University of Southern California

Sol Price School of Public Policy

Adjunct Instructor of Public Policy and Management

Price Policy Semester in DC

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 for the USC in DC Spring Semester Program, USC’s semester program in Washington, DC, for Spring 2026. The successful candidate should possess a Ph.D. or master’s degree in public policy, political science, law, or a related field with appropriate experience.

The candidate will be able to teach the undergraduate course PPD 300: Social Justice Issues in Public Policy and Urban Planning (“Social justice issues through the lens of public policy and urban planning with a focus on utilizing Washington DC to incorporate experiential learning throughout the semester – ex. guest speakers, site visits, on-site assignments, etc.).  The class will meet once a week in the evening on the USC Capital Campus in Washington, DC.

Adjunct instructor responsibilities include delivering course content, scheduling office hours, being accessible to students as needed, and grading assignments. Each instructor is expected to provide students with a syllabus that outlines the course goals, schedule, and all course requirements under the direction of the Department Chair.

Course Description: This class is designed to help students think critically about the fields of public policy and urban planning and their relevance to social justice, allowing us to analyze these cross-cutting issues in a defined space and context. Through readings, class discussion, group facilitations, guest presentations, and fieldwork, we will explore how a city and/or nation responds (or fails to respond) to the problems and opportunities it faces in the 21st century.

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.

The USC Sol Price School of Public Policy

Ranked among the foremost schools of public policy in the nation, the USC Sol Price School of Public Policy generates uncommon knowledge for the common good. The school is composed of overlapping disciplines that generate innovative approaches to critical issues ranging from health-care policy to homelessness, and sustainability to congestion – to name a few. A wide-ranging curriculum, including extensive experiential learning, prepares our graduates to navigate problems that demand multi-layered solutions driven by critical, informed thinking.

The Price School, founded in 1929, is anchored by four departments: Public Policy and Management, Health Policy and Management, Wilbur H. Smith III Department of Real Estate Development, and Urban Planning and Spatial Analysis. The School’s rigorous academic programs provide students with the knowledge and distinctive opportunities to make meaningful contributions to their professions. Integrating classroom instruction with real-world experience and led by some of the world’s most renowned faculty in their fields, our students establish a clear pathway to successful careers.

Our academic programs are augmented by numerous research centers, institutes and initiatives that provide additional research expertise and experiences, notable among them are: The Judith and John Bedrosian Center on Governance and the Public; The Center for Philanthropy and Public Policy; The USC Lusk Center for Real Estate; The METRANS Transportation Consortium; The Leonard D. Schaeffer Center for Health Policy & Economics; and The Schwarzenegger Institute for State and Global Policy. Together, they account for over $100 million in externally funded research grants and contracts.

Together, these departments and research enterprises provide unmatched breadth and depth to tackle an enormous range of challenges facing our country and the world. Price graduates hold leadership positions across diverse sectors – public, private, and nonprofit – championing the advancement of the common good. They come from around the world and from a variety of cultures and socio-economic backgrounds to create a rich intellectual environment that celebrates, supports and benefits from a variety of backgrounds and opinions.

For additional information, see our website: https://priceschool.usc.edu.

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