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Film and Media

Entry requirements


96 UCAS Points from a minimum of 2 A Levels.

UCAS Tariff Points accepted.

GCSE/National 4/National 5

3 GCSEs at grade 4 or above.

International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme

24

96 UCAS Tariff points acquired from BTEC Level 3 Diplomas are accepted.

UCAS Tariff points from Scottish Advanced Highers are accepted. UCAS Tariff points from Scottish Highers are accepted.

UCAS Tariff

96

From a minimum of 2 A Levels.

About this course


Course option

3years

Full-time | 2024

Subject

Film studies

**Combine film and media theory with practical skills including film-making, animation and digital publishing on our Film and Media degree in Cambridge.**

Join a course that scored 94% for Academic Support in the National Student Survey 2023. Our BA (Hons) Film and Media degree course will introduce you to the key issues and debates in film and media from feminism and postmodernism to the impact of film, TV, music and the media on society, including politics, youth culture and technology.

You’ll also create your own short films in video, animation or 16mm format. Working in our professional TV and film studios, you’ll be trained in all aspects of the craft, including camera operation, sound recording and editing.

You’ll also be able to focus on particular areas of interest, including digital publishing (building apps), radio production, and screenwriting.

Highlights of the course:
- learn about all aspects of film-making

- experiment with different formats

- create your own short films and see your work on the big screen at a local independent cinema

- gain valuable experience with work placements and commissioned projects.

**What will you do on our Film and Media degree?**
As a Film and Media student at ARU, you’ll learn the language of film from the perspective of a film-maker, and use this to inform your own short films. You’ll also explore current issues around our data-driven society through modules in digital media theory, celebrity culture, and debates about media’s impact on news, conflict, and law. You will use this knowledge in the production of apps, podcasts or online platforms.

You’ll also have the opportunity to carry out a work placement, or produce a commissioned product, in the area of your choice as you prepare for a career in film- and media-related roles, including production, post-production, digital content creation, digital marketing and journalism. You can also take an optional placement year.

Throughout your BA (Hons) Film and Media degree course, you’ll be supported by our team of expert lecturers and a close-knit community of students and graduates.

What’s more, you can choose to study abroad as part of your course, and get funding to cover the cost.

The impact of our Music, Drama, Dance, Performing Arts, and Film & Screen Studies, and Communication, Cultural & Media Studies research achieved 'world-leading' in the Research Excellence Framework 2021.

**What are the benefits of a Film and Media degree?**
With the proliferation of online media and the 'pivot to video', there’s never been a better time to pursue a career in film-making, whether your ambition is to work on major or indie films; series or documentaries on streaming services; or videos for websites and social media.

What’s more, with the recent advent of 'fake news', the world needs graduates who can use their skills to critically evaluate false and misleading online content.

Studying ARU’s Film and Media degree unlocks a wealth of unique opportunities to maximise your skills, gain valuable experience, and develop your professional network.

You’ll also be able to take advantage of our industry connections, with chances to undertake work experience, placements, and live briefs – real-life challenges set by our business partners.

**Industry-standard facilities**
As part of your studies at ARU, you’ll have access to all of our creative facilities including:
- Film studio and multi-camera tv studio

- Full range of location kit

- Audio equipment for location filming

- Editing suites & finishing suite

- Aaton Cameras & Steenbeck editors

- Motion capture equipment

- Podcast and video capture system

**Careers**

Our Film and Media degree will help you prepare for many film- and media-related roles, including film and television production and post-production, film journalism, cinema and film festival management, film programming and curation, publishing, broadcasting, web design and public relations.

Modules

Year 1 core modules: Film Language and Concepts; Creative Moving Image; Sound, Text, Image; Theorising Popular Culture.
Year 1 optional modules: Introduction to Television Studies; Introduction to Filmmaking: Super 8mm.
Year 2 core modules: Theorising Spectatorship; Classical Hollywood Cinema; Teenage Kicks: Youth Culture and Media; Online Journalism; Ruskin Module.
Year 2 optional modules: Documentary Film Theory; Television Genres; Digital Media Theory: Social Media, AI, and the Cultures of the Internet; Photography; Non-Fiction Filmmaking; Creative Media Practice Process; Creative Media Practice Themes; 16mm Filmmaking; Independent Cinema: US and Beyond; Filmmakers on Film.
Year 3 core modules: Sound and Vision: Music and Media; Gender and Popular Cinema; Research Project in Film and Media.
Year 3 optional modules: Special Topics in Film Studies; 'Fake News', Media Law and Social Conflict; Cultural Politics of Celebrity; Contemporary Television; Experiments in Film and Moving Image; Narrative in Global Cinema; Digital Publishing; Avant-Garde Cinema; Professional Practice in Film; Critical Approaches to Video Games; Anglia Language Programme. Modules are subject to change and availability.

