Job Opening: MICA MFA Illustration Program

The Illustration Practice MFA program at Maryland Institute College of Art invites applications for this full-time faculty position with a multi-year renewable contract in a non-tenure institution beginning Fall 2015.

Job Description 
The Illustration Practice MFA program seeks a candidate with a distinguished professional career in illustration practice or a related field. A viable candidate will have a sophisticated awareness of illustration markets, an understanding of studio practice in illustration and related fields, and an up-to-date knowledge of industry, advocacy, and relevant copyright issues.

The candidate should have the ability to teach at a graduate level and should demonstrate an understanding and enthusiasm for the current shifts and changes in the practice of illustration. Experience in lecture and critique formats, ability to work with students in groups and one-on-one, and natural abilities for course and professional advisement are important. Candidates should show general knowledge of the use of traditional and non-traditional media, have strong visual and critical abilities and a minimum familiarity with digital technology such as Adobe Creative Cloud. The program also seeks applicants who can convey relevant professional development information and discuss the components of creating and maintaining a viable studio with a contemporary vision of the practice of illustration.

The faculty position will teach one 9-credit course each semester to first-year graduate students, coordinate workshops within that credit load, and engage in a multi-week faculty swap to work with 2nd year thesis students. The candidate will also hold regular office hours, participate in program and institutional responsibilities such as exhibition coordination, committee service, application pre- reviews, application reviews and interviews, Open House, off-site portfolio reviews, orientations, and other program/institution related events. In addition to teaching, all full-time faculty are expected to pursue research and/or professional engagements that contribute to the educational mission of the graduate program and the College.

Requirements 
>MFA, or terminal degree in the relevant field(s), or equivalent professional experience.
>Distinguished professional career in illustration or related practice.
>An awareness of illustration markets, studio practices, industry and that of related fields.
>An understanding of professional development relevant to the practice of illustration, including copyright issues.
>Familiarity with Adobe Creative Cloud.

Preferred requirements
Minimum 3 years teaching experience above the Teaching Assistant level. An interest in curriculum on the history of illustration.

Additional Information 
Salary Commensurate with experience and college policy; excellent benefits package.

Apply The College will review applications as received. Although materials received before January 20, 2015 are best assured of receiving full consideration, the position will remain open until filled. All inquiries, nominations and applications will be held in the strictest confidence.

Application Instructions - Visit www.micahr.slideroom.com
Candidates will be asked to login or create a login and then should follow application instructions. Instructions are also posted in SlideRoom. In addition to the materials below, the application requires the name and contact information for three references. .
For preferred consideration, upload application materials to the MICA SlideRoom portal no later than January 20, 2015.

Submit online 3 multi-page PDF documents.
>The first multi-page PDF document should include letter of application, comprehensive CV, statement of teaching philosophy, and two sample syllabi.
>The second multi-page PDF document should include 15 examples of recent work.
>The third multi-page PDF document should include 10 examples of student work, assigned and independent projects, with short descriptions of the work shown [project name, level, audience].
>Please format PDF documents for screen resolution and viewing. No physical media are requested nor will be returned.

About MICA
The Maryland Institute College of Art (MICA), founded in 1826, is consistently ranked in the top tier of visual arts and design colleges in the nation. It enrolls approximately 1,800 undergraduate and 350 graduate students who are pursuing study in programs that lead to the BFA, MA, MAT, MA/MBA, MPS and MFA degrees, as well as post-baccalaureate certificates. In addition, the College offers credit and noncredit courses for adults, college-bound students, and children.

MICA provides 19 graduate programs in a diverse range of creative fields including art, design, film, education, business, research and scholarship. Each of these highly competitive programs attracts students who seek to advance a personal vision and transform their practices. Led by distinguished faculty, MICA’s graduate programs provide students the ability to customize their experience by activating a diverse range of resources. This vibrant and collaborative graduate community also seeks to strengthen connections across programs through a robust plan for shared coursework, workshops, events, and activities.

Located in Baltimore, Maryland, MICA is recognized as an important cultural resource for the Baltimore/Washington region through its community engagement and the sponsorship of hundreds public programs annually, including exhibitions, artists' residencies, film series, lectures, readings, and performances by students, faculty, and internationally known artists. In turn, Baltimore supports a lively arts community that continues to serve as a critical resource to MICA’s emerging artists and designers. Centrally located in the eastern seaboard, it also provides easy access to Washington DC, Philadelphia and New York. Visit the College’s website at www.mica.edu for more information.

About the Illustration Practice, MFA Program: The MFA in Illustration Practice prepares artists to elevate their artistic and business abilities, blend media within new cultural contexts, and integrate research and critical analysis into their work. Students find new directions for the practice in the 21st century, actively initiate projects, and revisit their creative process while awakening their abilities to chart their own course as entrepreneurs.

MICA is an equal opportunity employer. As an educational institution dedicated to individual development in the visual arts, MICA nurtures, supports, and celebrates diversity in all of its forms including aesthetic, cultural, and philosophical and does not discriminate on the basis of race, ethnicity, color, religion, age, national origin, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, disability status, socio-economic status, and marital status. This requires that the College develop and maintain a diverse community of trustees, administration, staff, faculty, and students; and that diversity is a fundamental philosophic value that informs the content of all of its programs and activities. MICA’s commitment to diversity prepares its graduates to excel professionally and assume leadership roles in a global context.

MICA provides reasonable accommodations to applicants with disabilities on a case-by-case basis. If you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process, please contact Human Resources at 410-225-2363.