Film Studies with Foundation Year

Please check the Sheffield Hallam University website for the latest information.

Course summary

• Develop your passion for cinema by learning from the experts.

• Study films from around the world, and explore the changing nature of cinema.

• Work on live briefs and an accredited work placement.

• Benefit from our unique state-of-the-art cinema facilities specially designed to show films in a vast range of formats, including 35mm and DCP projection.

• Join at the foundation year and develop your personal skills, awareness of resources and commitment to the subject.

This is one of the longest-established film studies courses in the UK. You’ll study films, filmmaking and the changing face of the cinema industry. You’ll have amazing opportunities to enhance your professional profile and employability prospects — specialising in fields ranging from film journalism and marketing to film festival management.

Find out more about out screenwriting and film courses, facilities and student projects on the SHU Screen website: http://www.shuscreen.com/

How you learn

At Sheffield Hallam, all our courses are designed to engage you with the world and challenge you to think in new ways. You’ll get to collaborate with others, and you’ll be taught in a supportive environment where you can thrive.

In the foundation year, you will start by developing a good base of knowledge, but also the personal skills and awareness of resources that will help you manage your studies effectively and be self-motivated.

Our modules include weekly screenings, either in our own cinema, The Void, or at Sheffield's leading art cinema, the Showroom, with whom we have a long-standing partnership.

You learn through

• lectures

• seminars

• film screenings

• workshops

• essays

• video essays

• presentations

• blogs

• professional portfolios

You may also be able to work or study abroad with the possibility of funding through the Turing scheme: https://www.turing-scheme.org.uk/

Applied learning

Live projects

You’ll collaborate with a wide network of industry, charity, and community partners — showcasing your knowledge and skills. You’ll work independently and in diverse teams at each stage of your study, bringing your ideas to life in response to real briefs. In the foundation year, you will undertake a series of projects that respond to real world debates.

Work placements

In your second year you’ll curate and build your professional profile, by taking a credit-bearing placement in collaboration with one of our partners that connects your work with audiences.

Field trips

We run regular field trips to film festivals and cinema visits. Our students have visited Berlin Film Festival, Salford MediaCity, Bradford WideScreen Weekend, BFI Southbank, and participated in Doc/Fest, Celluloid Screams, Sensoria, and Festival of Debate. Trips start from the beginning of the foundation year and continue throughout your studies.

Networking opportunities

We work with nationally and internationally renowned festivals such as Doc/Fest, Celluloid Screams, and Off the Shelf, as well as bringing leading talent in film programming, film journalism, and film festival organisers to Sheffield to work with our students. You’ll benefit from regular networking opportunities and masterclass events, and get a head start into the creative industries.

We invite speakers from different cultural sectors to talk to our students about professional careers in film.