Radio TV Film

This course examines conventions and creative strategies that comprise contemporary moving image media. A major focus will be placed on foundational terms and techniques used in professional settings today. In its exploration of dynamic audio/visual communication, the course will analyze films, television programming, and screenplays.

This is a required course for the RTF Major or Minor.

Frequency of Offering: Every semester

This course introduces concepts of media literacy through a focus on the industry structures of print, radio, television, film and new media.

This is a required course for the RTF Major or Minor.
This course is a General Education course and counts toward a RTF Major or Minor.

Frequency of Offering: Every semester

This course is designed to cover basic theory and techniques of audio production, as well as introductory radio station practices. The course consists of lectures, as well as studio session featuring equipment demonstrations and production exercises in a professional environment. This course also includes experience on the air at the university’s radio station, WRST-FM.

This is a required course for the RTF Major.

Special technology course fee of $10.00 will apply.

Frequency of Offering: Every semester

oThis course will help you understand how your perspective of reality show events and emotions can be skewed by the manipulation of footage and how preproduction, production, and post-production can alter the realness of reality television. Additionally, this course will explore the social communities created through reality shows in multiple forms of engagement.

This is a General Education First Year Experience course and does not count toward an RTF Major or Minor.

Frequency of Offering: Every fall, spring odd years

Study of the history and development of film as a distinctive medium of communication, an art form and an industry. Students will be introduced to a wide range of theoretical perspectives that have been applied to film in academic settings: these will include but are not limited to such concepts as narrative, genre, “mise en scene’, and star image.

This course is a General Education course but does not count toward a RTF major or minor. 

Frequency of Offering: spring even years

This course will help you understand how your perspective of reality show events and emotions can be skewed by the manipulation of footage and how preproduction, production, and post-production can alter the realness of reality television. Additionally, this course will explore the social communities created through reality shows in multiple forms of engagement.

Frequency of Offering: Every semester

This course studies the business of sports media conceived broadly. Students will examine the relationships between industry, athletes, the media, and audiences in order to appreciate the relationship between sports and the media business in relation to their own sports consumption habits.

Frequency of Offering: Every fall 

This course introduces the student to basic theory and practices related to visual media, including television station operations, studio and field production, camera usage, and editing.

This is a required course for the RTF Major.

Prerequisites: RTF 114.

• Special technology course fee of $10.00 will apply.

Frequency of Offering: Every semester

This course develops an understanding of the relationship between the traditional media industry and converging new media.

Prerequisites: RTF 115.

• Special technology course fee of $10.00 will apply.

Frequency of Offering: Fall even years

This course focuses on the development of editing and sound design skills through the application of post-production theories and techniques. Through coursework, students will also become proficient with a non-linear editing system.
Prerequisites: RTF 120.

• Special technology course fee of $10.00 will apply.

Frequency of Offering: Every semester

This course surveys the history of motion pictures and electronic media, including radio and television broadcasting, and media convergence. Consideration is given to aesthetic, social, economic, and technological perspectives.

This is a required course for the RTF Major.

Prerequisites: RTF 115 or consent of instructor.

Frequency of Offering: Every semester

Production and direction of studio television programs including news, talk and sitcom formats. Course will provide training in key production positions and processes. Students will produce and direct live television broadcasts.

Prerequisites: RTF 250.

• Special materials & supplies course fee of $20.00 will apply.
• Special technology course fee of $10.00 will apply.

Frequency of Offering: Every fall

Advanced, practical experience in producing, directing, hosting, and/or crewing weekly television programs and the running of television broadcast operations.

Prerequisites: RTF 250.

• Special technology course fee of $10.00 will apply.

Frequency of Offering: Every semester

Advanced, practical experience in various production and functional aspects of radio broadcast operations.

Prerequisites:  RTF 120.

• Special technology course fee of $10.00 will apply.

Frequency of Offering: Every semester

The study of media through the application of various approaches, such as critical and historical. Topics may vary. Emphasis is placed on individual student research. May be repeated three times for up to 12 units (crs.) provided the topic varies.

Prerequisites: RTF 114 & RTF 115 or consent of instructor. 

Frequency of Offering: Intermittent

The study of media production techniques. Topics may vary. May be repeated three times for up to 12 units (crs.) provided the topic varies.

Prerequisites: RTF 115, RTF 120 and RTF 250.

• Special technology course fee of $10.00 will apply.

Frequency of Offering: Every semester

A critical survey of the history, theory and practice of the documentary in film and television. The methods and purposes of the documentary form will be examined through lectures, readings and screenings. Students apply these principles to the preproduction and development of a documentary film.

Prerequisites: RTF 115 and RTF 306 or consent of instructor. Special fees may apply.

• Special technology course fee of $10.00 will apply.

