Main Departmental Office
Radio, TV, Film and Performing Arts Building, Room 262

Mailing Address:
1155 Union Circle #310589
Denton, TX 76203-5017
940-565-2537

Web site: www.rtvf.unt.edu

Alan Albaran, Chair
Samuel J. Sauls, Director of Graduate Studies

Faculty 

The department offers graduate programs leading to the following degrees:

• Master of Arts with a major in radio/television/film 
• Master of Science with a major in radio/television/film 
• Master of Fine Arts with a major in radio/television/film 

The Master of Arts and Master of Science programs are designed for persons who wish to pursue research in mass communication leading to a written thesis. Building on a strong undergraduate program, the department has a particular emphasis at the graduate level in the following areas:

• Media industry studies, which includes topics such as economics of the mass media, media management, law and regulation for broadcasting, audience research, globalization, programming and television news; and
• History and criticism, which includes topics such as film and television criticism, ethnicity in American film, genre studies, and media history and theory.

The Master of Fine Arts program is designed for persons who pursue documentary production and studies, culminating in the creation of a major thesis production. The program emphasizes the following areas:

• Documentary pre-production, production and post production; and
• Documentary history and theory and contemporary documentary.

Research

Members of the radio/television/film faculty include internationally recognized scholars, seasoned media professionals and award-winning documentary filmmakers. Research specialties include media history and criticism, cultural studies, international media and broadcast operations. Books written by RTVF faculty are used in university courses throughout the world, and faculty-produced films and television programs have been broadcast on television, selected for film and video festivals and screened at numerous other venues including New York’s Museum of Modern Art. Faculty members also serve on the boards of national and international organizations dealing with media education and film preservation.

Admission Requirements

Master of Arts, Master of Science

Applicants must meet the requirements of both the Toulouse Graduate School and the Department of Radio, Television and Film. If applicants are accepted by the Graduate School, their files are forwarded to the Graduate Committee in the Department of Radio, Television and Film for further evaluation. The following may be considered the RTVF department’s minimum requirements.

• Completion of a bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution with an overall GPA of at least 3.0.
• Completion of a minimum of 24 hours of undergraduate courses in RTVF or related field of study such as mass communications, media studies or media production.

To apply, the following materials should be sent directly to the Toulouse Graduate School.

1. Official transcripts from all undergraduate and graduate institutions attended.
2. Official GRE scores sent from the Educational Testing Service.
3. A completed graduate application form.
4. Application fee.

In addition, the following items should be submitted directly to the RTVF director of graduate studies at the department’s address above.

1. A statement of purpose, in which the applicant states career goals and tells why the master’s degree in RTVF from UNT will help achieve those goals.
2. A required writing sample (research paper, professional report, substantial essay, etc.).
3. A minimum of two current letters of recommendation. For most applicants, the letters must be provided by current or former professors. An applicant who has worked professionally in radio, television or film may submit one of these letters from a person who has supervised his or her work. If an applicant has been out of school for several years, both letters may be from people who can evaluate his or her work in these fields.
4. An applicant from outside the United States must demonstrate proficiency in oral and written English prior to admittance. In addition to GRE scores, non-native speakers must submit TOEFL scores.

After the first 12 semester hours of graduate study are completed, the student and the director of graduate studies should prepare a degree plan using one of the options available in the student’s area of concentration. The degree plan must be approved by the graduate dean. In order to graduate, a student must have an approved degree plan on file with the Graduate School.

The RTVF department curriculum for MA/MS degrees is designed to allow for two-year completion, with course work beginning in the fall term/semester.

Master of Fine Arts

In addition to those items listed under Admission Requirements for the Toulouse Graduate School, applicants for the MFA program must submit the following directly to the RTVF director of graduate studies at the department’s address above:

1. A statement of purpose, describing both reasons for pursuing the terminal degree in media production and the specific areas of academic and professional interest.
2. A portfolio of creative work submitted on VHS, DVD, DV, CD or DAT (in the case of audio productions). The sample should include one complete production and 10 minutes of excerpts from additional work. If relevant, still photographs or other material that demonstrates the applicant’s creative talents and accomplishments may be submitted following consultation with the director of graduate studies. All materials should be labeled and include a content list, lengths, and the applicant’s role in the production. Materials submitted will not be returned. Do not mail tapes in fiber-filled envelopes.
3. A writing sample representative of the applicant’s best academic work in the field.
4. Three letters of recommendation from faculty. If the applicant has not attended an academic institution for the past four years or more, two of these letters may come from professional colleagues capable of commenting on the applicant’s probability of success in a rigorous graduate program.
5. In specific instances, the Radio, Television and Film Graduate Committee may require an interview of applicants under consideration. This interview may take place in person, via videoconference or conference telephone call.
6. An applicant from outside the United States must demonstrate proficiency in oral and written English prior to admittance. In addition to GRE scores, international students must submit TOEFL scores.

Previous academic work and/or professional performance, as demonstrated in the portfolio of creative work submitted with the application, must indicate the potential for graduate work in a rigorous, production-oriented graduate program.

The Center for Spanish Language Media

The Center for Spanish Language Media is housed within the RTVF department and has a three-fold mission: education, research and professional development. In terms of education, interdisciplinary courses are offered at the undergraduate and graduate levels on different aspects of Spanish language media and Latino history and culture. In regards to research, the center sponsors and disseminates research on Spanish language media companies, trends and issues, through conferences, workshops and seminars. The center also offers workshops and seminars for existing Spanish language media professionals interested in improving their knowledge and skills.

KNTU-FM

Radio station KNTU-FM, broadcasting at 100,000 watts on 88.1mHz, serves the Denton/Dallas/Fort Worth/McKinney area with educational, information and entertainment programming daily from 6 a.m. to midnight. All students at UNT are eligible to work at KNTU where they can learn skills in radio production, programming and station administration. More information is available at www.kntu.fm.

NTTV - North Texas Television

North Texas Television (NTTV) is a student-operated cable television channel where students learn to produce programs in a wide range of topics and formats, including news, sports, public affairs and entertainment. All students at UNT are eligible to work at NTTV

Graduate Assistantships

A limited number of graduate teaching and research assistantships are available for outstanding applicants. Decisions on assistantships are made in March for the following fall term/semester. An application form is available from the director of graduate studies.