Adjunct Instructor - Washington Semester Program

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Department

Office of Global and Immersive Studies Faculty

Time Type

Part time

Job Description

The Washington Semester Program at American University invites applications for a part-time adjunct faculty position starting in Fall 2024.

Seeking an experienced instructor to teach The Criminal Legal System: Roots of Mass Incarceration and Racial Disparity in-person at the Washington Semester Program in Washington, D.C. The course meets on Wednesdays. A classroom is available at American University 11:20 AM – 2:10 PM. Instructors also take students on a site visit or host a guest lecture every week.

Instructor Qualifications

JD, PhD or Master’s (or candidate) in Law or related field preferred; teaching experience required.

Washington Semester Program Classes

WSEM-050/WSEM-450 Topics in Washington DC (0 or 4 credits)

For a 14- or 15- week term, there must be roughly 50 hours of total class meeting time throughout the semester. That averages to about 3.3 hours per week (not including the travel time to/from site visits), but it is up to the professor how to divide up the total time across the semester.

• The Office of Global and Immersive Studies (OGIS) course scheduler can book 2.5 hours in a classroom per week.
• Instructors may vary class time through a combination of lectures, discussions, site visits, guest speakers, group activities, case studies, simulations, and other forms of immersive and experiential education.
• WSP students are required to leave 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. open for their seminar meetings to provide for greater flexibility in scheduling class activities.
• Each week should generally include at least one guest speaker or site visit. Instructors are expected to assign readings and/or lecture on areas/topics that will be covered, including those by the guest speakers and/or site visits.
• Each seminar course is cross-listed to accommodate the for-credit (4-credit) students and the non-credit international students. All class meetings include both cohorts.
• Instructors must create a syllabus for both versions. The noncredit version should contain roughly 30% less coursework (e.g., paper length, number of assignments, etc.), although full participation and attendance are required.
  
  

Criminal Legal System: The Roots of Mass Incarceration and Racial Disparity

This course will explore the roots of mass incarceration and racial disparity in the criminal legal system. In the course, we will critically analyze policing, the courts, juvenile justice, sentencing, prison, reentry, and the death penalty before examining case studies involving race and police confrontation. Special attention will be devoted to how society is policed has led to a massive increase in prison populations, particularly for those from underrepresented racial and social groups.

Washington Semester Program Experiential Education

In 1947 American University’s Washington Semester Program became the only experiential education program designed for visiting students based at a Washington, DC, campus. AU’s high-quality faculty are wholly invested in teaching students career skills through seminars and internships. WSP gives students unique access to the vibrant AU campus community with complete student support services.

WSP Classes

WSP seminars connect students to influential world leaders. Students learn from 15+ site visits and guest speakers to engage with organizations such as Congress, the State Department, the World Bank, and Google in fields including American Politics, Foreign Policy, Global Economics and Business, Law, Communication, and more. In addition to WSP seminars, students may enroll in reflective internship classes focused on career readiness, diverse electives, and substantive research projects.

INSTRUCTOR APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS

Submit a curriculum vitae/resume, and the names and contact information for three professional references to morrill@american.edu. American University is an AA/EEO University committed to a diverse faculty, staff, and student body.

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement

American University is an equal opportunity, affirmative action institution that operates in compliance with applicable laws and regulations. The university does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, sex (including pregnancy), age, sexual orientation, disability, marital status, personal appearance, gender identity and expression, family responsibilities, political affiliation, source of income, veteran status, an individual’s genetic information or any other bases under federal or local laws (collectively “Protected Bases”) in its programs and activities. American University is a tobacco and smoke free campus.

Benefits

AU offers a competitive benefits package including a 200% matching retirement plan, tuition benefits for full-time staff and their families, several leadership development certificates, and has been recognized by the American Heart Association as a fit-friendly worksite. Click here to learn about American University's unique benefit options.

Other Details

• Hiring offers for this position are contingent on successful completion of a background check.
• Employees in staff positions at American University must deliver their services to the university from either the District of Columbia, Maryland, or Virginia, or perform work on-site at the university.
• Please note this job announcement is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change at any time with or without notice.
• American University is an E-Verify employer.
  
  

Current American University Employees

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Contact Us

For more information or assistance with the American University careers site, email theworkline@american.edu.

American University is an equal opportunity, affirmative action institution that operates in compliance with applicable laws and regulations. The university does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, sex (including pregnancy), age, sexual orientation, disability, marital status, personal appearance, gender identity and expression, family responsibilities, political affiliation, source of income, veteran status, an individual’s genetic information or any other bases under federal or local laws (collectively "Protected Bases") in its programs and activities.