Assistant/Associate Professor of Criminal Justice

ACJS; Billings (MT); On-site; USD 75,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

Montana State University Billings invites applications for an Assistant or Associate Professor of Criminal Justice in the Department of Social Sciences and Cultural Studies to begin fall 2027.

This tenure-track position will teach undergraduate courses (careers in criminal justice, applied research methods, crime theory and data, ethics) and graduate courses (research methods, data analysis, public policy, ethics of criminal justice).

Qualifications

• PhD in criminal justice, criminology, or related field (ABD considered)
• Willingness to teach at both the undergraduate and graduate levels
• Expertise in quantitative research methods.

Responsibilities

• Teach undergraduate courses including careers in criminal justice, applied research methods, crime theory and data, and ethics.
• Teach graduate courses including graduate research methods, data analysis and management, ethics and public policy, and advanced topics.
• Serve as graduate coordinator for the department’s MS in Criminal Justice.
• Engage in scholarship and service activities per department guidelines.

Skills

Quantitative research methods

Education

PhD in criminal justice, criminology, or related field

Job description

ABOUT THE COLLEGE: The mission of the College of Liberal Arts & Social Sciences is to serve the educational needs of the people of Montana through academic programs leading to Baccalaureate Degrees in the liberal arts and social sciences; selected graduate programs leading to a Master’s Degree; General Education courses providing a foundation of liberal education to all students at MSU Billings; selected pre-professional programs and various graduate, continuing education and non-conventional learning opportunities consistent with the mission of the University. Through these learning experiences, the College seeks to provide knowledge and cultivate skills to allow a student to select realistic future directions for study and/or employment. With its inherent diversity, the College is an intellectual and cultural resource for all students, faculty, and staff of the University and for the community and region.

The Department of Social Sciences and Cultural Studies invites applications for an Assistant or Associate Professor of Criminal Justice to begin fall 2027. This is a tenure-track position, and the successful candidate will teach undergraduate courses including careers in criminal justice, applied research methods, crime theory and data, and criminal justice ethics, and graduate courses including graduate research methods, data analysis and management, advanced crime theory and data, ethics and public policy, and special topics. Opportunities to develop additional courses in the candidate’s specialty area exist.

Criminal Justice is the second largest program in the college and is situated within an interdisciplinary department. Degree offerings include the AS and BS criminal justice, and a new MS in criminal justice that began with the fall 2025 semester. MSUB serves students from across the state and region, and our department is committed to offering courses that allow both our in-person and our online students to achieve timely graduation.

The teaching load for tenure track faculty at MSUB is 21 credits per year. To meet departmental needs, the individual chosen for this position will teach 3 courses each fall semester and 4 courses each spring semester. Summer teaching opportunities are available but are not required. The successful candidate will also serve as graduate coordinator for the department’s MS in Criminal Justice.

In addition to these teaching obligations, faculty at MSUB are expected to engage in scholarship and service activities. These expectations are outlined in the collective bargaining agreement (available on the university website) and in department rank and tenure guidelines (available from the department chair).

Required Qualifications:

• PhD in criminal justice, criminology, or related field (ABD considered)
• Willingness to teach at both the undergraduate and graduate levels
• Expertise in quantitative research methods.

Preferred Qualifications

• Ability to teach a restricted elective course on victimology and/or inequality
• Experience teaching in-person, online, or using multiple-format modalities
• Experience working with first generation students