Film Studies
P303Whether you’re passionate about zombie movies, Hollywood blockbusters, or art-house French classics, our Film Studies degree provides you with the intellectual rigour to analyse all types of film from a number of different perspectives.
Course overview
Over three years, you spend a lot of time watching and discussing films from different periods, countries and genres. By engaging critically with film texts, you learn to deepen your understanding of narrative structure, technique and aesthetics, as well as your appreciation of how filmmakers choose to represent class, race and sexuality on screen.
At Winchester we understand that your perception of film becomes deeper when you bring in perspectives from other disciplines, including politics, philosophy, history, gender and race studies. You study the different histories and styles found in the US, British, European and global industries and there’s an opportunity to undertake practical film work in digital production and screenwriting.
You are taught by a team of film specialists and industry professionals with different backgrounds, whose diverse research expertise is reflected in the breadth and scope of the curriculum.
Year 1 covers core modules, which include Film Narrative, Film Criticism and Reading Film, as well as opportunities to learn media skills.
Study during Year 2 is more specialised and focuses on theoretical and research skills. However, the majority of study in Years 2 and 3 involves optional modules that allow students to focus their study on areas that interest them. Year 2 optional modules may include Contemporary European Cinema, British Cinema, Gangster and Crime Film, Classical Hollywood Cinema and Science Fiction and Fantasy.
Year 3 offers greater scope for more in-depth study and further specialisation. With the exception of the Dissertation, module choices during the final year are entirely optional – you may take courses in Animation, Cult Film and Art Cinema, Identity and Contemporary American Film and Film and the City.
Open 24 hours a day, our Multimedia Centre offers outstanding industry-standard facilities including two HD TV studios with green screens, a newsroom, a computerised radio studio, and facilities for multi-track audio recording. A wide range of equipment is available and the Centre is an Apple Certified Training Centre.
You graduate as a well-informed critical thinker who understands the cross-cultural diversity of the contemporary world. The Winchester course in Film Studies has an excellent employment record and graduates commonly find work in film and television-related industries, creative industries, advertising, media and teaching.
What you need to know
Course start date
September
Location
On campus
Course length
- 3 years full-time
- 4 years sandwich
- 6 years part-time
Apply
P303
Typical offer
96-112 points
Fees
From £9,250 pa
Course features
- Develop as a critical film scholar and a gain a practical grounding for careers in TV, film and media
- Enjoy the freedom to study your favourite genres and periods of cinema while discovering lots of new forms, faces and fields within film
- Watch a lot of terrific films – and discuss and debate them at lively, interactive seminars
- Take advantage of outstanding industry-standard facilities to learn practical film techniques and skills at our on-campus Multimedia Centre
Course details
Work placements
Students have the opportunity to take part in field trips and gain work experience through volunteering.
Study abroad (optional):
Our BA (Hons) Film Studies course provides an opportunity for you to study abroad in one of our partner universities in the USA or Canada.
For more information see our Study Abroad section.
Learning and teaching
Our aim is to shape 'confident learners' by enabling you to develop the skills needed to excel in your studies here and as well as onto further studies or the employment market.
You are taught primarily through a combination of lectures and seminars, allowing opportunities to discuss and develop your understanding of topics covered in lectures in smaller groups.
In addition to the formally scheduled contact time such as lectures and seminars etc.), you are encouraged to access academic support from staff within the course team and the wide range of services available to you within the University.
Independent learning
Over the duration of your course, you will be expected to develop independent and critical learning, progressively building confidence and expertise through independent and collaborative research, problem-solving and analysis with the support of staff. You take responsibility for your own learning and are encouraged to make use of the wide range of available learning resources available.
Overall workload
Your overall workload consists of class contact hours, independent learning and assessment activity.
While your actual contact hours may depend on the optional modules you select, the following information gives an indication of how much time you will need to allocate to different activities at each level of the course.
Year 1 (Level 4): Timetabled teaching and learning activity*
Teaching, learning and assessment: 288 hours
Independent learning: 912 hours
Year 2 (Level 5): Timetabled teaching and learning activity*
Teaching, learning and assessment: 276 hours
Independent learning: 888 hours
Placement: 36 hours
Year 3 (Level 6): Timetabled teaching and learning activity*
Teaching, learning and assessment: 276 hours
Independent learning: 924 hours
*Please note these are indicative hours for the course.
