Film Studies BA (Hons)

About the course

Our distinctive Film Studies BA combines the academic study of cinema with a focus on practical film-making skills, industry understanding and experience and the development of skills suited to a variety of careers in the creative industries and beyond.

Reasons to study Film Studies at DMU:

• Work with a team of experienced subject experts with a range of relevant professional, industry and creative expertise
• Benefit from our relationship with Leicester’s Phoenix Square cinema and from selected teaching and screenings delivered in a real cinema environment
• Benefit from our relationship with Leicester’s Phoenix Square cinema and from selected teaching and screenings delivered in a real cinema environment
• Gain practical experience of making movies, organising and promoting film events and working with exhibitors and distributors

Film Studies at DMU can be taken either as a Single or Joint Honours course. Whichever route you choose, you will be taught by a team of experienced subject experts and develop a diverse range of valuable skills.

Single Honours Film Studies is our flagship course, which combines the academic study of cinema with a focus on practical filmmaking skills, and experience of working in the film industry.

The course is ideal if you want to learn more about film and cinema and put your knowledge into practice. Over the course of the three years, you will study all manner of movies, from Hollywood blockbusters to the latest developments in world cinema, and at the same time develop a wide range of academic, creative and commercial skills.

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Key facts

UCAS course code:

Film Studies BA (Hons) P303
Film Studies with Languages BA (Hons) P3R9

Duration: Three years full-time/six years part-time

Institution code: D26

Entry and admission criteria

Entry requirements for 2014

• Normally 260 UCAS Points from at least two A Levels or equivalent
• Five GCSEs at grade C or above, including Maths and English
• BTEC requirements: Distinction Merit Merit (DMM) at National Diploma Level.
• Additional qualifications can contribute towards the points score such as a third A Level or AS Levels
• International Baccalaureate: 28+ points.

If you are unsure about the amount of UCAS points your qualifications may attract you can use our UCAS Tariff Chart|.

We welcome applications from mature students with non-standard qualifications and recognise all other equivalent and international qualifications.

If English is not your first language, an IELTS score of 6.0 or equivalent when you start the course is essential. English language tuition| is available at DMU both before and during the course if required.

Teaching and assessment

Film Studies at DMU is taught by renowned world-class scholars based in our prestigious Centre for the Study of Cinema and Television History. The teaching team is made up of widely published academics, film journalists, filmmakers and industry professionals.

The course is taught using a mix of lectures, film screenings, small group discussions, group and practice-led projects, individual tutorials and private study. You will be provided with lecture support materials through Blackboard, our interactive teaching resource. Our varied and imaginative assessment methods develop a range of critical, creative and communication skills. They include essays, research reports, presentations, creative work, film reviews, edited collections and other group projects.

Course modules

Year one

• Introduction to Film Studies
• Introduction to Film History
• Constructing the Moving Image
• Writing, Reviewing and Film Criticism

Year two

• World Cinemas
• Hollywood and the Blockbuster
• Script to Screen
• Professional Practice in British Cinema
• Media, Gender and Identity

Year three

• Cult Film
• Case Studies in Film Genre
• Writing for the Screen
• Audiences and Fandom
• Film Studies Dissertation or Major Filmmaking Project

Academic expertise

The Film Studies staff at DMU publish widely and are all well known within their specialist fields. We have particular expertise in British cinema, popular American entertainment and cult film.

The course is led by Dr James Russell, an expert on Hollywood cinema. The team also includes Dr Ian Hunter, specialist in cult film and screen adaptations; Professor Steve Chibnall, whose recent publications include books on British B-movies, Brighton Rock and the cult gangster film Get Carter; and Dr Claire Monk, co-editor of British Historical Cinema and a regular contributor to Sight and Sound.

Work experience and placements

Students on our Writing, Reviewing and Film Criticism module (Year 1) run a film blog and are set writing commissions by external partners, including Leicester's Phoenix Square cinema.

Students taking our Professional Practice in British Cinema option (Year 2) gain experience of developing and delivering a film festival in a range of roles. These opportunities, alongside the industry focus of our teaching, will allow you to make sense of the cinema industry and film culture from a practical, creative and commercial perspective and also to develop your industry links.

Graduate careers

The course provides a broad grounding in film history, criticism, practice and industry skills. On graduation, you may use the skills you have gained to pursue a variety of careers in the film and cultural industries or beyond, or go on to study or research at postgraduate level.

Over the past five years, graduates have gone on to work for employers such as BBC Films, BBC Sport and Odeon Entertainment. They work in roles such as film and television production staff and researchers, writers for film news media, public relations writers and executives, film journalists in print and online, including Little White Lies magazine, independent filmmakers and camera-people, commercial managers, and as teachers and academics.

Film Studies is also ideal preparation for further study at DMU, and postgraduate options include the Television Scriptwriting MA and Public Relations MA. Every year, a small number of students join our vibrant postgraduate culture.

Fees and funding

UK/EU Full-time £9,000 Placement year £650 Part-time (Where available) 4 year course £5,925 per year 6 year course £3,950 per year Per module £988 per 15 credits International
Full-time £11,250 Placement year £750

For more information please take a look at our Fees and Funding| section.

Facilities

You will be able to make use of DMU’s excellent library facilities and collections, as well as our state-of-the-art computing and projection facilities. For practical filmmaking, you will benefit from a range of digital-imaging facilities and production equipment. Film screenings at Phoenix Square are shown in the latest digital high definition formats and Xpand 3D.