Department: Criminal Justice

Salary: 

Description:

The review of applications will begin on September 30, 2024. To be fully considered, the candidate must submit a cover letter detailing interest in the position in the Criminal Justice Program at the University of Houston-Downtown, an updated Curriculum Vitae (CV), Unofficial doctoral and master's level graduate transcripts, and names and contact information for three professional references.

The College:
The College of Public Service (CPS) has two departments: Criminal Justice & Social Work and Urban Education. The college offers four bachelor's degrees and two master's degrees. The college is within walking distance of major police agencies, correctional facilities, and county, state, and federal courts. Additionally, the CPS maintains relationships with key social service-providing organizations that serve the greater Houston area.

The Department:
The Department of Criminal Justice and Social Work offers degree plans leading to the Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice, the Bachelor of Applied Arts and Sciences in Criminal Justice, the Master of Science in Criminal Justice, and the Bachelor of Social Work degrees. The department recently obtained approval to move forward with a Master of Social Work program.

The Program:
The Criminal Justice Program currently employs 5 Professors, 3 Associate Professors, 6 Assistant Professors, and 3 Lecturers. The criminal justice programs serve traditional and non-traditional student populations with diverse backgrounds and professional interests. Students in criminal justice have opportunities to join academic and professional student organizations, learn from adjunct professors who currently hold leadership and practitioner positions in the criminal justice system, and engage in high-impact learning opportunities such as service-learning courses, internships, and work with faculty on research projects.

The Criminal Justice Program at the University of Houston-Downtown seeks dynamic candidates to fill three tenure-earning faculty positions to begin in the Fall 2025 term. The first will be at the rank of either Associate Professor OR Assistant Professor of Criminal Justice. The final two will be at the rank of Assistant Professor of Criminal Justice. If time for tenure and/or promotion is granted, the university will follow the guidance of UH System SAM 06.A.09 Academic Personnel Policies.

Job Description:

• Teach a 3/3 course load of undergraduate and graduate courses in multiple modalities in the first year and a 3/4 load each year thereafter 
• Engage in meaningful and evolving criminological and/or criminal justice research
• Engage in service activities within the department, college, university, and the broader community
• Collaborate with students and provide mentorship
• Contribute to the ongoing development of curriculum in the degree programs

Required Qualifications:

• The individual(s) selected will have earned a Ph.D. in Criminology, Criminal Justice, or a closely related field (including, but not limited to Sociology, Psychology, and Public Administration) from a regionally accredited university by the time of the job offer. A candidate selected with a doctoral degree in a closely related field must have earned a Master's degree in Criminal Justice or Criminology or have 18 graduate credit hours in Criminal Justice or Criminology. A Juris Doctorate alone will not suffice as a terminal degree for this position.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Prior teaching experience as Instructor of Record in one or more of the department's areas of need (policing, corrections, and/or criminal courts)
• Research specialization is open, but preference will be given to those with prior experience researching issues in policing, corrections, and/or criminal courts 
• Prior experience teaching in more than one of the department's existing modalities: in-person, online, hybrid, and flex
• A documented, clear research agenda
• Evidence of ongoing scholarly activities