Open Until Filled. Review of applications will begin on September 23, 2024.
Position Details:
This full-time faculty position is on-campus and in-person.
The Department of Communication Studies in the Bob Schieffer College of Communication at Texas Christian University (TCU) in Fort Worth, Texas, invites applications for a tenure-track Assistant Professor position in Communication Studies, specializing in health communication, interpersonal communication, or the combination of the two, for appointment beginning in August 2025. Candidates must possess a Ph.D. in Communication Studies by August 2025 and provide evidence of skilled teaching and peer-reviewed scholarship.
We seek applications from teacher-scholars who can contribute to the department’s social scientific approach to the study of communication, and we welcome scholars who employ quantitative, qualitative, or mixed methodologies. The successful candidate will possess an active research program in health communication, interpersonal communication, or in the intersection of health and interpersonal communication. They will teach one of the department’s core courses (communication theory, public speaking, interpersonal communication, or organizational communication), which are required for undergraduate Communication Studies majors, and will teach or develop courses related to their area of specialization at the undergraduate and graduate levels. The standard annual teaching load is 3-2. As tenure-stream faculty, the successful candidate also will receive course reductions in the first and fourth years on tenure track to support progress toward tenure.
We seek candidates who are committed to providing students with an active, supportive learning environment, advancing knowledge through theoretically and practically significant scholarship, and contributing to the inclusive excellence of our university community. Evidence of mentoring and collaborating with students and colleagues in a diverse environment is a plus. The position offers opportunities to teach and engage in research using resources provided by the college’s Schieffer Media Insights Lab, which allow collection of social media data and video analysis of nonverbal communication. The college also offers a minor in Health Communication and Media, one that gives students a background in the theories, research, and practice of health communication as both a discipline and possible career path. Additionally, there may be opportunities to teach in interdisciplinary programs in comparative race and ethnic studies, women and gender studies, and undergraduate honors.
Department Details:
The Schieffer College Department of Communication Studies is the academic home to 500 students, who complete the bachelor of science degree, the master of science degree, or the minor. The department also offers TCU’s core essential competency in effective oral communication and houses TCU’s nationally ranked speech and debate program. The department’s faculty regularly publish in top tier journals and are active in the National Communication Association. The master’s degree program ranks among the most research productive in the nation and has a strong track record of placing students in professional positions and doctoral programs.
School/College Description:
In 2023, the Schieffer College celebrates the 10th anniversary of its naming for TCU alumnus and longtime CBS network TV correspondent Bob Schieffer. The college is the academic home for four departments: Communication Studies; Film, Television and Digital Media; Journalism; and Strategic Communication. Some 1,250 undergraduate student majors complete coursework in areas that include: Advertising and Public Relations; Cinema and Media Studies; Digital and Social Media; Health Communication and Media; Interpersonal and Organizational Communication; Journalism and News Media Studies; and Sports Broadcasting. About 30 graduate students pursue master’s degrees in Communication Studies or Strategic Communication, and some 60 full-time and 15 part-time faculty teach in the college. The college’s award-winning student experiential learning activities include print, video and digital news media, a speech and debate team, an advertising and public relations agency, a radio station, and sports broadcasting productions. The college also offers a number of off-campus study options to students.
University & Fort Worth Description:
ABOUT TCU
Founded in 1873, Texas Christian University sits on 302 acres nestled in a primarily residential part of Fort Worth, just minutes away from downtown. The University includes seven schools and colleges, in addition to the John V. Roach Honors College and the Burnett School of Medicine.
Currently, TCU enrolls more than 10,200 undergraduates and 1,700 graduate students. Twenty-eight percent of students self-identify as a member of a minority group, five percent are international students, and forty-five percent are from out-of-state. Our students are supported by more than 2,200 faculty and staff. The University has more than 700 full-time faculty members and is a top 100 National University as classified by US News and World Report and has a Carnegie Classification of R2: Doctoral Universities – High Research Activity.
At TCU, diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) are an educational imperative directly tied to the University mission, vision, and strategic plan. Fulfilling TCU’s mission to develop ethical leaders and critical thinkers in a global community depends on the University’s ability to attract and retain students, faculty, and staff from diverse backgrounds. A diverse and inclusive campus leads to innovation, broadened perspective, and understanding—values that are foundational aspects of higher education. For the fourth consecutive year, TCU has earned the Higher Education Excellence in Diversity Award, which highlights ongoing commitment to build a comprehensive DEI strategy that aligns with core values and creates a campus culture where everyone is respected and included.
ABOUT FORT WORTH
Like TCU, Fort Worth has the approachable, friendly charm of a smaller town, but offers the amenities, cultural activities, diversity and unique personality of a much larger city. Fort Worth, Texas, is the 13th largest city in the United States with an ever-growing population nearing 1 million. Fort Worth and TCU have grown together in a nearly 150-year relationship. You’ll find that many Horned Frogs remain here after graduation, thanks to the region’s thriving job market. Fort Worth is part of the Dallas-Fort Worth metropolitan area, the fourth largest metropolitan area in the United States, and the number 1 tourist destination in Texas. In 2018, bizjournals.com ranked Fort Worth the 7th most affordable city to live and work in the United States and U.S. News and World Report named Fort Worth one of the Best Places to Live. Fort Worth, Dallas and Arlington all rank among the top 25 most diverse cities in the country.
Fort Worth is known for its vast array of cultural, educational and entertainment opportunities. The city boasts three world class art museums—the Kimbell Art Museum, the Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth and the Amon Carter Museum of American Art. The Bass Performance Hall is one of the premier performance venues in the country. Concerts, film festivals and other events are held regularly at Sundance Square, Panther Island and Near Southside venues.
Applications must include a cover letter that addresses the position requirements, curriculum vitae, statement of teaching philosophy, evidence of teaching effectiveness, and a list of three references with current contact information included. Applications must be submitted electronically through the TCU HR system.
AA/EEO Statement:
As an AA/EEO employer, TCU recruits, hires, and promotes qualified persons in all job classifications without regard to age, race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, gender expression, national origin, ethnic origin, disability, genetic information, covered veteran status, or any other basis protected by law.
TCU is all about the experience. This is a place where students learn how to adapt to whatever the future might bring, develop critical thinking skills and expand their creativity. With a choice of rigorous academic programs in 130 undergraduate areas of study, 61 master’s level programs and 24 areas of doctoral study, Horned Frogs have opportunities to search for meaning and examine values, yet graduate well-prepared for professional accomplishment. Whether in the fine arts or business or engineering, Horned Frogs can develop their full creative potential here. For example, both MBA and undergraduate students at the Neeley School of Business benefit from an experience ranked at the top by Bloomberg Businessweek and U.S. News & World Report — not in spite of, but because of, the focus on the individual. At TCU, professors love being in the classroom. These mentoring teacher-scholars also conduct well-published, leading-edge research, often with undergraduates at their sides. Horned Frogs live, learn and play 24-7 in a 277-acre setting in a vibrant city. They work out in state-of-the-art recreation facilities, catch Big 12 NCAA athletic competition and participate in 200+ organizati...ons, all without leaving the campus. That’s when they’re not providing thousands of hours of volunteer service to their community, interning in New York or LA, practicing journalism in Washington, D.C., experiencing international business in China or perfecting Spanish in Seville. It’s how Horned Frogs are learning to change the world.