Chair of Criminal Justice

Job Summary

The Department of Social Sciences in the School of Arts & Sciences at Columbia College invites applications for an Assistant or Associate Professor in Criminal Justice who will also serve as Chair of Criminal Justice, beginning August 2026. The successful candidate will have the opportunity to lead and teach in our undergraduate programs and graduate programs and must demonstrate a strong commitment to diversity and inclusion in academia. The position requires earned doctorate in Criminal Justice (Juris Doctorate accepted). All required documents must be completed for the application to be reviewed.

This full-time tenure track faculty role reports directly to the Associate Dean of the Department of Social Sciences. The position requires visionary leadership and oversight for all aspects of the Criminal Justice program.

This position is a nine-month, full-time, tenure-track appointment. The standard teaching load is twelve credit hours for each of the fall and spring semesters. The candidate must demonstrate the ability to design and deliver courses in a variety of formats, including online and face-to-face modalities, and is expected to teach core courses and specialized courses in criminal justice.

The candidate is expected to have flexibility in class scheduling to meet the needs of the College. Faculty members are expected to participate in faculty governance and academic program activities and to engage in service as well as scholarship and professional development.

Columbia College offers a competitive benefits package.

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS:

Essential Job Functions of the Chair:

The Chair provides leadership for an undergraduate program:

1. Oversees and updates curriculum and SLOs.
2. Submits and prioritizes program budget requests to Associate Dean.
3. Submits annual program assessment and program review to Associate Dean.
4. Completes a program evaluation scorecard at minimum every 3 years
5. Supports Associate Dean and Registrar in course scheduling.
6. Orients and develops new full-time and adjunct faculty in the program.
7. With assistance of Associate Dean, coordinates program activities such as:
   1. Participating in admission open houses;
   2. Updating program related information for the website and other marketing materials;
   3. Providing Admissions and Marketing with complete, updated information about the program regularly and providing talking points for counselors;
   4. Collecting endorsements (e.g., student quotes, events/materials for press releases, program publicity)
   5. Identifying competitive advantage;
   6. Assisting student success including advising and career services in understanding unique needs of program and students;
   7. Advising students.
8. Maintains an awareness of competitive programs.
9. Coordinates with the Assistant/Associate Dean to develop new programs related to current program.

Qualifications

• Terminal degree in criminal justice (Juris Doctorate accepted) from an accredited institution required.
• Minimum of three years or the equivalent of full-time teaching experience.
• Experience with curriculum development, program assessment, and accreditation processes.
• Demonstrated ability to foster collaboration and complete projects on time and on budget.
• May be required to work additional hours during the academic year which may include early/late hours or occasional weekends.

Applications

To apply, a candidate must submit the following materials through the online submission portal (all in one pdf file except for the cover letter, which may be uploaded as a separate document):

• A cover letter describing teaching interests/experiences An up-to-date curriculum vitae
• A teaching statement that includes the teaching philosophy and methodology A statement regarding research and other scholarly endeavors
• Names and contact information for three references, and
• Copies of graduate transcripts. Unofficial copies of transcripts will suffice for the initial application stage.

Inquiries may be directed to the Dean of the School of Arts & Sciences, Dr. David McCracken at dmmcracken@columbiasc.edu

About Columbia College

Columbia College was founded in 1854 as Columbia Female College by the Methodist Conference of South Carolina. Today, Columbia College offers a personalized liberal arts education that is open and inclusive to all. The College provides educational opportunities that develop students' capacity for critical thought and expression, lifelong learning, and acceptance of personal responsibility.

Columbia College empowers students to change the world with Courage for Innovation, Commitment to Social Justice, Confidence through Service, and Competence in Leadership. In furtherance of its mission, the College is responsive to the needs of students, the communities to which it belongs, and the greater global society.

Columbia College encompasses the historic undergraduate day college as well as evening, online, and graduate programs. Total enrollment is approximately 1600. The College is noted for faculty who foster academic excellence through collaborative teaching and learning; a vital learning community in which character, ethics, and values are cultivated; the study of leadership enhanced by opportunities for practical application; programs that capitalize on advances in technology; and learning environments that extend beyond the classroom.