Film Studies MA (Honours) 2022 entry

The MA (Hons) in Film Studies offers a comprehensive study of global film cultures. Film studies uses a variety of critical, theoretical and historical approaches to examine one of the most significant cultural and artistic forms of the 20th and 21st centuries.

The course critically examines the history of moving images across time and cultures, looking at a diverse range of topics from race on screen to activist documentary, from silent cinema to social media. Engaging with the industrial, institutional and cultural contexts of global cinema, as well as analytical, media-historical and political approaches to film scholarship, you will emerge with a powerful set of scholarly tools.

How to apply Register your interest

UCAS code

P303

Course type

Master of Arts (single Honours degree)

Course duration

Four years full time

Start date: 5 September 2022
End date: 30 September 2026

Entry requirements

These grades are the overall standards required to consider you for entry. Find out more about Standard, Minimum and Gateway entry requirements using academic entry explained and see which entry requirements you need to look at using the entry requirements indicator.

- Standard entry grades: AAAB
- Minimum entry grades: AABB
- Gateway entry grades: BBBB
- Standard entry grades: AAB
- Minimum entry grades: ABB
- Standard entry grades: 36 (HL 6,6,5)
- Minimum entry grades: 36 (HL 6,5,5)

We accept a wide range of qualifications for entry on to our programmes. Please see our entry requirements for more information.

For degrees combining more than one subject, the subject with the higher entry requirements determines the grades you need. You will also need to meet any further subject-specific entrance requirements as outlined on their pages.

International applicants

If English is not your first language, you will need to provide an English language test score to evidence your English language ability. Find out more about English language requirements.

How to apply

Do I need to have studied this subject before?

No previous knowledge of this subject is required.

General entry requirements

All applicants must have attained the following qualifications, or equivalent, in addition to the specific entry requirements for individual programmes.

SQA National 5 (B) in English and one SQA National 5 (B) from the following:
- Biology
- Chemistry
- Computing Science
- Geography
- Lifeskills Mathematics (A grade)
- Mathematics
- Physics
- Psychology.
GCSE (5) in English language or English literature, and one GCSE (5) from the following:
- Biology
- Chemistry
- Computing Science
- Geography
- Mathematics
- Physics
- Psychology.

Other qualifications

More information on how to apply via other entry routes or accreditation of prior learning and experience can be found on the University’s entry requirements web page.

Reputation

Film Studies at St Andrews was ranked first in Scotland by the Guardian University Guide 2022.

The University of St Andrews as a whole was voted top in the UK for student academic experience in The National Student Survey 2021. More than 93% of St Andrews final-year students gave the University top marks for the quality of the learning and teaching experience.

Video transcript

- If you're thinking of applying to St Andrews, you definitely should.

It's so rewarding. There are so many things you can do here.

Although it's a small town, the opportunities are completely endless.

>>FIONA: St Andrew's location is stunning. A small seaside town on the east coast of Scotland.

>>PROFESSOR JUDITH WOLFE: Close enough to places like Edinburgh, and frankly to all of Europe. We are connected while also being our own place.

>>HENRY: For me, the best thing about St Andrews is the fact that it's such a small town, but yet it's got so many different opportunities within it.

>>THOMAS: Whether it's the societies or the sports clubs that you can get involved with. It's so much more than just academia.

>>DR JAMES RAE: St Andrews is a fantastic place to study because you get a university that has a strong research focus, but it's also a university that really values its teaching. We do that through having small class sizes, and through, I think, a really, a kind of strong community feel.

>>AABIYAH: The lecturers are really, really helpful. There's not this kind of hierarchy or anything. Everyone's really, really friendly and everyone's really trying to help out.

>>PROFESSOR KISHAN DHOLAKIA: Why does a person go to University? They want to expand their mind. They want to push the boundaries of what they know from a personal level and an academic level. It's not just education, it's research. Because they want to go to a place that is pushing the frontiers of human knowledge.

>>DR DHARINI BALASUBRAMANIAM: We look for people who are willing to question what they are taught and willing to explore their subject in depth.

