Job Details
Job no: 530569
Work type: On-Campus Undergraduate/Graduate
Location: Tuscaloosa
Categories: Tenure/Tenure-Track Faculty
Department/Organization
207451 - Journalism and Creative Media
Rank
Assistant Professor
Position Summary
The Department of Journalism and Creative Media in the College of Communication & Information Sciences at the University of Alabama invites applications for a nine-month tenure-track assistant professor in sports media to begin August 2027.
Detailed Position Information
Sports media represents one of the most dynamic and consequential areas in contemporary communication — and this position is designed for a scholar ready to help define what that field becomes. The college brings existing faculty expertise, research infrastructure, and institutional momentum to support that work. The ideal candidate will develop a robust research agenda around sports media that complements the nationally recognized scholarship being advanced in the college and develop courses in burgeoning sports areas. This could include, but is not limited to, topics such as the following:
- Creator economy and athlete-led media
- AI in sports media
- Streaming fragmentation and live sports
- Digital fandom
- Sports gambling
- The changing sports journalism ecosystem
- Sports and public health
- Sports and societal change
Furthermore, applicants must display an interest in developing an ambitious interdisciplinary research agenda in sports media and communication, pursing external grants and other funding, and disseminating scholarly work in premier academic and industry venues.
The successful hire will teach two courses each fall and spring semester, which will include undergraduate, Master's, and Ph.D. level-courses in sports media. Additionally, applicants are expected to contribute to the Beyond Sports Initiative, an academic research collaborative in which scholars work with leaders in the sports industry to identify, investigate and influence issues important to the field.
Minimum Qualifications
Applicants must have:
- Terminal degree (MFA or Ph.D.) in a communication or sports-media related field completed by the appointment start date. ABDs at the time of application will be considered.
- Demonstrated research or creative productivity in sports media or a related communication field, with evidence of an emerging scholarly agenda appropriate to the assistant professor rank.
- Record of teaching effectiveness in communication-related fields
- Commitment to working collaboratively with colleagues from different backgrounds and disciplines, engaging students with varied needs and interests, and preparing the next generation of media professionals to effectively serve all members of their communities.
- Interest in contributing to the college’s Beyond Sports Initiative.
Preferred Qualifications
Preferred qualifications include one or more of the following:
- Experience with applying for external grants/extramural funding.
- Potential to develop and teach courses connecting sports media with the applicant’s primary research area.
- Interest in advising college-wide sports media student organizations (e.g., National Sports Media Association, Association for Women in Sports Media, Associated Press Sports Editors).
Instructions and Required Materials for Application
To apply, please provide the following:
- Cover letter highlighting how your research or creative work, teaching, and service can contribute as a faculty leader in sports media
- Curriculum vitae
- Names and contact information for three references
Optional materials:
- Teaching philosophy
- Statement on scholarly or creative work
- Scholarly writing samples
Applications submitted by October 19, 2026, will receive full consideration. Questions regarding the search should be directed to the search chair, Dr. Sean Sadri, at srsadri@ua.edu.
About the Division/College/School
The College of Communication & Information Sciences has four academic units, approximately 110 full-time faculty members, and serves approximately 3,500 students across bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degree programs, including approximately 95 students in the college-wide Ph.D. program. The college’s Institute for Communication & Information Research (ICIR) is a premier research institute dedicated to addressing societal and cultural issues related to communication and information research. The ICIR collaborates with businesses, nonprofit organizations, government agencies, foundations, and other entities to produce high-impact research that informs and improves our evolving communication and information landscape. The College is also home to the Public Opinion Lab, equipped with the Sprinklr data warehouse and custom data collection and management resources; a biometrics lab outfitted with state-of-the-art iMotions software and associated hardware; and the near-term development of an interactive VR/theater lab, among others. The college is also home to the Holle Center for Communication Arts, whose mission is guided by a commitment to advance narrative justice through innovative and arts-informed research, community engagement, and creative co-operation. The college also maintains the 40,000 square-foot Digital Media Center, which is home to Alabama Public Radio and WVUA 23, a full-power commercial television station serving a top-50 television market.
About the University
The University of Alabama is located in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, named one of Travel + Leisure’s 25 Best College Towns and Cities in the U.S. As one of the nation’s premier universities, UA offers bachelor’s, master's and doctoral degrees in nearly 200 fields of study. With more than 1,400 acres of tree-lined academic core campus and over 300 state-of-the art facilities, UA has been ranked among the most beautiful and most impressive college campuses in the South, in the state of Alabama and in the nation.
In Fall 2023, the Capstone set a new enrollment record with more than 39,000 students, including more than 8,200 in the freshman class. The current enrollment includes students from every county in Alabama, every state in the nation and 92 countries around the world. More than 1,100 National Merit Scholars are currently enrolled, making UA one of the largest enrolling institutions of the scholars in the country.
UA was recently recognized as a Top Producing Institution of Fulbright U.S. students for the seventh time in nine years, as well as a Top Producing Institution of Fulbright U.S. Scholars for the first time. UA is one of only 12 universities in the nation to receive both honors.
For reasons like this, the University made Forbes list of America’s Top Colleges for 2023 and Time magazine’s list of Top 50 Best Colleges for Future Leaders. It also made Princeton Review’s list of Top Value Colleges.
UA is also designated among the top doctoral research universities in the United States in the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education. One of the fastest growing major research institutions in the nation, UA saw a 21% increase in sponsored awards in the 2023 fiscal year.
Since 2015, UA has invested over $1.1 billion in the physical campus, adding more than 2.55 million gross square feet of space, over 150 new research-intensive faculty, signature research areas (e.g., “The Alabama Research Institutes”), and a growing number of partnerships with industry and with state and federal agencies.
The University employs nearly 2,100 faculty and over 4,500 staff, with 52 UA researchers included in the National Academy of Inventors. An additional 40 current faculty have received the NSF CAREER Award, the nation’s most prestigious recognition of top performing young scientists in disciplines ranging from nanoscience and engineering to biological sciences.
Background Investigation and EEO Statement
Background Investigation Statement: Prior to hiring, the final candidate(s) must successfully pass a pre-employment background investigation and information obtained from social media and other internet sources. A prior conviction reported as a result of the background investigation DOES NOT automatically disqualify a candidate from consideration for this position. A candidate with a prior conviction or negative behavioral red flags will receive an individualized review of the prior conviction or negative behavioral red flags before a hiring decision is made.
Equal Employment Opportunity: The University of Alabama is an Equal Employment/Equal Educational Opportunity Institution. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment or volunteer status without regard to any legally protected basis and will not be discriminated against because of their protected status. Applicants and employees of this institution are protected under Federal law from discrimination on several bases. More information is available in the EEOC’s Know Your Rights: Workplace discrimination is illegal poster.
The University of Alabama affirms its longstanding commitment to institutional neutrality, free speech, and academic freedom.
Advertised: 17 Sep 2026 Central Daylight Time
Applications close: 30 Oct 2026 Central Daylight Time