Assistant Professor of Sports Media & Communication

Job Title Assistant Professor of Sports Media & Communication

Job Description Summary, Duties and Responsibilities, Required Qualifications and Preferred Qualifications 

The search will remain open until the position has been filled. First consideration will be given to applications received by January 13, 2025. Applications received after January 13, 2025 may be reviewed depending on search progress and needs but are not guaranteed full consideration.

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The faculty of the Sports Media and Communication major at the University of Rhode Island invites applications to join us in scenic New England beginning in August 2025 as we recruit a dedicated colleague and sport media scholar for a tenure-track, assistant professor position.

As we move into the next quarter of the 21st century, the sport industry is booming with easier access to global audiences, the injection of private equity and AI-enabled engagement. With such a surge, the industry will not simply affect economic ecosystems and need qualified practitioners, but it will also play a significant cultural role in the construction of and interplay with ideologies, institutions and identities. As such, we aim to educate students first on the critical social aspects of sport and media, as well as the practices and tools of the professions therein.

The successful candidate to fill the position will teach courses in and research one of the following specialties: social media strategy and implementation, strategic sport communication and/or AI engagement in the industry.

The faculty share a commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion, as well as to providing a safe space for constructive conversation and increasing diverse voices in the classroom. Thus, we encourage applicants who can reflect that commitment to apply.

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Teach required courses at the undergraduate level in the Sports Media and Communication department, as well as in the faculty member’s area of specialty.
• Establish and maintain a research program within the field and pursue funding as appropriate.
• Advise undergraduate students on course selection, academic progress and career planning.
• Develop curriculum as needed to help shape the major and keep it at the cutting edge of the industry.
• Contribute to the institution’s commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion.
• Perform service duties to the department, university and profession.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS:

1. Ph.D. in sports media, media studies, journalism, communication, sport management or a related field by appointment August 2025.

2. Demonstrated ability to develop and deliver courses at the undergraduate level in sports media/communication.

3. Demonstrated ability to develop a scholarly or creative agenda in an area related to sports media/communication and/or critical sport studies.

4. Demonstrated proficiency in oral communication skills.

5. Demonstrated proficiency in written communication skills.

6. Demonstrated ability to work with diverse groups/populations.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:

1. Experience teaching media and communication with a focus on sport, specifically, in the media and/or social media, sports branding or public relations at the undergraduate and/or graduate level.

2. Professional experience in the sports industry.

3. Demonstrated evidence of active and ongoing research agenda in sports communication/media and/or critical sport studies.

4. Demonstrated evidence in seeking and/or securing funding for research.

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ALL REQUIREMENTS ARE SUBJECT TO POSSIBLE MODIFICATION TO REASONABLY ACCOMMODATE INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES.

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ABOUT THE HARRINGTON SCHOOL OF COMMUNICATION AND MEDIA AT URI

Administratively housed within the College of Arts and Sciences, URI’s largest college and home to the university’s Phi Beta Kappa chapter, the Harrington School of Communication and Media aims to grow students into creative communicators who become engaged citizens and leaders in the communities they serve. Alumni thrive in media industries, digital journalism, sports enterprise, public and community relations, corporate communication, human resources, and education. The Harrington School offers programs in Communication Studies, Film/Media, Journalism, Library and Information Studies, Public Relations, Sports Media and Communication, and Professional and Public Writing.

ABOUT THE UNIVERSITY OF RHODE ISLAND

Located in the rural village of Kingston in southern Rhode Island, the University of Rhode Island occupies the traditional stomping ground of the Narragansett Nation and the Niantic people. The Kingston campus features a traditional college quadrangle designed by the firm of Olmstead and Elliot, surrounded by a ring of colorful Zelkova trees, majestic granite buildings, and numerous walkways and greenspace.

Situated in spectacular South County along Narragansett Bay to the east and the Atlantic Ocean to the south, URI is ideally located for outdoor pursuits and cultural endeavors alike. The region boasts extensive wooded hiking trails, golf and sports clubs, and more than 100 miles of coastline, including 20 pristine public beaches. Historic Newport is just 23 minutes east by car or bus, while Rhode Island’s capital city of Providence, a hotbed of innovative cuisine, contemporary art, and professional theater, is a 30-minute drive northward. Amtrak service right in Kingston serves cities along the Northeast Corridor, including Boston an hour north and New York three hours south; the award-winning T.F. Green Airport is a 25-minute drive away, connecting Rhode Island to metropolitan areas around the country.

Union AAUP – American Assoc of Univ Professors

Status Academic Year, Full-time, Tenure-track, Permanent

End Date of Restriction or Limitation 

Department Communication Studies

Contact(s) 

Please note: Job applications must be submitted directly online only at: (https://jobs.uri.edu)

Contact Email 

Campus Location Kingston

Grant Funded No

Extension Contingent on Funding Date 

Special Instructions to Applicants 

Please attach the following 4 (PDF) documents to your online Faculty Employment Application:

(#1) Cover letter including a description of how your qualifications match the requirements for the position, including how the applicant engages with ideas of diversity, equity, inclusion and justice (all as one complete document).

(#2) Curriculum Vitae, including the names and contact information for three professional references (as one complete document).

(#3) Statement of teaching philosophy

(#4) Research Statement describing applicant’s research agenda.

Position Number 109571

Posting Number F00448

Posting Date 11/08/2024

Closing Date 

Open Until Filled Yes

Quicklink for Posting https://jobs.uri.edu/postings/14283

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