Frequency of Offering: Spring even years

The development of skills in single camera narrative production. Students gain experience in continuity direction and editing, while learning how to develop and produce an advanced project.

Prerequisites: RTF 310 and RTF 306 or consent of instructor. 

• Special materials & supplies course fee of $20.00 will apply.
• Special technology course fee of $10.00 will apply.

Frequency of Offering: Every fall

This course develops proficiency in advanced Foley techniques and sound design through training and the use of Avid Media Composer and Pro Tools. Students will study modern Foley methods and follow proper post-production workflow in the creation of class projects.

Prerequisites:  RTF 306.

• Special technology course fee of $10.00 will apply.

Frequency of Offering: Spring even years

This course introduces the craft of writing narrative films. Students will learn structures of narrative critical to producing effective films, methods of writing effective dialog, proper use of screenplay elements, and how to write and revise using scriptwriting software. Students will develop writing skills through weekly writing and revising exercises, culminating in a short narrative screenplay.

Prerequisites: RTF Students: RTF 114, Non-RTF students: A 200 level writing course. Or consent of instructor. 

• Special materials & supplies course fee of $10.00 will apply.
• Special lab technology course fee of $10.00 will apply.

Frequency of Offering: Every fall

An introduction to the issues of race, socioeconomic class, gender, and sexual orientation, focused on representations in media, including film and television. This course examines the interconnected relationship between storytelling and social concepts of identity, using both formal analysis and research-based investigations.

Cross-listed: RTF 347/Women’s and Gender Studies 347/Social Justice 347. Students may receive credit for only one of the three cross-listed courses.
Prerequisites: RTF Students: RTF 310: Women’s and Gender Studies Students: WG STDS 201; Comm Students  Comm 219; SJ Minors: Social Justice 101 OR consent of instructor.

Frequency of Offering: Every spring; fall odd years

This course emphasizes critical approaches to the form and content of mass media, especially film and television. Assignments emphasize the development of analytical and writing skills in the field of media studies.

Prerequisites: RTF 310 or consent of instructor.

Frequency of Offering: Fall even years

The study and practice of aesthetic and technical approaches to lighting, blocking, and camera placement for film and digital. The course combines the study of the relationship of the script to visualization and lighting with hands on film and digital production training and applications.

Prerequisites: RTF 250, RTF 310, and RTF 306 or consent of instructor. 

• Special materials & supplies course fee of $20.00 will apply.
• Special technology course fee of $10.00 will apply.

Frequency of Offering: Every spring

This course provides an overview in the theory and practice of news producing including story selection, ethics, reporting, and editing. Students will gain practical experience in news reporting and producing for broadcast television and digital platforms.
Prerequisites: RTF 120 and RTF 250 or consent of instructor.

• Special materials & supplies course fee of $20.00 will apply.
• Special technology course fee of $10.00 will apply.

Frequency of Offering: Spring odd years

This course involves the study and application of radio news operations, reporting, announcing and production.
Students will also get extensive experience using the digital audio workstation Adobe Audition.
Prerequisites:  RTF 120 or consent of instructor.

• Special technology course fee of $10.00 will apply.

Frequency of Offering: Spring even years

This course will introduce the student to the theory and practice of sports reporting, play-by-play and sports talk. Students will apply what is learned in the classroom by attending and reporting on Titan Athletics; analyzing media coverage of amateur and professional sports and sports figures; and producing and/or calling Titan Athletics’ contests. Student work will air on WRST-FM and stream on wrst.org. Students will also develop and apply production skills using Adobe Audition.
Prerequisites: RTF 120 or consent of instructor.

• Special technology course fee of $10.00 will apply.

Frequency of Offering: Every fall beginning in 2026

Supervised professional field experience at a business, community, or government media organization or on a film or television shoot in which the intern applies Radio-TV-Film study to a practical situation. (Note: RTF will only facilitate internships in which students are registered for credit. Internship credits will not be granted retroactively.) This course counts as part of the 12 upper level elective credits for the RTF major. It can be taken multiple times, but students can only get a total of three credits.

Prerequisites: Radio TV Film majors only, consent of instructor, junior or senior status (60 completed credits with 12 completed at UWO as an RTF major/minor) and RTF 120, RTF 250.  Pass/Fail (5+15)

Frequency of Offering: Every semester, January interim, summer (as needed)

Supervised professional field experience at a business, community or government media organization or on a film or television shoot in which the intern applies Radio/TV/Film study to a practical situation. (Note: RTF will only facilitate internships in which students are registered for credit. Internship credits will not be granted retroactively.) This course is available for those desiring an additional internship after having successfully completed RTF 400. However, the credits earned in RTF 401 will only count toward the student’s non-RTF upper level course total required for graduation, and will not be counted as part of the 12 required upper level RTF courses. 

