Master of Fine Arts in Film and Media Production

Master the art of cinematic storytelling by becoming an expert in all facets of narrative and documentary film production, including editing, cinematography, audio, screenwriting and directing while developing lifelong collaborative relationships with peers, alumni and faculty.
With individualized attention and mentorship by professors who are experts in the industry and committed to teaching, you will have the opportunity to direct at least two portfolio-quality films during your time at UT and will own the rights to your work.
The three-year MFA program addresses all production craft specialties, with a focus as a director's program rigorously committed to the craft of storytelling. The curriculum places equal emphasis on fiction and nonfiction, and encourages students to explore diverse cinematic forms. This intersection of narrative and documentary education gives our filmmakers an adaptive advantage and the skills to approach their subjects from unique perspectives and to tell new kinds of stories.

In order to be admitted to the MFA in Film & Media Production program in RTF, students must hold a bachelor's degree (or its equivalent) from an accredited institution. Undergraduate preparation, internships and professional experience should demonstrate sufficient preparation in film and video production to predict successful performance at the graduate level.
Statement of Purpose: You can wait and upload this as a PDF in the MyStatus Page -- Step 2.
Letters of Recommendation: You should provide names and email addresses for three recommenders. Please contact us if your recommender is not able to use this online method. One or two letters (out of three total) from a professional reference is advised to show industry and life experience (these should be entered under Academic References section in the application).
Statement of Purpose: Write an essay that explains your education and experience so far, your future goals, and how you think our program will help you achieve those goals. Rule of thumb is to keep this concise, no more than two printed pages, double-spaced. No other essay is required.
Copies of Official Transcripts: The Graduate and International Admissions Center (GIAC) require a copy of your official transcript from each college and/or university that you have attended. U.S. applicants who have taken coursework through an Exchange Program, Semester Abroad or Study Abroad, please contact an Admissions Counselor at GIAC (512-475-7391) to determine if you need an original transcript from the foreign institution. Once you are admitted, you will need to send a hard copy of the official transcript.
Resume or Curriculum Vitae (CV): Include education, work experience and internships, honors and awards, and publications or creative works.
Academic Writing Sample: This should be a report, article, review, or anything that you've written for a class (or similar). No page limit, we recommend something at least 5-10 pages long.
Portfolio (Creative Sample): You will need to provide a Vimeo URL for your video(s) to serve as your admission portfolio. Please provide the URL and password (if applicable) on a separate PDF document uploaded on your MyStatus Page.
A grade-point average (GPA) of at least 3.0 (on a 4.0 scale) or a comparable GPA in upper-division workjunior- and senior-level coursesand in any graduate work already completed is also required.

TOEFL: 79 on the Internet-based test (iBT)
IELTS: An overall band of 6.5 on the Academic Examination