Assistant Professor - Journalism/Media Studies

The Jack J. Valenti School of Communication at the University of Houston invites applications for a tenure-track assistant professor position in journalism/media studies beginning in Fall of 2022. The candidate will need to have demonstrated a substantive record of research, or the potential thereof. The successful candidate would be expected to teach required and elective undergraduate and graduate courses in journalism and/or media studies. The successful candidate will also have teaching and professional experience in areas such as journalism, media studies or media industries.

The Valenti School of Communication hosts nearly 290 undergraduate students majoring in journalism and media studies. Valenti has 17 tenure-line and six instructional faculty. As a program growing in inter/-national competitiveness and recognition, graduate faculty receive a steady stream of internal and external grants. Valenti faculty have strengths in the study of media and politics, digital distribution of content, cultural production and digital activism, health and nutrition claims in advertising, emerging media technologies, alternative media, activism, global digital news innovations, pro-social media campaigns, health attitudes, immigrant and multiethnic community building, social network analysis, intercultural/cross cultural communication, relationship management, intercultural public relations, and global media studies.

Furthermore, the Valenti School and the University of Houston take pride in having one of the most diverse student bodies in higher education. As such, we welcome candidates whose experience in teaching, research, and/or community service has prepared them to contribute to our goals of diversity and excellence. We are committed to bringing in a diverse pool of candidates who reflect groups previously underrepresented in academia and/or candidates who are committed to teaching and researching these issues as well.

As the fourth largest city in the U.S., a top ten media market, and the most ethnically diverse city in the country, Houston is a vibrant, affordable city to live and work. It has multi-national industries, commercial centers, the largest medical center in the world, a robust arts community, a strong culinary scene, professional sports, an entrepreneurial approach to new technologies, and is the world capital for petroleum exploration and energy. The Chronicle of Higher Education has named the University of Houston as one of the best places to work, and U.S. News & World Report listed UH as one of the most racially/ethnically diverse universities in the nation.

In their cover letter, candidates are asked to specify courses they would propose teaching in the journalism and media studies concentration, including an outline of teaching experience, their active research agenda and experience working with underrepresented groups.

We will review applications beginning November 8, 2021. For more information or questions, please contact Dr. Beth Olson, chair of the search committee, at [email protected] . The University of Houston is responsive to the needs of dual-career couples

The University of Houston is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity employer. Minorities, women, veterans and persons with disabilities are encouraged to apply.

A Ph.D. in communication or related field is required. Credentials must be obtained prior to the start of employment.  We are especially interested in candidates whose work addresses journalism, communication, or media studies as they as they pertain to issues of race/ethnicity, disability, LGBTQIA+, class, or other historically underrepresented groups of people, or communities.

Candidates may use a range of methodological approaches (qualitative, quantitative, critical, interpretative, computational or mixed methods) and have research and/or teaching experience in one or more of the following areas that intersect with structures of (in)equities and/or (in)justice:

• Digital Culture
• Platforms and Publics
• Civic Engagement and Technological Infrastructure
• Media Industries’ Platforms
• Data, AI and Society
• Ethnic/Community/Alternative Journalism
• Solutions Journalism
• Sports Journalism
• Media Studies
• Cultural Studies
• Digital & Social Media
• Social Media Analytics