and additional virtual activities and assignments.

Adjunct professors will be essential to the success of this new program, contributing valuable practical expertise that will complement the strengths of our full-time faculty and correspond to the needs and interests of our mid-career students. All MPA faculty will be expected to:

• Develop and design their course(s) for delivery in the program’s hybrid format, with guidance and support from MPA program leadership and Sanford’s Digital Learning staff;
• Attend and provide instruction during the in-person residency at the beginning of the semester(s) in which they are teaching, which will last approximately one week and will occur either on Duke’s main campus or in its Washington, DC facility;
• Lead a virtual class meeting once per week for the remainder of the semester(s), which will last 75 minutes and will occur on a weekday evening;
• Create a weekly module of course materials and activities to be completed by students on their own time, using Duke’s Canvas learning management platform;
• Develop, administer, and evaluate all course assignments, projects, exams, quizzes, and other coursework;
• Hold weekly virtual office hours and otherwise make themselves available for student advising, mentorship, and networking.

Successful candidates will have significant experience (15+ years in most cases) as practitioners of public policy, public affairs, or public administration. Candidates who have held executive leadership roles in government, non-profit or philanthropic organizations, or the private sector are preferred. An advanced degree (master’s, Ph.D., J.D., or equivalent) is required. Previous instructional experience at an accredited institution of higher education, or comparable experience leading educational programs in a professional setting (e.g., trainings or simulations), is strongly preferred. A record of academic research and/or publication is welcome but not expected.

The number of adjunct positions available in the program, and the specific courses to be taught, will vary by semester and academic year. For academic year 2025-26, our greatest needs are in the following skills and subjects:

• Executive leadership
• Public and/or non-profit management
• Professional ethics
• Decision and negotiation strategy
• Public finance and budgeting
• Human resources management
• Community engagement and participatory design
• Communications and advocacy strategy

Adjunct professors will receive an initial nine-month appointment, which may be renewed annually pending a performance evaluation. Compensation is competitive for adjunct positions and includes a base teaching stipend, a course development supplement for each new course taught, and reimbursement of travel and lodging expenses for in-person residencies. Adjunct professors may maintain their other professional engagements while teaching and may continue to reside in any state or territory with which Duke has an employment agreement.*

Interested candidates should submit a letter of application, a curriculum vitae, and the names and contact information for two professional references. Letters of application should explain why you are interested in joining the Sanford School of Public Policy, describe how your professional and/or academic experiences relate to the goals and mission of the MPA program, and identify the top three subjects you believe you are qualified to teach (including but not limited to those listed above) and the semester(s) in which you are available to teach them (Fall 2025, Spring 2026, and/or Summer 2026). This position will remain open indefinitely, with applications reviewed on a rolling basis, but the deadline for priority consideration for the 2025-26 academic year will be October 1, 2024.

Founded in 1971 by Terry Sanford—President of Duke, former Governor of North Carolina, and later a U.S. Senator—the Sanford School of Public Policy is one of the oldest, largest, and most respected public policy schools in the United States. Today, Sanford is home to one of the university’s largest undergraduate majors, five professional master’s degree programs, and a Ph.D. program. Its full-time faculty of nearly 70 is widely recognized for their contributions to public policy, political science, economics, history, sociology, psychology, law, philosophy, and other disciplines, and for their distinguished record of policy engagement and public service.

*Duke currently has employment agreements with Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Maryland Massachusetts, Montana, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, and Washington, DC.

Duke University is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer committed to providing employment opportunity without regard to an individual's age, color, disability, gender, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information, national origin, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, or veteran status.

Duke aspires to create a community built on collaboration, innovation, creativity, and belonging. Our collective success depends on the robust exchange of ideas-an exchange that is best when the rich diversity of our perspectives, backgrounds, and experiences flourishes. To achieve this exchange, it is essential that all members of the community feel secure and welcome, that the contributions of all individuals are respected, and that all voices are heard. All members of our community have a responsibility to uphold these values.