"Assistant Professor of Human Services and Counseling"

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 January 2026 (preferred) or August 2026. The standard teaching load is 12 credit hours per semester which includes assignments in both undergraduate and graduate programs.

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)

Required Qualifications

• Earned doctorate in Counseling Education and Supervision
• Current LPC (Licensed Professional Counselor) credential
• Minimum of two years of professional experience in mental health and/or addiction counseling

Preferred Qualifications

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

Salary

The salary range for this position is $62,000 - 67,000 at Assistant Professor rank.

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 todays 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.