Assistant Professor for Part-Time J.D. Program - Naperville Campus - 2 Positions
Northern Illinois University Dekalb, IL
This position is located at the NIU Law Naperville campus and will primarily focus on teaching in the Part-Time J.D. Program.
Two Campuses, One Law School
Although the PTJD Program will be located in Naperville, it will operate as one law school along with NIU Law’s DeKalb location.
Faculty at the PTJD Program are full members of the NIU Law community and will have service commitments that integrate with faculty in DeKalb. Travel to DeKalb for some service commitments, such as attending faculty meetings, is required.
Teaching Responsibilities and Schedule
The PTJD Program’s class schedule is built around its students’ professional lives. Class formats include:
- In-person instruction on two primary weekday evenings between 5:00–10:00 p.m.
- Occasional Saturdays for specialized courses
- Synchronous and Asynchronous online courses
- Fall and Spring Terms
Professors will be expected to engage in and master in-person, online synchronous, and online asynchronous teaching methods.
In the first few years after hire, this faculty member should expect to carry a blended teaching load. This may include in-person teaching at the Naperville PTJD Program, in-person teaching at NIU Law’s full-time J.D. program in DeKalb, or online courses delivered remotely to students at either campus. This arrangement reflects the program’s growth trajectory and offers new faculty the opportunity to become fully integrated into the NIU Law community across both campuses.
As the Program grows, teaching loads will shift to focus primarily on the Naperville PTJD Program as course offerings expand. This faculty member will teach four courses per academic year, which is the same teaching load as in the full-time program.
As the Program grows, teaching loads will shift to focus primarily on the Naperville PTJD Program as course offerings expand. This faculty member will teach four courses per academic year, which is the same teaching load as in the full-time program.
Faculty teaching in the PTJD Program are expected to be physically present on the Naperville campus on at least three days per week during the academic year. This is not a remote position.
NIU Law values faculty members who understand and embrace the distinctive needs of non-traditional law students. Teaching effectiveness, accessibility to students, and a commitment to in-person engagement are central expectations of this role.
In addition to teaching in Naperville, faculty members are expected to attend institutional events and contribute to the broader NIU Law community, which includes Fall Orientation, Spring Commencement in DeKalb, and other key law school events.
Distance Education and Technology
Candidates should have a demonstrated experience with or express a willingness to master synchronous and asynchronous online legal instruction. Professors should also have a commitment to staying current on distance education best practices and emerging instructional technologies.
Preferred candidates will have either a demonstrated capacity for or expressed willingness to master the following:
- Synchronous online instruction (live virtual class sessions)
- Asynchronous course design and delivery (recorded lectures, discussion boards, online assessments)
- Learning management systems (e.g., Blackboard or its equivalent)
- Hybrid course modalities that blend in-person and online learning
- Ongoing professional development in distance legal education
The ability and willingness to remain proficient and up to date on best practices in distance education is an ongoing expectation of this position, not merely a hiring preference.
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