Job description
Department
Media Arts
University Expectation
MTSU seeks candidates committed to innovative teaching, robust research/creative activity, and meaningful service. We also seek to attract culturally and academically diverse faculty who value working with diverse students.
Salary
The salary is commensurate with education and experience.
Job Summary/Basic Function
The Department of Media Arts at Middle Tennessee State University invites applicants for a full-time, tenure-track faculty position (#115020) in photography at the rank of assistant or associate professor. The start date for the position is August 1, 2027.
The Department of Media Arts seeks an engaged photographer, artist, and educator with an active creative practice, a strong command of contemporary photographic processes, and a commitment to undergraduate education. The successful candidate will join the faculty of the Bachelor of Fine Arts program, which emphasizes technical proficiency, critical inquiry, historical understanding, and the development of an individual artistic voice. Our curriculum encompasses traditional and digital photographic processes, contemporary art and documentary practices, and the expanding professional applications of photography at introductory, intermediate, and advanced levels.
The successful candidate should be prepared to teach across analog and digital processes, integrating technical instruction with conceptual development, critical discussion, and the history and theory of photography. In addition, the successful candidate will be expected to maintain an active program of research or creative activity, demonstrated through exhibitions, publications, commissions, or other forms of professional engagement. Applicants at various stages of their creative careers who demonstrate a commitment to ongoing artistic inquiry and the continued development of their work are encouraged to apply. Additional responsibilities include student advising and mentorship, curriculum development, participation in program recruitment and outreach, and university and community service.
The successful candidate will have the following:
- Evidence of an active creative practice in photography or related lens-based media, with a clear direction for continued development.
- Demonstrated knowledge of traditional and contemporary photographic processes, including analog and digital photography.
- Ability to teach photography at multiple levels, combining technical instruction with conceptual, historical, and critical approaches.
- Knowledge of contemporary photographic discourse and a commitment to undergraduate teaching and mentorship.
- College-level teaching experience.
Required Education
A terminal degree, such as an MFA, in photography or a closely related field is required by the appointment date.
Other Desirables
Applicants with a record of exhibitions, publications, or other creative activity will receive special consideration. In addition, applicants with expertise in one or more areas of contemporary photographic practice, including fine art, documentary, editorial, conceptual, or expanded forms of photography, and those with additional experience in studio lighting, photographic printing, editing and sequencing, professional practices, and interdisciplinary approaches to photography will receive special consideration.
How to apply
Documents Needed to Apply</strong>
To apply successfully, applicants must include a cover letter, curriculum vitae, a statement of teaching philosophy, and a statement of research/creative activity.
NOTE: In addition, a document with links to portfolios must be submitted as “Other Document 1.” The portfolios must include the following:
- Student work projects (20 examples). Each example of student work should have been completed in courses where the applicant was the instructor of record. Each example should be labeled with the course title and a brief description.
- Personal, professional, research, or industry projects (20 examples). Each example should include a brief description.
When applying, applicants must provide complete contact information, including email addresses, for three professional references. References will be contacted to provide a reference letter if the applicant is selected for an interview. In addition, if the applicant is selected for the position, official transcripts of all degrees conferred, including translations and evaluations of international transcripts from an approved credentialing agency, will be required before a contract is issued. All submitted materials become the property of MTSU and will not be returned. Submission of materials is the applicant’s responsibility. Applications without all required materials are incomplete and will not be considered.
If you need help with the application, please contact Mitzi Dunkley, Faculty Recruitment Specialist, at (615) 898-5128. If you have position-specific questions, please contact Shannon Randol at Shannon. [email protected].
MTSU offers a comprehensive benefits package, including but not limited to the following:
- Sick Leave
- Vacation Leave for Administrative/Classified Staff/12-month Faculty
- 13 paid University holidays
- Medical, dental, vision, and life insurance
- Retirement plans
- Optional 401K and 403B Deferred Compensation Plans
- Educational benefits for the employee and their spouse and dependents
Click here for additional information.
MTSU is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified individuals are encouraged to apply.
Proof of U.S. citizenship or eligibility for U.S. employment is required before employment (Immigration Control Act of 1986). Clery Act crime statistics for MTSU are available at https://police.mtsu.edu/annual-security-report/ or by contacting MTSU Public Safety at (615) 898-2424.
MTSU is a Tobacco & Drug-Free campus.
This position requires a criminal background check. Therefore, you will be required to provide information about your criminal history to be considered.
For individuals requiring reasonable accommodation to apply: In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act Amendments Act (ADAAA), if you have a disability and would like to request an accommodation to apply for a position with MTSU, please call 615-898-2929 or email [email protected].
Application Review Date: 12/01/2026