Teaching Hours
All class based teaching takes places between 9am – 6pm, Monday to Friday during term time. Wednesday afternoons are kept free from timetabled teaching for personal study time and for sports clubs and societies to train, meet and play matches. There may be some occasional learning opportunities (for example, an evening guest lecturer or performance) that take places outside of these hours for which you will be given forewarning.
Assessment
Our validated courses may adopt a range of means of assessing your learning. An indicative, and not necessarily comprehensive, list of assessment types you might encounter includes essays, portfolios, supervised independent work, presentations, written exams, or practical performances.
We ensure all students have an equal opportunity to achieve module learning outcomes. As such, where appropriate and necessary, students with recognised disabilities may have alternative assignments set that continue to test how successfully they have met the module's learning outcomes. Further details on assessment types used on the course you are interested in can be found on the course page, by attending an Open Day or Open Evening, or contacting our teaching staff.
Percentage of the course assessed by coursework
The assessment balance between examination and coursework depends to some extent on the optional modules you choose. The approximate percentage of the course assessed by different assessment modes is as follows:
Year 1 (Level 4)*:
74% coursework
13% written exams
13% practical exams
Year 2 (Level 5)*:
87% coursework
0% written exams
13% practical exams
Year 3 (Level 6)*:
96% coursework
0% written exams
4% practical exams
*Please note these are indicative percentages and modes for the programme.
Modules
Please note the modules listed are correct at the time of publishing. The University cannot guarantee the availability of all modules listed and modules may be subject to change. The University will notify applicants of any changes made to the core modules listed. For further information please refer to winchester.ac.uk/termsandconditions
Modules
The module will introduce students to various histories of cinema and the ways that cinema history can be constructed. Through an exploration of a range of national and international cinema movements and styles, students will examine the significance of cultural and historical contexts and their relationship to film texts. Key factors, including economic, social, cultural, political and geographical influences, will be analysed to explore significant moments of film history such as pre-cinema, German Expressionism, the Hollywood studio system, Post-Classical Hollywood, ‘Third Cinema’, the French New Wave and Dogme 95
This module introduces students to the academic study of film through the analysis of mainstream contemporary cinema. Certain concepts, theories and critical paradigms central to Film Studies will be outlined. These will include notions relating to genre and to star study, the debates attending film authorship and critical and theoretical work that draws upon psychoanalysis and feminism. Students will in addition be introduced to the concepts of semiotics and ideology, and to matters pertaining to spectatorship and audience reception.
This module introduces the main concepts, themes and theories that are deployed to study media and communication in contemporary society. The module will provide students with opportunities to learn and apply a set of key concepts that are central to the analysis of media including journalism, advertising, audio media and social media. While it does not assume that you have studied media before, it will involve the application of these concepts to contemporary issues and developments in ways that will be new and stimulating for students who may have undertaken the study of the media in courses before coming to university. Key concepts include production, consumption, representation, identity, power and control, ‘new’ and ‘old’ media, signs, genre, audience and regulation. The focus will be upon the application of these key concepts in the analysis of contemporary media.
This module introduces and develops various skills required for the production of digital video, such as how to handle a camera, how to assess and capture sound and light, and how to edit footage. Students will work in small groups to mutually support each other through the process of decision-making, producing, and reflecting upon their work. These skills and experiences are crucial building blocks for creating professional digital content in the age of social media.
This module will build upon knowledge of filmic procedures acquired in Semester 1 by extending analytical skills in relation to the operation of film narrative. A number of narratological models will be introduced, explored and tested against a range of films. The textual focus of the module is historical rather than contemporary, and different narrative forms examined will include early and silent cinema, classical Hollywood narrative, German Expressionist cinema, Soviet montage cinema and post-World War II European art cinema.
The module will introduce students to various histories of cinema and the ways that cinema history can be constructed. Through an exploration of a range of national and international cinema movements and styles, students will examine the significance of cultural and historical contexts and their relationship to film texts. Key factors, including economic, social, cultural, political and geographical influences, will be analysed to explore significant moments of film history such as pre-cinema, German Expressionism, the Hollywood studio system, Post-Classical Hollywood, ‘Third Cinema’, the French New Wave and Dogme 95.
