Position Summary
The Department of Journalism and Creative Media seeks an instructor or assistant professor who is excited about preparing students for success in digital news through coursework and immersive experiential learning.
Detailed Position Information
The University of Alabama’s Department of Journalism and Creative Media seeks a nine-month, non-tenure-track, renewable contract instructor/assistant professor whose class load will include teaching up to four courses per semester. This teaching-focused position is based on a 3-year renewable contract cycle with opportunities for promotion. This position is essential to maintaining capacity in news production courses within the news media major which is a high-demand undergraduate program central to the identity and reputation of JCM and the college.
Opportunities to work with students and contribute to the department include:
- Teach news reporting, digital media content creation, and fundamentals of audio and video broadcasting.
- Strengthen the integration of the JCM department and the Digital Media Center by working closely with the WVUA 23 and Alabama Public Radio (APR) news teams to provide experiential learning opportunities.
The position begins Aug. 16, 2024.
Minimum Qualifications
A master’s degree in journalism, mass communication or a closely-related field is required for the instructor position, terminal degree required for assistant professor position. Experience in professional journalism and teaching is preferred. Commitment to working collaboratively with colleagues from different backgrounds and disciplines, engaging students with varied needs and interests, and preparing the next generation of media professionals to effectively serve all members of their communities is expected.
Instructions and Required Materials for Application
Direct questions to search committee chair Dr. Chandra Clark (205-348-2697 – Chandra.Clark@ua.edu). Apply at: (https://careers.ua.edu/faculty). Screening begins November 6, 2023. Applications should include a cover letter, CV, contact information for three references. A demo reel is strongly encouraged.
About the Department
The Department of Journalism & Creative Media (https://jcm.ua.edu/) resides in the College of Communication & Information Sciences. The department consists of 35 faculty and more than 900 undergraduate and graduate student majors. JCM’s undergraduate news media major and professional master’s programs are accredited by the Accrediting Council on Education in Journalism & Mass Communications. The College of Communication & Information Sciences includes the departments of Advertising and Public Relations, Communication Studies, and the School of Library and Information Studies. The college has approximately 100 full-time faculty members serving over 3,000 students across bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degree programs, including approximately 80 students in the college-wide, multi-disciplinary Ph.D. program (https://cis.ua.edu/cis-doctoral-program/). The college’s Institute for Communication & Information Research (ICIR) is a premier research institute dedicated to addressing societal and cultural issues related to communication and information research. The ICIR collaborates with businesses, nonprofit organizations, government agencies, foundations, and other entities to produce high-impact research that informs and improves our evolving communication and information landscape. Housed within the Office for Research, Scholarship & Creative Activity are multiple collaborative lab spaces. The college also maintains the 40,000 square-foot Digital Media Center, which is home to the Center for Public Television, Alabama Public Radio, and WVUA 23, a full-power commercial television station serving a top-50 television market. The future Holle Center for Communication Arts, a hub for storytelling and social justice, will also be located in the Digital Media Center. The college strives to unite the theoretical and practical dimensions of communication and is a campus leader in the areas of diversity, equity, and inclusion.
About The University of Alabama
A leader in cutting-edge research, UA advances discovery, creative inquiry and knowledge through more than 30 research centers. The University of Alabama has R1: Doctoral Universities – Very High Research Activity status by the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education and is among the top doctoral research universities in the United States. As the state’s largest higher education institution, UA drives economic growth in Alabama and beyond.
The University of Alabama is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer and is strongly committed to diversity, valuing candidates who bring a variety of backgrounds and experiences to our community. Women and individuals from historically underrepresented groups are strongly encouraged to apply.
Commitment to working collaboratively with colleagues from different backgrounds and disciplines, engaging students with varied needs and interests, and preparing the next generation of media professionals to effectively serve all members of their communities is expected.
About Tuscaloosa
Tuscaloosa is so much more than a college town. It’s a vibrant community that’s filled with legendary history. Located along the Black Warrior River, the city features a walkable downtown that’s complete with live music, locally owned shops, outdoor spaces to explore and local restaurants to meet every palate. With a geography ranging from suburban to rural, the area offers a variety of housing options along with excellent public and private schools and a wealth of recreational and entertainment options. With a metro area population of 235,000, the Druid City lies about an hour southwest of Birmingham, in west-central Alabama. It’s within a few hours’ drive of Gulf Coast beaches and major cities like Nashville, New Orleans and Atlanta, making it a great base for getting better acquainted with the South’s finest offerings.
UA EEO Statement
The University of Alabama is an Equal Employment/Equal Educational Opportunity Institution. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, genetic information, disability or protected veteran status and will not be discriminated against because of their protected status. Applicants to and employees of this institution are protected under Federal law from discrimination on several bases. Follow this link below to find out more.