Instructor, Communication Studies, Renewable Contract - 524936
The University of Alabama

Job Info

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Department/Organization
207301 - Communication Studies

Rank
Instructor

Position Summary
The Department of Communication Studies in the College of Communication and Information Sciences at The University of Alabama is seeking a dynamic instructor for a faculty position as full-time, non-tenure-track, three-year renewable contract Instructor of Communication Studies to begin August 15, 2025.

Detailed Position Information
The Department of Communication Studies in the College of Communication and Information Sciences at The University of Alabama is seeking a dynamic instructor for a faculty position as full-time, non-tenure-track, three-year renewable contract Instructor of Communication Studies to begin August 15, 2025. The teaching load is four courses per semester, with potential for additional summer course offerings.

Ideal candidates will have a demonstrated record of excellence in teaching and service within communication studies. We are eager to work with someone who possesses a dynamic and engaging teaching style to model excellence in public speaking to students, as well as explore innovative ideas and approaches to teaching public speaking. The successful candidate will be able to provide quality instruction in Public Speaking and other oral communication courses. Appointments to the faculty of The University of Alabama are based on the personnel requirements of the University's academic programs and on the goal of achieving and maintaining excellence in its teaching, research, and service/academic citizenship activities.

Responsibilities:
- Teach 4 courses each term (Fall and Spring) in the Public Speaking Program, COM 123 Public Speaking or other oral communication courses.
- Establish and maintain a record of teaching excellence in various modalities including large lecture and small lab courses.
- Assist with programmatic duties in the Public Speaking Program related to developing Graduate Teaching Assistants and mentoring lab instructors.
- Assist in executing specific courses designed to enhance outreach of oral communication skills across campus.
- Serve on department and college committees as appropriate.
The Public Speaking Program at the University of Alabama supports two campus wide programs which seek to develop quality oral communication skills in all students, faculty, and staff. COM 123: Public Speaking is a three-hour course offered by the Communication Studies Department and is open to all university students. It is designed to offer the theory and practice of basic principles of public speaking, with an emphasis on the compositional and presentational aspects of communication in formal speaking situations. It counts as a Humanities course in the General Education Core Curriculum and fulfills specific course requirements for many majors throughout the university. The course regularly supports more than 1400 students a semester between lectures, labs, distance learning, and stand-alone sections. The program is supported through the effort of 9-12 graduate teaching assistants who serve as lab instructors for the program. The program was recognized by the National Communication Association (NCA) as a program of distinction.

The Public Speaking Program also supports The Speaking Studio, our campus-wide communication center designed to help students, faculty, and community partners improve their presentation and public speaking skills. UA undergraduate students serve as consultants and help support the growth and development of hundreds of clients in their development as communicators.

Minimum Qualifications
- Completed M.A. in Communication (or communication-related field with at least 18 credit hours in the Communication discipline) by August 14, 2025.
- Record of teaching excellence in oral communication-based courses.
- Qualifications to teach at the undergraduate level.
- Ability to teach online courses.
- Ability to be an active and involved member of a diverse and collaborative faculty team.

Instructions and Required Materials for Application
Review of applications will begin on November 1, 2024 and will continue until the position is filled. To be considered for the position, applicants must submit: (1) a letter of application that describes qualifications, experiences, and approach to teaching, (2) a current curriculum vitae, (3) the names and contact information of three professional references, and (4) evidence of teaching effectiveness. Only completed files will be evaluated. Materials can be submitted online at https://careers.ua.edu. Salary and benefits are competitive and commensurate with experience. Questions may be directed to the chair of the search committee, Dr. Adam Brooks at adam.brooks@ua.edu.

About the University
The University of Alabama is located in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, named one of Travel + Leisure's 25 Best College Towns and Cities in the U.S. As one of the nation's premier universities, UA offers bachelor's, master's and doctoral degrees in nearly 200 fields of study. With more than 1,400 acres of tree-lined academic core campus and over 300 state-of-the art facilities, UA has been ranked among the most beautiful and most impressive college campuses in the South, in the state of Alabama and in the nation.

In Fall 2023, the Capstone set a new enrollment record with more than 39,000 students, including more than 8,200 in the freshman class. The current enrollment includes students from every county in Alabama, every state in the nation and 92 countries around the world. More than 1,100 National Merit Scholars are currently enrolled, making UA one of the largest enrolling institutions of the scholars in the country.

UA was recently recognized as a Top Producing Institution of Fulbright U.S. students for the seventh time in nine years, as well as a Top Producing Institution of Fulbright U.S. Scholars for the first time. UA is one of only 12 universities in the nation to receive both honors.

For reasons like this, the University made Forbes list of America's Top Colleges for 2023 and Time magazine's list of Top 50 Best Colleges for Future Leaders. It also made Princeton Review's list of Top Value Colleges.

UA is also designated among the top doctoral research universities in the United States in the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education. One of the fastest growing major research institutions in the nation, UA saw a 21% increase in sponsored awards in the 2023 fiscal year.

Since 2015, UA has invested over $1.1 billion in the physical campus, adding more than 2.55 million gross square feet of space, over 150 new research-intensive faculty, signature research areas (e.g., "The Alabama Research Institutes"), and a growing number of partnerships with industry and with state and federal agencies.

The University employs nearly 2,100 faculty and over 4,500 staff, with 52 UA researchers included in the National Academy of Inventors. An additional 40 current faculty have received the NSF CAREER Award, the nation's most prestigious recognition of top performing young scientists in disciplines ranging from nanoscience and engineering to biological sciences.

Background Investigation and EEO Statement
Prior to hiring, the final candidate(s) must successfully pass a pre-employment background investigation and information obtained from social media and other internet sources. A prior conviction reported as a result of the background investigation DOES NOT automatically disqualify a candidate from consideration for this position. A candidate with a prior conviction or negative behavioral red flags will receive an individualized review of the prior conviction or negative behavioral red flags before a hiring decision is made.

The University of Alabama is an Equal Employment/Equal Educational Opportunity Institution. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, genetic information, disability or protected veteran status and will not be discriminated against because of their protected status. Applicants to and employees of this institution are protected under Federal law from discrimination on several bases. Follow the link below to find out more. "EEO is the Law" https://www.eeoc.gov/sites/default/files/migrated_files/employers/poster_screen_reader_optimized.pdf

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