Mission

We are a community committed to preparing students to be educated and enlightened citizens who lead productive and meaningful lives.

Vision

To be the national model for the engaged university: engaged with ideas and the world.

Who We Are

Located in the heart of Virginia’s beautiful Shenandoah Valley, the city of Harrisonburg is approximately 120 miles from Washington, D.C. and Richmond, VA. With a population of just over 53,000, Harrisonburg is one of the most diverse communities in the Commonwealth of Virginia. JMU is a selective, public institution with a growing national reputation for offering experiences that lead to an outstanding education and inclusive environment for students, faculty and staff. The student body includes approximately 20,000 undergraduate and 1,900 graduate students, with over 1,000 full-time instructional faculty.

JMU offers thriving programs in the liberal arts, science and technology, and professional disciplines at the undergraduate, master’s and doctoral levels. The university is committed to expanding diversity, fostering equity and inclusion, and supporting superlative teaching and scholarship. JMU has achieved national recognition for the high quality of its academic programs, focus on maintaining strong student/faculty interaction, and innovative faculty research.

The Department of Psychology in the College of Health and Behavioral Studies at James Madison University (JMU) invites applicants for a tenure-track position at the rank of Assistant Professor to begin August 2024. Including this position, the department anticipates hiring four new faculty members this year as a mentored cohort.

We are excited to welcome candidates who have a demonstrated commitment to inclusive excellence, including diversity, equity, inclusivity, justice, and accessibility practices. Candidates could contribute to our ongoing initiatives in these areas through their teaching (e.g., teaching courses that contribute to sociocultural awareness goals), through their research with active mentorship of historically underserved students (e.g., see our PUURPLE Scholars program, https://www.jmu.edu/chbs/psyc/puurple.shtml), through their service (e.g., working with our student Inclusive Excellence Council), and/or through other expertise that they bring to the department. The successful candidate will join a student-centered faculty with a strong commitment to open, respectful, and supportive collegiality.

The mission of the Department of Psychology is to educate our students in and contribute to the science of Psychology. Psychology is among the most popular majors on campus, serving approximately 1,300 students. JMU emphasizes instructional innovation in the classroom, data-driven approaches to instructional improvement, and engaged learning experiences for undergraduates. The Department of Psychology faculty members are strong contributors to these efforts. Additional information about psychology at JMU is available at https://www.jmu.edu/chbs/psyc/index.shtml.

Faculty are expected to develop an active program of scholarship that involves undergraduate students in research. Supervision of independent study projects and honors thesis projects are typical components of a faculty member’s assignment. Occasional course instruction and supervision of graduate students enrolled in JMU’s M.A. in Psychological Sciences Program may be possible. Faculty serve as academic advisors to Psychology majors and contribute to service activities of the department, college, and university.

Psychology is among the most popular majors on campus, serving approximately 1,300 students. JMU emphasizes instructional innovation in the classroom, data-driven approaches to instructional improvement, and engaged learning experiences for undergraduates. The Department of Psychology faculty members are strong contributors to these efforts. Additional information about psychology at JMU is available at psyc.jmu.edu/undergraduate.

The College of Health and Behavioral Studies, the administrative home of the Department of Psychology, is working to identify and dismantle oppressive, racist, and discriminatory policies, practices, and processes, thereby moving the college into inclusive excellence and promoting a CHBS culture in which every member can flourish. CHBS has established an action plan and is engaged in steps within the domains of faculty, staff, students, curriculum, spaces, and community. More information about CHBS inclusion efforts can be found here: chbs.jmu.edu.

JMU is a student-centered community that values excellence, integrity, and mutual respect. An enhanced focus on diversity within our psychology curriculum and creating an inclusive environment for faculty, staff, and students are among the goals for our campus (see jmu.edu/inclusion). JMU is an R2 university, with an enrollment of approximately 20,000 undergraduate and 1,900 graduate students, located in the heart of the Shenandoah Valley, approximately 2 hours from Washington, D.C., Richmond, and Roanoke. JMU continues to be highly ranked by U.S. News and World Report, Niche, and Washington Monthly (see jmu.edu/about). JMU highly values quality teaching, and the university has substantial infrastructure to support teaching, instructional technology, and faculty development, such as our Center for Faculty Innovation (jmu.edu/cfi). For more information about JMU see www.jmu.edu.