This module will focus on the horror film to explore the flexibility of the genre and how it has adapted to industrial, social, political and cultural change. Charting the genre from the 1930s to contemporary horror cinema and across different national cinema traditions, the module will act as a case study of film history through a focused study of a specific area that will exemplify and develop the approach of the Film Form, History and Culture module, while also considering the importance of social and cultural context through exploration of the horrific ‘other’, the uncanny, ideology and genre, the body and body horror and representations of gender, sexuality and ethnicity.
Understanding New Media - 15 Credits
Introduction to Digital Publishing Skills - 15 Credits
Optional
The module will introduce students to various histories of cinema and the ways that cinema history can be constructed. Through an exploration of a range of national and international cinema movements and styles, students will examine the significance of cultural and historical contexts and their relationship to film texts. Key factors, including economic, social, cultural, political and geographical influences, will be analysed to explore significant moments of film history such as pre-cinema, German Expressionism, the Hollywood studio system, Post-Classical Hollywood, ‘Third Cinema’, the French New Wave and Dogme 95
This module introduces students to the academic study of film through the analysis of mainstream contemporary cinema. Certain concepts, theories and critical paradigms central to Film Studies will be outlined. These will include notions relating to genre and to star study, the debates attending film authorship and critical and theoretical work that draws upon psychoanalysis and feminism. Students will in addition be introduced to the concepts of semiotics and ideology, and to matters pertaining to spectatorship and audience reception.
This module introduces the main concepts, themes and theories that are deployed to study media and communication in contemporary society. The module will provide students with opportunities to learn and apply a set of key concepts that are central to the analysis of media including journalism, advertising, audio media and social media. While it does not assume that you have studied media before, it will involve the application of these concepts to contemporary issues and developments in ways that will be new and stimulating for students who may have undertaken the study of the media in courses before coming to university. Key concepts include production, consumption, representation, identity, power and control, ‘new’ and ‘old’ media, signs, genre, audience and regulation. The focus will be upon the application of these key concepts in the analysis of contemporary media.
This module introduces and develops various skills required for the production of digital video, such as how to handle a camera, how to assess and capture sound and light, and how to edit footage. Students will work in small groups to mutually support each other through the process of decision-making, producing, and reflecting upon their work. These skills and experiences are crucial building blocks for creating professional digital content in the age of social media.
This module will build upon knowledge of filmic procedures acquired in Semester 1 by extending analytical skills in relation to the operation of film narrative. A number of narratological models will be introduced, explored and tested against a range of films. The textual focus of the module is historical rather than contemporary, and different narrative forms examined will include early and silent cinema, classical Hollywood narrative, German Expressionist cinema, Soviet montage cinema and post-World War II European art cinema.
The module will introduce students to various histories of cinema and the ways that cinema history can be constructed. Through an exploration of a range of national and international cinema movements and styles, students will examine the significance of cultural and historical contexts and their relationship to film texts. Key factors, including economic, social, cultural, political and geographical influences, will be analysed to explore significant moments of film history such as pre-cinema, German Expressionism, the Hollywood studio system, Post-Classical Hollywood, ‘Third Cinema’, the French New Wave and Dogme 95.
This module will focus on the horror film to explore the flexibility of the genre and how it has adapted to industrial, social, political and cultural change. Charting the genre from the 1930s to contemporary horror cinema and across different national cinema traditions, the module will act as a case study of film history through a focused study of a specific area that will exemplify and develop the approach of the Film Form, History and Culture module, while also considering the importance of social and cultural context through exploration of the horrific ‘other’, the uncanny, ideology and genre, the body and body horror and representations of gender, sexuality and ethnicity.
Understanding New Media - 15 Credits
Introduction to Digital Publishing Skills - 15 Credits
Modules
The module introduces and critically examines various, and variously influential, attempts to theorise the reciprocal concepts of ‘film’ and ‘cinema’. Building upon work undertaken in Year 1, the module seeks both to provide a conceptual understanding necessary for the honours level study of film and to develop further an historically attuned, theoretically informed critical practice.
The module centres upon the independent research of primary and secondary sources that is an essential part of the successful undergraduate study of film, and through this enables students to pursue their own areas of study. The module correspondingly provides preparation for the Extended Independent Study (Dissertation) that Single Honours students undertake as a compulsory component of their studies in Year 3. Students will engage with research techniques and further develop their critical and theoretical understanding while working on a 3000-word research project on an area of film of their own choice. Each year the module will have, as a way of focusing discussion, a thematic nucleus, which might comprise the consideration of, for example, a particular national cinema, filmmaking within a particular decade, a particular genre or the work of a particular filmmaker.