Assessment methods

You’ll show your progress through many different methods that reflect the range of skills required by employers. Your assignments might include case studies, critical essays, screenplays, journals, film reviews and analyses, presentations, and a portfolio of practical work, as well as ‘hands on’ assignments such as internet, print and video production/commissions.

Tuition fees

Select where you currently live to see what you'll pay:

Channel Islands
£9,250
per year
England
£9,250
per year
Northern Ireland
£9,250
per year
Republic of Ireland
£9,250
per year
Scotland
£9,250
per year
Wales
£9,250
per year

The Uni


Course location:

Cambridge Campus

Department:

Cambridge School of Creative Industries

Read full university profile

What students say


We've crunched the numbers to see if overall student satisfaction here is high, medium or low compared to students studying this subject(s) at other universities.

73%
Film studies

How do students rate their degree experience?

The stats below relate to the general subject area/s at this university, not this specific course. We show this where there isn’t enough data about the course, or where this is the most detailed info available to us.

Media studies

Teaching and learning

80%
Staff make the subject interesting
80%
Staff are good at explaining things
67%
Ideas and concepts are explored in-depth
76%
Opportunities to apply what I've learned

Assessment and feedback

Feedback on work has been timely
Feedback on work has been helpful
Staff are contactable when needed
Good advice available when making study choices

Resources and organisation

67%
Library resources
81%
IT resources
76%
Course specific equipment and facilities
56%
Course is well organised and has run smoothly

Student voice

Staff value students' opinions
Feel part of a community on my course

Who studies this subject and how do they get on?

67%
UK students
33%
International students
42%
Male students
58%
Female students
81%
2:1 or above
13%
First year drop out rate

Most popular A-Levels studied (and grade achieved)

D
C
D

After graduation


The stats in this section relate to the general subject area/s at this university – not this specific course. We show this where there isn't enough data about the course, or where this is the most detailed info available to us.

Media studies

What are graduates doing after six months?

This is what graduates told us they were doing (and earning), shortly after completing their course. We've crunched the numbers to show you if these immediate prospects are high, medium or low, compared to those studying this subject/s at other universities.

£17,000
med
Average annual salary
93%
med
Employed or in further education
19%
low
Employed in a role where degree was essential or beneficial

Top job areas of graduates

14%
Sales assistants and retail cashiers
11%
Other elementary services occupations
9%
Sales, marketing and related associate professionals

What about your long term prospects?

Looking further ahead, below is a rough guide for what graduates went on to earn.

Media studies

The graph shows median earnings of graduates who achieved a degree in this subject area one, three and five years after graduating from here.

£13k

£13k

£20k

£20k

£26k

£26k

Note: this data only looks at employees (and not those who are self-employed or also studying) and covers a broad sample of graduates and the various paths they've taken, which might not always be a direct result of their degree.

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This is what the university has told Ucas about the criteria they expect applicants to satisfy; some may be compulsory, others may be preferable.

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This is the percentage of applicants to this course who received an offer last year, through Ucas.

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This is what the university has told Ucas about the course. Use it to get a quick idea about what makes it unique compared to similar courses, elsewhere.

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Course location and department:

This is what the university has told Ucas about the course. Use it to get a quick idea about what makes it unique compared to similar courses, elsewhere.

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Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF):

We've received this information from the Department for Education, via Ucas. This is how the university as a whole has been rated for its quality of teaching: gold silver or bronze. Note, not all universities have taken part in the TEF.

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This information comes from the National Student Survey, an annual student survey of final-year students. You can use this to see how satisfied students studying this subject area at this university, are (not the individual course).

This is the percentage of final-year students at this university who were "definitely" or "mostly" satisfied with their course. We've analysed this figure against other universities so you can see whether this is high, medium or low.

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This information is from the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA), for undergraduate students only.

You can use this to get an idea of who you might share a lecture with and how they progressed in this subject, here. It's also worth comparing typical A-level subjects and grades students achieved with the current course entry requirements; similarities or differences here could indicate how flexible (or not) a university might be.

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Post-six month graduation stats:

This is from the Destinations of Leavers from Higher Education Survey, based on responses from graduates who studied the same subject area here.

It offers a snapshot of what grads went on to do six months later, what they were earning on average, and whether they felt their degree helped them obtain a 'graduate role'. We calculate a mean rating to indicate if this is high, medium or low compared to other universities.

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Graduate field commentary:

The Higher Education Careers Services Unit have provided some further context for all graduates in this subject area, including details that numbers alone might not show

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The Longitudinal Educational Outcomes dataset combines HRMC earnings data with student records from the Higher Education Statistics Agency.

While there are lots of factors at play when it comes to your future earnings, use this as a rough timeline of what graduates in this subject area were earning on average one, three and five years later. Can you see a steady increase in salary, or did grads need some experience under their belt before seeing a nice bump up in their pay packet?

Have a question about this info? Learn more here