Inside Higher Ed is hiring: Assistant Professor of Communication/Media Studies i

Assistant Professor of Communication/Media Studies

The Department of Communication at Denison University is seeking a tenure-track assistant professor in Media Studies. Candidates must have a PhD in Communication or Media Studies by August 2026 and demonstrate teaching experience in media courses.

The successful candidate will contribute to expanding and deepening our media studies curriculum with a rigorous, humanistic approach to the study of digital transformations in screen cultures, broadcast media, and the broader televisual ecosystem. The candidate should examine the evolving nature of screen cultures, media consumption, and culture industries in an era of proliferating networked devices, audience analytics, and streaming platforms. Teaching at least one of the department’s core courses (COMM 280: Theorizing Communication or COMM 290: Research in Communication) is expected.

Our program’s commitment to the study of Communication in a liberal arts setting emphasizes understanding the symbolic dynamics at the intersection of communication and power, culture, history, relationships, economics, politics, textual genres, and media. We aim to equip students with critical thinking, problem solving, rigorous research, and an openness to differences, preparing them to read and interpret with nuance and context.

The teaching load for tenure-track faculty is 3/2. The department seeks a colleague who will contribute to pluralistic approaches to the study of communication, pursue teaching excellence in an undergraduate liberal arts curriculum, develop a program of research leading to peer‑reviewed publication, and demonstrate strong departmental citizenship and university governance.

Denison is a highly selective, fully residential liberal arts college enrolling approximately 2,400 students from diverse backgrounds. The college is located in Granville, near the Columbus metropolitan region, offering access to outdoor activities and a robust academic community. Denison provides substantial support for faculty, including an annual professional development account, development funding, a one-semester research leave after a successful pre-tenure review, student-faculty research opportunities, summer research stipends, mentoring programs, a competitive salary, and a comprehensive benefits package including tuition benefits.

Qualifications

The preferred candidate will have a record of effective teaching, a commitment to liberal arts education, and the ability to sustain a program of rigorous, peer‑reviewed research. The candidate should be invested in collaboration with the department and university to explore opportunities for public deliberation, dialogue, and inquiry across different intellectual perspectives.

Application Instructions

Candidates must apply online by uploading all required materials to Interfolio. Applications submitted outside this site will not be accepted. Required materials include: cover letter and curriculum vitae; a statement of teaching philosophy highlighting commitments to liberal arts education; syllabi from two courses; two sets of course evaluations; a writing sample; and contact information (including email addresses) for three references. Additional materials may be requested later.

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement

Denison University is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, or other legally protected classes.

Title IX Notice

Sex discrimination is prohibited by federal law through Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972. Denison does not discriminate on the basis of sex in its education programs or activities, including admissions and employment. For Denison’s official Notice of Non-Discrimination, please visit Denison’s non-discrimination notice. More about Title IX is available at Denison’s Title IX page.

For reasonable accommodations to complete the application process, please contact the Office of Human Resources at (740) 587-6299 or HR@denison.edu.