Assistant Professor, Strategic Communication​/Public Relations - School of Communication Studies

Working Title:
Assistant Professor, Strategic Communication/Public Relations - School of Communication Studies

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 Arts and Letters

Department: 100017 - School of Communication Studies

Pay Band: N/A

Pay Rate: Commensurate with Experience

Specify Range or Amount:

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: 10/26/2026

Mission
We are a community committed to preparing students to be educated and enlightened citizens who lead productive and meaningful lives.

Vision
To be the national model for the engaged university: engaged with ideas and the world.

Who We Are
Situated in the heart of Virginia’s beautiful Shenandoah Valley, the city of Harrisonburg is a vibrant community with a population of approximately 52,000. Harrisonburg is conveniently located approximately 120 miles from Washington, D.C. and Richmond, VA.

JMU is a selective, public institution with a growing national reputation for offering experiences that lead to an outstanding education and supportive environment for students, faculty and staff. The student body includes approximately 21,000 undergraduate and 1,800 graduate students, with over 1,000 full-time instructional faculty.

JMU offers thriving programs in the liberal arts, science and technology, and professional disciplines at the undergraduate, master’s and doctoral levels. JMU has achieved national recognition for the high quality of its academic programs, focus on maintaining strong student/faculty interaction, and innovative faculty research.

The School of Communication Studies at James Madison University invites applications for a tenure-track Strategic Communication / Public Relations faculty member at the rank of Assistant Professor. Employment begins in August 2027. We seek an innovative scholar and educator whose teaching, research, and professional experiences advance the study and practice of strategic communication and public relations.
We welcome candidates who combine strong scholarly potential, excellent teaching, and professional or applied expertise and who can contribute to the School’s undergraduate public relations curriculum and graduate strategic communication program.
The successful candidate will join a vibrant program with an active and award-winning PRSSA chapter and student-run public relations firm. The School’s Public Relations program has also been recognized by the PRWeek Awards, including an honorable mention for Education Program of the Year. These opportunities provide an exceptional environment for faculty to connect scholarship, teaching, mentoring, and professional practice.

• teach a variety of public relations courses at the undergraduate level, including but not limited to, public relations writing, theory, research methods, and/or capstone courses.
• teach strategic communication courses at the graduate level.
• incorporate experiential, project-based, client-based, and/or community-engaged learning where appropriate.
• maintain an active research program that contributes to the scholarly study of public relations and strategic communication.
• publish scholarly work in appropriate peer-reviewed outlets and present research at professional and scholarly conferences.
• pursue interdisciplinary research and external funding opportunities as appropriate to the candidate’s research agenda.
• mentor and advise undergraduate and graduate students.
• contribute to the School’s student professional development activities, including opportunities associated…