Western Carolina University continues to rank high on Forbes Best Employers lists each year. Including:
2024 - Ranking in the top 8.5% on Forbes Americas Best Midsize Employers list, WCU was ranked 34 out of the top 400 employers across all industries.
2023 - Ranked in the top 20% on Forbes Americas Best Midsize Employers list, WCU was ranked 97 out of the top 500 employers across all industries.
2022 - Ranked 14th in the top 100 employers in North Carolina in Forbes Americas Best Employers by State list.
Western Carolina University is the UNC systems westernmost campus and has been consistently ranked as one of the top 15 public regional institutions in the South.
Employees of WCU are provided a comprehensive benefits package as well as other resources, policies and programs to ensure a happy and healthy work/life balance. Benefit eligible employees have access to dental, vision and health insurance plans - eligibility begins on the first of the month following date of hire. Retirement plan contributions begin on the eligibility date following election and include employer contributions for either a defined contribution or a defined benefit plan. Optional disability plans are also available.
Eligible employees have access to tuition waivers for up to three courses per academic year; employee may enroll at any of the constituent UNC System campuses. Also offered are free group exercise classes multiple times per week, a discounted membership to the campus recreation center, free vaccine and booster shots offered on campus, pretax flexible spending accounts, 12 paid holidays and 24 hours of paid community service leave each year. Leave earning employees (staff and 12-month faculty) who work at least half of the working days of their first month of employment will begin accruing vacation and sick leave immediately. Paid parental leave after 12 months of continuous service.
WCU offers an abundance of training and development programs, certifications, workshops and conferences - many of which are offered free of charge.

Western Carolina University (WCU) invites applications for a 9-month, tenure-track Assistant Professor faculty position in the graduate Counseling program. Anticipated starting work date is January 1, 2026 or August 1, 2026. Review of applications will begin immediately and will continue until the position is filled.

The Counseling Program is located in the Human Services Department in the College of Education and Allied Professions. The Human Services Department (HS) is a diverse department offering a wide range of undergraduate, graduate, and post-graduate degrees in fields intended to meet a variety of human needs.

The successful candidate will teach, supervise, and advise students in a CACREP-accredited, masters degree program in Counseling (school and clinical mental health counseling specialties) at the WCU instructional site at Biltmore Park in Asheville, NC. Courses are offered to students in day and evening sections with the expectation of faculty working 1-2 nights per semester.

Duties:

Application materials must be submitted online. Review of applications will be on a rolling basis starting April 1, 2025 and continue until position is filled.

Please include a cover letter, current curriculum vitae, unofficial transcripts from highest degree earned* and a list of three professional references with full contact information.

For questions or additional information please contact Dr. Nancy Valverde, Search Committee Chair, at: nvalverde@wcu.edu

*All applicants are required to submit an unofficial transcript of their highest attained degree, showing all completed coursework and the date the degree was conferred. The transcript must state Degree Awarded, Degree Conferred or a similar phrase. For candidates who are ABD, please submit your most recent doctoral program transcript along with your masters degree transcript, if you hold such a degree. The masters degree transcript must have a notation such as Degree Awarded, Degree Conferred or similar phrase, to verify it as your highest completed degree.