MCAS is the intellectual, artistic, scientific, and instructional heart of USC. The college is home to dozens of departments, schools, programs, centers, and institutes that offer a full spectrum of undergraduate and graduate degrees. Faculty scholars and artists are nationally recognized for their excellence in teaching, research, creative activity, and service. Students benefit from robust experiential learning, mentoring, and advising; a vibrant culture of discovery; and deep connections with community and industry partners.

Selected Academic Areas (illustrative, not exhaustive):

• Anthropology, Archaeology & Public History
• Art, Art History & Design; Theatre & Dance; Music (in collaboration)
• Biological Sciences; Chemistry & Biochemistry; Physics & Astronomy; Earth, Ocean & Environment
• English; Languages, Literatures & Cultures; Linguistics; Philosophy; Religious Studies
• History; African American Studies; Women’s & Gender Studies; Southern Studies
• Mathematics; Statistics; Computer Science (interdisciplinary collaborations)
• Political Science; Sociology; Psychology; Geography; Criminology & Criminal Justice

MCAS At‑a‑Glance (2025):

• 21 departments and schools, 17 interdisciplinary programs, and 25 centers institutes and programs
• 101 degree programs across undergraduate and graduate levels
• ~10,000 total students at the undergraduate and graduate level

Signature Strengths & Assets (examples):

• Interdisciplinary scholarship spanning environmental and coastal studies, data science and AI collaborations, health and brain sciences, the arts and public humanities, and social and behavioral sciences.
• Strong undergraduate core curriculum contributions; high‑impact practices such as undergraduate research, internships, global learning, and community-engaged scholarship.
• Centers, institutes, galleries, field stations, and archives that foster research, creativity, and outreach.

Reporting to the Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost, the Dean serves as the chief academic and administrative officer of MCAS and a key member of USC’s academic leadership team. The Dean advances the college’s mission by fostering excellence in scholarship and creative work, supporting an inclusive culture of belonging, stewarding resources, building external partnerships, and elevating the visibility and impact of the college.

Key Responsibilities

• Academic Leadership: Champion curricular innovation and program quality across undergraduate, graduate, and professional programs; support general education and interdisciplinary initiatives; promote evidence-based teaching and student success. 
• Research & Creative Activity: Catalyze growth in sponsored research and creative production; develop strategic faculty hiring, mentoring, and retention; expand research infrastructure and core facilities in partnership with the university.
• Faculty & Staff Success: Recruit, retain, and develop excellent and diverse faculty and staff; lead fair, transparent promotion and tenure processes; support mentorship, leadership development, and recognition.
• Student Experience: Advance inclusive excellence and a sense of belonging; scale high-impact practices; strengthen advising, career development, and post‑graduation outcomes for undergraduate and graduate students.
• Resource Stewardship: Provide fiscal leadership for a complex portfolio of budgets and revenue streams; pursue entrepreneurial opportunities; optimize space, technology, and operational effectiveness.
• External Relations & Advancement: Serve as the public face of MCAS; cultivate alumni and donor relationships; partner with corporations, foundations, public agencies, and cultural organizations; work closely with University Advancement to grow philanthropic support.
• Community Engagement: Champion reciprocal partnerships that address South Carolina’s needs in education, health, environment, culture, and economic development.
• Shared Governance & Culture: Model collegiality, transparency, accountability, and data‑informed decision‑making; collaborate with faculty, staff, students, and campus leaders to advance shared goals.

Required Qualifications

• An earned terminal degree in a discipline relevant to the college and a record of scholarship, teaching, and service that merits appointment as a tenured full professor in MCAS. 
• Progressive academic leadership experience (e.g., department chair, school director, center/institute director, associate/vice dean, or equivalent) with demonstrated success in complex organizations.

Preferred Experience and Attributes

• Record of strategic planning and execution, including fiscal management and resource allocation.
• Demonstrated success in faculty/staff recruitment, development, and retention; commitment to belonging.
• Experience growing externally funded research and/or creative activity; familiarity with research compliance and graduate education.
• Strong advocacy for the arts and humanities alongside the natural and social sciences; ability to champion integrative, interdisciplinary work.
• Ability to build philanthropic support and external partnerships; credibility with alumni, corporate, foundation, and public stakeholders.
• Exceptional communication, collaboration, and change‑management skills; integrity, fairness, and a student‑centered ethos.