Job description

Position Summary

The School of Communication at Western Michigan University invites applications for a full-time, academic year, tenure-track position in digital media, Interactive design, and user experience at the rank of Assistant or Associate Professor, to begin August 2026. The successful candidate will contribute to a dynamic program in communication that situates digital media, interactive design, and user experience within a liberal arts curriculum, emphasizing critical thinking to inform student work. Candidates with scholarship that demonstrates a commitment to social justice issues are especially encouraged to apply.

Qualifications

Ph.D. Communication, Mass Communication, or relevant discipline (ABDs are eligible for consideration but are required to complete their degree requirements by August 4, 2026). Ideal candidates will provide evidence of strong potential to develop and maintain a nationally recognized program of scholarship and demonstrate the capacity for excellence in teaching. The ideal applicant is a scholar with the desire to teach foundational courses in digital media as well as interactive design, participatory content creation, and user-centered messaging. Preferred qualifications include experience teaching major non-linear editing software in the Macintosh environment (e.g., Adobe Premiere, Final Cut Pro), with the ability to adapt to rapid advances in digital video technology. The successful candidate will demonstrate a record of contributions or a commitment to diversity and inclusion in their scholarship, creative activity, teaching, service, and/or student mentoring.

Responsibilities

Candidates will teach digital media, Interactive design, and user experience courses in their area(s) of expertise, engage in curriculum development, participate in departmental and college committees, and develop industry relationships. Other responsibilities include maintaining a nationally recognized research and/or creative activities agenda and mentoring undergraduate and graduate students. The ability to teach foundational courses is also expected.

Applications

Review of applications will begin April 10, 2025 and will continue until the position is filled. Applicants should visit http://www.wmich.edu/hr/jobs to apply. Online applications include:

1. Curriculum vita
2. Letter of application that addresses fulfillment of qualifications and demonstrates skills, knowledge, and/or success in diversity, equity, and inclusion work
3. Three samples of teaching materials (e.g., syllabi, assignments, prepared materials for class)
4. Contact information for three references
5. Unofficial copies of graduate transcripts

Please direct any questions to Chad Edwards at chad.edwards@wmich.edu.

Department

The School of Communication at Western Michigan University embraces the philosophy of engaged scholarship – a philosophy that grounds our theory and research in a practical effort to make an impact on our personal relationships, organizations, communities, society, and the global community. We have a nationally recognized master’s program and 18 tenured/tenure-track faculty who have national and international research and creative activity records and who are actively engaged in student mentoring. Our graduate program engages students in public scholarship, providing transparent criteria for student success, and employs the best practices such as teamwork, interdisciplinary approaches, and mentoring. Our undergraduate curriculum serves approximately 400 students in five majors, including Communication Studies; Digital Media and Journalism; Film, Video, and Media Studies; Interpersonal Communication; and Strategic Communication – and 150 students in three minors: Communication, User-Experience/ Human-Computer Interaction (UX/HCI), and Journalism. This position coincides with a $42.3M renovation of Dunbar Hall, which includes a highly visible broadcast production space ideal for live news and sports shows, interviews with visiting scholars, professionals, or alumni, chroma key, photography shoots, or other performance-based activities.

The School of Communication is committed to the University’s strategic direction on inclusive excellence and equity and actively works to promote a diverse, equitable, and inclusive University culture to ensure social sustainability and accessibility. We strongly encourage applications from candidates in underrepresented groups, including those with physical disabilities, neurological disabilities, as well as multilingual candidates for whom English is not a first language. We seek all candidates who have a passion for inclusion, accessibility, and related themes.

In support of the School of Communication’s commitment to scholarly and creative activity, the successful candidate will enjoy many opportunities to develop their research and/or production activity portfolio. Travel funding will be provided, with support for presenting at conferences, publishing in professional publications, creative activities, and developing leadership experience.

College

The College of Arts and Sciences represents the foundation of learning and the academic heart of WMU. As articulated in the College of Arts and Sciences strategic plan, we are committed to fostering a community of diverse, inclusive, equitable, and globally engaged scholars, learners, and leaders. With 23 departments and interdisciplinary schools and institutes, WMU’s largest college offers a broad range of learning opportunities and career paths for our students. CAS students are among the very top students in the country, having received very competitive awards including Goldwater Fellowships, Udall Scholarships, Boren Fellowships, and Fulbright awards, among others.

Kalamazoo

Kalamazoo is located only two and a half hours by car from Chicago and Detroit and only 45 minutes from the beaches of Lake Michigan. It is in one of Michigan’s designated research corridors, maintaining a strong life sciences/biotech presence and supporting two leading medical centers. With 263,000 people in the greater Kalamazoo area, the community offers an array of cultural events, entertainment, and all-season recreation. The city supports an international keyboard competition and a nationally recognized symphony and has earned a reputation for a vibrant community theatre and visual arts scene. Relatedly, Kalamazoo is committed to social justice, community development and the elimination of generational poverty through its Shared Prosperity Kalamazoo initiative, with structural budgetary support provided by the City of Kalamazoo’s Foundation for Excellence program. Kalamazoo also is the home of the Kalamazoo Promise, a scholarship program offered to all Kalamazoo Public School students that covers up to 100% of tuition and mandatory fees to all Michigan public (and many private) institutions of higher learning.