Prerequisites: Radio-TV-Film majors, consent of instructor, junior or senior status (60 completed credits with 12 completed at UWO as an RTF major/minor) and RTF 120, RTF 250 & RTF 400. (5+15) 

Frequency of Offering: Every semester, January interim, summer (as needed)

This course develops proficiency in advanced editing techniques, motion graphic design and sound design. Students will study effective motion graphic design and sound design to develop enhanced skills and Post-Production techniques in the creation of class projects.

Prerequisites: RTF 310 and RTF 306, or consent of instructor. 

• Special materials & supplies course fee of $20.00 will apply.
• Special technology course fee of $10.00 will apply.

 Frequency of Offering: Every fall

This course will provide an overview of the contemporary media landscape in the context of streaming media platforms. In an age of rapidly converging media, it is important to understand how shifts in ownership, distribution, production, and reception impact our relationship with media content. Students will critically engage with movies, TV shows, and discourses that revolve around these digital shifts in the media industries. In particular, the course will explore: digital distribution platforms, both subscription-based and ad-supported; how viewers engage with both traditional and digitally native content; and how our relationship with different types of content changes depending on the method of consumption.

Prerequisites: RTF Students: RTF 115 and RTF 250; Non Majors: 45 credits completed or consent of instructor.

Frequency of Offering: Spring odd years

This course will examine live streaming productions from sports and esports to concerts and community events both on-location and virtual. Students will gain technical training in the software and equipment necessary to broadcast events to multiple platforms. As part of the course, students will field produce livestreams of various campus events throughout the semester. Special lab tech fee of $10 will apply.

Prerequisites: RTF 115, RTF 120 and RTF 250 or consent of instructor. Special course fees may apply.

Frequency of Offering: Spring even years

The advanced study of media through the application of various approaches, such as critical and historical. Topics may vary. Emphasis is placed on individual student research. May be repeated three times for up to 12 units (crs.) provided the topic varies.

Prerequisites: RTF 114 & RTF 310; Communication Studies students: COMM 118 and 236.

Frequency of Offering: Intermittent

The advanced study of media production techniques. Topics may vary. May be repeated three times for up to 12 units (crs.) provided the topic varies.

Prerequisites: RTF 115, RTF 120 and RTF 250.

• Special technology course fee of $10.00 will apply.

Frequency of Offering: Intermittent

This course focuses on audio production theory and techniques. Audio production projects will emphasize the proper mix of sound, the application of effects and audio mastering techniques.

Prerequisites: RTF 120 & one of the following: RTF 354 or RTF 355, or consent of instructor. 

• Special materials & supplies course fee of $20.00 will apply.
• Special lab technology course fee of $10.00 will apply.

Frequency of Offering: Spring odd years

Students will complete a substantial body of writing in this advanced workshop. Topics will include feature-length screenplays, serial pilots, show bibles, short films, adaptations, and pitching. Students will study successful examples of these forms and workshop their own creative projects. Students will develop advanced skills through weekly writing assignments while learning to analyze and provide constructive critiques of one another’s work. Cross-listed: RTF 434/ENGLISH 434

Prerequisites: RTF students: RTF 344 or RTF 342; English students: ENGLISH 303 or ENGLISH 305 or ENGLISH 308 or ENGLISH 329 or consent of instructor.

• Special technology course fee of $10.00 will apply. 

Frequency of Offering: Every spring

This course develops advanced creative and technical skills in narrative and non-narrative production. Students choose core creative positions(Producer/Director, Cinematographer/Videographer, Editor/Sound Designer) on a narrative or documentary film production, television pilot, or multi-cam studio production that will include professional project development, production, and distribution. Projects and skills required will be a continuation of material developed in Documentary Production, Narrative Production, Television Development, Studio Production, News Production or Advanced Post Production.

Prerequisites:  RTF 115 and one of the following;  RTF 321, RTF 341 or RTF 342,  RTF 345, RTF 350, RTF 352 or RTF 406.

• Special materials & supplies course fee of $20.00 will apply.
• Special technology course fee of $10.00 will apply.

Frequency of Offering: Every spring

See Independent Study under Course and Academic Advisement Policies information for general course description, general prerequisites, and proper contract form requirements. As outlined in this section, RTF 446 is designed to provide structured research (scholarly or creative) “well beyond that required in established courses.” It may not be used as a substitute for an existing course, nor may it be used by a company or organization seeking free labor or free access to Department equipment and facilities.

Prerequisites: Consent of instructor.

Frequency of Offering: See advisor

ADVANCED CAPSTONE COURSE

This course will help seniors prepare for a productive career.

Prerequisites: RTF major or minor with Cumulative 2.5 GPA in RTF major or minor and 90 or more credits. Pass/Fail
This is a required course.

• Special technology course fee of $10.00 will apply.

Frequency of Offering: Every spring