Love movies, television, streaming and pop culture, but don’t necessarily see yourself behind a camera?

Behind every movie, show or digital project is a business side of the entertainment industry focused on how ideas are developed, positioned and brought to audiences. TCU’s new Business of Entertainment Media program is designed for students who want to be part of that world.

Offered through TCU’s Department of Film, Television and Digital Media (FTDM), the Bachelor of Science program combines entertainment media with business, production and legal knowledge. Officially launched in August 2026, the major prepares students for careers in areas such as brand management, marketing strategy, producing, production management and social media.

A Different Way Into the Entertainment Industry

Not everyone who loves entertainment wants to act, direct or operate a camera.

Some students are more interested in why one television show takes off while another does not, how a franchise builds a loyal following or how entertainment companies connect content with the right audiences.

This new program is designed with those students in mind.

The program grew out of feedback from graduating FTDM students who expressed interest in business-related careers within film, television and digital media. Kylo-Patrick Hart, Ph.D., chair of FTDM, led the department’s faculty in developing the major to address that interest.

Learn the Business and the Content

The curriculum gives students experience with both sides of entertainment.

Required courses include The Art of Film and TV, Media Milestones (Film and TV), Pre-Production and Business of Media. Students can also explore industry-focused courses such as TV Number Ones, Digital Distribution, Women in Television and Film and Management for Broadcast, Cable and Film.

Students also study the legal and financial side of the industry through Entertainment Law and Finance or Media Industry Law and Regulation.

Together, these courses help students understand more than the final movie, show or piece of content audiences see.

In Business of Media, students learn industry terminology and examine the relationship between entertainment content and the companies that produce it. They also have opportunities to analyze, discuss, write and present about the contemporary media environment.

Professor Kimberly Owczarski, Ph.D., who teaches some of the courses, says understanding how entertainment companies operate gives students an important foundation alongside production and film studies.

“The potential for profit guides most decisions in Hollywood and in the media industry, so understanding the complex structures that lay behind the creation of successful content is crucial,” Owczarski explains.

Get Experience Beyond the Business Side

Even students planning to work in management or marketing benefit from understanding how entertainment is actually created.

Every Business of Entertainment Media major completes at least one production-focused course. Options include Radio Broadcasting on KTCU, and Production and Sports Broadcasting.

At TCU, that experience can extend beyond the classroom. KTCU FM 88.7 is a federally licensed, 10,000-watt radio station where students learn the operations of a real broadcast facility. Students can work in positions including reporting, social media, production and programming. FTDM students also have access to high-definition studios, soundstages, editing suites and production equipment.

Fort Worth provides another connection to the entertainment industry. The Fort Worth Film Commission has supported major productions including Landman and Lioness. TCU’s FTDM program has also highlighted students shadowing members of the Landman crew, offering an example of how students have connected with productions working in the region.

Together, TCU’s production resources and Fort Worth’s entertainment industry give students opportunities to understand entertainment from both creative and operational perspectives. That experience is only one part of the degree, which also gives students room to shape their education around their individual career goals.

Build a Degree Around Your Goals 

Entertainment is a broad industry, so students can shape their education around their career interests.

TCU's Business of Entertainment Media program requires 31 FTDM credit hours and a minor of at least 18 hours. Complementary areas include strategic communication, journalism, communication studies and digital culture and data analytics.

Students interested in combining entertainment with a broader business foundation can also explore TCU’s General Business minor through the Neeley School of Business.

That flexibility allows a student interested in entertainment marketing to build a different academic experience from someone focused on management, sports media or content distribution.

Turn Your Interest in Entertainment Into a Career

Streaming platforms, social media, sports and digital creators continue to expand what a career in entertainment can look like.

TCU’s Business of Entertainment Media major prepares students for roles such as brand manager, creative consultant, marketing strategist, producer, production manager and social media coordinator.

Consider a brand manager working on a new television series. Their responsibilities might include helping develop a marketing strategy, coordinating promotional efforts and working with creative teams to shape how the series is presented to its intended audience. A student interested in that kind of career can study how media companies operate in Business of Media, gain production experience and complement the degree with coursework in an area such as strategic communication or business.

Because entertainment rarely stays the same for long, FTDM continues to update its course offerings to reflect emerging technologies and changing industry practices.

If you are the person who keeps up with new streaming releases, notices how brands build fandoms or wonders about everything happening behind the scenes of your favorite entertainment, you may already be thinking like someone who belongs in the industry.

“If you have a passion to work in this field as a leader or manager then this may very likely be the perfect major for you,” Hart says.

You just don’t have to be the one holding the camera.

Frequently Asked Questions

What can you do with a Business of Entertainment Media degree?

The major prepares students for entertainment-focused careers in brand management, marketing strategy, producing, production management and social media, among other business and leadership roles.

Is Business of Entertainment Media the same as a film major?

No. Business of Entertainment Media focuses on the business and management side of the industry while still requiring students to gain production experience and understand how media is created.

What’s the difference between this and a regular business major?

Business of Entertainment Media focuses specifically on the entertainment industry, combining media business practices with development and production processes, marketing fundamentals and legal knowledge.

What can you pair with the major at TCU?

Students complete a minor of at least 18 hours. Complementary options include strategic communication, journalism, communication studies, digital culture and data analytics, and general business. Individual minor requirements vary.