Radio-Television-Film

Degrees Offered

Master of Arts
Master of Fine Arts
Doctor of Philosophy

Facilities for Graduate Work

The extensive production facilities of the Jesse H. Jones Communication Center are available to graduate students in radio-television-film, as are the services of Academic Computing and Instructional Technology Services. Research in media history, criticism, and theory is supported by the resources of the University General Libraries and the Harry Ransom Humanities Research Center, a major collection of primary materials in literature, film, and the arts. Students in international communication have available to them the nationally recognized resources of the Benson Latin American Collection. Facilities and projects supported by the Texas Telecommunications Policy Institute are available to students in the policy and technology programs.

Areas of Study

Students seeking the Master of Arts or the Doctor of Philosophy pursue work in a number of concentrations, including mass communication theory and research, with emphasis on the role of media in contemporary culture and society; ethnic and minority communication issues; gender and sexuality issues in media; critical and cultural studies of media; international communication research and policy; new media theory and technology; and research on the development, impact, and policies of communication technologies. Students seeking the Master of Arts may also study writing for film and television; those pursuing the Master of Fine Arts study film and video production.

Graduate Studies Committee

Degree Requirements

The student is normally expected to begin coursework in the fall semester.

Master of Arts. The Master of Arts with thesis requires thirty semester hours of coursework, including six hours in Radio-Television-Film 395; the student must take this course in the fall and spring semesters of the first year. The Master of Arts with thesis is recommended for students who plan to continue their graduate work after receiving the master's degree. For students who concentrate in writing for film and television, the Master of Arts with report requires thirty-six hours of coursework; in other concentrations, the Master of Arts with report requires thirty-three hours of coursework.

Master of Fine Arts. This degree, available only in the area of video and film production, is designed for the student with a demonstrated commitment to video and filmmaking as a professional, artistic, or academic pursuit. The three-year, sixty-semester-hour program allows the student to develop a foundation of production skills by creating works in both traditional and nontraditional forms. Students must pass annual reviews of their work and must produce a final thesis project for public exhibition during the third year.

Upon admission to the Master of Fine Arts program, students must pay a nonrefundable enrollment deposit of $200 to indicate that they accept the offer of admission. The deposit is applied to the payment of fees when the student enrolls. Students who demonstrate financial need may qualify for assistance to cover the deposit.

Doctor of Philosophy. The Master of Arts or an equivalent degree is required for admission to the doctoral degree program. The program requires completion of at least forty-eight semester hours of coursework beyond the master's degree; among these hours must be at least twelve hours in research-tools courses and twenty-one hours in the student's area of specialization, including Radio-Television-Film 395, taken twice. The student works with a faculty adviser to plan specific course requirements in the area of specialization. In addition to this coursework, the student must pass comprehensive examinations in three academic areas. After successful completion of the first presentation and the comprehensive examinations, the student files an application for candidacy and writes the dissertation.

For More Information

Campus address: Jesse H. Jones Communication Center (Academic) (CMA) A6.118, phone (512) 471-3532, fax (512) 471-4077

Mailing address: Graduate Program, Department of Radio-Television-Film, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas 78712-1094

URL: http://www.utexas.edu/coc/rtf/

Radio-television-film courses: RTF

Contents |  Chapter 1 |  Chapter 2 |  Chapter 3
Chapter 4 |  Chapter 5 |  Appendix

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