Job description
Department: Political Science, Criminal Justice, and Organizational Leadership
Full Time or Part Time: Full Time
Purpose of Position
The Department of Political Science, Criminal Justice, and Organizational Leadership at Northern Kentucky University invites applications for a non-tenure track Assistant Teaching Professor position in Law at its campus in Highland Heights, KY. The start date is August 1, 2026. The BA in Law program offers primarily traditional, on-campus classes. The position includes teaching undergraduate classes, mentoring students, and facilitation of high impact practices.
The BA in Law is a unique program that prepares students for careers in legal support and advocacy, policy, court administration, and law school. Coursework emphasizes communication, critical thinking, and practical legal knowledge. This is a 9-month position that will have a four/four teaching load. The selected candidate will teach undergraduate courses, collaborate with faculty in the department, facilitate student engagement, and work with our advising team on various recruiting and retention activities. This is not a remote position.
The department is housed within the College of Arts & Sciences, with 16 full-time faculty and staff. It offers bachelor degrees in Criminal Justice, International Studies, Law, Political Science, and Organizational Leadership; and an accredited master’s degree in Public Administration. Faculty actively engage with students through undergraduate research programs; local, regional, national, and international internship placements; study abroad; and student honor societies. The department values multidimensional excellence, learner-centered education, civic engagement, innovation, collegiality, and collaboration across all department and university academic programs.
NKU’s vision is that we will be nationally recognized for being a student-ready, regionally engaged university that empowers diverse learners for economic and social mobility. Our core values place emphasis on our culture of excellence, creativity, innovation, and collegiality. Your cover letter and/or teaching statement should show, as a faculty member at NKU, how you will contribute to our core values and our strategic framework, especially in how you will contribute student success and belonging.
Primary Responsibilities
The candidate who fills this position will perform the following duties:
- Teach undergraduate law courses
- Introduction to Law, Critical Thinking & Legal Reasoning, Common Law, Legal Research, Advanced Legal Writing, Immigration Law, and Employment Law
- Provide support for Mock Trial and PreLaw advising
- Promote and foster a learning environment that is supportive of all individuals.
Qualifications
The candidate must meet the following qualifications:
- Juris Doctorate, Master of Legal Studies, or Master’s degree or Ph.D. in related discipline
Preference will be given to candidates with:
- Experience teaching undergraduate students
- Experience engaging in experiential learning with undergraduate students
- Experience in pre-law advising
How to apply
Review will begin December 1, 2025. Applications materials should be submitted electronically at https://jobs.nku.edu/
Please include:
- Cover Letter
- Curriculum vitae
- Evidence of effective teaching
- Three professional references.
Direct questions regarding this position and search can be direct Dr. Jonathan McKenzie ([email protected]). Direct questions regarding the application process can be directed to NKU Human resources at [email protected] or call (859) 572-5200.
Minimum Education: Advanced Degree in field
Preferred Education: Juris Doctorate
Requisition Number: 2025F810
Job Open Date: 10/23/2025
It is Northern Kentucky University’s policy to ensure equal employment opportunity for all persons and to take the necessary actions needed to recruit, employ, train, promote, and retain qualified faculty and staff, including members of protected groups. Discrimination against any individual based upon protected status, which is defined as age, color, disability, gender, national origin, race, religion, sexual orientation, genetic, or veteran status, is prohibited.
