Open Rank (Assistant Prof/Associate Prof/Professor) & Director of Introductory Courses, School of Communication Studies, Fall 2026

Description

Public Speaking Course Director

School of Communication Studies

University of Tennessee, Knoxville

The School of Communication Studies seeks to fill an open rank tenure track position as Director of the School’s public speaking program, to begin August 1, 2026.

This position will direct the School’s public speaking program. The program consists of two course options: Public Speaking, and Business and Professional Communication. Combined, these courses enroll approximately 6,000 students per year taught by approximately 25 instructors. Responsibilities of this position include public speaking curriculum and instructional materials development, training and development of instructors, public speaking program administration (e.g., scheduling, coordinating with other units on campus as part of the University’s general education program), supervision (e.g., hiring and review of public speaking instructors), and coordinating public speaking events (e.g., McClung Public Speaking Contest, Smokey Talks). The position also involves supervision of the School’s Public Speaking Center, which has an on campus and online presence. The successful candidate will also maintain an active social scientific research agenda and teaching portfolio in communication at the intersection of instructional, interpersonal, and/or organizational communication.

As this position is open rank, candidates may be hired at the Assistant Professor, Associate Professor, or Professor rank, depending upon qualifications. Criteria for determining the candidate’s rank upon appointment shall follow the criteria for appointment to faculty rank described in the University of Tennessee, Knoxville Faculty Handbook (facultyhandbook.utk.edu; chapter 3, section 2). 

The School of Communication Studies advances knowledge of the communicative processes central to how humans relate to one another interpersonally and organizationally from a strong social scientific perspective. The School has over 350 undergraduate majors and enrolls over 2,700 students in its courses on campus per term while also offering its own study abroad program. It actively participates in the College of Communication and Information’s M.S. and Ph.D. programs, with approximately 20 graduate students enrolled in the Communication Studies concentration. The School is also home to the University’s speech and debate team.

The College of Communication and Information consists of four schools: Tombras School of Advertising and Public Relations, Communication Studies, Journalism and Media, and Information Sciences. The College has a collaborative, research active faculty. College faculty engage regularly with Oak Ridge National Laboratory, governmental agencies, the University of Tennessee Extension, the University of Tennessee Medical Center, and academic departments internal and external to the university. These research activities are supported by the college’s Research and Innovation Center. The College has approximately 1,200 majors and pre-majors and enrolls more than 5,800 students per semester.

Located near the beautiful Smoky Mountains, The University of Tennessee, Knoxville (UTK) was founded in 1794 and is one of the oldest public universities in the country. UTK enrolls over 30,000 students at its Knoxville campus and is Tennessee’s only public Carnegie Doctoral: Highest Research Activity University. For more information about working at UTK and Knoxville, please visit: https://provost.utk.edu/welcome-future-utk-faculty/

Review of applications begins September 29, 2025 and continues until the position is filled. Any questions about the search can be directed to Dr. Michael Kotowski (mkotowsk@utk.edu)

Qualifications

Minimum Qualifications:

1. Ph.D. in communication at the time of appointment. Doctoral candidates will be considered, but an earned doctorate is required at the time of appointment.

2. Strong theoretical and methodological background in the field of human communication.

3. Demonstrated academic experience in instructional communication or communication education.

4. Align with the School of Communication Studies’ social scientific approach to research via quantitative and/or qualitative methods.

5. Evidence of excellence in research and teaching commensurate with appointment at a Carnegie classified Research University.

Preferred Qualifications:

1. Administrative experience within academic public speaking programs.

2. Experience supervising instructors.