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Job Description
The School of Art & Design at Texas State University invites applications for an Assistant or Associate Professor of Practice in Communication Design. Successful candidates are those who are seeking an opportunity to share their industry experience (5 or more years) with a dynamic and diverse community of communication design students, preparing them for employment in the communication design field.
The Communication Design program at Texas State University is committed to hiring an accomplished and energetic, practicing designer or art director (including freelance) ready to transition to a career in higher education. Successful candidates will demonstrate a commitment to Texas State University’s shared values, including: a diversity of people and ideas, a spirit of inclusiveness, a global perspective, and a sense of community.
Communication Design Program at Texas State
The Communication Design program emphasizes the integration of critical thinking with a thorough understanding of design principles and processes relevant to professional design practice. The program also embraces diverse social, cultural, historical, economic, and global contexts to prepare students to advance knowledge within the discipline and for successful entry into the profession and/or graduate education. Students experience deep immersion in the discipline via a distinguished faculty broadly recognized for their expertise in both the classroom and the profession. Through an agile and dynamic curriculum, the program prepares students to meet the evolving challenges of professional design practice, as evidenced by a strong record of student recognition in national and international venues.
Our program is one of the largest public programs in the country and considered to be one of the best in the Southwest United States. Communication Design students have had their work published in numerous prestigious design journals including Communication Arts, CMYK, Step Inside Design, Graphis New Talent Annual, LogoLounge, and PRINT. Students have also received recognition in national, regional, and local competitions such as: The One Show, American Advertising Federation Awards, AIGA Flux, The National Show, Art Director’s Club of Houston, Austin Addy Awards, and San Antonio Addy Awards.
Position Summary
Professional Practice Faculty will play a significant role as a vital link between our program and the industry, preparing our undergraduate students to enter the design profession. You will be a valued addition to our nationally recognized program and will be joining a diverse and welcoming faculty who will help mentor you as you begin your career in higher education, while continuing to pursue your success and engagement as a practicing design professional. The faculty of practice position is a promotable, but not tenurable position. Employment would begin August 2023.
The selected candidate will teach undergraduate Communication Design courses, serve as an industry liaison, and collaborate with faculty in curriculum development. We seek a colleague who is passionate about teaching and mentoring design students, has a reputation for collegial interactions, is active in the Design community, and committed to professional practice, professional outreach, and service. Our selected candidate will contribute to the mission of preparing graduates to be visionary leaders in the design field and connecting Texas State students with design professionals and organizations at the regional and national levels. We offer flexible teaching modalities such as face-to-face, hybrid, and online, to accommodate many types of learners.
Faculty of practice in Communication Design are expected to maintain active engagement with professional organizations and networks, pursue independent creative or scholarly activities related to the design discipline, and contribute to college, department, and/or university service.
We are especially interested in applicants who share a commitment to the high-quality education of students from multilingual communities. As a federally designated Hispanic Serving Institution, diversity is a part of the culture of Texas State University. In 2020, the university was ranked among “Top 100 Colleges and Universities for Hispanics,” and 7th in the nation for Visual Arts degrees, by Hispanic Outlook on Education magazine.
Required Qualifications
1. Bachelor’s degree in Graphic Design, Communication Design, Advertising Design, Interaction Design, or related field
2. Documentation of significant experience (minimum of 5 years beyond entry level) in a full-time Design industry position/professional practice (including freelance)
3. Demonstrated competence in contemporary professional practice in one or more of the following areas: Graphic Design (e.g., Branding, Publication Design, Package Design), Art Direction (e.g., Print, Broadcast, Digital Advertising), or Interaction Design (e.g., Website Design, UX, UI)
4. Demonstrated professional achievements through peer-reviewed awards and/or recognition of design works in competitions, exhibitions, and publications within the discipline (e.g., AIGA, AAF, Graphis, Communication Arts, One Show, Type Director’s Club) at a state, regional, or higher level
Additional requirements for Associate Professor of Practice
1. Minimum of 7 years of experience (beyond entry level) in a full-time industry position/professional practice (including freelance)
2. Demonstrated professional achievements through peer-reviewed awards and/or recognition of design works in competitions, exhibitions, and publications within the discipline at a national or higher level
Preferred Qualifications:
1. Demonstrated professional engagement through participation in, and/or presentations at, industry/professional conferences; or similar contributions to the discipline
2. Demonstrated engagement in participation and leadership in relevant professional organizations
3. Preparedness and experience in leading and mentoring diverse small groups and teams, in person and/or remotely
4. Demonstrated experience in mentoring junior creatives
5. Previous teaching experience in higher education
6. Experience with multilingual projects, clients, or teams
