What are the responsibilities and job description for the Visiting Assistant Professor of Communication Studies position at St. Mary's University?
The Department of Communication Studies at St. Mary's University is hiring a Visiting Assistant Professor in Media Production/Mass Communication to begin August 1, 2026. Preference will be given to candidates with the demonstrated ability to teach media production, mass communication, and/or communication theory. This position is a full-time, one-year appointment with a nine-month service period, with the possibility of renewal.
The successful candidate will teach and mentor undergraduate students and develop curriculum that serve a diverse student population. Teaching responsibilities may include online graduate and/or face-to-face undergraduate courses in areas such as video production, graphic design, mass communication, human communication, public relations and communication theory. Additional responsibilities include advising and mentoring students and attending departmental meetings. The position entails a 4-4 teaching course load, but applicants with an interest advising the student newspaper would receive one course release per semester, reducing the course load to teaching 3 courses each semester.
The successful candidate must be able to teach graduate-level courses, with a preference for candidates with an earned Ph.D. in Communication Studies or closely related field from an accredited college or university and/or have significant professional experience in the field at the time of appointment. Candidates who have completed all graduate course work and are at the ABD stage will be considered.
University Profile
St. Mary's University, as a Catholic Marianist University, fosters the formation of people in faith and educates leaders for the common good through community, integrated liberal arts and professional education, and academic excellence: www.stmarytx.edu/about. St. Mary's is the oldest Catholic university in the Southwest and continues to advocate the Marianist mission. St. Mary's enrolls approximately 3500 students in a diverse university with four schools, more than 40 academic programs including Ph.D. and J.D. programs, and numerous pre-professional programs. The successful candidate is expected to support and contribute to the University's Marianist educational mission.
Departmental Profile
The Department of Communication Studies is in the College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences, which cultivates the whole person in the Marianist tradition through academically rigorous programs that foster creativity, promote justice and advance scholarship for the transformation of local and global communities. The Department serves approximately 100 students across a variety of programs including two BA programs, three undergraduate minors, one graduate MA program, and two graduate certificate programs.
Minimum Qualifications
- ABD status in Communication Studies or closely-related disciplines.
- Clear evidence of effective teaching and an established ability to engage with students at all levels.
- Commitment to actively supporting diversity, collegiality, and inclusiveness and working with diverse faculty and students.
Preferred Qualifications
- Ph.D. in Communication Studies or closely-related discipline.
- Sustained record of teaching excellence.
- Clear evidence of inclusive pedagogical practices and/or a commitment to support students at a Hispanic Serving Institution
How to Apply
Review of applications will begin June 20, 2026 and will continue until position is filled. Start date: August 10, 2026.
Applicants should submit the following:
- Cover letter specifically addressing the candidate's teaching abilities and experience in the aforementioned fields.
- Curriculum vitae, including the names of three professional references.
- Statement of teaching philosophy, with consideration given to teaching within a diverse environment.
- Evidence of teaching effectiveness.
Application materials, including supporting evidence, can be submitted here: http://stmarytx.applicantpro.com/jobs/
Additional materials may be requested as the search unfolds. For inquiries, please contact Prof. Katherine Lehman-Meyer (klehmanmeyer@stmarytx.edu). Any offer of employment will be contingent upon successful completion of a clear background check.
St. Mary's University is a Hispanic-Serving Institution and an Equal Opportunity Employer.