University of Southern California

Sol Price School of Public Policy

Adjunct Instructor of Public Policy and Law

Department of Public Policy and Management

The USC Sol Price School of Public Policy is seeking a working professional or academic with expertise to teach in the area of public policy and governance.  The successful candidate should possess a Ph.D., J.D., or currently enrolled in a doctoral program in public policy, political science, law, or a related field; a master’s degree may be acceptable with appropriate experience. The candidate will be able to teach the undergraduate course PPD 314 Public Policy and Law (“Institutional foundations and analysis of public policy issues; policy formulation and implementation; application of theories; case analyses.”) in the Fall 2023 semester. Preference will be given to candidates with prior teaching experience and excellent teaching evaluations.

Adjunct instructor responsibilities include delivery of course content, scheduling office hours and being accessible to students as appropriate, and grading. Each instructor is expected to provide students with a syllabus outlining the course goals, schedule, and all requirements for the course under the direction of the Department Chair.

Course Description:This course provides the student with both a strong foundation in the American legal system and a thorough understanding of the fundamental relationship between public policy and the law. In this class, we will investigate how the president and the legislators create public policy and law, and then focus on how courts both enable -- and limit – the policymaking choices by these elected branches.  By examining judges and the courts, the class will highlight an important (though often hidden) field of public policymaking in the judicial branch. We will study the U.S. Constitution and read and analyze a series of landmark judicial opinions and case studies to understand the full extent of judicial power and policymaking. As we will see, the courts have addressed and shaped major policy issues throughout history, including abortion, discrimination, the environment, gun control, homelessness, law enforcement, marriage, property rights, taxes, voting rights, and more.

The objectives of this class include the following:

identifying the division of policymaking powers and the laws across the three branches of government, recognizing the inter-relationship between law and public policy, understanding the specific nature of the courts’ policymaking powers, exploring how policies are implemented through the law, and discerning the key aspects of current and significant law and public policy topics.

The hourly rate range for this position is $29.06/hr - $38.89/hr. When extending an offer of employment, the University of Southern California considers factors such as (but not limited to) the scope and responsibilities of the position, the candidate’s work experience, education/training, key skills, internal peer equity, federal, state, and local laws, contractual stipulations, grant funding, as well as external market and organizational considerations.

About the Sol Price School of Public Policy: The mission of the Sol Price School of Public Policy is to improve the quality of life for people and their communities, here and abroad. We achieve this mission through education and research that promote innovative solutions to the most critical issues facing society, with a particular focus on governance, urban development, and social policy. The Price School offers Ph.D. programs in Public Policy and Management and Urban Planning; masters’ degrees in Public Administration, Public Policy, Urban Planning, Health Administration, Nonprofit Management and Leadership, and Real Estate Development; executive masters’ degrees; and three undergraduate degrees.  USC is one of the nation’s premiere research universities, and the Price School is a major contributor to the university’s reputation. Our school supports an array of thematic research centers with $35 million in active sponsored research, ranking third overall in funded research at USC on a per faculty basis. Much of the school’s research is conducted through its centers, institutes, and research groups.  For additional information, see our website: https://priceschool.usc.edu/

An Equal Opportunity Employer: USC is an equal-opportunity educator and employer, proudly pluralistic and firmly committed to providing equal opportunity for outstanding persons of every race, gender, creed and background. The University particularly encourages women, members of underrepresented groups, veterans and individuals with disabilities to apply. USC will make reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with known disabilities unless doing so would result in undue hardship.

Apply for this Position: Applicants should submit a letter of interest, curriculum vitae, and (if available) one or more sample syllabi and one or more sets of sample teaching evaluations.