Assistant Professor of Social Work

Department

Social Work

About the University

Established in 1965, Metropolitan State University (MSU Denver) was founded to serve students who were underrepresented in higher education whose life paths and experiences did not fit the traditional mold. Sixty years later, the University continues to serve over 16,000 of Colorado’s extraordinary and diverse students, providing them with the foundation on which to build their unique aspirations. As the third largest public institution of higher education in Colorado, MSU Denver is a model university for today’s college students.

Proud of its federal designation as a Hispanic-Serving Institution that also offers graduate programs (gHSI) and the only Seal of Excelencia certified institution in Colorado, 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.

At MSU Denver, we are committed to our CADRE values: Community, Access, Diversity, Respect, and Excellence. We strive to create a supportive and inclusive environment where all community members are valued and belong. Our dedication to breaking down barriers to education, fostering open dialogue, and promoting world-class scholarship ensures that we provide exceptional services and innovative learning opportunities for our students, faculty, and staff. 

About the Department of Social Work

Our Mission Statement is: MSU Denver’s Department of Social Work prepares social workers to engage in skillful, ethical, justice-oriented, and effective practice in their communities. We accomplish this by:

• Educating and training students to work with individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities, including those who are members of historically excluded populations
• Building community centered and strategic partnerships with organizations, co-creating relationship-centered learning, and working environments to foster growth and collaboration
• Utilizing the NASW Code of Ethics to inform teaching and practice, while adapting to changes in the field and world, drawing from a vast knowledge base informed by multiple perspectives.

The Department of Social Work at MSU Denver prides itself on a richly talented faculty comprised of teacher-scholars who are highly dedicated to support students in growing as social work scholars, practitioners, and leaders in the multitude of settings. MSU Denver faculty have expertise in culturally responsive practice that is relationally based. We are committed to actively interrogating and revising our curriculum to reflect anti-oppressive practices while educating our students for the provision of effective clinical social work services with diverse communities in micro, mezzo and macro settings serving vulnerable and underserved populations.  We work to actively to engage in anti-racist practices in all aspects of our programming; faculty members are encouraged to actively engage in our aspirations to dismantle systems of oppression. Since we are a generalist BSSW program, we seek candidates with a demonstrated ability and experience in teaching social work theory, practice, and research courses.

Position Summary

The Department of Social Work at MSU Denver is seeking applicants for a full-time tenured/tenure track faculty appointment in our BSSW Program to begin Fall 2027. This position requires presence in Colorado on MSU Denver's Auraria campus for in person teaching and other activities.

MSU Denver has a robust mentoring program for tenure-track faculty.  The candidate will be enrolled in the Roadrunner Faculty Academy during their first year.  This is a year-long course designed to support new faculty to navigate faculty life and thrive in teaching, scholarly activity and service. 

Individuals hired will be eligible to apply for our internal Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI) Faculty Fellowship positions. Fellows may receive release time from teaching to advance the Department of Social Work's mission of serving students, families, and communities through initiatives that support MSU Denver's commitment as a Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI). Fellows will also participate in a structured faculty mentorship program designed to support their long-term success in teaching, scholarship, service, and academic leadership.

HSI fellow applicants should demonstrate teaching, practice, research, or community-engaged experience that reflects a strong commitment to supporting Spanish-speaking communities and advancing educational equity for historically underserved populations. The department particularly values candidates who bring bicultural perspectives, experience navigating and working across cultural contexts, and the ability to foster meaningful engagement with Hispanic/Latine students, families, and communities. Bilingual proficiency in Spanish and English is highly desirable.

Responsibilities

The successful candidates will serve in the areas of departmental need, candidate qualifications, and expertise.  

• Teaching will consist of 24 credits per academic year (four courses per semester). Teaching may include online, face to face, and hybrid instruction delivery options, with both daytime and early evening class options.  The successful candidate will take on lead faculty responsibilities for specific courses and be responsible to create and update course material to keep courses relevant and up-to-date. Advising responsibilities include carrying a student advising load of approximately 40 students for which you are responsible to perform and document career and professional advising.  
• A scholarly agenda is expected and supported, and production of quality scholarship is required. This includes the ability to produce scholarship such as published contributions, securing external funding, student research mentorship, program evaluation, development of community-serving resources, and presenting/attending at academic conferences.  
• Service work is expected, including work on Departmental, College and/or University committees a well as active service involvement in professional organizations and/or the community.  
• Per CSWE EPAS standards and MSU Denver’s commitment to inclusive pedagogy, all teaching, scholarship, and service expectations require intentional participation in and application of diversity, equity and inclusion efforts within the department and in service of students. 
• Other duties as assigned. 

Required Qualifications

• Master of Social Work (MSW/MSSW) degree from a Council on Social Work Education (CSWE)-accredited institution (or evaluated by CSWE International Social Work Degree Recognition and Evaluation Service (ISWDRES)
• Two (2) years relevant post-MSW experience
• Earned doctorate degree in social work or other related discipline (ABD will be considered with evidence of degree conferral by the start of fall semester classes in August 2027)
• One year of teaching content relevant to social work using an online LMS  (e.g., Blackboard, Canvas, etc.) for in-person or online instruction

Preferred Qualifications

While candidates are not expected to possess all preferred qualifications, please address in your cover letter how you meet any number of the preferred qualifications below. Priority will be given to candidates meeting the first two preferred qualifications. 

• Previous teaching, practice, or research experience with first generation college students, historically underrepresented groups and/or experience serving within an HSI, HBCU, or Tribal College. 
• Demonstrated experience in advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion through anti-oppressive, anti-racist, or liberatory approaches to practice, teaching, scholarship, curriculum development, administrative experience, or professional activities in social work.  
• Experience and passion for developing and organizing undergraduate level social work courses including in person/online/hybrid/asynchronous teaching, pedagogy, and curriculum design. 

Salary for Announcement

The salary range for this faculty position is $65,000 - $75,000 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, discipline, 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

To apply, complete an application online through our career site, https://msudenver.wd1.myworkdayjobs.com/MSUDenver and search for JR105219.

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

• Curriculum vitae
• Cover letter
• Teaching philosophy (2 pages max).  Please share your teaching philosophy and include a focus on engagement with diverse students and how you will foster an inclusive classroom environment that removes barriers and promotes equitable access and advancement.  Include examples from past experiences teaching and/or mentoring students.
• A list of three professional references and their contact information

Important Note: Due to volume of applications received, only applications completed as outlined above will be considered. Please ensure you have uploaded all required documents into the Resume/Cover letter section of the application. A maximum of 5 files can be uploaded; you may combine all documents into one pdf file if needed.

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

Deadline

Priority will be given to applications received through Monday, October 26, 2026 at 11:59 PM MST; applications will be accepted until the position is filled.

Closing Date

Open Until Filled

Posting Representative

Tanya Rogowsky

Posting Representative Email

[email protected]

Benefits

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 access to a long-term disability (LTD) plan. Visit MSU Denver’s benefits website to 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 [email protected].

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.

Diversity Statement

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.