- We want people who are curious, who are motivated, who want to understand the world around them, and then apply that to make ideally the world a better place.

>>PROFESSOR CLARE PEDDIE: The University degree at St Andrews reflects the Scottish degree system. Students coming into first and second year can take subjects outside their intended degree specialisation and then specialise in their degree subjects in third, and fourth, and possibly fifth year.

- It just offers an opportunity to explore new subjects and it's kind of changed my way of thinking.

>>MARKUS: It really helped me to just explore different things and try out everything.

- St Andrews has a really big feel.

-You really get to know everyone. You see a lot of people that you know and you recognise.

>>RACHEL: Hall life plays such a big part in St Andrews. Living in halls has such a wonderful atmosphere.

>>SHUTONG: It is a really tight community.

- You get a lot of different students, you get to meet a lot of different people which you normally wouldn't meet.

- We come from very different educational backgrounds, so, therefore, we're all gonna have a different point of view. So, you know, you're not gonna have people that agree with you all the time or they're gonna pick up on things that you don't necessarily pick up on.

>>DR STEPHEN TYRE: With a St Andrews degree you can almost do anything because the skills that you learn here are attractive to employers.

>>PROFESSOR FRANK LORENZ MULLER: Our students go into all kinds of professional careers, whether that's the law, whether that's financial services, whether that's civil service or government. Many of them also go into further study.

- Our students tend to be in great demand from employers. We have companies that see character in graduates.

- The skills that students get here allow our students to be successful at getting jobs, and they seem to be equipped very well for a wide range of jobs.

- If you're thinking of applying, do it. Absolutely do it. It's been one of the best decisions that I've made.

>>SARA: St Andrews really isn't a place to be afraid of, but going to college is scary, because you don't know what you're gonna have when you get there, but it's really great here because it's so easy to feel like you have everything.

Course information

The MA (Hons) in Film Studies is a four-year course run by the Department of Film Studies. Film studies is a dynamic and growing discipline, drawing in students with a variety of interests. Students will examine the forms and histories of film in all their artistic, documentary and experimental variants, from early cinema to virtual reality, and will cover a range of topics including stardom, ecocinema, as well as numerous film genres and screen cultures from across the globe.

During the first two years, you will take four film studies modules (one per semester). These provide the historical, theoretical and methodological frameworks you will need for the more specialised and challenging Honours courses.

Alongside film, in the first year of your studies, you will be required to study an additional two subjects. In the second year you will usually carry on at least one of these subjects, sometimes two. Find out more about how academic years are organised.

In third and fourth year, courses reflect the research expertise of the Department and allow you to develop your own interests within the discipline. The Honours programme examines a diverse range of film and media theories and practices covering genres, film sound, global cinemas, documentary, and various histories of the moving image. You work closely with the teaching staff and develop excellent intellectual, writing and research skills that are useful in a wide variety of professions.

The University of St Andrews operates on a flexible modular degree system by which degrees are obtained through the accumulation of credits. More information on the structure of the modules system can be found on the flexible degree structure web page.

Modules

In the first two years of your degree (known as sub-honours) you will take the required modules in film studies alongside modules in at least one other subject.

Typically, you will take one film studies module per semester during your first two years, and two modules per semester during your third and fourth year (known as Honours). Find out more about the modular Scottish degree system.

The compulsory modules in first year are:

Key Concepts in Film Studies: examines key concepts and approaches that are relevant to the study of film.
Global Film History and Historiography: introduces key movements and moments in film history.

The compulsory modules in second year are:

Film Theory: introduces a range of political, philosophical, and cultural approaches to the cinema, centring on the key insights and breakthrough ideas that have informed the study of film and its role in society.
Screen Cultures today: media and methods: addresses foundational questions being asked of film and other screen media today through a global intermedial approach to screen cultures and scholarship.

If you decide to take film studies in your third and fourth years, you choose from a wide variety of advanced module options. These range from film theories covering gender, national and transnational cinema, and philosophical approaches to particular topics such as war and cinema, images and impact, and horror on screen. Students are encouraged to choose and develop their own specialisms and interests within the discipline of film studies.

