Matthew McConaughey will become a professor of practice at the University of Texas from September, where he will teach a class of students about his own films.
The role of “professor of practice”, which is traditionally filled by individuals without PhDs but otherwise useful knowledge about a specific subject, will see McConaughey teaching in the Department of Radio-Television-Film.
McConaughey had previously been serving as visiting instructor at the school for the last four years, co-teaching and developing the curriculum for a class called “Script to Screen”.
McConaughey’s own films, including Harmony Korine’s The Beach Bum and the forthcoming Guy Ritchie comedy The Gentlemen, have previously been used by the Oscar-winner as case studies, used to track the journey of a film from its early conception to completed movie.
In a statement, the university said that McConaughey had been appointed as a professor due to his “outstanding work as a teacher and mentor,” adding that he is respected on campus for his “willingness to work with students beyond the classroom”.
“He has a passion for teaching, and for all things cinematic, that is palpable, even infectious,” said Noah Isenberg, chair of the Department of Radio-Television-Film.
McConaughey previously graduated from the Film Studies programme at the University in 1993, the same year he made his star-making film debut in Richard Linklater’s Dazed and Confused.
McConaughey’s first semester of classes will see him once again teach about the making of The Gentlemen, along with the making of his 2012 film Mud, with its director Jeff Nichols scheduled to visit for one seminar. A reading list includes script drafts, shot lists and storyboards, while students will be taught about pitching and workshopping their own scripts.
“We are proud to welcome Professor McConaughey to officially join our world-class faculty,” said Moody College Dean Jay Bernhardt. “Matthew cares deeply for our school and our students, and we are thrilled that he shares his time and talent to help prepare the next generation of media leaders and innovators.”
