Assistant/Associate Professor of Law and Criminal Justice

About Hood College  

Founded in 1893, Hood College is a Liberal Arts College of about 2,100 students. It is located in the center of historic Frederick, Maryland, a city of about 80,000. The 50-acre campus consists of about 1,300 undergraduate students. The faculty and staff take pride in presenting an exciting university-like education in a small college environment to highly motivate students by integrating the liberal arts with professional studies. Hood College is nationally recognized for its mission of excellence in undergraduate and graduate education, research, and public service.

Position Summary

Hood College invites applications for a tenure-track position in Law & Criminal Justice at the Assistant or Associate Professor rank beginning fall 2026. Hood College offers an undergraduate major with one concentration in law and another in criminal justice, with students evenly divided between the two. The Law & Criminal Justice major is administratively housed in the Department of Politics, Law, and Global Studies. The law concentration prepares students for the challenges of attending law school and careers in the legal profession. The criminal justice concentration provides an opportunity for service in criminal justice fields at the federal, state, and local levels. Both areas have rigorous academic requirements that teach subject mastery, problem-solving, critical thinking, analytical skills, writing, and oral communication skills. The successful candidate will play a key role in serving as the program director and therefore must be able to move easily between the two different concentrations of law and criminal justice.

Essential Duties include the following. Other duties may be assigned.

Teaching/Facilitation 

• Teach 18-21 credit hours with the likelihood of one-course release for serving as the program director of the Law and CJ major; courses may include Constitutional Law, Civil Liberties, Introduction to Law or Criminal Justice.
• Serve as the program director of the Law and Criminal Justice academic major;
• Work with other faculty members in the areas of curriculum development, student advising, and student placement;
• Participate in departmental and college-wide assessment activities; 
• Demonstrate a willingness to engage students who come from differing backgrounds and cultures;
• Support recruiting efforts within the department and college; 
• Demonstrate quality teaching, scholarly research, and service;
• Plan course syllabi and assignments to meet Hood College and departmental curriculum requirements, including student learning objectives, utilizing a variety of teaching techniques;
• Maintain regular office hours and contact with students as appropriate and work collaboratively with students to address problems and resolve issues;
• Oversee student internships and facilitate relationships with community partners relevant to the law and criminal justice fields;
• Abide by the Hood College Faculty Code and the Faculty Handbook;
• Other job-related duties as assigned.

Research

• Demonstrate an active research agenda;
• Present research at professional conferences;
• Publish in academic journals and other discipline-related publications.

Service

• Support and participate in college-wide committees and/or professional organizations to develop professional partnerships and meet the academic needs of the institution;
• Support college initiatives to recruit and retain talented students;
• Participate as an active and collegial member of the Hood College community.

Qualifications

We seek a candidate who values diversity, equity, and inclusion in all that they do. Candidates must have strong organizational skills and a proven ability to work collaboratively with partners across campus in support of Hood College’s mission as a student-centered, liberal arts institution.

To perform this job successfully, the individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required.

Education and/or Experience

Minimum Requirements/Qualifications

A JD or PhD in Criminal Justice, Political Science, or a related discipline is required by the time of appointment. Candidates must demonstrate a commitment to teaching, advising students, research and publication, and service to the college, academic discipline, and/or community. A cover letter should address the candidate’s previous experience and preparedness to teach in both law and criminal justice.

Preferred Skills and Characterist