Assistant Professor, Communication Studies

Anticipated Salary Range: $92K to $112K. Actual salary to be commensurate with experience.

Communication Studies is a leading program in the critical study of communication and media in Canada. We study the intersection of language, media and culture from an interdisciplinary perspective and train students in the histories, theories and methodologies of Communication Studies. The department also offers a Combined BA in Cultural Studies, and an MA in Communication Studies. With an average of nearly 700 majors each year, Communication Studies is one of the largest programs in the Faculty of Arts and in 2026 we celebrate our 25th anniversary.

We seek to hire a critical communication studies scholar with demonstrated expertise in environmental communication. We encourage applicants whose research and teaching incorporates global and/or Indigenous studies perspectives.

Applicants must have a completed PhD in Communication Studies or a cognate discipline by the start of the appointment. The preferred candidate will have a strong research record, as evidenced by publication in peer-reviewed sources, and a good record of teaching. The teaching workload for this position is four one-term courses, across all levels of the undergraduate and Master’s programs.

Applications must include:

• A letter of application
• A curriculum vitae
• Teaching Dossier (should include copies of course evaluations, selected course outlines, and a brief reflection on teaching and the applicants’ teaching experience)
• Up to 2 selected publications
• The contact information of at least three academic referees (telephone and email).

Only complete applications will be considered. All applications should be addressed to:

Peter Urquhart, Chair, Communication Studies
Faculty of Arts
Wilfrid Laurier University
Waterloo, Ontario, N2L 3C5
Email: purquhart@wlu.ca

Deadline for applications is November 1, 2026.

Diversity and creating a culture of inclusion is a key pillar of Wilfrid Laurier University’s Strategic Academic Plan and is one of Laurier’s core values. Laurier is committed to increasing the diversity of faculty and staff and welcomes applications from qualified members of the equity-deserving groups. Indigenous candidates who would like to learn more about equity and inclusive programming at Laurier are welcome to contact the Office of Indigenous Initiatives at indigenous@wlu.ca. Candidates from other equity-deserving groups who would like to learn more about equity and inclusive programming at Laurier are welcomed to contact Equity and Accessibility at equity@wlu.ca.

All qualified candidates are encouraged to apply; however, as per Canadian immigration laws, Canadians and permanent residents will be given priority. To comply with the Government of Canada’s reporting requirements, the University is obligated to gather information about applicants’ status as either Permanent Residents of Canada or Canadian citizens. Applicants need not identify their country of origin or current citizenships, however, all applicants must include one of the following statements in their cover letter:

Yes, I am a current citizen or permanent resident of Canada; No, I am not a current citizen or permanent resident of Canada

Members of the designated groups must self-identify to be considered for employment equity. Candidates should self-identify, in confidence, to Dean Sofie Lachapelle, Dean of Arts (foadeansoffice@wlu.ca). Further information on the equity policy can be found at https://www.wlu.ca/about/governance/assets/resources/8.4-employment-equity.html.

Applicants are encouraged to address any career interruptions or special circumstances that may have affected their record of research and teaching, in accordance with SSHRC and NSERC definitions and guidelines. To obtain a copy of this job description in an accessible format, please contact Justine MacNeil (foadeansoffice@wlu.ca).

The Faculty of Arts wishes to thank all applicants for their interest. All nominations and applications shall be reviewed and considered under a set of criteria established by the Search Committee and a short list of candidates shall be interviewed. Only those applicants selected for the short list will be contacted.

We would like to acknowledge that Wilfrid Laurier University and its campuses are located on the shared traditional territory of the Neutral, Anishnaabe (Anish-nah-bay) and Haudenosaunee (Hoe-den-no-show-nee) peoples. This land is part of the Dish with One Spoon Treaty between the Haudenosaunee and Anishnaabe peoples and symbolizes the agreement to share, protect our resources and not to engage in conflict. From the Haldimand Proclamation of Oct. 25, 1784 this territory is described as: “six miles deep from each side of the river (Grand River) beginning at Lake Erie and extending in the proportion to the Head of said river, which them and their posterity are to enjoy forever.” The proclamation was signed by the British with their allies, the Six Nations, after the American Revolution. Despite being the largest reserve demographically in Canada, those nations now reside on less than five percent of this original territory.

Wilfrid Laurier University endeavors to fill positions with qualified candidates who have a combination of education, experience, skills and abilities to successfully perform the duties of the position while demonstrating Laurier's Employee Success Factors.

Equity, diversity and creating a culture of inclusion are part of Laurier’s core values and central to the Laurier Strategy. Laurier is committed to increasing the diversity of faculty and staff and welcomes applications from candidates who identify as Indigenous, racialized, having disabilities, and from persons of any minority sexual and gender identities. Indigenous candidates who would like to learn more about equity and inclusive programing at Laurier are welcomed to contact the Office of Indigenous Initiatives. Candidates from other equity deserving groups who would like to learn more about equity and inclusive programing at Laurier are welcomed to contact Equity & Accessibility. We have strived to make our application process accessible, however if you require any assistance applying for a position or would like this job posting in an alternative format, please contact Human Resources. Contact information can be found at careers.wlu.ca/content/How-to-apply/