UT San Antonio’s College of Liberal and Fine Arts (COLFA) has launched a new Master of Fine Arts degree program in Film and Media. Enrolling for fall 2026, the degree builds on the success of the program’s BA in Film and Media Studies that equips emerging filmmakers with the advanced skills needed to launch their careers in the professional industry.
The Texas creative arts sector needs a pipeline of professionals to sustain its growing production hubs both locally in San Antonio and across the state. This MFA connects students directly to that demand and provides emerging filmmakers with the precise technical training they need to secure commercial production jobs upon graduation.
“Due to recent legislation, regional tax incentives, and the emergence of programs like ours, this is a pivotal moment for the film and television production industry in Texas and our city, with the local creative economy primed for explosive growth,” explained Film & Media Program Director Paul Ardoin. “Our new program will train the high-level artists and craftspeople needed to sustain that growth, and we expect its presence to contribute to the appeal of San Antonio as an ideal film production destination.”
The 60-credit-hour curriculum encourages students to think critically about their productions before they ever step on set. By pairing technical training oriented toward film artists with courses analyzing the aesthetics of film, the program helps students recognize the “how” and “why” behind their craft. They will use those insights to develop their artistic voice and create a substantial body of work as they earn their MFA. Every student directs multiple short films during their time in the program, building toward a final thesis project that will provide future employers with strong examples of their work and capability.
MFA students take advantage of San Antonio’s distinct architecture and natural settings for location shoots, alongside their studio work inside the UT San Antonio Film Production Hub. This facility offers dedicated spaces for every stage of the filmmaking process, including multiple filming studios, a screening room, an editing lab, and a post-production sound suite. Students also have access to a rental room stocked with professional-grade cameras, lighting equipment, and sound-recording gear available for use in their projects.
Technical training in the degree plan incorporates software applications that are standard across the entertainment and commercial fields. Students will master the Adobe Creative Suite for content creation, DaVinci Resolve for color grading, ProTools for sound design, and Final Draft for script formatting.
The program boasts numerous connections to Hollywood and commercial organizations. Award-nominated faculty members who maintain active careers in the entertainment industry, such as Saagar Shaikh (Deli Boys, The Marvels), Bradley Freeman, Jr. (Sesame Street), and Brenda Dominguez (New Girl, Malcolm in the Middle: Life’s Still Unfair) serve as mentors for students, as part of an instructional team that brings production credits spanning feature films to television series, independent documentaries, and commercial campaigns. Program faculty have created work for major regional and national brands, including H-E-B, Whataburger, Converse, Panera, Nissan, and GQ.
Applicants must submit a statement of purpose and a comprehensive portfolio showcasing the applicant’s relevant creative work. The deadline to apply to begin in the fall 2026 semester is August 1.
“I’m so excited to meet our first-ever Film MFA cohort and to learn their stories. So many filmmakers reach a point in their careers where they need the time, community, and support to explore their artistic voice and figure out what kind of work they want to put into the world,” said professor Anna Stypko. “It’s exciting to build a program that makes that possible, especially here in San Antonio, where there are an incredible community of filmmakers and a real need for a program like this.”