Contemporary European Cinema 15 Credits
Classical Hollywood Cinema 15 Credits
Music and Film 15 Credits
Post-Classical Hollywood Cinema 15 Credits
Cinema, Politics and Society 15 Credits
Screenwriting 15 Credits
British Cinema - Comedy, Realism and the Imaginary 15 Credits
B-Movies 15 Credits
Volunteering for Film Studies 15 Credits
Gangster and Crime Film 15 Credits
Science Fiction and Fantasy 15 Credits
The American Film Western 15 Credits
Film Cultures and Globalization 15 Credits
Creative Film Practice 15 Credits
Exploring Teaching as a Career - 15 Credits
Optional
The module introduces and critically examines various, and variously influential, attempts to theorise the reciprocal concepts of ‘film’ and ‘cinema’. Building upon work undertaken in Year 1, the module seeks both to provide a conceptual understanding necessary for the honours level study of film and to develop further an historically attuned, theoretically informed critical practice.
The module centres upon the independent research of primary and secondary sources that is an essential part of the successful undergraduate study of film, and through this enables students to pursue their own areas of study. The module correspondingly provides preparation for the Extended Independent Study (Dissertation) that Single Honours students undertake as a compulsory component of their studies in Year 3. Students will engage with research techniques and further develop their critical and theoretical understanding while working on a 3000-word research project on an area of film of their own choice. Each year the module will have, as a way of focusing discussion, a thematic nucleus, which might comprise the consideration of, for example, a particular national cinema, filmmaking within a particular decade, a particular genre or the work of a particular filmmaker.
Contemporary European Cinema 15 Credits
Classical Hollywood Cinema 15 Credits
Music and Film 15 Credits
Post-Classical Hollywood Cinema 15 Credits
Cinema, Politics and Society 15 Credits
Screenwriting 15 Credits
British Cinema - Comedy, Realism and the Imaginary 15 Credits
B-Movies 15 Credits
Volunteering for Film Studies 15 Credits
Gangster and Crime Film 15 Credits
Science Fiction and Fantasy 15 Credits
The American Film Western 15 Credits
Film Cultures and Globalization 15 Credits
Creative Film Practice 15 Credits
Exploring Teaching as a Career - 15 Credits
Modules
The dissertation is a piece of written work of 8-10,000 words. It offers students the opportunity to undertake a sustained and detailed investigation of some area of film and to utilise and develop further a range of research skills and techniques previously introduced and developed on the BA (Hons) Film Studies programme. Subject areas and titles are determined through negotiation with a designated supervisor with whom the student will have regular tutorials to discuss and check the progress of the project.
Authorship and Film 15 Credits
Stars 15 Credits
Documentary and Non-Fiction Film 15 Credits
Film and the City 15 Credits
National Cinemas 1 15 Credits
Melodrama and Film 15 Credits
Animation 15 Credits
Cult Film and Art Cinema 15 Credits
Discontent Down Under - Gender, Race, Change and Loss in Australian Cinema 15 Credits
Killer Films 15 Credits
Film and Reality: Modernity, Modernism and Postmodernism 15 Credits
African Cinema 1955-95 15 Credits
Gothic Film 15 Credits
Production Project 1 15 Credits
Production Project 1 15 Credits
Identity and Contemporary American Film 15 Credits
Fantasy, Desire and Sexuality 15 Credits
The Male Body, Masculinity and the Media 15 Credits
The Zombie Apocalypse! The Rise of Zombies in Popular 15 Credits
Optional
The dissertation is a piece of written work of 8-10,000 words. It offers students the opportunity to undertake a sustained and detailed investigation of some area of film and to utilise and develop further a range of research skills and techniques previously introduced and developed on the BA (Hons) Film Studies programme. Subject areas and titles are determined through negotiation with a designated supervisor with whom the student will have regular tutorials to discuss and check the progress of the project.
