Assistant Professor and Program Director, Human Services and Counseling

About the University

MSU Denver enrolls over 16,000 students, where nearly 60% are first generation and over 55% are students of color. Located in downtown Denver, we are a designated Hispanic Serving Institution that also offers graduate programs (gHSI) and the only Seal of Excelencia certified institution in Colorado. As the third largest institution of higher education in Colorado and the only institution with an open access mission, MSU Denver is a model university for today's students. The University serves the most diverse undergraduate student population in the state, as well as the most first-generation students. Through affordable, flexible, and holistic education, MSU Denver helps students build essential skills grounded in a multicultural and global perspective that lead to undergraduate and graduate degrees, and career and life success.

About the College of Health and Human Sciences

The Department of Human Services and Counseling is housed within the College of Health and Human Sciences (CHHS). CHHS embraces inclusivity and an orientation to lifelong learning to prepare diverse students for interculturally competent practice, research, and leadership in their disciplines. Through collaboration and engagement with the community and one another, faculty, staff, and students lead transformative and justice-oriented endeavors to secure the health and well-being of people and their communities.

As a more recently established college within the university, CHHS serves about 4,500 undergraduate and graduate students across 8 academic departments and the Health Institute. For more information, please visit: https://www.msudenver.edu/health-human-sciences/.

Position Summary

The Department of Human Services and Counseling at MSU Denver invites applications for a full-time, tenure-track faculty position centering on excellence in teaching, advising, scholarship, and service. This is a 9-month faculty appointment beginning Fall 2025. The standard teaching load is 12 credit hours per semester which includes assignments in both undergraduate and graduate programs. This position includes an initial appointment as Program Director, with continuation contingent upon satisfactory performance. In this role, the selected candidate will receive a reduced teaching load of 6 to 9 credits per semester, with an expectation of fulfilling program-related duties during the summer term.

The successful candidate will teach across multiple delivery formats including in-person, hybrid, and asynchronous modalities; teaching may include evening, weekend, and online courses with on-campus teaching required each semester. The role also includes advising students in areas such as academic planning, addiction credentialing, graduate school preparation, and career exploration. Additional responsibilities include active service to the department, college, university, and broader community; engagement in scholarly activities that contribute to both academic and professional communities; and cultivating partnerships within helping professions at local, regional, and national levels.

Preference will be given to candidates with expertise in mental health and addiction studies and the ability to teach across courses in that content area. Candidates should also demonstrate experience working with students from diverse backgrounds, including but not limited to students of color, first-generation college students, individuals with disabilities, students across the gender and sexuality spectrum, and students from a range of socioeconomic contexts.

The Department of Human Services and Counseling values engaged scholarship with a focus on community impact and the public good. We are particularly interested in candidates whose work addresses one or more of the following areas:

• Reducing inequities in clinical service delivery among historically marginalized populations
• Supporting the success and preparation of diverse students, including those with intersectional identities
• Advancing interprofessional education and collaborative practice
• Innovating clinical service delivery in prevention, assessment, and intervention

MSU Denver is deeply committed to inclusive excellence and seeks applicants with a demonstrated commitment to advancing equity in higher education. New tenure-track faculty participate in MSU Denver's Roadrunner Faculty Academy, a year-long professional development program designed to support early career faculty in their teaching, scholarly work, and service roles.

Responsibilities

• Teach graduate-level counseling courses across multiple formats (in-person, hybrid, online)
• Serve as academic advisor for graduate counseling students
• Deliver instruction aligned with CACREP standards and program learning outcomes
• Serve as a resource for students regarding program policies, licensure and certificate pathways, career pathways, and academic progression
• Contribute to ongoing curriculum design, development, and revision
• Maintain current, evidence-based content and culturally responsive teaching practices
• Participate in assessment of student learning outcomes and program effectiveness
• Promote inclusive practices across curriculum, pedagogy, and student engagement
• Contribute to departmental, university, and professional service through committee work
• Engage in ongoing research, scholarship, and professional writing that advance the field and align with the mission of the department
• Stay informed on national trends, policy changes, and best practices in mental health and addiction counseling
• Assist with student recruitment, admissions interviews, and orientation events
• Maintain licensure or certification as applicable (e.g., LPC, LAC)

