Rank Tenured​/Tenure-Track Professor and Director of Fundamentals of Communication

Position: Open-Rank Tenured/Tenure-Track Professor and Director of Fundamentals of Communication
Department:
Col of Humanities and Soc Science

Classification: 9-month Instructional Faculty

Job Category:
Instructional Faculty

Work Schedule:

Full-time (1.0 FTE, 40 hrs/wk)

Location:

Fairfax, VA

Workplace Type:
Hybrid Eligible

Sponsorship Eligibility:
Eligible for Sponsorship

Salary:
Salary commensurate with education and experience

Criminal Background Check:
Yes

About the Department

Mason's Communication Department has a diverse and collegial faculty committed to excellence, innovation, community and public service, and fostering a supportive and welcoming environment for all. All department faculty participate in the life of our campus community, including career fairs, faculty functions, recruiting sessions, and other events. Located just 15 miles from Washington, D.C., we offer a broad undergraduate program; five minor programs;

a vibrant MA program including strategic, health, and science communication specialties; and a highly ranked PhD program emphasizing health, science/environment/risk, and strategic communication. The department also offers a graduate certificate in science communication. We serve a diverse population of undergraduate and graduate students who bring a wide variety of cultures and backgrounds to our classrooms. Additionally, the department supports several co-curricular activities, including debate, forensics, Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA), Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ), and a comprehensive student media program.

The research life of the department includes both undergraduate and graduate research, and is reflected in the activities and outreach of its faculty, including those of the Center for Climate Change Communication; the Communication, Health, and Relational Media (CHARM) research lab; the Center for Health and Risk Communication; the Character Assassination and Reputation Politics (CARP) research lab; and the Pop Culture Lab.

For more information about the Department of Communication, visit: https:///

About the Position

The Department of Communication's Open-Rank Tenured/Tenure-Track Professor teaches and conducts relevant communication research and serves as the Director of Fundamentals of Communication, working in collaboration with the Associate Director of Fundamentals of Communication to oversee the required multi-section introductory course in public communication and interpersonal communication, COMM 101. Over 4000 undergraduate students are enrolled in COMM 101 each academic year. The Director of Fundamentals of Communication will advocate for the courses on University level General Education committees and teaches graduate and undergraduate courses in their areas of expertise.

This appointment is scheduled to begin Fall semester, 2026.

The candidate should have expertise in training and development (including the development and instruction of online courses) and in conducting and publishing assessments; a doctoral degree in Communication (or closely related fields); and an active program of relevant communication research and scholarship in any of the following areas: communication education, scholarship of teaching and learning, interpersonal communication, organizational communication, strategic communication, or other areas represented in the department.

The candidate should have excellent teaching and advising experience, and commitment to collegiality and collaboration. (ABD candidates will be considered, but must have a completed doctoral degree for appointment as a tenure-track Assistant Professor).

Position Responsibilities

The assistant/associate/full professor and Director of Fundamentals of Communication is expected to fulfill the following duties and responsibilities, in collaboration with the Associate Director:

• Act as instructor of record and teach the COMM 101 Lecture course each semester, and additional courses each academic year determined by Department need and applicant expertise;

• Operational management of COMM 101 which may include:
- COMM 101 enrollment planning and management;
- End of semester grade compilation; handling student grade appeals and concerns;
- Managing online learning platforms for all…