Continuing Education at the University of Texas is expected to enter a new
dimension this fall with the first of a series of non-credit courses on the
entertainment industry.
The new format is still in the works, but in hammering out a program, UT
administrators are using as a model the non-credit offerings of the University
of California at Los Angeles, a national leader in continuing education.
There’s even talk of UT recruiting a visiting instructor or two from UCLA to
come to town to teach the locals.
“For the sake of a place to start we’re going to lean toward the film
business,” says Marcia Harelik, Continuing Ed’s project manager. The new
program will target newcomers wanting to break into the business as well as
seasoned professionals needing to stay abreast of industry trends. The courses
will encompass all aspects of the entertainment industry without duplicating
Austin Community College’s existing program on music-related courses, Harelik
says.
UT’s first non-credit film business class, expected to start in September,
will provide an overview of the industry with such essentials as how to write a
business plan and how to get financing. The two-and-a-half-day course will also
address legal facets, production work, and marketing and distribution.
Prep-arations are also being made for more specific aspects of the industry,
such as screenwriting. — A.S.
This article appears in June 21 • 1996 and June 21 • 1996 (Cover).