Assistant Professor in Community and Regional Planning

Candidates are especially encouraged to apply if they:

AICP certification or willingness to pursue it is desirable

The Department of Geography and Planning at Appalachian State University invites applications for a nine-month, tenure-track Assistant Professor position in Community and Regional Planning ( CRP), beginning fall 2026. The CRP program emphasizes teaching, research, and community engagement that supports strong urban, small-town, and rural communities. Housed alongside Geography, the program offers students a solid foundation in GIScience and Planning, with many pursuing double majors or minors across the two fields. Students from other departments also frequently add Planning as a second major or minor.

The Department of Geography and Planning currently enrolls about 170 undergraduate majors, including 35 pursuing the B.S. in Community and Regional Planning. Many Planning majors double-major or minor in Geography, and most earn a GIS certificate. The Department offers several Master of Geography degrees, including a Planning concentration.

We seek a candidate dedicated to student growth, active learning, and scholarly excellence. Tenure-track faculty should expect to teach 6 courses per year in Planning topics, including introductory courses (Town, City, and Regional Planning), General Education offerings, and intermediate and advanced undergraduate courses as well as graduate courses aligning with the faculty member's expertise.
We particularly welcome applicants with expertise in community and economic development or environmental planning. Current course topics include-but are not limited to-food systems, housing, community and economic development, transportation (including rural), environmental policy and planning, and climate ready-communities. Faculty help facilitate hands-on experience through faculty-supported research, community-based projects, and professional development opportunities such as conferences and publication.
Non-major students enrolled in Planning courses often come from related major programs such as Building Sciences or Public Administration. Strong student cohorts often maintain lasting professional connections after graduation.
Appalachian State offers opportunities for exploring regional planning in a distinctive culture and landscape, partnering with towns and small cities in western North Carolina. We seek a colleague who can support our curriculum while contributing their own unique interests and talents.

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential job duty satisfactorily. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform essential job functions.

ABD with reduction in rank and salary: ABD will be considered for this position. Evidence of successful defense of the dissertation must be received by July 31 for a fall hire or November 30 for a spring hire. If confirmation of defense is not provided by the deadline, the candidate will receive a new one-year fixed-term contract and be hired at the rank of Instructor. The candidate's salary will also be reduced to a lower rate commensurate with other full-time instructors in the same department. However, if degree verification is provided before the end of the one-year fixed-term contract, the candidate will be returned to the rank of assistant professor with commensurate compensation beginning July 1 of the following academic year.

No ABD consideration: Only candidates with an earned doctorate or terminal degree from an accredited institution will be considered for the position. Since ABD will not meet the minimum requirements, ABD will not be considered.

For your application to be completed, please attach the below documents:

The continued employment of a special faculty member during the term appointment may be made expressly contingent on items such as the continued availability of funding from any source, on enrollment levels, or any other contingency established by the institution.

The continued employment of a special faculty member during the term appointment may be made expressly contingent on items such as the continued availability of funding from any source, on enrollment levels, or any other contingency established by the institution.