Classification Title: Professor

College/Division: College of Arts and Sciences

Department: CAS Theatre and Dance

Advertised Salary Range: We offer a competitive salary and benefits package

Advertised Job Summary:

The faculty of the Department of Theatre and Dance at the University of South Carolina invites applications for 9-month, full-time, tenure-track/tenured position at the rank of Assistant, Associate, or Full Professor to begin August 16, 2024.

The successful candidate will serve as the head of the MFA Scenic Design Program. Responsibilities will include teaching courses in scene design for both undergraduate and graduate students, and teaching in other theatre areas as qualified. The normal teaching load is 3/3. Contribution to the Department’s production program as a scene designer is expected. Additional duties include mentoring students, assisting in student recruitment, and supervising students as teaching assistants and in creative projects. Service on departmental and university committees is expected, as is contribution to program design and curricular development to prepare students for contemporary directing and performance practice.

The Department of Theatre and Dance

The Department of Theatre and Dance is a dynamic, collaborative community that includes two of the University’s most vibrant and visible programs. Students pursue a strong liberal arts undergraduate education or highly specialized graduate degrees in Acting, Theatre Design and Technology, Theatre Education, and Directing. Students gain practical experience and develop artistic skills through annual public performance seasons, educational conservatories, workshops, film projects, and community-engaged performances.

The Theatre program is committed to high quality productions as an essential component of preparing students for work in the profession. Our students perform in a range of unique venues, from historic, arena-style Longstreet Theatre to our intimate black box, all located across the University’s downtown Columbia campus. Our venues include Longstreet Theatre (312 seat arena stage), Drayton Hall (404 seat proscenium theatre), Booker T. Washington Lab Theatre (90 seat flexible black box), and 707 Catawba Studio Theatre (60 seat flexible space).

The Department of Theatre and Dance is accredited by the National Association of Schools of Theatre ( NAST ), National Association of Schools of Dance ( NASD ) and is a member of the University/ Resident Theatre Association (U/ RTA ). The department offers the MFA (directing, acting, and design emphasis in scenery, costume, or lighting), MA, MAT , and BA degree programs. For more information about the Department of Theatre and Dance, please visit our website at:

https://sc.edu/study/colleges_schools/artsandsciences/theatre_and_dance/ (https://sc.edu/study/colleges_schools/artsandsciences/theatre_and_dance/%20.)

How to Apply

Applications must include: (1) a cover letter that describes their research and teaching interests, (2) a curriculum vitae, (3) a statement of teaching philosophy (1 page max), and (4) the names and email addresses of 3 references. Letters of recommendation will be solicited after the initial interview is complete.

If you have any questions, please contact the chair of the search committee, Professor Jim Hunter, hunterj@mailbox.sc.edu .

Advertised Minimum Qualifications :

Qualifications, Experience, and Vision

Applicants at the Assistant Professor rank must have either an M.F.A. or a Ph.D. in Theatre or closely related field, plus expertise in scenic design, by the start date of employment. Applicants at the Associate or Full Professor rank must also have full-time university-level teaching experience consistent with academic policy by the start date of employment.

Our department believes that art has the power to help us understand ourselves, each other, and our culture while empowering us to move that culture forward. We are looking for an active, professional artist to join our collaborative, diverse, and vibrant program. We seek an outstanding artist/scholar/teacher and collaborative colleague to create innovative curriculum, lead a nationally recognized MFA program, and sustain a trajectory of creative achievement / research consistent with the expectations of a flagship, tier-one, research university. We seek a leader who demonstrates a growth mindset, understands that our industry is evolving, and that learning is an ongoing process.

The successful candidate will: 1) maintain a strong level of professional engagement as a scenic designer for live entertainment at a national level; 2) demonstrate excellence in teaching, and mentoring students in scenic design and related areas (e.g., scenic rendering, scenic painting, drafting, and/or in scenic design for non-theatrical contexts like film/TV/streaming or for other design disciplines, such as projections and media); 3) demonstrate the ability to work with diverse student populations at the undergraduate and graduate level, a commitment to inclusive excellence and culturally responsive pedagogy, and dedication to building a diverse and equitable learning environment through their teaching, creative inquiry, and collaboration.

Full/Part Time: Full Time