Adjunct Assistant Professor of Interactive Media & Games

The Interactive Media & Games Division within USC's School of Cinematic Arts is seeking an adjunct faculty member in the field of Interactive Media and Games with a specialty in Critical Game Studies and Media Studies. Ideally, the candidate has experience analyzing, teaching, and/or producing scholarship on games and interactive media as critical, cultural, and expressive media forms.

We are looking for dynamic and experienced educators to provide feedback to undergraduate students in CTIN 190: Introduction to Interactive Entertainment. Our program is a vibrant and interdisciplinary community of designers, artists, scholars, and researchers committed to exploring games as meaningful cultural artifacts. Situated within the School of Cinematic Arts, the division emphasizes storytelling, critical inquiry, and player experience across diverse perspectives and methodologies.

CTIN 190 is a required critical studies course that introduces students to the analysis of games as cultural texts and expressive systems. The course focuses on argument construction, critical play, and the evaluation of games within broader social, historical, and aesthetic contexts. Adjunct faculty will support the lecture format through leading breakout discussions, facilitating critical play sessions, and providing detailed feedback on student work.

The ideal applicant has a strong background in critical media studies, game studies, or a related humanities or interdisciplinary field. The applicant is a published writer with a record of peer-reviewed scholarship and/or public-facing critical writing that demonstrates sustained critical interpretation of games and/or related media. The applicant should be deeply committed to fostering rigorous analysis and guiding students in developing original arguments. Successful candidates should be engaging discussion leaders, careful readers of student writing, and demonstrate excellent public speaking skills in a large lecture format.

Minimum Education:Master's Degree (MFA or equivalent)

Minimum Experience:
* Master's degree or higher in Media Studies, Game Studies, Film and Media, Cultural Studies, or a related field
* Demonstrated experience in critical analysis of games and/or interactive media
* Strong written and oral communication skills
* Demonstrated excellence in public speaking, including experience in large lecture or comparable presentation settings
* Ability to lead discussion-based sessions and facilitate critical dialogue
* Experience providing detailed, constructive feedback on student writing and projects
* Ability to support students in argument construction, critical thinking, and close analysis
* Familiarity with a range of game genres, platforms, and player communities
* Ability to connect games to broader cultural, political, historical, and theoretical frameworks
* Experience with or willingness to facilitate critical play sessions and reflective gameplay analysis
* Commitment to inclusive teaching practices and engaging diverse student perspectives

Preferred Education:Doctoral Degree (PhD)

Preferred Experience:
* PhD in Media Studies, Game Studies, or a related humanities or interdisciplinary field
* Record of peer-reviewed scholarship and/or public-facing criticism demonstrating sustained engagement with games and/or media
* Prior teaching experience in higher education, particularly in large lecture and discussion-based critical studies courses
* Familiarity with key theoretical frameworks (e.g., cultural theory, critical race theory, feminist theory, postcolonial theory, media theory)
* Experience designing or contributing to curriculum in game studies or critical media studies
* Experience mentoring undergraduate students in writing-intensive courses
* Active research, publication, or creative practice related to games and media

USC reserves the 'Adjunct' appointment for faculty teaching less than full-time at USC who are employed full-time in a primary profession or career elsewhere. Adjunct faculty typically teach only one course per year but, in exceptional cases, may teach one course per semester, if approved by the Dean.

The core salary range for this position is $32- $38 per hour. This is an adjunct 25% FTE position.

When extending an offer of employment, the University of Southern California considers factors such as (but not limited to) the scope and responsibilities of the position, the candidate's work experience, education/training, key skills, internal peer equity, federal, state and local laws, as well as external market and organizational considerations.