Rate My Professor Josh Moss

Joshua Moss serves as Chair and Associate Professor in the Department of Media Arts, Design, and Technology at California State University, Chico, within the College of Communication and Education. He joined the faculty in 2016, bringing a Doctor of Arts degree from the University of Southern California. Beginning his tenure as an Assistant Professor and Professional in Residence, Moss advanced to Associate Professor and now leads the department, which provides undergraduate studies in cinema, television, photography, web design, new media literacy, production, history, and theory. His leadership extends to significant university service, including membership on the Academic Senate's Educational Policies and Programs Committee (EPPC), where he has contributed to deliberations on curriculum development, student safety protocols, course clustering in minors, and meeting facilitation. Moss has also served on the University Writing Committee, demonstrating his commitment to academic standards and policy-making.

In teaching, Moss specializes in screenwriting and media studies, instructing courses such as Writing for Screen Media. He leverages his industry experience to mentor students, notably influencing alumna Hannah Hull by recognizing her creativity, nurturing her screenwriting skills, and offering practical insights that launched her Hollywood career. Moss encapsulates his educational philosophy with the statement, 'Knowledge is good.' His research focuses on film comedy, media theory, and cultural intersections, evidenced by publications including 'Graphic Stunt Comedy and the Emergence of Crisis Slapstick' in Studies in American Humor (2021) and a contribution to The Oxford Handbook of Screen Comedy (2025). He presented 'The Marxist Jesus: Catholic Liberation Theology and Counter Cinema' at the university's Humanities Center and moderated webinars on the entertainment industry's COVID-19 challenges. Through these endeavors, Moss shapes media education and scholarship at Chico State.