Brandon Golob

Associate Dean of Campuswide Honors
Associate Professor of Teaching

Department:
Criminology, Law and Society

Specializations:
inclusive pedagogy; law and popular culture; media effects; law-related education programs

Brandon Golob is Associate Dean of the Campuswide Honors Collegium and an Associate Professor of Teaching in Criminology, Law and Society at the University of California, Irvine. His teaching and research focus on how legal knowledge is translated to laypeople through mediated and face-to-face communication.

Prior to joining the UCI faculty, Professor Golob received his dual B.A. in Rhetoric and Interdisciplinary Studies from UC Berkeley, his J.D. from the UCLA School of Law, and his M.A. and Ph.D. in Communication from the University of Southern California Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism. Since coming to UCI, Professor Golob’s teaching and mentorship have been recognized with ten competitive awards:

• Selected as “Professor of the Year” by undergraduates in the School of Social Ecology for four consecutive academic years (2023-24, 2022-23, 2021-22, 2020-21);
• Selected as 2023-24 “M.A.S. Professor of the Year” by students in the online Master of Advanced Study (M.A.S.) in Criminology, Law and Society;
• The 2021-22 Learning Experience Design and Online Teaching Award, which honors one UCI faculty member for demonstrating pedagogical design excellence and creativity in effectively engaging students in an online learning environment;
• The 2021-22 Tom Angell Fellowship, which honors one UCI faculty member who creates new opportunities for graduate student mentorship;
• The 2021-22 Excellence in Digital Learning Award, which recognizes one UCI faculty member who utilizes innovative and effective uses of instructional technology;
• The 2021-22 UCI Inclusive Excellence Teaching Award representing the School of Social Ecology, which recognizes instructors who create inclusive learning environments that promote growth and scaffold student success;
• The 2020-21 Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Research Mentorship in the School of Social Ecology, which recognizes faculty members who exhibit excellence in research training and professional development.

Additionally, Professor Golob was selected as a UCI Faculty Academy for Teaching Excellence fellow (2024-25) and a DTEI Faculty Fellow for Digital Learning Excellence (2022-23). His teaching and mentorship have also been supported by grants from UC Online and the UCI Office of Inclusive Excellence. In 2023, he was recognized by the UCLA Alumni Association for his exceptional work in civic life and making a positive change in the community. In 2024, his teaching was profiled in the OC Register and recognized by the California State Senate.