Additional Program Director Responsibilities

• Provide leadership in the development, implementation, and continuous improvement of the counseling program curriculum
• Ensure alignment with accreditation standards (e.g., CACREP, NASAC) and licensure requirements
• Coordinate course scheduling in collaboration with faculty, clinical director, office coordinator and department chair
• Work with the Clinical Director to ensure appropriate practicum and internship placements
• Monitor curriculum mapping and ensure all student learning outcomes are addressed
• Oversee data collection, analysis, and reporting for program evaluation and improvement
• Collaborate with the department chair in hiring, onboarding, and mentoring affiliate faculty
• Serve as a resource for graduate students regarding program policies, licensure pathways, and academic progression
• Run student orientation, program meetings, and admissions interviews along with faculty and staff
• Lead the graduate admissions process, including application review, interviews, and selection of candidates along with faculty and staff
• Collaborate with the department chair and office coordinator on budget planning and resource allocation
• Manage program policies, student handbooks, and official communications

Required Qualifications

• Doctoral degree in Counselor Education, preferably from a CACREP-accredited program
• Current LPC (licensed professional counselor)
• Minimum of two years of professional experience in mental health and addiction counseling

Preferred Qualifications

• Doctoral degree in Counselor Education
• Current CAS (Certified Addiction Specialist) or LAC (Licensed Addiction Counselor) credential
• Three or more years of direct clinical experience in mental health and addiction counseling
• Demonstrated success in teaching, preferably in a higher education setting
• Experience working collaboratively with interdisciplinary teams

We encourage you to apply even if you do not meet every preferred qualification. We are most interested in finding the candidate who will best contribute to our Department and the University.

Salary for Announcement

The salary range for this position is $62,000 - 67,000 at Assistant Professor rank. The salary of the finalist selected for this role will be set based upon a variety of factors, including but not limited to, internal equity, education, experience, specialty and training.

MSU Denver offers excellent benefits that include medical, dental, retirement, tuition benefit, free RTD pass, and more. For a brief overview of these options, please visit our Benefits section.

Instructions to Apply

Interested applicants must apply online at MSU Denver's career site, https://msudenver.wd1.myworkdayjobs.com/MSUDenver and search for JR104034.

To support a thorough evaluation of your qualifications and potential contributions as a faculty member, please submit the following required materials:

• Curriculum vitae (CV) including contact information for professional references
• Letter of interest addressing how you meet the required and preferred qualifications
• Teaching Philosophy (maximum 2 pages) that includes: (a) your experience teaching diverse adult learners and (b) a description of three core values that guide your teaching practices
• Evidence of effective University-level teaching, which may include quantitative data (e.g., student evaluations) and/or qualitative feedback (e.g., peer reviews or student comments)

Due to volume of applications received, incomplete applications may not be reviewed; please ensure you have uploaded all required documents into the Resume/Cover letter section of the application.

Official transcripts will be required of the candidate selected for hire.

Deadline

Applications accepted until position filled; priority given to applications received through Thursday, July 10, 2025 at 11:59 PM MST.

Open Until Filled

The University's benefits package is comprehensive and offers medical, vision and dental, free RTD pass, tuition reimbursement, as well as a life and supplemental insurance plans, retirement plans and other programs, such as accessto a long-term disability (LTD) plan.Visit MSU Denver'sbenefits websiteto learn more.

For a brief overview, please see: https://www.msudenver.edu/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/MSU-Benefit-Summary.pdf.

The University will provide reasonable accommodations to applicants with disabilities throughout the employment application process. To request an accommodation pursuant to the Americans with Disabilities Act, please contact the Human Resources ADA Coordinator at totalrewards@msudenver.edu.

Background Checks

Metropolitan State University of Denver is dedicated to ensuring a safe and secure environment for our faculty, staff, students, and visitors. To Assist in achieving that goal, we conduct background checks on all finalists for positions at the University prior to employment.

Metropolitan State University of Denver is a unique, access-oriented campus community that values diversity, equity, and inclusion in all its forms. Our student population consists of nearly 58% first generation students and over 50% students of color. We are a designated Hispanic Serving Institution located in downtown Denver.

We create an equitable learning and working environment in concert with individuals who consistently demonstrate commitment to equity and inclusion. We greatly value the diverse identities and perspectives of our students, faculty, and staff and recognize that in order to achieve a just and equitable society, diversity must go beyond simple representation. It requires critical inquiry and dialogue and a commitment to action. We strive to provide a culture of belonging for all community members to achieve personal and professional success.