Tenure-Track Assistant Professor, Costume Design

Working Title:

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Tenure‑Track Assistant Professor, Costume Design

State Role

Title:

N/A

Position Type: Instructional / Teaching Faculty

Position Status: Full‑Time

FLSA Status: Exempt:
Not Eligible for Overtime

College/Division: College of Visual and Performing Arts

Department: 100019 – School Theatre and Dance

Pay Rate: Commensurate with Experience

Is this a JMU only position? No

Is this a grant‑funded position? No

Is this a Conflict of Interest designated position? No

Beginning Review Date: 11/15/2025

James Madison University (JMU) is a selective public institution dedicated to educating students to be enlightened citizens who lead productive, meaningful lives. The university has a growing reputation for offering experiences that lead to outstanding education and a supportive environment for students, faculty, and staff. The student body includes approximately 21,000 undergraduates, 1,800 graduate students, and over 1,000 full‑time instructional faculty.

To be the national model for an engaged university that is engaged with ideas and the world.

Situated in the heart of Virginia's beautiful Shenandoah Valley, Harrisonburg is a vibrant community with a population of roughly 52,000. Located about 120 miles from Washington, D.C. and Richmond, VA, the city offers a welcoming environment for faculty and students alike.

The School of Theatre and Dance is part of the College of Visual and Performing Arts and serves approximately 300 students. It offers a Bachelor of Arts degree with majors in Theatre, Musical Theatre, and Dance, housed in the award‑winning Forbes Center for the Performing Arts. The School’s collegial environment and practice‑based training provide a liberal arts foundation for the current and future redesign of the Theatre major.

The School invites applications for a full‑time, 10‑month, tenure‑track Assistant Professor of Costume Design to begin August 2026.

We seek a vibrant theatre artist and educator with a strong professional background and a national and/or international portfolio in Costume Design and a commitment to student‑centered ընկեր teaching. The successful candidate will demonstrate a pedagogical approach grounded in contemporary, deliverables‑based processes, and an interest in evolving industry practices. The incoming faculty member will have a meaningful voice in shaping the future of our curriculum and will help lead the development of a design/technology curriculum alongside a passionate and forward‑thinking faculty.

• Teach courses in Costume Design, Design Aspects, Stage Makeup, Advanced Design, Technical Costuming (basic and advanced), and Introductory Theatre for non‑majors.
• Design at least two mainstage productions per academic year.
• Participate in curriculum development and revision.
.leave i Engage in creative and/or scholarly research.
• Actively mentor and advise students.
• Contribute to a supportive and inclusive departmental environment.
• Participate in student recruitment.

Required Qualifications

• MFA in Costume Design or related field by time of appointment.
• Record of professional creative practice and/or academic scholarship at the regional, national, and/or international level.
• Evidence of strong costume technology and craft skills.
• Demonstrated ability to design for dance.
• Commitment to liberal arts education and collaborative learning.
• Developing or established record of creative or scholarly work consistent with the expectations of an R2 research institution.

Preferred Qualifications

• Record of engaged and accomplished teaching at the undergraduate level.
• Membership with USA
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• Demonstrated experience with makeup design.
• Experience of costume design in non‑theatrical contexts, such as film or TV.
• Demonstrated experience with sustainability of materials/resources for costume design.
• Record of successful student mentorship.

• Applicants should complete the application on the JMU career site and submit: a cover letter, curriculum vitae, teaching philosophy statement, and names and contact information of three professional references.
• Review of applications will begin…