Communication & Media Arts - Assistant Professor DIMA

Western Connecticut State University’s School of Visual, Performing, and Communication Arts (SVPCA) is pleased to announce that applications are being accepted for a tenure track Assistant Professor position in the Communication & Media Arts department.

WCSU is committed to enhancing our diverse university community by actively encouraging people with disabilities, members of LGBTQIA and BIPOC communities, veterans, and women to apply. We take pride in our pluralistic community and continue to seek excellence through diversity and inclusion. WCSU is honored to be awarded the federal designation as a Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI). This accomplishment marks a pivotal moment in our progress toward fostering diversity, equity, and inclusion within our campus community.

Only an hour from New York City yet located in the scenic foothills of New England’s Berkshires, the School of Visual, Performing, and Communication Arts (SVPCA) offers a professional training program in a liberal arts context at the relatively affordable cost of a public university. New York City’s proximity means our students receive the benefit of a faculty of nationally recognized artists, directors, designers, performers, and scholars dedicated to teaching a highly diverse student population.

The Department of Communication & Media Arts offers a Bachelor of Arts degree in Digital & Interactive Media Arts (DIMA), Communication Studies, and Media Arts. Additional information about the department may be found u.edu/communication-media-arts/.

The successful candidate will teach courses in the Communication & Media Arts Department that fall within the Digital & Interactive Media Arts (DIMA) program. We are specifically looking for someone able to teach DIMA’s Game Development & Design courses. The successful candidate will also have a background more generally in Communication Studies, or Visual Design/Motion Graphics areas.

The DIMA program integrates game design, game animation, game scripting, and interactive media in a collaborative, project-based learning environment that bridges art, computer science, and design. Students complete an interdisciplinary core in media production, computer science, and visual design before specializing in one of several options, including a new Game Development & Design option available u.edu/dima/. We are seeking someone who combines being a practitioner in/of game development with academic training or ongoing scholarship within the communication studies discipline.

The successful candidate will participate in departmental and university service, contribute to curriculum development, engage in scholarly or creative activity related to games or interactive media, advise and mentor students, and support student groups and initiatives. WCSU’s small class sizes promote hands‑on, student-centered learning and project‑based instruction. The standard teaching load for all full‑time faculty is four courses (12 credits) per semester.

Candidates must hold a terminal degree (Ph.D., M.F.A., or M.S.) in Game Design, Communication Studies, Interactive Media, or a closely related field. ABD candidates will be considered if their degree is completed by the time of appointment. Applicants must demonstrate expertise in game design and game development. The ability to teach courses in 3D modeling, asset creation, computer graphics, animation pipelines, and interactive game systems is essential.

Professional or creative experience in 3D modeling (Blender, Substance Suite, or Maya) and asset creation for games, game animation pipelines for real‑time environments, gameplay and systems design, programming and interactivity using Unity or Unreal Engine (or comparable real‑time platforms), computer graphics, interactive applications, and advanced techniques for creating playable and immersive game experiences is required.

Evidence of effective college‑level teaching, creative and/or scholarly achievement, and a record of professional accomplishment in game design, game development, or interactive media is required. In their application materials, the successful candidate should…