Assistant/Associate/Full Professor of Practice in Public Relations

The Department of Communication Studies ( https://communication.charlotte.edu/) has 29 full-time faculty with areas of emphasis in public relations; health communication; organizational communication; media and technology studies; and rhetoric, culture, and social change. The department serves approximately 870 majors and minors and 25 master's students. The department's primary mission is to provide high-quality instruction to its undergraduate and graduate students and to contribute significantly to the understanding of communication issues as they affect people's lives, especially in the Charlotte metropolitan region.

As the largest and most academically diverse college at UNC Charlotte, the College of Humanities & Earth and Social Sciences houses 15 departments, 13 interdisciplinary programs, and 7 applied centers. We offer a wide range of undergraduate and graduate degree programs with extensive honors and early-entry options. The College plays a pivotal role in delivering on the university's goals in the areas of research excellence, student success and experience, and community engagement. Through their scholarship and teaching, the College's 350+ faculty members seek to deepen our understanding of complex problems and lead the university in interdisciplinary collaboration.

The University of North Carolina at Charlotte is the second largest institution within the University of North Carolina system. This past Fall, UNC Charlotte enrolled 32,207 students and experienced record growth with its incoming first-year class and graduate programs. UNC Charlotte is also the fastest growing institution in the UNC System, comprising eight academic colleges offering 83 programs leading to Bachelor's degrees, 64 Master's degrees, and 25 Doctoral degrees. UNC Charlotte is proud to have 3,747 passionate and committed faculty and staff members and more than 185,000 living alumni.

The Department of Communication Studies at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte invites applications for an open-rank (Assistant, Associate, or Full) Professor of Practice of Practice in public relations position beginning August 15, 2026. Professor of Practice position descriptions and ranks are available on the University's website: https://provost.charlotte.edu/policies-procedures/academic-policies-and-procedures/special-faculty-appointments/.

Required qualifications include the following criteria:

* A master's or doctoral degree in public relations, business communication, or related areas of communication.

* Minimum of 10 years of professional experience in public relations, business communication, or related areas of communication.

Assistant, Associate, or Full rank will be determined by professional experience above the minimum required, teaching experience, current rank (if any), scholarly record (if any), or some combination of these.

Expectations include teaching four classes in the fall and spring semesters. Public relations courses may include Principles of Public Relations, Public Relations Writing, Public Relations Ethics, Communication Campaigns, and topics courses in public relations within the Department of Communication Studies. Public relations courses will be taught predominantly, if not entirely, in person.

The successful candidate will also advise the Public Relations Student Society of America ( PRSSA) and collaborate with the public relations faculty on curricular initiatives. In addition, the position involves serving on a small number of faculty committees within the Department of Communication Studies, as well as at the college and/or university levels.

The department also seeks a committed teacher who can situate themselves within the University's Strategic Plan, which has a particular focus on providing education that has profound social and economic value and lifelong impact for students from all backgrounds. Finalists will be asked to discuss how their teaching practices engage, include, and eliminate barriers to learning for UNC Charlotte students, and how their educational approach helps increase the engagement and success of all students regardless of their entry pathway into the university.

Preferred qualifications include the following criteria:

* Evidence of successful teaching experience at the undergraduate or graduate level

* Relevant certification(s) in a communication area (e.g., APR or similar certification(s)). Please note that a candidate who has earned a doctorate relevant to public relations will be treated as satisfying this preferred criterion without additional certification.

* Knowledge of AP style

* Professional or teaching experience in digital design and/or multimedia production

* Willingness to coordinate co-curricular or extracurricular activities (e.g., industry tours)

The review of applications will begin February 15, 2026, and continue until the position is filled. Applicants must apply electronically at https://jobs.charlotte.edu/, position 005303. Please upload a cover letter responding to the qualifications listed above, a current CV, a teaching philosophy, evidence of successful teaching experience (teaching evaluations or other forms of evidence are welcome), and contact information for three references. Contact Tiffany Gallicano (Tiffany.Gallicano@charlotte.edu, search committee chair) or Dr. Dan Grano (dgrano@charlotte.edu, chair of the Department of Communication Studies) with questions.

The University of North Carolina at Charlotte is committed to equality of educational and employment opportunity and does not discriminate against applications, students, or employees based on any protected status.

The candidate selected for this position will be required to submit their official transcripts of their highest degree upon hire. The candidate chosen for this position will be subject to a Criminal Background Check. The salary will be negotiated at the college level and will not exceed caps set by the dean and provost.

Hiring is subject to budget availability.