BA (Hons)
Film Studies
Taught by experts in British and international film
Course Overview
Why take this course?
Film is now one of the world’s most popular forms of mass entertainment. We encounter its iconography, references and advertisement almost every day. This course looks back at a number of key moments in film history, explores the film industry around the world and examines modern film-making.
What will I experience?
On this course you can:
- Be trained by our team of published authors, poets, scriptwriters and media specialists
- Study the glitzy Hollywood film scene as well as international cinema from all corners of the world
- Develop practical skills in production, using the latest digital video technology and screenwriting by creating your own film script
What opportunities might it lead to?
You'll gain the academic, intellectual and research skills of several disciplines, which will enable you to become multi-skilled in ways that employers are now demanding. There will be few limits to your career options, but if it is specifically the film industry that attracts your attention, then you may find success as a film or video producer, an editor or researcher.
Here are some routes our graduates have pursued:
- film marketing and PR
- media production
- publishing
- film making
- arts and events management
- local and community broadcasting
I really like this course because it is run by dedicated lecturers who really know their stuff!
Issy McKeever, BA (Hons) Film Studies student 2013
Key Facts
- UCAS Course Code:
- W670
- Duration
- 3 years full time, 4 years sandwich with work placement
- Entry
240-300 points from 3 A Levels or equivalent.
Other qualifications- Fees
UK/EU/Channel Islands and Isle of Man full-time students: £8,750 p/a*
International full-time students: £10,500 p/a*
*Please note that all fees are subject to annual increase.- Contact
- create.admissions@port.ac.uk
+44 (0)23 9284 2421 - Department
- School of Creative Arts, Film and Media
Subject:
English, Film, Journalism and Media
Find out what our students say about studying at Portsmouth, including:
- Getting the chance to develop practical skills alongside learning the theory
- The high-quality teaching and flexibility of options that enables you to tailor your course to your own interests
- The passion and knowledge of the lecturers that makes studying so enjoyable
Visit us at our open day
Wed 10 Jul
Structure & Teaching
Year one
Your first year is an introduction to the study of film and the beginning of your training in the skills and techniques you’ll be using throughout your course.
Core units in this year include:
- Studying Film
- Screening Europe
- Spectacular Hollywood
- Audio Vision
- Introduction to Film Research
- Authorship
Year two
This year allows you to start to specialise in the areas that interest you most. Choose to focus on specific areas of film history or culture and begin to develop practical abilities relevant to the film industry.
Core units in this year include:
- Adaptations
- British Cinema: 1930-1970
- World and Transnational Cinema
- Critical Hollywood
Options to choose from in this year include:
- British Cinema: 1970-2010
- Documentary Screens
- Music: Practice, Performance and Research
- Production Introduction - Script and Shooting
- Professional Experience
- Screen Media
- Student Enterprise
- Study Abroad
Year three
The final year offers you a broad range of options to choose from. Depending on your interests, you also have the choice between a dissertation or undertaking a practical video project that boosts your professional production skills.
Options to choose from in this year include:
- Black American Film
- Comedy Culture and Form
- Film Journalism
- Film Stardom and Celebrity Culture
- Gender, Sexuality and Cinema in the Hispanic World
- Marketing Movies
- Media Fan Cultures
- Researching Animation
Teaching and Assessment
The greatest feature of our course is that it allows for your intellectual freedom and choice. By attending workshops, seminars, lectures, one-to-one tutorials and practical performance sessions, you’ll develop a range of skills that will be tailored to your planned career path.
How are you assessed?
Assessment takes many forms on the course enabling you to demonstrate the variety of your skills and talents. Here’s how we assess your work:
- essays
- presentations
- video productions
- film scripts
- reports
- a research portfolio
- examinations
- dissertation/project
Visit us open day
Facilities & Features
The Study Centre
A suite of rooms with group working spaces, printers, Mac workstations and more
The Studio Theatre
Equipped with a range of technical facilities, rehearsal rooms and a large main studio
University Library
Our library offers a wealth of information
The Study Centre
A suite of rooms with a comfy seating area, desks where you can work, a printer, Mac workstations and access to the wireless network so you can log in using your own laptop. There are also several study rooms where you can rehearse or work on group projects.
The Studio Theatre
Practise your performance in front of your peers in our studio theatre. Offering flexible seating accommodating an audience of up to 80 people, it acts as a fully workable theatre. We also have a number of rehearsal facilities kitted out with lighting and mirrored dance space, as well as a sound recording booth, a video editing suite and music practice rooms equipped with pianos.
University Library
Modern, comfortable and a great learning environment, our library offers a wealth of information including 400,000 books, DVDs, maps and thousands of online ejournals and newspapers. Many electronic resources are available anywhere, 24/7 and our friendly staff are always on hand to help.
Careers & Opportunities
Career prospects
On graduating you’ll possess sharp communication and research skills as well as subject-specific knowledge and the transferable skills employers want.
Some of our alumni have gone on to work for big names such as the BBC, Warner Bros and Universal Pictures International. Others continue with study and even go to drama school to eventually become professional actors and actresses. Whatever your career plans this course will ensure you have the versatility and employability to take on a range of job opportunities.
Roles our graduates have taken on include:
- production manager
- sound and vision engineer
- film/video producer
- advertising journalist
- assistant publicist
- PR and communications officer
Work experience
This course allows you to take the Learning From Experience (LiFE) option, which lets you earn credits toward your degree for work/research placements, volunteer roles or internships undertaken alongside your studies. This option gives you the opportunity to enhance your employability skills, reflect on the ways in which you've done so and learn to express this to potential employers.
Career planning
6.04 minutes
Finding a job is a competitive business, but the statistics show that 89 per cent of our 2011graduates went into employment, further study or training within six months of finishing their degrees.
To make sure you take the right steps on your career path, we’re here to give you help, support and advice throughout your study. Even after you’ve graduated, we continue to give you support for up to five years.
Employers tell us that they want graduates to be able to demonstrate certain skills when they come out of university. Our courses take account of this. We make sure we prepare you for employment through work-related learning, projects, placements and working in simulated environments that are designed to prepare you for the working world.
Open Day
Our next open day is Wed 10 July
VISIT US! Have a look around and get a feel for what it’s like to live and study here. We’ll be on hand to talk to you about your course interests and show you all of our amazing facilities. You’ll also get to meet tutors and other students…
Application, Fees and Funding — find out more