CCIS - Assistant Professor, Tenure-Track, Sports Media, Journalism and Creative Media

Department/Organization

207451 - Journalism and Creative Media

Assistant Professor

The Department of Journalism and Creative Media in the College of Communication & Information Sciences at the University of Alabama invites applications for a nine-month tenure-track assistant professor in sports media to begin August 2027.

Sports media represents one of the most dynamic and consequential areas in contemporary communication — and this position is designed for a scholar ready to help define what that field becomes. The college brings existing faculty expertise, research infrastructure, and institutional momentum to support that work. The ideal candidate will develop a robust research agenda around sports media that complements the nationally recognized scholarship being advanced in the college and develop courses in burgeoning sports areas.

This could include, but is not limited to, topics such as the following:

• Creator economy and athlete-led media
• AI in sports media
• Streaming fragmentation and live sports
• Digital fandom
• Sports gambling
• The changing sports journalism ecosystem
• Sports and public health
• Sports and societal change

Furthermore, applicants must display an interest in developing an ambitious interdisciplinary research agenda in sports media and communication, pursuing external grants and other funding, and disseminating scholarly work in premier academic and industry venues.

The successful hire will teach two courses each fall and spring semester, which will include undergraduate, master's, and Ph.D. level-courses in sports media. Additionally, applicants are expected to contribute to the Beyond Sports Initiative, an academic research collaborative in which scholars work with leaders in the sports industry to identify, investigate and influence issues important to the field.

• Terminal degree (MFA or Ph.D.) in a communication or sports-media related field completed by the appointment start date. ABDs at the time of application will be considered.
• Demonstrated research or creative productivity in sports media or a related communication field, with evidence of an emerging scholarly agenda appropriate to the assistant professor rank.
• Record of teaching effectiveness in communication-related fields
• Commitment to working collaboratively with colleagues from different backgrounds and disciplines, engaging students with varied needs and interests, and preparing the next generation of media professionals to effectively serve all members of their communities.
• Interest in contributing to the college's Beyond Sports Initiative.

Preferred qualifications include one or more of the following:

• Experience with applying for external grants/extramural funding.
• Potential to develop and teach courses connecting sports media with the applicant’s primary research area.
• Interest in advising college-wide sports media student organizations (e.g., National Sports Media Association, Association for Women in Sports Media, Associated Press Sports Editors).

The College of Communication & Information Sciences has four academic units, approximately 110 full-time faculty members, and serves approximately 3,500 students across bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degree programs, including approximately 95 students in the college-wide Ph.D. program. The college's Institute for Communication & Information Research (ICIR) is a premier research institute dedicated to addressing societal and cultural issues related to communication and information research.

The ICIR collaborates with businesses, nonprofit organizations, government agencies, foundations, and other entities to produce high-impact research that…