45704BR
Position Description
The Department of Public Relations & Strategic Communication Management in the College of Media & Communication at Texas Tech University invites applications for a full-time, 9-month, Tenure-Track Assistant Professor to begin September 1, 2027 (official faculty on-duty date is mid-August 2027). All prospective employees are encouraged to visit Work at Texas Tech to learn more about becoming a part of our campus community.
About the University
Founded in 1923, Texas Tech University began with a mission to serve the needs of West Texas, but its impact has always reached far beyond. Today, Texas Tech, located in Lubbock (pop. 300,000+), is home to a vibrant community of more than 42,000 students. Texas Tech's 1,800-acre campus showcases Spanish Renaissance architecture and is home to one of the country's largest public art collections. Its 13 colleges include a prestigious School of Law and a distinguished School of Veterinary Medicine. These programs equip students with the skills and knowledge needed to excel in their respective fields. Built on the values of West Texas - hard work, grit and authenticity - the university graduates students who are deeply engaged in service to their communities and well-positioned to succeed in the world. Texas Tech is committed to achieving research and scholarly accomplishments that compare favorably to the member institutions of the Association of American Universities (AAU). For more than 100 years, Texas Tech has been a premier destination for those seeking a world-class education and a unique, personalized experience as a member of the Red Raider family.
About the College
The College of Media & Communication (CoMC) (http://www.depts.ttu.edu/comc/) at Texas Tech University serves approximately 2,400 students across its six undergraduate- and five graduate-degree programs. CoMC offers a student-centered learning environment with high standards for teaching and engaged learning, while benefiting from the resources of an R1 research university. College metrics for undergraduate student retention and graduation rates are near the top at Texas Tech across many categories, and CoMC graduate-student enrollment is at record-high levels.
In addition to traditional spaces for offices, classrooms, and computer labs, the College's 192,000-sf building includes an esports lab, student-run PR agency suite, a commercial-range FM radio station, 12,700 square feet for student organizations and graduate-student offices, and several multimedia production spaces equipped with industry-grade equipment and software. At 13,000 square feet within the building, the CoMC Center for Communication Research (CCR) is the country's premier academic research facility for the study of communication, cognitive and affective processing of information, and media effects. The CCR's labs and equipment can be used for audience testing, content analysis, experimental surveys, eye-tracking, focus groups, psychophysiological measurements, and robotics/AI integration.
The College has rebuilt its research infrastructure and made strategic hires resulting in all-time highs in external funding applications and grant awards. Further strengthening the University's stable budget environment, state taxpayers in 2023 approved a $3.9 billion research endowment, the Texas University Fund (TUF), that brings $44 million annually to Texas Tech to support faculty research and scholarly/creative activities. Interdisciplinary research strengths across the College's departments include computational communication, sports communication/media, organizational/corporate communication, and crisis/risk/health communication. Faculty affiliates of the Thomas Jay Harris Institute for Hispanic & International Communication engage in teaching, research and community outreach related to Hispanic and international/intercultural communication (comc.ttu.edu/research/hihic).
With strong campus-wide enrollment growth and experienced academic leadership, the College continues an upward trajectory in alignment with the University's 2025-2030 Strategic Plan, its $1.2 billion comprehensive campaign, and its charted path toward membership eligibility by 2035 in the Association of American Universities (AAU).
About the Department/School/Area
The Department of Public Relations & Strategic Communication Management (PRSC; https://www.depts.ttu.edu/comc/programs/publicrelations/) is home to more than 440 undergraduate students, including both face-to-face and distance students, and 15 full-time faculty members. The department trains students to manage integrated communication programs, campaigns, and resources, enabling them to effectively and ethically advocate for the organizations and causes they are passionate about. It combines the expertise of both professional and research faculty members to create a rigorous curriculum that develops students' proficiency in strategic communication, leadership, media relations, global communication, culturally proficient communication, ethics, data analysis, new technology, critical thinking, and strategic planning.
Major/Essential Functions
In line with TTU's strategic priorities to engage and empower a dynamic student body, enable innovative research and creative activities, and transform lives and communities through outreach and engaged scholarship, applicants should have experience working with multifaceted student populations at the undergraduate and/or graduate levels within individual or across the areas of teaching, research/creative activity, and service.
Faculty Qualifications
- A Ph. D. in public relations or a closely related communication field. Applicants who are ABD must complete their degree before the official start date.
- Professional experience in public relations or a closely related strategic communication field.
- Evidence of acceptance of conference papers or peer-reviewed publications in public relations journals or journals in a closely related discipline.
- A record of successful teaching as the instructor of record for university-level courses in public relations or courses in a closely related field in strategic communication.
Preferred Qualifications
In addition to the required qualifications, individuals with the following preferred qualifications are strongly encouraged to apply:
- At least three years of professional experience in public relations or a closely related strategic communication field.
- Experience teaching across a variety of modalities (face-to-face, online, hybrid).
- A record of high-quality, peer-reviewed research in public relations or a closely related field. We are particularly interested in applicants who focus on science or health communication within the public relations discipline.
- A record of seeking and securing external research funding.
- Experience mentoring graduate students.
- A record of community-engaged scholarship and outreach.
Duty Point
TTU Lubbock, main campus and affiliated facilities
To Apply
To apply, visit workattexastech.com.