Department of Media Arts

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
Fax: 940-369-7838

E-mail: MediaArts@unt.edu
Web site: www.mediaarts.unt.edu

Harry Benshoff, Chair

Tania Khalaf, Associate Chair

Radio, television, film and digital media platforms play a significant role in society by providing both entertainment and information in a constantly changing world. The Department of Media Arts prepares students with a wide range of knowledge and skills for careers in traditional media (broadcasting, film production, editing, on-air talent, audience research, media management) and emerging media (writing and producing for social media and digital media platforms).

Media Arts students engage in a curriculum that combines a liberal arts education with hands-on experience utilizing similar tools used by industry professionals. The Media Arts department equips students with the foundational principals, critical thinking, skills and opportunities they need to succeed in today’s ever-changing media world. Courses afford students unique opportunities to learn from expert faculty members who are committed to readying students for future careers in the media industry or academia.

Located within the thriving Dallas–Fort Worth market (currently ranked 5th in the U.S.) the department frequently hosts professionals who serve as guest speakers and adjunct professors. The location within the DFW market offers numerous internship and part-time employment opportunities while students are pursuing their degrees.

The department offers two degrees:

a Bachelor of Arts with a major in Media Arts (MRTS)
a Bachelor of Arts with a major in Converged Broadcast Media (CBCM)

The MRTS undergraduate major provides comprehensive hands-on experiences in media production along with courses devoted to writing, industry practices, broadcast and film history, digital media, film styles, genres and critical/cultural studies. The CBCM undergraduate major provides extensive background in media convergence, web-based production of news and information, as well as courses devoted to covering sports, entertainment and politics, and interviewing and on-air performance.

With more than 1300 undergraduate students, Media Arts is one of the largest and most active programs in the College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences. Students have the opportunity to work for the local television news station, ntTV, or the radio station, KNTU. Students can also join a variety of film clubs, a student-run organization focused on peer mentorship and production opportunities.

The department’s diverse faculty include top research scholars and media practitioners with many years of experience. Faculty frequently publish monographs, anthologies, textbooks, and articles in top-tier journals and present research at top-ranked national and international conferences. Our creative faculty have produced multiple award-winning narrative films and documentaries that are screened in local, national, and international festivals. Students also gain expert knowledge from faculty who have years of professional experience working in the media industry.

Admission to the major

Only MRTS and CBCM majors can take MRTS courses. Entering students interested in majoring in MRTS or CBCM must fulfill initial requirements and be advised by the advising office. Admission to the university does not guarantee admission to either major. Admission to both majors is highly competitive and limited by the number of applicants and available resources. This means that if space or technical resources availability is declining, applications for MRTS or CBCM major status may be submitted to a departmental admissions committee for review. For further information on Admissions and requirements see Media Arts, BA and Converged Broadcast Media, BA .

Suggested minors for BA with a major in Media Arts

Students majoring in Media Arts may choose a minor field of study. Suggested minors coordinated with student career goals are art/photography (for careers in film), business (marketing and management), theatre (production/performance), foreign language, and social sciences (general).

KNTU-FM

KNTU-FM 88.1 HD1 & HD2.

The University’s radio station serves North Texas and Southern Oklahoma and is listed in Nielsen Audio Ratings for Dallas-Fort Worth, the 5th largest radio market in the nation. KNTU operates two radio stations 24 / 7 / 365 – 88.1 indie (alternative rock on FM 88.1 HD1 and 881indie.com) and KNTU The One (jazz on FM 88.1 HD2 and kntu.com). The station also operates the North Texas Streaming Network which is an internet video streaming project of high school sports. All UNT students are eligible to work at any of KNTU’s platforms to participate in creating content for radio, internet, and social media. There are a few paid, part time middle manager jobs; other students work to gain practicum/internship credit toward their degrees, and some are volunteers who gain invaluable training toward beginning a media career. More information is available at www.kntu.com.

North Texas Television

ntTV (North Texas Television) is a nationally recognized, award winning student-run television operation. ntTV offers all UNT students the dynamic opportunity to produce, write, direct and broadcast their work across the DFW area. Content areas include news, sports, entertainment and marketing, as well as long-form live productions.

Organizations

The department participates actively as an institutional member of the Broadcast Education Association; the University Film and Video Association; the Texas Association of Broadcast Educators; Society for Cinema and Media Studies; and the Radio, Television Digital News Association (RTDNA) student chapter.

Scholarships

Each year, the Department of Media Arts distributes scholarships to help undergraduate students pay the cost of their education. These funds – from private individual donors, corporations, and foundations – are for direct student support and do not have to be repaid. Scholarships are awarded to students based on qualifications specified by each award which include things like field of study, career interests, and academic merit. Applications are submitted via the Media Arts website and are reviewed by a committee of Media Arts faculty with awards announced at the end of each academic year. Scholarships are typically for amounts up to $1,500 and the money is applied towards tuition in the Fall semester.

Alan and Beverly Albarran Scholarship is a fund to provide scholarships for undergraduate or graduate students in the Department of Media Arts who are pursuing an industry studies emphasis in their degree.

The Bill Mercer Endowment for Broadcast Media Scholarship is to provide scholarship support for Media Arts students studying broadcast media or journalism.

The Bud Buschardt Memorial Scholarship is a fund in honor of Bud Buschardt to provide scholarships for converged broadcast media students.

Cindy Coyle Memorial Scholarship is an academic scholarship for a student in the Department of Media Arts who has expressed a career interest specifically in radio.

Country Radio Broadcasters Scholarship is an academic scholarship for a student in the Department of Media Arts who has expressed interest specifically in radio.

Department of Media Arts Executive Board Scholarship is a fund for undergraduate students demonstrating academic excellence in the department of Media Arts.

Edwin L. Glick Scholarship is an academic scholarship awarded to students who demonstrate an interest in a career in broadcasting/cable such as production, sales, management, operations, or broadcast journalism, through appropriate courses, internships, extracurricular activities (e.g. KNTU or ntTV) or other industry related employment.

First Broadcasting Scholarship is an academic scholarship for a student in the Department of Media Arts who has demonstrated an interest in radio broadcasting as a career through participation with either KNTU or off-campus internships.

Kathleen Woodby Scholarship is a scholarship for undergraduate students in the Department of Media Arts.

Mark Rybczyk Scholarship is a fund to support undergraduate students in the Department of Media Arts who are studying radio, television and film.

Melanie Goodwin RTVF Scholarship is a fund to support students in the Department of Media Arts.

Paramount Pictures Undergraduate Scholarship is an academic scholarship award to recognize excellence and promise in the undergraduate study and production of radio, television and/or film media at UNT.

Walter Deed Memorial Scholarship is a fund to support undergraduate students in the Department of Media Arts who are studying television engineering.

Westcott Foundation Scholarship is a fund to support undergraduate students in the Department of Media Arts who have demonstrated merit, motivation and talent with the means to complete their education at the University of North Texas.

Requirements

Meet minimum entrance and academic performance standards of the College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences and the Department of Media Arts.
Students must be enrolled for at least 12 hours of undergraduate study in both the spring and fall semesters.
Enrolled as a full-time undergraduate major in the Department of Media Arts.
Additional requirements specific to each award are available on the Scholarships website.

Application

Applications are accepted via links in the Scholarship section of the Department of Media Arts website (mediaarts.unt.edu/scholarships) in the Spring semester after the call for applications is posted. Please refer to that website for the most up-to-date information, application instructions, and eligibility requirements.

Programs

Majors

Undergraduate Academic Certificates

Courses

Media Arts

Quicklinks

Catalog