Adjunct Faculty - Criminal Justice (Graduate) - Advanced Quantitative Analysis and Crime Causation

Aurora University (AU) is committed to the transformative power of learning by creating a student-centered environment and an equity of experience and opportunity, to ensure that students, faculty, and staff of all backgrounds feel welcome and included. Our culture of collaboration, generosity, and belonging make it a special place for students, faculty, and staff.

AU is grounded in the transformative opportunity it provides to a diverse student body. As a private university with a public mission and a commitment to making a difference in peoples’ lives, AU has a long history of resilience and of providing access to an education that values innovation, focuses on continuous improvement, and has a positive impact on the communities we serve. We are proud of our service to and economic impact on the state of Illinois, where over 80% of our students stay to live and work, where 90% of our students come from, and where we foster strong community partnerships to develop the workforce in areas such as nursing, education, business, technology, and social work.

We are looking for passionate and purposeful individuals who represent the full diversity of Aurora and who demonstrate a sensitivity to and understanding of the diverse academic, socioeconomic, cultural, ability, identity, and ethnic backgrounds present in our community. When you join the team at AU, you can expect to be part of an inclusive, innovative, and equity-focused community that approaches higher education as a matter of social justice requiring broad collaboration among faculty, staff, students, and community partners.

At AU we believe that continuous learning is a fundamental part of working life, and our goal is for all colleagues on our campus to feel supported and equipped to realize their full potential. We actively support our community by providing all employees with opportunities to engage in professional development activities, as well as a range of tuition and employee benefits that can be found here.

Position Purpose:

Aurora University seeks talented adjunct faculty who are passionate about teaching and learning. Adjunct faculty are qualified part-time instructors offered teaching opportunities based on course demand and staffing.

Essential Job Functions:

We are seeking expert adjunct faculty members for the 2026–2027 academic year to teach advanced graduate-level courses in Crime Causation Theory and Applied Data Analysis. This is an in-person, on-ground position, requiring availability Mondays and Wednesdays 8AM-10:30AM for the Fall 2026 semester.

Course Responsibilities:

• Crime Causation Theory: Facilitate an in-depth examination of classical and contemporary theories influencing criminal justice policy. Focus on theory evaluation, historical contexts, and the application of these theories within justice agencies.
• Applied Data Analysis: Teach methods of scientific inquiry, including research design, measurement, and social statistics. Instructors will guide graduate students in using analytic tools and data sources to critique scholarly research and present findings in professional agency reports.

Necessary Experience & Qualifications:

• Instructional Requirements: Experience teaching research and analytical courses is a requirement. Preference will be given to candidates with prior experience teaching graduate-level research and analysis with a heavy emphasis on quantitative methods.
• Analytical Expertise: Proficiency in social statistics and the scientific method is essential. Candidates should be capable of teaching students how to formulate complex research questions and engage in high-level data analysis.
• Policy Insight: Experience in evaluating policy implications derived from criminological theory is necessary to help students understand how justice is practiced today.
• Communication Skills: Must be able to train students in professional data presentation and the creation of agency reports to prepare them for professional analysis opportunities.

Essential Job Requirements:

A terminal degree in criminal justice or a related field is preferred; a master's degree in a related field, or a law degree, is required. College-level teaching experience is preferred. Daytime campus-based availability (mornings) is required.

Skills:

The anticipated pay rate for this position is $1,100 per credit hour. This compensation is subject to change at the sole discretion of the university, based on institutional needs.

The pay range referenced in the job posting is the budgeted amount the university reasonably expects to pay for this position. The final pay rate will not be below the lowest pay rate listed herein.

Benefit-eligible positions offer excellent benefits including health, dental, life, vision, long term disability, a 403(b) retirement plan through TIAA, and tuition remission.

Aurora University is an Equal Opportunity Employer.