Minor in Media Studies

With the Media Studies minor, students will gain the analytical tools necessary for critical analysis of film, television, and digital media forms within the broader intellectual framework of the humanities and social sciences. Students in the minor will have the opportunity to examine film, broadcasting, games, and mobile media in a range of historical, sociocultural, creative, and industrial contexts. Courses cover diverse topics including global, regional, and national perspectives on the media; authorship, genre, and ideology; representations of race, ethnicity, gender, sexuality, and class; and digital media culture, technologies, policies, and design. As a complement to a major area of study, a minor in media studies can offer deep insight into how media and society interact, and prepare students for a range of careers.

Admission

This program is open to all students under the 2018–2020 and future catalogs who are not majoring in Radio-Television-Film and have a 2.5 cumulative grade point average.
Acceptance into the minor does not come with preference or guarantee of a seat in any RTF course.

Application Steps

  • Step 1: Apply for the Media Studies minor here: Media Studies Minor
  • Step 2: Select “RTF Radio-Television-Film" in the drop-down menu, and then "Media Studies.”
  • Step 3: Begin taking your minor courses. (You do not have to be accepted to the Media Studies minor to take the courses, and any courses taken before applying will be applied once the application is complete.)

Requirements by Course Catalog

Requirements/Rules - Catalog 2018-2020

The minor requires fifteen hours of coursework, with at least six hours being upper-division and at least nine hours completed in residence.

All courses must be taken for a letter grade, unless the course is only offered on a credit/no credit basis.  Only courses with a C- or better will be counted toward the minor.

Students must fulfill the following requirements*:

1. Three hours from the following (offered every fall and spring semester):

  • RTF 306 – Introduction to World Cinema History
  • RTF 307 – Media and Society
  • RTF 308 – Development of Film and Media

2. Six hours from the following:

  • RTF 301N – Introductory Topics in Radio-Television-Film (any topic)
  • RTF 321C – History of American Television (fall semester)
  • RTF 321D – Film History to 1960 (fall semester)
  • RTF 322D – Film History 1960 to Present (spring semester)
  • RTF 323C – Screening Race (fall semester)
  • RTF 324C – Introduction to Global Media (fall semester)
  • RTF 328C – Gender and Media Culture (spring semester)
  • RTF 331P – Internet Cultures (spring semester)

3. Six hours from the following list:

Note: Under specific circumstances, the faculty committee may approve course substitutions for minor course requirements. Students should meet with the minors advisor to discuss this process. Petitions will not be reviewed during registration or add/drop periods.

*NOTES:

  • Some courses may be restricted to only RTF majors at various points of the registration access period.
  • Not all courses are offered each semester.
  • Most courses are offered at least once within a three-year period.
  • Courses that appear in multiple groupings may only be counted once.

If after full review of minor requirements you still have questions, please contact your academic advisor or email moodyminors@austin.utexas.edu.

Requirements/Rules - Catalog 2020-2022

The minor requires fifteen hours of coursework, with at least six hours being upper-division and at least nine hours completed in residence.

All courses must be taken for a letter grade, unless the course is only offered on a credit/no credit basis.  Only courses with a C- or better will be counted toward the minor.

Students must fulfill the following requirements*:

1. Three hours from the following (offered every fall and spring semester):

  • RTF 306 – Introduction to World Cinema History
  • RTF 307 – Media and Society
  • RTF 308 – Development of Film and Media

2. Six hours from the following:

  • RTF 301N – Introductory Topics in Radio-Television-Film (any topic)
  • RTF 321C – History of American Television (fall semester)
  • RTF 321D – Film History to 1960 (fall semester)
  • RTF 322D – Film History 1960 to Present (spring semester)
  • RTF 323C – Screening Race (fall semester)
  • RTF 324C – Introduction to Global Media (fall semester)
  • RTF 328C – Gender and Media Culture (spring semester)
  • RTF 331P – Internet Cultures (spring semester)

3. Six hours from the following list:

Note: Under specific circumstances, the faculty committee may approve course substitutions for minor course requirements. Students should meet with the minors advisor to discuss this process. Petitions will not be reviewed during registration or add/drop periods.

*NOTES:

  • Some courses may be restricted to only RTF majors at various points of the registration access period.
  • Not all courses are offered each semester.
  • Most courses are offered at least once within a three-year period.
  • Courses that appear in multiple groupings may only be counted once.

If after full review of minor requirements you still have questions, please contact your academic advisor or email moodyminors@austin.utexas.edu.

Read about all RTF minors.