Arizona State University

Senior faculty position in Media Law and the First Amendment

The Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication at Arizona State University

invites applications for a tenured associate or full professor to teach and conduct research related to media law and First Amendment studies.

The Cronkite School is a global leader in mass communications education that requires its undergraduate and graduate students—whether they seek to become brand storytellers, PR professionals, digital marketers or entrepreneurs—to pursue coursework in media law. Knowledge across the discipline—and a passion for nurturing students’ learning—is required.

Candidates must demonstrate a strong research agenda and thought leadership that advances media law knowledge within and beyond the academy, and demonstrate the capacity to generate funding and contribute research commensurate with an R1 research institution. Ideal candidates also have professional experience in journalism or another media field.

This is a full-time, benefits-eligible, 9-month appointment with a faculty rank based on qualifications and experience. It is a tenure-track appointment. Applicants must have a relevant terminal degree at the time of appointment.

Essential Duties

• Teach two courses in the Fall semester, and two courses in the Spring semester.
• Contribute to the development of new courses and degree programs in media law and ethics, press freedom, and related areas, and supervise student theses, applied projects and dissertations
• Foster a learning culture that inspires students with relevant content, tools and techniques.
• Conduct impactful research in keeping with the rigors of an R1 institution, and advance a relevant research agenda demonstrated by publications in premiere scholarly journals and academic edited volumes, and participation in disciplinary conferences
• Engage in service to students and the Cronkite School, including student mentorship, committee work and guest speaking.
• Supervise honors, master’s and doctoral students
• Serve as a disciplinary thought leader, proactively staying abreast of matters related to media law and the First Amendment; curating exemplars of superior research and professional work; and highlighting superb student work.
• Collaborate with school leadership and faculty to develop curricula.
• Where relevant, develop grant proposals for external funding as PI or co-PI.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Required qualifications

Candidates must have a doctoral degree in journalism, mass communication, media studies, or other relevant discipline at the time of appointment, or a terminal degree in another field with a record of published scholarship related to the focus of the position.

Desired qualifications

• Evidence of an active research agenda and thought leadership in media law.
• A demonstrated publication and conference presentation record commensurate with the expectations of a top R1 institution
• Experience teaching in on-campus and online environments using an online learning management system such as Canvas, Blackboard, Google Classroom, etc.
• Experience teaching courses related to mass communication and media law, First Amendment issues, and media ethics at the undergraduate and graduate levels
• A network of practitioners and scholars who can advise on the field

About the Cronkite School

The Cronkite School is widely recognized as the nation’s premier mass communication school, ranked No. 1 by the Broadcast Education Association for three consecutive years. Rooted in the time-honored values that characterize its namesake—accuracy, responsibility, integrity—the school fosters excellence and ethics among students as they master the professional skills required to succeed in the digital media world of today and tomorrow.

Based on ASU’s Downtown Phoenix campus in the heart of the nation’s fifth-largest city, the School is known for its hands-on, “teaching hospital” approach to learning led by a faculty composed of Pulitzer Prize-winning professional journalists, strategic communications leaders and world-class media scholars. More than 2,500 undergraduate, master’s and doctoral students regularly lead the country in national competitions as they prepare for careers in journalism, PR, marketing, strategic media and related communication fields.

About Arizona State University

Arizona State University, ranked the No. 1 “Most Innovative School” in the nation by U.S. News & World Report for 10 years in succession, has forged the model for a New American University. Repeatedly ranked No. 1, ASU has topped more than 20 lists in the last three years: No. 1 in the U.S. for global impact (Times Higher Education) and No. 1 in the U.S. for sustainable practices (Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education). ASU is a comprehensive public research institution, measured not by whom it excludes, but by whom it includes and how they succeed; advancing research and discovery of public value; and assuming fundamental responsibility for the economic, social, cultural and overall health of the communities it serves. ASU operates on the principles that learning is a personal and original journey for each student; that they thrive on experience and that the process of discovery cannot be bound by traditional academic disciplines. Through innovation and a commitment to accessibility, ASU has drawn pioneering researchers to its faculty even as it expands opportunities for qualified students, attracting some of the highest-quality students from all 50 states and more than 130 nations.

Application Instructions

Applicants will be asked to create or use an existing Interfolio Dossier to submit the following:

1. A cover letter stating qualifications
2. Curriculum vitae or resume
3. Contact information (name, address, email, telephone number) for three professional references

The applicant’s name should appear in each uploaded file name. Cover letters may be addressed to the Search Committee Chair, Dennis Russell Questions about the position should be directed to the search committee chair at: .

Apply here: http://apply.interfolio.com/163150

Application deadline is March 8, 2025. Applications will continue to be accepted on a rolling basis for a reserve pool. Applications in the reserve pool may then be reviewed in the order in which they were received until the position is filled.

Successful candidates will demonstrate throughout their materials how their teaching, research, and service will contribute to the fulfillment of the ASU Charter.

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement. A background check is required for employment. Arizona State University is a VEVRAA Federal Contractor and an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, protected veteran status, or any other basis protected by law.

(See https://www.asu.edu/aad/manuals/acd/acd401.html and https://www.asu.edu/titleIX/.)

In compliance with federal law, ASU prepares an annual report on campus security and fire safety programs and resources.  ASU’s Annual Security and Fire Safety Report is available online at https://www.asu.edu/police/PDFs/ASU-Clery-Report.pdf  You may request a hard copy of the report by contacting the ASU Police Department at 480-965-3456.