Assistant Professor in Graphic Design -The Design School

The Design School at Arizona State University invites applications for a full-time, benefits eligible tenure track position as an Assistant Professor in Graphic Design. This is a tenure track appointment beginning Fall 2024. This position is located on the Tempe Campus.

The successful candidate is expected to actively participate in the Bachelor of Science in Design in Graphic Design as well as the Master of Visual Communication Design program. The appointee will be expected to teach studio courses and lecture/seminar courses, and mentor students. Candidates will be expected to demonstrate the potential to develop and sustain research/creative activity capable of achieving national and international recognition and attracting external funding. Successful candidates will also participate in service to the program, The Design School, the Herberger Institute and the University, and to student organizations such as AIGA. We are especially interested in applicants who are dedicated to advancing the ASU Charter and realizing ASU’s Design Aspirations.

About the Herberger Institute for Design and the Arts

The Herberger Institute for Design and the Arts, the largest comprehensive design and arts school in the country, is located within a dynamic research university focused on transformative change. Built on a unique combination of disciplines, the Herberger Institute comprises the Schools of Art; Arts, Media and Engineering; Music, Dance and Theatre; and ASU FIDM; The Design School; The Sidney Poitier New American Film School, and the ASU Art Museum. The Herberger Institute is committed to developing and scaling ideas that strengthen the role of designers and artists across all areas of society and culture, and increasing the capacity of artists and designers to make a difference in their communities. For more information on the Herberger Institute for Design and the Arts, visit herbergerinstitute.asu.edu.

About The Design School

The Design School is committed to creating inclusive spaces that welcome and decolonize design education. In the next several years, we are conducting faculty searches to help us achieve this goal. We seek colleagues who can contribute, within their design field, to justice, health, and sustainability, and work across our school’s disciplines to support ASU’s design aspirations and mission of inclusion.

https://newamericanuniversity.asu.edu/about/asu-charter-mission-and-goals

The Design School is the largest and most comprehensive design school in the country. It plays prominent roles in design research, pedagogy and public engagement within the Herberger Institute, the University and the greater Phoenix community. Currently, the school has approximately 75 full-time faculty and over 3000 students enrolled in programs in architecture, industrial design, interior design, landscape architecture, urban design and visual communication design. The Design School faculty work on a variety of issues – from addressing the future of the Rio Salado in Metropolitan Phoenix, to partnering with Google on increasing human satisfaction, to working with communities across the globe to address critical issues of sustainability. The school’s curricula and research are grounded in its commitment to prepare the next generation of designers to engage in collaborative multidisciplinary inquiry so that they may work productively within and beyond the boundaries of their respective disciplines. 

For information about The Design School, visit: design.asu.edu.

The graphic design program is accredited by the National Association of the Schools of Art and Design. The program has been in existence at Arizona State University since the 1970’s. Graduates from the program move into the profession in firms/companies in New York, San Francisco, Chicago, Los Angeles, Phoenix and various destinations in-between. The the visual communication design program aims to educate designers who are well grounded with form making skills and who can think, analyze and apply their design expertise using traditional and new technologies to solve problems. The program also supports two broader graduate programs, the Master of Science in Design and the Doctor of Philosophy in Design, Environment and the Arts.

Required Qualifications:

The successful candidate must possess:

• A terminal degree MFA, MDes (or equivalent), or PhD in visual communication, graphic design, or related discipline;
• One year of experience teaching visual communication, graphic design, or related courses at the university level;
• Demonstrated commitment to excellence in teaching and scholarship and/or creative practice as appropriate for the discipline;
• Demonstrated potential to develop and sustain a research agenda capable of achieving national or international recognition in visual communication design (including transdisciplinary practices related to VCD) and/or emergent practices of design.

Desired Qualifications:

Preference will be given to individuals with:

• A record of publication in top journals or conferences in an area of interest related to visual communication design;
• A record of creative practice with national and international recognition through exhibition, awards, or media mentions;
• Five years of experience teaching visual communication, graphic design, or related courses at the university level with demonstrated teaching excellence;
• Demonstrated ability to instruct in multiple modalities, including online, in-person and hybrid, to both undergraduate and graduate audiences;
• Demonstrated expertise in current or emergent design practices such as visual sensemaking, user experience design, service design, speculative design, online design education, participatory design, design history, design ethics, virtual reality, design of artificial intelligence, design for behavior change, inclusive design, design justice, design for sustainability, design for health, community-engaged design, and design management;
• Commitment to exploring the current and future roles of visual communication design in environmentally and socially responsible design practices.
• A Ph.D. in a discipline relevant to visual communication and design.

Application Deadline:

The application deadline is December 19, 2023.  Applications will continue to be accepted on a rolling basis for a reserve pool.  Applications in the reserve pool may then be reviewed in the order in which they were received until the position is filled.

About ASU

Arizona State University is a new model for American higher education, an unprecedented combination of academic excellence, entrepreneurial energy and broad access. This New American University is a single, unified institution comprising four differentiated campuses positively impacting the economic, social, cultural and environmental health of the communities it serves. Its research is inspired by real world application blurring the boundaries that traditionally separate academic disciplines. In 2022, ASU was named a Hispanic-Serving Institution and in 2023, ASU joined the prestigious Association of American Universities. ASU is deeply committed to advancing in innovative ways while sustaining a welcoming, supportive, and empowering environment for all members of our community.

Instructions to Apply

Please submit:

• C.V.
• Letter of Interest
• List of 3 references (Name, Affiliation, Email, Phone)
• A portfolio of no more than five examples of research or creative work.
• Two examples of either syllabi or sample assignments.

ASU conducts pre-employment screening for all positions which includes a criminal background check, verification of work history, academic credentials, licenses and certifications.

Arizona State University is a VEVRAA Federal Contractor and an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, protected veteran status, or any other basis protected by law.

(See https://www.asu.edu/aad/manuals/acd/acd401.html and https://www.asu.edu/titleIX/.) 

In compliance with federal law, ASU prepares an annual report on campus security and fire safety programs and resources. ASU’s Annual Security and Fire Safety Report is available online at https://www.asu.edu/police/PDFs/ASU-Clery-Report.pdf. You may request a hard copy of the report by contacting the ASU Police Department at 480-965-3456.