Modules available will reflect current staff specialisms and therefore may vary year to year. Here is a sample of Honours modules which have been offered in previous years:

Artists' Film and Video
Asian Cinemas
Cinema and Media in the Digital Age
Documentary Cinema
Feminist Film Studies
Film and the Archive
Race and Representation
Screen Comedy
Sensory Cinema
Silent Cinema.

In fourth year, students also undertake a 10,000-word dissertation on an advanced topic in film studies. This independent project enables you to develop key research skills which are desired by both prospective employers and by graduate schools offering postgraduate degrees.

The compulsory modules listed here must be taken in order to graduate in this subject. However, most students at St Andrews take additional modules, either in their primary subject or from other subjects they are interested in. For Honours level, students choose from a range of Honours modules, some of which are listed above. A full list of all modules appropriate to the programme for the current academic year can be found in the programme requirements.

Teaching

Teaching format

Teaching at sub-honours level is delivered primarily through whole-class lectures (65 to 200 students), screenings and small group tutorials (8 to 12 students). Most teaching on film takes place in a lecture theatre specially equipped for the film screenings that accompany lectures.

Lectures are given by all members of the Department, enabling students to hear academics at the cutting edge of the discipline. Students receive the best and latest ideas and material to research and evaluate. Tutorials are an opportunity for students to discuss and develop their thinking in a small and friendly atmosphere, guided by a professional expert.

Extensive use is made of the University’s specialist library resources, including one of the best collections of international cinema on DVD, holding over 9,300 AV materials and including some extremely rare films and holdings.

Teaching at Honours level moves away from large group lecturing. Class sizes vary between modules, but students typically meet in groups of about 5 to 17 students for longer classes in which they are expected to participate fully.

When not attending lectures, tutorials and film screenings, you will be expected to continue learning independently through self-study. Typically, this will involve:

working on individual and group projects
undertaking research in the library
preparing coursework assignments and presentations
preparing for examinations.

You will be taught by a research-led teaching team with expertise and knowledge of film studies. Postgraduate research students who have undertaken teacher training may also contribute to the teaching of tutorials under the supervision of the module leader.

You can find contact information for all film studies staff on the Department of Film Studies website.

In addition to your studies in the Department of Film Studies, optional academic support is available through practical study skills courses and workshops hosted within the University.

The University’s Student Services team can help students with additional needs resulting from disabilities, long term medical conditions or learning disabilities. More information can be found on the students with disabilities web page.

Assessment

All sub-honours modules are assessed by a balance of coursework and written examinations. Examinations are held at the end of each semester during a dedicated exam diet with revision time provided beforehand. Coursework includes:

research essays
class presentations
short assignments.

At Honours level, the modules are entirely assessed on the basis of coursework. Honours assessments balance more traditional research essay formats with creative, skill-based assignments such as documentary pitch outlines, blog posts, reflective writing, archival research and filmmaker profiles.

The Department aims to provide feedback on assessments and coursework within three weeks to help you improve on future assessments.

Undergraduates at the University of St Andrews must achieve at least 7.0 on the St Andrews 20-point grade scale to pass a module. To gain access to Honours-level modules, students must achieve the relevant requisites as specified in the policy on entry to Honours and in the relevant programme requirements. Please note that some Schools offer qualified entry to Honours, and this will be clearly specified in the programme requirements. To find out the classification equivalent of points, please see the common reporting scale.

Meet us online

If you're interested in studying at St Andrews, join us on a visiting day or online information session to find out about our courses, how to apply, and to meet current students.

Virtual visiting days

Fees

Tuition fees for entry

Home-funded	£1820
RUK (England, Wales, Northern Ireland) and Republic of Ireland	£9250
Islands (Channel Islands, Isle of Man)	£9250
EU and overseas	£26350

For overseas students, tuition fees will be fixed at this level for the duration of your programme.

More information on tuition fees can be found on the undergraduate fees and funding page.

