Lecturer in Communication Studies

University of North Carolina at Wilmington; Wilmington (NC); On-site; USD 45,000 - 60,000; Full time

Job summary

The Department of Communication Studies at the University of North Carolina Wilmington invites applications for a nine-month non-tenure-track lecturer position to begin August 2027. This is a renewable one-year appointment based on performance, needs, and funding.

Lecturers teach a 4/4 load with a mix of face-to-face and online asynchronous courses in applied organizational communication. Responsibilities include service to the department and campus.

Qualifications

• MS or MA in Communication Studies by the time of application.
• Ability to teach business, applied, and digital communication.
• Experience with face-to-face and asynchronous online teaching.

Responsibilities

• Service to the department, campus, and community.
• Demonstrated effort to bring the discipline into the marketplace via workshops, talks, and similar activities.

Skills

Applied communication

Organizational communication

Digital communication

Public speaking

Teaching

Education

MS/MA in Communication Studies

Tools

Adobe

MS Office

Canvas

Quality Matters

Job description

Position Summary

Prior to the official appointment to the university, the candidate selected for hire must demonstrate eligibility to teach assigned courses by successfully meeting the credentialing requirements based on official transcripts and other documentation as required.

Location of Workplace: Main UNCW Campus.

The Department of Communication Studies at the University of North Carolina Wilmington invites applications for a position as a nine‑month non‑tenure‑track lecturer to begin August 2027.

This is a one‑year position that is renewable annually, contingent upon satisfactory performance, departmental needs, and the availability of funding.

Lecturers are expected to teach a 4/4 load. The teaching focus will be a combination of face‑to‑face and online asynchronous teaching in applied organizational communication. This will include business communication, digital communication, public speaking, and similar courses. Additional teaching opportunities in rhetorical studies may also be available.

Additional responsibilities include service to the department, campus, and community. The successful candidate will demonstrate experience in taking the discipline into the marketplace through workshops, job talks, and other efforts.

Minimum Education and Experience Requirements

MS or MA in Communication Studies at the time of application.

Preferred Education, Knowledge, Skills & Experience

Preference will be given to candidates with:

• MS or MA with a specialization in applied communication, organizationalcommunication, or closely related areas


• Demonstrated ability to teach business communication, other applied courses, and digital communication competencies


• Prior teaching experience and strong desire to teach in face‑to‑face and asynchronous online modalities


• Prior experience or strong desire to work with diverse populations and adult learners


• Certifications in Adobe, MS Office, Canvas, online education such as Quality Matters


• Demonstrated ability to bring communication studies into the marketplace and not-for-profit sectors.

Required Documents

• Cover Letter


• Curriculum Vita


• Teaching Philosophy


• Portfolio/Work Sample

Contact

Letters of application without the requested components will not meet the application requirements. Questions about the position or the online application process should be directed to CHSSA Recruitment Specialist Jennifer Itell [e-mail].

Job Details

Position Type: Permanent.

Job Posting Date: 10/26/2026.

Job Close Date: 12/15/2026.

Company Culture

The Department of Communication Studies is a large department within the College of Humanities, Social Sciences, and the Arts. We have over 20 full‑time faculty who are methodologically diverse and embrace the breadth of the study of human communication and celebrate our roots in the humanities and social sciences. We have approximately 550 majors in our BA program and 100 students in our online MA program in Integrated Marketing Communication (IMC). This program hosts a biennial conference for IMC scholars, practitioners, and our graduate students.

We share a commitment to praxis and applied learning. UNCW is an Adobe Campus and offers dedicated support for faculty to create high‑impact practices for our students. Our library has a robust maker space and our department has several application‑focused classrooms including a production studio for both recording and live performance.

We value excellent teaching, creative work and engagement with the department, university, community, and discipline through thoughtful service. We seek energetic and optimistic colleagues interested in fostering and cultivating sustained excellence. We work independently and collaboratively to create powerful learning experiences for our students and to co‑create a great place to work. We balance curricular specialization and academic rigor with whole student development and next‑step readiness.

College / School Information

The College of Humanities, Social Sciences, and the Arts (CHSSA) is home to 14 academic departments and offers a wide variety of undergraduate and graduate degree programs including the Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Fine Arts, Bachelor of Music, Master of Arts, Master of Fine Arts, and Master of Public Administration as well as combined bachelor’s/master’s degree programs in Spanish and English. CHSSA also houses the Interdisciplinary Studies program(s), Gender Studies and Research Center and the Academic Resource Center, which offers full‑service, professional advising for all CHSSA undergraduate students.

In addition, CHSSA offers a full complement of interdisciplinary minors and post‑baccalaureate certificates including: Africana studies, American studies, Asian studies, classical studies, conflict management and resolution, emergency and disaster management, forensic science, Hispanic studies, journalism, Latin American studies, medical humanities, Middle East and Islamic studies, Native American studies, professional writing and publishing, science and medical writing, and women’s, gender, and sexuality studies.

CHSSA contributes significantly to the curriculum that comprises UNCW’s University Studies Program, through which all undergraduates gain a foundation in the liberal arts and develop the transferable skills essential for life in the twenty‑first century. CHSSA strives in its undergraduate programs and in its University Study offerings to nurture creative thinking, intellectual curiosity, and academic integrity in students while providing them with a solid foundation of knowledge in their chosen fields.

Applied learning is a hallmark of the student experience in CHSSA. Each of CHSSA’s departments requires an applied learning experience as a part of the curriculum for its undergraduate majors. Examples include faculty‑directed research, internships, service learning, and capstone courses and projects, all of which challenge students to integrate various strands of knowledge and to apply that knowledge to broader, real‑world or real disciplinary situations.

Upon completion of their studies, all CHSSA students will have the necessary preparation for rewarding careers, advanced study, effective citizenship, and meaningful lives. CHSSA offers limitless opportunities to engage in collaborative and interdisciplinary research and service while also making a positive societal impact. Come and join our vibrant academic environment that values discovery, innovation, and creativity.

University Information

The University of North Carolina Wilmington, the state’s coastal university, is dedicated to the integration of teaching, mentoring, research and service. Widely acknowledged for its world‑class faculty and staff and continuously recognized at a national level for scholarly excellence and affordability, UNCW offers a powerful academic experience that stimulates creative inquiry and critical thinking.

A public institution with nearly 18,000 students, UNCW offers a full range of baccalaureate‑ and graduate‑level programs, as well as doctoral degrees in educational leadership, marine biology, nursing practice and psychology; and many distance learning options, including clinical research, an accelerated RN-to‑BSN program, an Executive M.B.A. program structured for working professionals, and the nation’s only bachelor’s degree program focused on coastal engineering.

The university’s efforts to advance research and scholarly activities have earned UNCW the elevated designation of "Doctoral Universities: High Research Activity" institution (R2 University) by the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education.

UNCW has been part of the University of North Carolina System since 1969.

EEO Statement

UNCW does not discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment because of his or her race, sex (such as gender, gender identity, marital status, childbirth, and pregnancy), age, color, national origin (including ethnicity), religion, disability, sexual orientation, political affiliation, veteran status, military service member status, genetic information, or relationship to other university constituents – except where sex, age, or ability represent bona fide educational or occupational qualifications or where marital status is a statutorily established eligibility criterion for State funded employee benefit programs.

Eligibility for Employment

Final candidates are subject to criminal & sex offender background checks. Some vacancies also require credit or motor vehicle checks. UNC Wilmington participates in E‑Verify. Federal law requires all employers to verify the identity and employment eligibility of all persons hired to work in the United States.