Thank you for your interest in the Radio-Television-Film (RTF) program offered at The University of Texas at Austin (UT). We are proud of our program in all areas and have much to offer our undergraduate and graduate students.
The Department of Radio-Television-Film is one of four academic departments in the College of Communication at the University of Texas at Austin. The College also includes the Departments of Advertising, Journalism and Speech Communication. Housed in the Jesse H. Jones Communication Complex, the College of Communication is the fifth largest in the University, and offers undergraduate and graduate degree programs leading to a Bachelor of Science, Master of Arts, Master of Fine Arts, and Doctor of Philosophy degrees.
The Radio-Television-Film program is designed to meet two goals. The first is to give students advanced analytical skills in interpreting the historical and contemporary roles of broadcasting, film and other communication media and technologies in society. The second goal is to provide training in media research, creative writing, and/or in the various production fields, enabling students to seek entry into communications, broadcasting, film and related industries.
To meet these goals, the Department of Radio-Television-Film offers a multidisciplinary undergraduate and graduate curriculum. The major disciplines are: Critical and Cultural Studies of film and television; Mass Communication Studies including International Communication; Communication Technology and Policy; Ethnic Minority Studies; Screenwriting; and Production (film, video, audio). Students are encouraged to select courses from among the different disciplines to build an individual program of study which best meets their particular interest. The Departmentıs programs are generally recognized as among the leading programs nationally. They lead to the BS degree, to an MA and PhD in Studies, to an MFA in Film and Television Production, to a joint MFA in Creative Writing (with the English and Theater Departments), to an MA in Screenwriting, and possibly to a joint MBA degree with the Business School.
The Radio-Television-Film Department also has renowned facilities for academic training in broadcasting and film. The Department has three professionally equipped television studios, a film sound stage, and facilities for film, video and audio editing. Public radio and television stations are housed in the Communication Complex. Other resources available to students include a computer-assisted writing lab, the University library system containing more than five million volumes, and the Humanities Research Center which offers archival resources for the study of film and literature. The CinemaTexas program, sponsored by the Department, screens some 120 films each academic year in support of film studies. Additional facilities located on the University Campus include student run radio, the KTSB cable radio station, and student run television, the TSTV cable television facilities. Both KTSB and TSTV are available to University students. The RTF faculty are nationally recognized for excellence in teaching, and research or creative work. For these reasons, the Department of Radio-Television-Film continues to attract an increasing number of students, which promotes an increasingly competitive environment within the Department.
With the training provided by the Department, graduates may pursue careers in media policy development, media management, media education, and in the production of radio, television and film content. The Department also offers a substantial internship program. The College of Communication maintains its own Placement Office for its graduates.
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