Accommodation fees

Find out about accommodation fees for University accommodation.

Funding and scholarships

The University of St Andrews offers a number of scholarships and support packages to undergraduate students each year.

Joint Honours degrees

You can take Film Studies as part of a joint Honours degree alongside one of the following subjects:

Special joint degree notes

The joint option with Psychology can also be taken as a degree programme with British Psychological Society accreditation.

Joint degrees taken with Arabic, Chinese Studies, French, German, Italian, Russian, Spanish are also available 'With Integrated Year Abroad'.

In taking a joint degree, you are required to take core modules in all of your subjects. Find out more about joint degrees.

Your future

Careers

Film studies graduates are well placed to compete in today’s job market, having gained an extensive range of skills from written and oral communications to archival research and visual analysis.

A degree in film studies from St Andrews will provide an excellent foundation for a wide range of careers as well as for careers directly connected with cinema, such as:

advertising and public relations
arts administration
cinema management
education
film distribution and production
film festivals
journalism and media.

Recent graduates in film studies have gone on to a number of exciting careers, including:

film archive director
production editor in publishing
media researcher
programmes negotiator for a television company
director’s assistant at Warner Brothers.

The Careers Centre offers one-to-one advice to all students as well as a programme of events to assist students to build their employability skills.

Study abroad

Film studies students can apply to participate in the University-wide St Andrews Abroad programme. You may also have the opportunity to participate in the School Abroad exchange programme. For information about study abroad options, please see the study abroad site.

Student life

The University of St Andrews offers an array of events and opportunities which result in a truly unique student experience. Students participate in a range of traditions, notably, the red academic gown and the academic family, where older students adopt first-year students as ‘children’ and help guide them in a system of mentoring. These traditions, and the choice of over 150 sports clubs and student societies to choose from, ensure a community feel amongst students from first year onwards.

Students of film studies may be interested in joining the Film Society which holds weekly film screenings and regular pub nights.

The Department of Film Studies is centrally located in two buildings on North Street. These boast bright office spaces and a well-equipped teaching room, as well as excellent screening equipment. For all Honours and Masters seminars, there are specially equipped facilities (including 3D projection) at the Byre Theatre. Lectures and screenings take place in the Buchanan Theatre.

The Department is located next door to the local independent cinema, New Picture House, which screens popular films. Dundee, the closest city, boasts an excellent arthouse cinema at Dundee Contemporary Arts (DCA).

The Department also hosts the annual Film Blitz, an annual short competition and festival in which students have 60 hours to produce a short film. The inaugural St Andrews Film Festival launches in Spring 2022 and will feature an exciting series of screenings, discussions and events.

The town of St Andrews itself has lots to offer. As University buildings are located throughout the town, walking around you encounter ancient and modern buildings, parks and beaches, providing a rich, beautiful backdrop to learning. Find out more about the town of St Andrews.

Find out more about student life at the University of St Andrews.

“The depth in which I am encouraged to think about and discuss film has improved my overall skills of critical thinking. The lecturers present us with texts and ideas outside of our usual frame of reference and encourage us to formulate our own point of view, even in contentious areas of debate. The work is hard but if you are studying something you are passionate about, it is more than worth it.”

Milo (Inverness, Scotland)

Contact

Department of Film Studies
University of St Andrews
101a North Street
St Andrews
KY16 9AD

Phone: +44 (0)1334 46 7473
Email: filmstudies@st-andrews.ac.uk

Department of Film Studies website

Policies

Admission to the University of St Andrews is governed by our admissions policy.

Information about all programmes from previous years of entry can be found in the archive.

Curriculum development

As a research intensive institution, the University ensures that its teaching references the research interests of its staff, which may change from time to time. As a result, programmes are regularly reviewed with the aim of enhancing students' learning experience. Our approach to course revision is described online.

Tuition fees

The University will clarify compulsory fees and charges it requires any student to pay at the time of offer. The offer will also clarify conditions for any variation of fees. The University’s approach to fee setting is described online.

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