Tenure-Track Assistant Professor of Foundations

Working Title: Tenure-Track Assistant Professor of Foundations

State Role Title:N/A

Position Type:Instructional / Teaching Faculty

Position Status: Full-Time

FLSA Status: Exempt: Not Eligible for Overtime

College/Division: College of Visual and Performing Arts

Department: 100005 - Art Design and Art History

Pay Band:N/A

Pay Rate:Pay Range

Specify Range or Amount: $63,000-$65,000

Is this a JMU only position?No

Is this a grant-funded position?No

Is this a Conflict of Interest designated position?No

Beginning Review Date:12/14/2026

About JMU:

Mission
We are a community committed to preparing students to be educated and enlightened citizens who lead productive and meaningful lives.

Vision
To be the national model for the engaged university: engaged with ideas and the world.

Who We Are
Situated in the heart of Virginia's beautiful Shenandoah Valley, the city of Harrisonburg is a vibrant community with a population of approximately 52,000. Harrisonburg is conveniently located approximately 120 miles from Washington, D.C. and Richmond, VA.

JMU is a selective, public institution with a growing national reputation for offering experiences that lead to an outstanding education and supportive environment for students, faculty and staff. The student body includes approximately 21,000 undergraduate and 1,800 graduate students, with over 1,000 full-time instructional faculty.

JMU offers thriving programs in the liberal arts, science and technology, and professional disciplines at the undergraduate, master's and doctoral levels. JMU has achieved national recognition for the high quality of its academic programs, focus on maintaining strong student/faculty interaction, and innovative faculty research.

General Information:

The School of Art, Design and Art History at James Madison University invites dynamic and forward-thinking individuals to submit an application for our Tenure-Track Assistant Professor of Foundations position. The position is a full-time, 10-month academic appointment. Contract term begins August 10, 2027 two weeks prior to classes beginning and ends two weeks after Commencement in May. Preference will be given to candidates with a strong background in design who can contribute to the continued development of our Foundations Program. We are particularly interested in candidates who can strengthen and expand the design component of the Foundations curriculum, integrating design principles, creative problem-solving, visual communication, and interdisciplinary approaches into foundational art and design education.

School of Art, Design, and Art History Overview:
Our dynamic, energetic, and engaging School of Art Design and Art History employs nearly 60 full-time and part-time faculty and staff serving approximately over 620 full-time majors enrolled in B.A., B.S., B.F.A., and M.F.A., degree programs, including Studio Art, Graphic Design, Architectural Design, Industrial Design, and Art History, with Art Education certification, and minors in Art, Art History, Book Arts, and Illustration. The school also offers the Master of Fine Arts degree, a nationally ranked program by U.S. News and World Report. SADAH's mission is to collaborate as creators and scholars to advance independent thought through rigorous practice and research. For information about the SADAH, please visit www.jmu.edu/art.

Duties and Responsibilities:

The successful candidate will teach three courses each semester in the Foundation program, focusing on Color and Composition (FDS 102), Observational Drawing (FDS 104), Form and Space (FDS 106), and Expressive and Expanded Drawing (FDS 108). The successful candidate will help prepare students for a broad range of disciplines, including studio art, graphic design, architectural design, and industrial design.

We seek a candidate with strong design experience who wishes to participate in a collaborative community that fosters independent thought and creativity, embraces cultural expression, and cultivates excellence in the Foundations Program. In order to participate in our collaborative community, there is an expectation that the successful candidate will be on campus and available to students four days per week during the academic year and serve the program and school. We are especially interested in candidates who have a demonstrated commitment towards building an engaging educational environment.

Qualifications:

Required Qualifications:
* A terminal degree in Art, Design, or a closely related field (e.g., MFA, MID, MDes, M.Arch, or equivalent).
* Teaching experience in foundational classes, especially for an Art and / or Design School.
* Experience in teaching digital processes and tools, as well as traditional media.
* Evidence of an active professional / creative practice in art, design, or interdisciplinary fields.

Preferred Qualifications:
* Evidence of successful teaching experience of beginning art / design students at the undergraduate level.
* Evidence of an active professional / creative practice for at least five years beyond the completion of the graduate degree.
* Demonstrated commitment towards building an engaging educational environment.
* Evidence in curriculum development or an interest in strengthening the design component of a Foundations Program serving multiple art and design disciplines.

Additional Posting Information:

The completed application will consist of:
* Letter of application discussing your experience, with special attention to teaching and professional/creative practice. The letter should also include a discussion of the candidate's research interests, and contributions or potential contributions to the classroom, program, and university.
* Statement of Teaching Philosophy
* Curriculum Vitae
* PDF Portfolio- with a minimum of 15 pages and a maximum of 20 pages - that includes student work and professional scholarship/creative activity (total file size limit: 399MB)
* Sample a syllabus and/or project description for one of the Foundations Courses listed above. (Upload as one document under Other Document #1)

College of Visual and Performing Arts Overview:
With over 100 full-time faculty and 1200 full-time majors, the College of Visual and Performing Arts(CVPA) brings together the Schools of Art, Design, and Art History (SADAH), Music (SOM), and Theater and Dance (STAD). CVPA also houses the Office of Creative Propulsion, which is focused on integrative arts-bridging gaps across disciplines and between the university and the community. Our core mission is to support collaboration in the arts: across disciplinary barriers, between students and faculty, between university and industry, and beyond. We help coordinate the Integrative Arts Faculty Cohort in developing cross-disciplinary research and coursework and support all faculty and students in CVPA in their inter- and trans-disciplinary projects.

JMU's Dual Career and Community Resources Program is available for candidates that will be relocating to the area. For more information, please visit https://bit.ly/2OTF1NG.

Conditions of Employment:

Employment is contingent upon the successful completion of a criminal background check.

E-Verify Notice: After accepting employment, new hires are required to complete an I-9 form and present documentation of their identity and eligibility to work in the United States. James Madison University uses the E-Verify system to confirm identity and work authorization.

EEO Statement:

James Madison University is committed to creating and supporting a diverse and inclusive work and educational community that is free of all forms of discrimination. This institution does not tolerate discrimination or harassment on the basis of age, color, disability, gender identity or expression, genetic information, national origin, parental status, political affiliation, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation or veteran status.

We promote access, inclusion and diversity for all students, faculty, staff, constituents and programs, believing that these qualities are foundational components of an outstanding education in keeping with our mission. The university is interested in candidates whose experience and qualifications support an ongoing commitment to this core quality.

Anyone having questions concerning discrimination should contact the Office for Equal Opportunity: (540) 568-6991.

Reasonable Accommodation:

If you are an individual with a disability and need assistance searching or applying for jobs please contact us at (540) 568-3597 or jobs@jmu.edu. You may also visit the JMU Human Resource Office, located at 752 Ott Street, Harrisonburg, VA 22807 and we will be happy to assist you.