Assistant Professor of Law and Justice Studies

Assistant Professor of Law and Justice Studies

Purchase College, SUNY, invites applications for a tenure-track Assistant Professor in our Law and Justice Studies program to begin Sep. 1, 2025. Our B.A. in Law and Justice examines interconnections between justice systems, social institutions, and lived experience, and critically engages political, historical, economic, and global forces at play. Coursework explores how law and criminal justice are mediated by questions of authority and power, tensions between individual liberty and social responsibility, and interpretations of justice and fairness. Students build substantive knowledge in their area of interest, develop transferrable legal skills (analysis, argumentation, research, writing), and prepare for advanced study (law or graduate school) and/or employment in a range of industries where law is relevant (e.g., government agencies, law firms, court systems, insurance companies, banks, legal departments, etc.).

We are looking for a candidate who can design and teach a wide range of undergraduate law and justice courses.  Our current offerings include courses in criminal justice, youth justice, alternative dispute resolution (ADR), forensic science, immigration law, family law, constitutional law, comparative law, business law, entertainment law, theories of justice, and legal research. The regular teaching obligation for full-time faculty at Purchase College is 3 courses per semester. In addition to teaching, the successful candidate will be expected to advise students in the major, assist with curriculum assessment and revisioning as needed, participate in service to the college, and maintain a research agenda or other professional achievement in the field. The Law and Justice program serves a diverse population and aims to provide flexibility for students. The ideal candidate will have experience teaching nontraditional students, be available to teach evening courses as needed, and be comfortable with online or hybrid delivery formats. 

Purchase College and the Department of Law and Justice Studies is committed to seeking a candidate who, through their teaching, research, and service, can contribute to the equity, diversity, and inclusion of our academic community. Our department is interdisciplinary and dynamic, drawing on full-time faculty from across the college and part-time faculty who contribute professional expertise from the field. Involved faculty are dedicated, collaborative, and invested in growing the program. 

Purchase College, located 25 miles north of New York City, serves 3,200 students, almost all of whom are undergraduates. Because it houses a unique combination of Liberal Arts and Arts Conservatory programs, our faculty and staff are committed to inspiring an appreciation for both intellectual and artistic talent in all students, with an emphasis on multimodal learning of all kinds. Purchase is ranked 11th in public colleges by U.S. News and World Report.

Qualifications:

Candidates should hold a J.D. or Ph.D. in a relevant field. ABD candidates on track to complete their degree will also be considered. 

Applicants must attach the following to the online employment application:

1.            Cover letter expressing interest and summarizing research and teaching qualifications. 

2.            Curriculum Vita.

3.            Three confidential letters of recommendation.

4.            Statement of teaching approach.

5.            A writing sample (maximum 25 pages).

6.            Evidence of teaching ability (student evaluations or peer observation).

7.            Sample syllabi, if available.

Instructions to Candidate: 

To apply for this position, please visit our Purchase College Job Vacancy website at: https://jobs.purchase.edu/postings/1390 and complete the online application.

Nondiscrimination Policy – Purchase College is committed to fostering a diverse community of outstanding faculty, staff and students, as well as ensuring equal educational opportunity, employment, and access to service, programs, and activities, without regard to an individual’s race, color, national origin, religion, creed, age, disability, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, familial status, pregnancy, predisposing genetic characteristics, military status, domestic violence victim status, or criminal conviction. Employees, students, applicants, or other members of the Purchase community (including vendors, visitors, and guests) may not be subjected to harassment that is prohibited by law or treated adversely or retaliated against based upon a protected characteristic. To view the entire policy, please visit the following website: https://www.purchase.edu/offices/hr/policies-and-procedures/

Women, minorities, and individuals with disabilities are encouraged to apply. Purchase College is an AA/EEO employer. The Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act, or Clery Act, mandates that all Title IV institutions, without exception, prepare, publish and distribute an Annual Security Report. This report consists of two basic parts: disclosure of the University’s crime statistics for the past three years; and the availability regarding the University’s current campus security policies. Purchase College’s Annual Security Report is available at https://www.purchase.edu/offices/nysup/logs-and-records/the-jeanne-clery-disclosure-of-campus-security-policy/index.php

Pursuant to Executive Order 161, no State entity, as defined by the Executive Order, is permitted to ask, or mandate, in any form, that an applicant for employment provide his or her current compensation, or any prior compensation history, until such time as the applicant is extended a conditional offer of employment with compensation. If such information has been requested from you before such time, please contact the Office of Employee Relations at (518) 474-6988 or via email at response@oer.ny.gov.