Assistant Professor of Communication Studies - IMC

The Department of Communication Studies at the University of North Carolina Wilmington invites applications for a tenure-track Assistant Professor position within the subdiscipline of Integrated Marketing Communication to begin August 2026.

The successful candidate will teach a 3:2 load, primarily in our fully online-asynchronous OAP-model graduate program in IMC. In addition to teaching, expectations for this position include research, service and leadership within the IMC subdiscipline.

Upon initial appointment, the successful candidate will teach in the online accelerated M.A. IMC program and the undergraduate integrated marketing communication curriculum. The successful candidate will have an active research agenda in the areas of integrated marketing communication and related fields (public relations, advertising, crisis and risk communication, event and experiential marketing). Preference will be given to those with cross-disciplinary interests in one or more of the following areas: social media from a social science perspective, tourism, or environmental studies.

Please note: ABD applicants will be considered; however, Ph.D. must be confirmed by August 1, 2026 for eligibility of employment.

Preference will be given to candidates with:

The Department of Communication Studies is a large department within the College of Humanities, Social Sciences, and the Arts. We have 20 full-time faculty who are methodologically diverse and embrace the breadth of the study of communication and our discipline's social science and humanities roots. The department serves approximately 500 majors in our BA program and 120 students in our MA program in Integrated Marketing Communication ( IMC).

We share a commitment to praxis and applied learning. UNCW is an Adobe Campus with student support for the Adobe CC. The COM media area within the department is an award-winning area of focus with national awards including Telly and BEA awards. Our digital creative facilities include a production studio, editing suite, newly renovated computer lab, planned maker space, and a robust inventory of industry-current field video equipment and peripherals.

We value excellent teaching, creative work and engagement with the department, university, and discipline through thoughtful service. We seek energetic and optimistic colleagues interested in being part of a department that works to foster and cultivate sustained excellence through a collaborative, supportive, diverse and inclusive environment. We work independently and collaboratively to create powerful learning experiences for our students and to co-create a great place to work. We balance curricular specializations with whole student development and strive to be role models of what we teach.

The department offers a B.A. in Communication Studies with a broad curriculum, including integrated marketing communication, media production, performance studies, interpersonal and organizational communication, and rhetoric and communication theory. The department also offers an M.A. in Integrated Marketing Communication and hosts a biennial IMC conference.

The College of Humanities, Social Sciences, and the Arts ( CHSSA) is home to 14 academic departments and offers a wide variety of undergraduate and graduate degree programs including the Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Fine Arts, Bachelor of Music, Master of Arts, Master of Fine Arts, and Master of Public Administration as well as combined bachelor's/master's degree programs in Spanish and English. The CHSSA also houses the Gender Studies and Research Center and the Academic Resource Center, which offers full-service, professional advising for all CHSSA undergraduate students.

In addition, the CHSSA offers a full complement of interdisciplinary minors and post baccalaureate certificates including: Africana studies, American studies, Asian studies, classical studies, conflict management and resolution, emergency and disaster management, forensic science, Hispanic studies, journalism, Latin American studies, medical humanities, Middle East and Islamic studies, Native American studies, professional writing and publishing, science and medical writing, and women's, gender, and sexuality studies.

The CHSSA contributes significantly to the curriculum that comprises UNCW's University Studies Program, through which all undergraduates gain a foundation in the liberal arts and develop the transferable skills essential for life in the twenty-first century. The CHSSA strives in its undergraduate programs and in its University Study offerings to nurture creative thinking, intellectual curiosity, and academic integrity in students while providing them with a solid foundation of knowledge in their chosen fields. Graduate programs in the CHSSA are designed to develop intellectual competence and to prepare the student for careers in business, industry, government, teaching or for further study at the doctoral level.

Applied learning is a hallmark of the student experience in the College of Humanities, Social Sciences, and the Arts. Each of the CHSSA's departments requires an applied learning experience as a part of the curriculum for its undergraduate majors. Examples include faculty-directed research, internships, service learning, and capstone courses and projects, all of which challenge students to integrate various strands of knowledge and to apply that knowledge to broader, real-world or real disciplinary situations.

Upon completion of their studies, all CHSSA students will have the necessary preparation for rewarding careers, advanced study, effective citizenship, and meaningful lives. The College of Humanities, Social Science, and the Arts offers limitless opportunities to engage in collaborative and interdisciplinary research and service while also making a positive societal impact. Come and join our vibrant academic environment that values discovery, innovation, and creativity.

The University of North Carolina Wilmington, the state's coastal university, is dedicated to the integration of teaching, mentoring, research and service. Widely acknowledged for its world-class faculty and staff and continuously recognized at a national level for scholarly excellence and affordability, UNCW offers a powerful academic experience that stimulates creative inquiry and critical thinking.

A public institution with nearly 18,000 students, UNCW offers a full range of baccalaureate- and graduate-level programs, as well as doctoral degrees in educational leadership, marine biology, nursing practice and psychology; and many distance learning options, including clinical research, an accelerated RN-to- BSN program, an Executive M.B.A. program structured for working professionals, and the nation's only bachelor's degree program focused on coastal engineering.

The university's efforts to advance research and scholarly activities have earned UNCW the elevated designation of "Doctoral Universities: High Research Activity" institution (R2 University) by the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education.

UNCW has been part of the University of North Carolina System since 1969.

UNCW does not discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment because of his or her race, sex (such as gender, gender identity, marital status, childbirth, and pregnancy), age, color, national origin (including ethnicity), religion, disability, sexual orientation, political affiliation, veteran status, military service member status, genetic information, or relationship to other university constituents - except where sex, age, or ability represent bona fide educational or occupational qualifications or where marital status is a statutorily established eligibility criterion for State funded employee benefit programs.

Final candidates are subject to criminal & sex offender background checks. Some vacancies also require credit or motor vehicle checks. UNC Wilmington participates in E-Verify. Federal law requires all employers to verify the identity and employment eligibility of all persons hired to work in the United States.

Prior to the official appointment to the university, the candidate(s) selected for hire must be able to demonstrate eligibility to teach assigned courses by successfully meeting the credentialing requirements based on official transcripts and other documentation as required.

Applications will be accepted until 11:59PM EST on the posting closing date. To apply, please complete the online application process available at https://jobs.uncw.edu/ and attach the following materials as Adobe PDF documents:

Please note that a minimum of three references are required for all applications. The references you provide may be used to request reference letters during the screening process.

** If ABD at the time of application, please note that one of the references must be Dissertation Chair. In addition, please include a basic timeline for dissertation defense and degree conferral in your application material.

Letters of application without the requested components will not meet the application requirements.

For questions about the position or online application process, contact department admin Jason Martin at martinja@uncw.edu.