Description

Purpose of Position

The Department of Economics and Finance in the Nistler College of Business and Public Administration is seeking to hire an accomplished academic currently serving in a tenured position to hold an inaugural Endowed Chair in Real Estate within the department. This appointment offers a unique opportunity to shape and lead a new and growing real estate program at a pivotal moment in its development. As the cornerstone of UND’s new Real Estate Program and the inaugural Endowed Chair, the successful candidate will play a vital role in building, leading, and elevating the program to national prominence. Working closely with the Department Chair, this individual will provide strategic direction, guide curriculum development, mentor faculty, and engage with industry leaders to ensure students are prepared to excel in rapidly evolving real estate landscape.

Duties and Responsibilities

The Endowed Chair will contribute significantly to the department’s teaching mission, with a typical teaching load of four courses per academic year. The Endowed Chair is also expected to maintain an active, high-impact research agenda consistent with AACSB Scholarly Academic Standards (SA), publishing in top-tier real estate, finance, or economic journals. Additionally, the individual will mentor junior faculty in research and publication to strengthen the department’s overall scholarly output and reputation.

A central responsibility of this position is to provide visionary leadership to help establish and sustain a successful real estate program within the Department of Economics and Finance. The Endowed Chair will:

Review and enhance real estate–related curricula, such as the B.B.A. with a Major in Real Estate, ensuring programs remain rigorous, relevant, and forward-looking.
Advise and mentor students, assisting with professional development and career placement.
Collaborate with industry professionals to foster partnerships that benefit students and the program.
Contribute to outreach efforts that expand opportunities for students and strengthen the program’s reputation.
The new BBA with a Major in Real Estate emphasizes applied learning in key areas such as:

Real estate finance and investment
Real estate development and project management
Market analysis and valuation
Legal and regulatory issues

About UND and Nistler Colllege

Established in 1883, the University of North Dakota is the oldest research university in North Dakota. Founded with a strong liberal arts foundation, it is the state’s flagship university and is classified by the Carnegie Foundation as having very high research activity (R1). UND offers degrees in more than 225 fields of study. It is the home of the state’s only School of Law and School of Medicine. The School of Medicine and Health Sciences has major initiatives in rural and public health, and Aerospace is home to one of the first and largest unmanned aerial vehicle programs in the world. UND was recently ranked among the top 100 public and top 25 most innovative universities in the country by U.S. News and World Report and is widely regarded as among the top universities in the American Northern Plains region. UND has experienced strong enrollment growth over the past five years and is celebrating a historic milestone this fall (Fall 2025) with 15,844 students enrolled, the largest student body in UND’s history. This represents an increase of 5.49% over last year’s enrollment.

The Nistler College of Business and Public Administration recently moved into a brand-new building (Nistler Hall) with state-of-the-art learning and research facilities. The College has experienced sustained growth in enrollment in recent years including enrollment growth of nearly 8% since Fall 2022. The Department of Economics and Finance boasts the largest number of overall majors and student credit hours across departments/schools in the College. The BBA with a Major in Finance is currently the largest major in the College.

UND is in Grand Forks, North Dakota, a vibrant college town of over 57,000 people located on the border of North Dakota and Minnesota. Short commutes, a great public-school system, high quality medical facilities, low crime, ample parks and theaters, and a cost of living below that found in large American cities are some of Grand Forks’ advantages. Ranked as one of the top 5 Best Small College Towns, and America’s Best Hockey Town, Grand Forks offers stellar quality of life without the metropolitan hassles.

Requirements

Minimum Requirements

PhD in real estate, finance or economics from an AACSB accredited institution
Evidence of high-quality teaching in undergraduate real estate related courses
Record of high-quality academic research in real estate finance and investment, housing, urban economics, or real estate-related topics commensurate with experience.
Evidence in support of AACSB Faculty Qualification standards for Scholarly Academic (SA)
Successful completion of criminal history background check
In compliance with federal law, all persons hired will be required to verify identity and eligibility to work in the US and to complete the required employment eligibility verification form upon hire. 

Preferred Qualifications

Experience with academic program development and student retention and mentoring
Experience engaging junior faculty on research and publishing in reputable real estate, finance, or economics journals

For full consideration, use the link provided.

Applications must be received by January 19, 2026 and include the following materials:

A letter of application detailing interest in the position including relevant experience and qualifications.
A current curriculum vita
An annotated list of five references
Examples of written work
Representative sample of teaching evaluations and any other evidence of teaching effectiveness