Tenure-Track Assistant Professor in Media Arts and Studies

POSITION: The College of Fine, Performing and Communication Arts at Wayne State University seeks applicants for a Tenure-track Assistant Professor in Media Arts and Studies in the Department of Communication.  This faculty position has an emphasis in digital documentary film/media production and editing. This faculty position will begin no later than August 20, 2022. Salary is competitive and commensurate with experience.

The Department of Communication seeks a versatile, innovative filmmaker/storyteller who has the capacity to provide hands-on instruction in the technical and creative techniques of camera, lighting, sound, and editing in service to compelling, cinematic documentary and narrative storytelling. The ideal candidate will have a commitment to fostering the growth and amplifying the voices of emerging film and media makers whose stories reflect the diversity of the university’s urban environment and of our global society.

RESPONSIBILITIES:  The successful candidate will have a strong commitment to excellence in teaching, creative work, research and service. The candidate will make a significant contribution to the teaching and scholarly/creative mission of the faculty through undergraduate and graduate instruction, advising and mentorship; curriculum development; and supervision of student works and activities. The candidate will be actively engaged in their own creative/scholarly practices and will be an active member of the university community and the Detroit community with a strong commitment to diversity and inclusion.

The successful candidate will serve as Basic Production Course Director, overseeing the curriculum and instruction of the foundational production course required for students in the department’s Film, Media Arts and Studies and Broadcast Journalism programs. Teaching responsibilities will also include intermediate-level location production and editing courses, and may also include teaching in the graduate documentary production sequence, and/or film studies or screenwriting courses.

QUALIFICATIONS: A terminal degree (M.F.A. or practice-based Ph.D. with extensive production experience) in Film/Video, or related discipline is required. Expertise in AVID and multi-platform editing is highly desired as is experience in documentary production, audio post-production or screenwriting. The candidate should be able to engage students in the use of cinematic language and guide students through all aspects of production from pre-production through post-production.  At least two years of university teaching experience is required as is an active record of media-making and peer-reviewed exhibitions and/or screenings at the national level; expertise in documentary media production is preferred. Candidates should demonstrate clear evidence of the potential for establishing a national reputation through an active program of creative activity or scholarship, and should possess a strong record of teaching, a commitment to working with students from diverse backgrounds, and a willingness to advise and mentor graduate students.

DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNICATION: The Department of Communication is housed in the College of Fine, Performing, and Communication Arts, and offers programs leading to the BA, MA, and PhD in communication with concentrations in media arts and studies, film, journalism, broadcast journalism, public relations, and communication studies. The faculty comprises 31 full-time members who serve a student body of approximately 600 undergraduates and 175 graduate students. The Department’s facilities include a broadcast-quality video studio, specialized student computer labs, and digital film/video editing suites. For more information, please visit http://www.comm.wayne.

THE COLLEGE AND UNIVERSITY: Established in 1986, the College of Fine, Performing and Communication Arts (CFPCA) comprises the James Pearson Duffy Department of Art and Art History (B.A., B.S., B.F.A., M.A., M.F.A.), Department of Communication (B.A., M.A., PH.D.), Department of Music (B.A., B.M., M.A., M.M.), and the Maggie Allesee Department of Theatre and Dance (B.A., B.S., B.F.A., M.A., M.F.A.).  The College serves the University and the Detroit metropolitan community through partnerships emphasizing its wide-ranging and diverse curricula, interdisciplinary studies, reciprocal professional interaction and outreach activities appropriate to each area of work. Special importance is placed on alliances with local, state and national constituencies to the extent that the College is both a leader and a resource providing expertise, information and guidance.

The Detroit metropolitan area is a vibrant center of manufacturing, services, health care, culture, entertainment and sports, with affordable housing and an excellent airport with direct connections to most big cities in the world. Wayne State University, located in the center of Detroit, is a nationally recognized public research university with an urban mission of research, teaching and service. WSU is a public Carnegie Doctoral/Research Extensive institution with 13 academic schools and colleges offering more than 350 undergraduate, graduate and professional degrees. WSU is home to nearly 27,000 students from nearly every state and 60 countries, among the most diverse student bodies of Michigan’s 15 public universities.

APPLICATIONS: A letter of application, Curriculum Vitae, a statement of diversity, a statement of teaching philosophy, links to at least two samples of creative work, and a list of three references (including names, addresses and contact information) must be submitted through the WSU Online Hiring System at https://jobs.wayne.edu, referencing posting # 045898.  

Applications will be accepted until December 15th, 2021. The search committee will begin reviewing applications on December 1st, 2021.

Inquiries about the position may be directed to:

Patricia McCormick (dz7089@wayne.edu)

or Juanita Anderson (aq9402@wayne.edu

Co-Chairs of Search Committee

Media Arts and Studies Search Committee

Department of Communication

Wayne State University is a premier, public, urban research university located in the heart of Detroit where students from all backgrounds are offered a rich, high quality education. Our deep rooted commitment to excellence, collaboration, integrity, diversity and inclusion creates exceptional educational opportunities preparing students for success in a diverse, global society. WSU encourages applications from women, people of color, and other underrepresented groups. Wayne State is an affirmative action/equal opportunity employer.