Film

Explore theories and histories of film and cinema, and develop creative skills in filmmaking, screenwriting and a range of creative, practice-based modules by studying on our full-time BA (Hons) Film degree in Cambridge.

• Join a course that scored 94% for Academic Support in the National Student Survey 2023.

• Prepare for many careers in the film industries, including screenwriting, filmmaking, journalism, programming, festival management and public engagement.

• Get hands-on in our specialist film facilities, with full training from our technical team.

• Take advantage of our links with local and national organisations, which will help you make contacts, find work placements, take part in "live briefs", and even give you the opportunity to show your films publicly at Cambridge Arts Picturehouse.

• Benefit from support from our team of expert lecturers and close-knit community of students and graduates.

• Become part of a community of professionals with expertise in drama and performance, film, games development, journalism, publishing, and digital media.

As a student at ARU, you’ll discover the history of global cinema and study a range of films, from avant-garde cinema to Hollywood blockbusters. As well as studying a range of film theories and ideas about how cinema reflects and affects society, you’ll also make short films and explore the language of cinema from the perspective of a creative practitioner. In this aspect of the course you’ll write screenplays and make experimental films, narrative and non-fiction films using digital video as well as 8mm and 16mm film.

You'll have opportunities to show your films at the Cambridge Arts Picturehouse and work with a range of external partners. Our links with local and national organisations will help you make contacts and find work placements in the industry.

Our recent students have found internships and placements with companies such as the BBC, Cambridge Festival of Ideas, Film & Video Umbrella, Cannes Film Festival, Cambridge Film Festival, Take One magazine, Watersprite Film Festival, CBBC, ITN Productions, London Studios, MTV, New York Film Academy, Pinewood Studios, StudioCanal UK (formerly Optimum Releasing) and Sight & Sound magazine.

You’ll also have opportunities to take part in live briefs with our partner organisations. Our students recently worked with mental health charity Lifecraft, producing a series of short videos about the charity for their website and social media channels.

Our course options allow you to take a placement year as part of your course as well. You can also choose to study abroad as part of your course and get funding to cover the cost.

As part of your studies at ARU, you’ll have access to all of our creative industries facilities including:

Film studio with overhead lighting, tracks, dollies and green screen
Multi-camera television studio with modular set panels and modern set dressing
Full range of location kit from 4K digital cameras, professional lighting, to Steadicam
Sound-recording equipment for location filming
Editing suites with Da Vinci Resolve and the full Adobe Creative Cloud software suite
Finishing suite with audio monitoring and grading panels
Aaton Cameras and Steenbeck editors for 16mm film production
Motion capture equipment
Podcast and video capture system

Careers

Our BA (Hons) Film degree will help you prepare for a career in many film and cinema-related roles, including film and television production or post-production, journalism, screenwriting, programming and curation, festival management and public relations.

You might also decide to continue on to a Masters course, such as our MA Film and Television Production. Take advantage of our Alumni Scholarship and get 20% off your fees.

Year 1 core modules: Film Language and Concepts; Creative Moving Image; Screenwriting: The Short Film; History of Global Cinema. Year 1 optional modules: Introduction to Filmmaking: Super 8mm, Anglia Language Programme. Year 2 core modules: Classical Hollywood Cinema; Documentary Film Theory; Theorising Spectatorship; Filmmakers on film; Ruskin Module. Year 2 optional modules: 16mm Filmmaking; Film Criticism and Reviewing; Independent Cinema: US and Beyond; Non-Fiction Filmmaking; From Script to Screen; Anglia Language Programme. Year 3 core modules: Special Topics in Film Studies; Gender and Popular Cinema; Creative Industries Major Project. Year 3 optional modules: Screenwriting: Writing and Selling the Feature Film; Experiments in Film and Moving Image; Screen Drama Production; Film Journalism; Independent Film Practice; Narrative in Global Cinema; Anglia Language Programme. Modules are subject to change and availability.

You won’t take any written exams. Instead, you’ll show your learning through a portfolio of creative work (including short films and film scripts), film reviews, critical essays and oral presentations. You’ll also critically evaluate your creative work, presenting and defending your work in ‘crits’.