Los Angeles Center (University of Texas at Austin)

University of Texas Los Angeles Center (commonly known as the UTLA Center or UTLA Program) is an academic campus of the University of Texas at Austin located in the Burbank area of Los Angeles, California. The UTLA center is home to the Semester in Los Angeles study abroad program sponsored by University of Texas at Austin Moody College of Communication. The center is the only permanent campus for the University of Texas outside the state and is one of a handful of such entertainment focused programs with a base in Los Angeles offered by any university outside the area.[1]

History

The Semester in Los Angeles Program was founded in 2005 with a $500,000 donation from the Cain Foundation, an Austin based non profit.[2] [3] The program officially opened in the summer of 2005 and has seen increased enrollment in each subsequent semester. The program currently runs three times per year in both the fall and spring semesters to better coincide with the television production season in the fall, and to give students an opportunity to use the program as a stepping stone to make industry connections in their last semester, commonly before a spring graduation.[4]

In 2008, the program opened select spots to student from 20 other schools around the state including other members of the University of Texas System, Rice University, Southern Methodist University, Texas Christian University, as well as international students.[5] The program will change from a first come first served basis, to a merit based system starting in the spring of 2011 due to increased demand. Students will be selected based on GPA standings and an essay of intent for what they hope to gain from the program.

Semester in Los Angeles Program

The semester in Los Angeles program focuses on practical experience through interning 4 days per week in the entertainment industry in businesses such as production companies, talent agencies, record labels, and marketing and advertising firms with classes taking place on Mondays. Students have access to a large database of internship opportunities but arrange interviews themselves prior to the start of the semester. UTLA encourages students to intern the last semester of their senior year if they feel confident they want to pursue a career in entertainment in Los Angeles after graduation, or conversely before they intend to graduate if they would like a supportive environment to test if Los Angeles is a good fit for them.

References

  1. ↑ Gordon, Larry (6 October 2008). "A semester abroad ... in Tinseltown; U.S. colleges send students to Britain for literature or Italy for art ... so why not to Hollywood?". The Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 16 June 2010.
  2. ↑ "University of Texas Los Angeles Center Receives $500,000 To Enable Students to Start Careers in Entertainment Industry". The University of Texas at Austin News. 13 November 2006. Retrieved 22 October 2013.
  3. ↑ "University of Texas gets $500,000 for entertainment industry program". Austin Business Journal. 13 November 2006. Retrieved 22 October 2013.
  4. ↑ Jaramillo, Erika (26 February 2008). "Non-UT students now offered opportunity to study at UTLA". The Daily Texan. Retrieved 11 December 2009.
  5. ↑ Austin, John (19 February 2008). "UT opens Los Angeles Program to Students of other universities" (PDF). Fort Worth Star Telegram. Retrieved 16 June 2010.

Coordinates: 34°10′42″N 118°18′27″W / 34.1783°N 118.3075°W / 34.1783; -118.3075

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