Film and Media [with Placement year]

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.

Year 1 core modules: Film Language and Concepts; Creative Moving Image; InterMEDIAcy; Introduction to Screen Media. Year 1 optional modules: Introduction to Filmmaking: Super 8mm; Anglia Language Programme. Year 2 core modules: Exploded Screen; Digital Media Theory: Social Media, AI, and the Cultures of the Internet; Online Journalism; Cult Media; Ruskin Module. Year 2 optional modules: 16mm Filmmaking; Documentary Film Theory; Photography; Non-Fiction Filmmaking; Animation; From Script to Screen; Anglia Language Programme. Year 3: Placement. Year 4 core modules: Creative Industries Major Project; The Cultural Politics of Celebrity. Year 4 optional modules: Screen Drama Production; Experiments in Film and Moving Image; Screenwriting: Writing and Selling the Feature Film; Special Topics in Film Studies; Gender and Popular Cinema; Film Journalism; Contemporary Television; Independent Film Practice; Narrative in Global Cinema; Anglia Language Programme. Modules are subject to change and availability.

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.