Assistant Professor, Criminal Justice (Tenure Track)

About the Faculty of Arts and the Department of Economics, Justice, and Policy Studies

The Faculty of Arts houses the following departments: Economics, Justice, and Policy Studies; English, Languages, and Cultures; General Education; Humanities; Interior Design; Psychology; Sociology and Anthropology; and Counselling.

The successful candidate will be a member of the Department of Economics, Justice, and Policy Studies (EJPS). The Department of EJPS currently offers a Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice (BACJ) and a Bachelor of Arts in Policy Studies, as well as minors in Political Science, Economics, International Business and Economics, Finance and Economics, and Law and Governance.

About the Role

Mount Royal University invites applications for a full-time tenure-track position at the rank of Assistant Professor in Criminal Justice, to commence July 1, 2027. The Criminal Justice program at MRU is Alberta’s only four-year Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice (BACJ) program; it combines theoretical and practical experience to expand student understanding of criminology as well as the nuances of crime and the criminal justice system.

The successful candidate will join the Department of Economics, Justice, and Policy Studies at the rank of Assistant Professor.

While applications for the Teaching-Service (TS) stream may be considered, preference will be given to candidates in the Teaching-Scholarship-Service (TSS) stream.

• TSS Stream (Preferred): Faculty in this stream maintain an active research program alongside teaching and service. The standard teaching load is six 3-credit hour courses per academic year (typically 3 courses in the Fall semester and 3 courses in the Winter semester). Class sizes average between 35–40 students. Research and service opportunities include the supervision of research assistants and Honours students.
• TS Stream: Faculty in this stream focus primarily on teaching excellence and service contributions (typically with an 8-course annual teaching load).

Qualifications

The successful candidate is expected to hold a credential in psychology, criminology, or a cognate discipline; a PhD or equivalent is preferred.

Core Expertise:

• Expertise in mental health and addictions, with the ability to teach courses and build a dedicated research program in this area.

Assets & Preferences:

• Preference will be given to candidates with teaching experience at the post-secondary level and/or practical experience working in the criminal justice field.
• Experience teaching quantitative methods, trauma-informed care, or youth justice is considered a strong asset.
• Applications are encouraged from candidates with lived experience as an Indigenous person, knowledge of Indigenous content relating to the criminal justice system, and/or those who incorporate Indigenous ways of knowing into their research, scholarship, and teaching.

Inquiries about the position may be directed to Dr. Kari Roberts, Chair of the Department of Economics, Justice, and Policy Studies, at kroberts@mtroyal.ca.

To Apply

Interested applicants should submit the following materials using the “Apply to the Job” link below:

1. Cover Letter: Describing the candidate’s interest in the position, qualifications, and potential contributions to Mount Royal University.
2. Current Curriculum Vitae (CV)
3. Research Portfolio (if applying for the Teaching-Scholarship-Service work pattern), including:

• Statement of research interests/expertise
• Proposed research plan for the upcoming 5-year period
• Sample publication (PDF only—maximum of 1 publication)

4. Teaching Portfolio, including:

• Statement of teaching philosophy, interests, and accomplishments (maximum 1,000 words)
• Sample syllabi demonstrating teaching across junior and senior undergraduate levels
• Sample student evaluations and peer/chair teaching evaluations (if available)

Academic reference letters are not required at the time of application; however, as the competition progresses, candidates may be asked to provide three confidential references.

Closing Date:          The selection committee will begin reviewing applications on January 5, 2027. Only candidates chosen for an interview will be contacted.

Please title your .pdf document as follows: (Last Name, First Name), (Requisition Number), (Application).pdf (example: Smith, John, 4143, Dossier.pdf).  Ideally please submit ALL documents in one .pdf, or if size limitations require it two .pdf attachments.