James Madison University is an equal opportunity employer, and the Department of Psychology has a commitment to diversity. Individuals who are prepared to help our students learn about the role of culture in the development and expression of individual and social behavior are strongly encouraged to apply.

Teaching assignments include consideration of class sizes and supervision of student research (i.e., independent study projects and/or honors thesis projects). Faculty are expected to develop an active program of scholarship that involves undergraduate students. Faculty serve as academic advisors to Psychology majors and contribute to service activities of the department, college, and university. There also is opportunity for course instruction and supervision of graduate students enrolled in JMU’s Psychological Sciences M.A. Program (see https://psyc.jmu.edu/psycsciences/index.html for further information).

Required qualifications for this position include:

1. A completed doctoral degree or ABD in Psychology or a similar field

2. A documented history of submitting scholarship for peer-reviewed publication

3. Evidence of ability to provide high-quality instruction (see http://catalog.jmu.edu/preview_program.php?catoid=50&poid=21302 for the current curriculum)

Preference will be given to applicants who can make use of our recently renovated animal research facility (see https://www.jmu.edu/chbs/psyc/research-facilities.shtml) and those who can teach our statistics and methods courses and/or large sections of General Psychology, as well as courses in their area of expertise.

Employment is contingent upon the successful completion of a criminal background check.

E-Verify Notice: After accepting employment, new hires are required to complete an I-9 form and present documentation of their identity and eligibility to work in the United States. James Madison University uses the E-Verify system to confirm identity and work authorization.

James Madison University is committed to creating and supporting a diverse and inclusive work and educational community that is free of all forms of discrimination. This institution does not tolerate discrimination or harassment on the basis of age, color, disability, gender identity or expression, genetic information, national origin, parental status, political affiliation, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation or veteran status. 
 
We promote access, inclusion and diversity for all students, faculty, staff, constituents and programs, believing that these qualities are foundational components of an outstanding education in keeping with our mission. The university is interested in candidates whose experience and qualifications support an ongoing commitment to this core quality. 
 
Anyone having questions concerning discrimination should contact the Office for Equal Opportunity: (540) 568-6991.

If you are an individual with a disability and need assistance searching or applying for jobs please contact us at (540) 568-3597 or jobs@jmu.edu. You may also visit the JMU Human Resource Office, located at 752 Ott Street, Harrisonburg, VA 22807 and we will be happy to assist you.

Notice of Availability – Annual Security and Fire Safety Report

The Annual Security and Fire Safety Report contains information regarding campus security and personal safety including topics such as: crime prevention, the university police law enforcement authority, crime reporting policies, disciplinary procedures, protocols for the immediate notification of students and staff upon confirmation of a significant emergency on campus and other matters of importance related to security and safety. The report includes statistics for the most recent three-year period of reported crimes that have occurred on campus; in certain off-campus buildings or property owned or controlled by JMU or its affiliates; and on public property within or immediately adjacent to and accessible from the campus.

The Annual Security and Fire Safety Report includes campus housing fire statistics for the most recent three-year period, a description of each on-campus student housing facility fire safety system, the number of fire drills held during the previous calendar year, policies or rules on portable electrical appliances, smoking, and open flames in student housing; and procedures for student housing evacuation in the event of fire along with other fire safety information.

The JMU Annual Security and Fire Safety Report includes the Harrisonburg campus and the three overseas branch campuses; Florence, Antwerp, and London. It is available electronically http://www.jmu.edu/publicsafety/clerycompliance/2018Annual-Security-and-Fire-Safety-Report.shtml

You can obtain a copy of any of this report by contacting the Office of Public Safety, MSC 6810, James Madison University, Harrisonburg, VA 22807 or request that a copy be mailed to you by calling (540)568-6769/6913.

In addition to completing the faculty profile the following materials should be submitted online:

1. Letter of Interest
2. Curriculum Vitae
3. Teaching Statement (including evidence of teaching quality), uploaded to JobLink as “Other Document #1”
4. Research Statement (including description of current/future research plans), uploaded to JobLink as “Other Document #2”
5. Statement of Inclusive Excellence (address commitment, engagement, and leadership related to inclusive excellence in teaching, research, and/or mentoring)
6. Names and contact information for three references; references will be contacted later in the review process

Questions about the position should be directed to the Search Chair, Dr. Michael Hall (hallmd@jmu.edu, 540-568-7877).