Assistant Professor-in-Residence and Basic Course Director, Communication Studies [R0150386]

Nevada System of Higher Education•Las Vegas, NV

About The Position

The Department of Communication Studies at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas invites applications for a 12-month Assistant Professor-in-Residence position, starting Fall 2026 with an assignment to serve as our Basic Course Director. The primary responsibilities for this position are to oversee, manage, and coordinate the Public Speaking Course at UNLV as well as teach undergraduate and graduate courses for our traditional and online degree students. The candidate will administer all aspects of the introductory course in Communication Studies at UNLV, Public Speaking. The university offers over 60 sections of this course every semester in hybrid and online formats. The basic course director supervises, mentors, and evaluates all instructors associated with the basic course. They also assess and update the course to ensure effectiveness of public speaking skill development among students. We are especially interested in candidates with expertise in the area of Instructional Communication, Assessment, and Learning with experience as a Basic Course Director. Applicants with experience with workforce development/career readiness and experiential learning/community-based learning practices are also desired. Finally, candidates with secondary expertise in Interpersonal/Family or Mediated Communication is preferred. The department is launching five workforce readiness microcredentials at the undergraduate level tied to communication skill development in the workforce and we are also working to redevelop the M.A. program as an entirely online and professional-oriented, practical, and workforce development/career readiness graduate degree program in Communication. A Professor-in-Residence position is a teaching-intensive, full-time, career-track appointment that offers an opportunity for a scholar with a primary interest in innovative curriculum development and instruction. The teaching load for this position is typically 12 credit hours per semester, or a 4/4 course load and an expectation to perform service. Candidates may receive reassigned time on a semester-to-semester basis related to the initiatives outline in this job call with the approval of the chair and the dean. Housed in the Greenspun College of Urban Affairs, the Department of Communication Studies has approximately 300 undergraduate majors. Its programs emphasize three areas, organizational/professional communication; interpersonal/relational communication; and public communication, persuasion, and advocacy. The program emphasizes professional skill development; critical thinking; and applied learning. Students can participate in the Department’s debate club, the Com Lab, and the local chapter of Lambda Pi Eta.

Requirements

Ph.D. in Communication or a related field from an accredited college or university as recognized by the United States Department of Education and/or the Council on Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA)
1-3 years of experience
Credentials must be obtained prior to the start date

Nice To Haves

expertise in the area of Instructional Communication, Assessment, and Learning with experience as a Basic Course Director
Applicants with experience with workforce development/career readiness and experiential learning/community-based learning practices are also desired
candidates with secondary expertise in Interpersonal/Family or Mediated Communication is preferred

Responsibilities

oversee, manage, and coordinate the Public Speaking Course at UNLV
teach undergraduate and graduate courses for our traditional and online degree students
administer all aspects of the introductory course in Communication Studies at UNLV, Public Speaking
supervises, mentors, and evaluates all instructors associated with the basic course
assess and update the course to ensure effectiveness of public speaking skill development among students