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Studies & Degrees in Radio/TV/Video

Radio, television and video is the study of how audiovisual programmes are made and what they mean. It covers radio and audio, studio and location television, video and film production, and the newer online and interactive formats. The Department of Radio/Television/Film at Northwestern University describes its field as the history, theory and production of media, from cinema to television to sound design to interactive media and emerging technologies.

Programmes combine practice and analysis. Students write scripts, operate cameras, record and mix sound, edit, and produce and direct programmes, usually in the school's own studios and student stations. They also study media history, genres and the media industry. The University of North Texas, for example, describes its media arts major as hands-on media production together with courses on writing, industry practices, broadcast and film history, and digital media.

Qualifications and levels

  • Bachelor's degrees. In the United States the subject is usually a bachelor's degree inside a school of communication. Hofstra University offers, among others, a BS in Video/Television, a BA in Television Production and Studies and a BA in Podcasting and Audio Storytelling. The University of North Texas has a Bachelor of Arts in Media Arts and a Bachelor of Arts in Converged Broadcast Media, the second focused on news, sports and on-air performance. Northwestern offers a major in Radio/Television/Film.
  • Master's degrees. Graduate study is specialised. Northwestern lists an MFA in Documentary Media, an MFA in Writing for the Screen and Stage and an MA in Sound Arts and Industries.
  • Two-year and vocational routes. Technical jobs do not always require a bachelor's degree. According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), broadcast technicians typically need an associate's degree, while requirements for audio, video, lighting and sound technicians range from a high school diploma to a college degree.
  • Spain. Production skills are taught in vocational training (FP), in the Imagen y Sonido family. The higher diplomas listed by the Ministry of Education in this area include Realización de Proyectos Audiovisuales y Espectáculos, Producción de Audiovisuales y Espectáculos, Iluminación, Captación y Tratamiento de Imagen, and Sonido para Audiovisuales y Espectáculos, plus the intermediate diploma Técnico en Vídeo Disc-Jockey y Sonido. The production diploma has 2,000 hours.
  • Mexico. CINEMA, a film and audiovisual media school in Puebla, offers a licenciatura in film and audiovisual media and a master's in cinematography, and publishes the official recognition (RVOE) of both on its website.

Where to study

SpainExchange lists 23 active schools for radio, TV and video: 14 in the United States, 2 in the United Kingdom, 2 in Mexico and one each in Spain, Argentina, Brazil, Turkey and China. The US schools include The University of Texas at Austin, Northwestern University, Hofstra University, the University of North Texas, Illinois State University and Ithaca College, as well as two-year colleges such as Gulf Coast State College and Montgomery College. In the United Kingdom the list includes the University of Gloucestershire and Robert Gordon University in Aberdeen.

Spanish-speaking students will find CES Escuela Superior de Imagen, Sonido y Tecnología in Madrid, which teaches the FP diplomas named above, CINEMA in Puebla and the Centro Universitario de Medios Audiovisuales CAAV in Guadalajara (Mexico), and the Universidad Nacional de San Luis in Argentina. The list also includes FAAP in São Paulo, Kadir Has University in Istanbul and East China Normal University in Shanghai.

Teaching is normally in the language of the country: English in the United States and the United Kingdom, Spanish in Spain, Mexico and Argentina. Because the work is spoken and written for a local audience, check the language requirement of each programme before applying.

Careers

Graduates work in radio and television stations, production companies, streaming and online media, live events and corporate video. Northwestern names writers, directors, producers and managers as the careers its students aim for. In Spain, the ministry lists production assistant jobs in film, video, television and radio for the production diploma.

US official statistics show a stable rather than a growing field. The BLS counted 136,600 jobs for broadcast, sound and video technicians in 2025 and projects growth of 1 percent from 2025 to 2035, with about 9,800 openings a year. For film and video editors and camera operators it projects 3 percent, and for producers and directors 4 percent. The BLS adds that producers and directors typically need a bachelor's degree and several years of experience on productions.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need a university degree to work in radio or television?

Not for every job. The BLS says broadcast technicians typically need an associate's degree, while film and video editors, camera operators, producers and directors typically need a bachelor's degree.

What is the difference between this subject and film studies?

The two overlap. Radio, TV and video programmes put more weight on broadcast and studio production, audio and news, but many departments teach film as well; Hofstra's department, for example, covers film, television, podcasting and audio storytelling, and sports media.

Can I study audiovisual production in Spain without going to university?

Yes. The Imagen y Sonido family of vocational training has higher diplomas in directing, production, lighting and camera, and sound. The production diploma has 2,000 hours.

Is the job market growing?

Slowly in the United States. The BLS projects 1 percent growth for broadcast, sound and video technicians and 3 to 4 percent for editors, camera operators, producers and directors from 2025 to 2035.