Authorship and Film 15 Credits
Stars 15 Credits
Documentary and Non-Fiction Film 15 Credits
Film and the City 15 Credits
National Cinemas 1 15 Credits
Melodrama and Film 15 Credits
Animation 15 Credits
Cult Film and Art Cinema 15 Credits
Discontent Down Under - Gender, Race, Change and Loss in Australian Cinema 15 Credits
Killer Films 15 Credits
Film and Reality: Modernity, Modernism and Postmodernism 15 Credits
African Cinema 1955-95 15 Credits
Gothic Film 15 Credits
Production Project 1 15 Credits
Production Project 1 15 Credits
Identity and Contemporary American Film 15 Credits
Fantasy, Desire and Sexuality 15 Credits
The Male Body, Masculinity and the Media 15 Credits
The Zombie Apocalypse! The Rise of Zombies in Popular 15 Credits
Entry requirements
Our offers are typically made using UCAS tariff points to allow you to include a range of level 3 qualifications and as a guide, the requirements for this course are equivalent to:
A-Levels: BBC-BBB from 3 A Levels or equivalent grade combinations (e.g. BBB is comparable to ABC in terms of tariff points)
BTEC/CTEC: DMM from BTEC or Cambridge Technical (CTEC) qualifications International Baccalaureate: To include a minimum of 2 Higher Level certificates at grade H4
T Level: Merit in a T Level
Additionally, we accept tariff points achieved for many other qualifications, such as the Access to Higher Education Diploma, Scottish Highers, UAL Diploma/Extended Diploma and WJEC Applied Certificate/Diploma, to name a few. We also accept tariff points from smaller level 3 qualifications, up to a maximum of 32, from qualifications like the Extended Project (EP/EPQ), music or dance qualifications. To find out more about UCAS tariff points, including what your qualifications are worth, please visit UCAS.
In addition to level 3 study, the following GCSE’s are required:
GCSE English Language at grade 4 or C, or higher. Functional Skills at level 2 is accepted as an alternative, however Key Skills qualifications are not. If you hold another qualification, please get in touch and we will advise further. If English is not your first language, a formal English language test will most likely be required and you will need to achieve the following:
If you will be over the age of 21 years of age at the beginning of your undergraduate study, you will be considered as a mature student. This means our offer may be different and any work or life experiences you have will be considered together with any qualifications you hold. UCAS have further information about studying as a mature student on their website which may be of interest.
If English is not your first language, a formal English language test will most likely be required and you will need to achieve the following:
- IELTS Academic at 5.5 overall with a minimum of 5.5 in all four components (for year 1 entry)
- We also accept other English language qualifications, such as IELTS Indicator, Pearson PTE Academic, Cambridge C1 Advanced and TOEFL iBT.
If you are living outside of the UK or Europe, you can find out more about how to join this course by contacting our International Recruitment Team via our International Apply Pages.
2024 Course Tuition Fees
| UK / Channel Islands / Isle of Man / Republic of Ireland |
International |
|
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | £9,250 | £16,700 |
| Year 2 | £9,250 | £16,700 |
| Year 3 | £9,250 | £16,700 |
| Total | £27,750 | £50,100 |
| Optional Sandwich Year* | £1,850 | £3,340 |
| Total with Sandwich Year | £29,600 | £53,440 |
Additional tuition fee information
If you are a UK student starting your degree in September 2024, the first year will cost you £9,250**. Based on this fee level, the indicative fees for a three-year degree would be £27,750 for UK students.
Remember, you don’t have to pay any of this upfront if you are able to get a tuition fee loan from the UK Government to cover the full cost of your fees each year.
UK Part-Time fees are calculated on a pro rata basis of the full-time fee for a 120 credit course. The fee for a single credit is £77.08 and a 15 credit module is £1,156. Part-time students can take up to a maximum 90 credits per year, so the maximum fee in a given year will be the government permitted maximum fee of £6,935.
International part-time fees are calculated on a pro rata basis of the full-time fee for a 120 credit course. The fee for a single credit is £139.14 and a 15 credit module is £2,087.
* Please note that not all courses offer an optional sandwich year.
**The University of Winchester will charge the maximum approved tuition fee per year.
Additional costs
As one of our students all of your teaching and assessments are included in your tuition fees, including, lectures/guest lectures and tutorials, seminars, laboratory sessions and specialist teaching facilities. You will also have access to a wide range of student support and IT services.
There might be additional costs you may encounter whilst studying. The following highlights the optional costs for this course:
Optional
Overseas trip
Students have the option to attend a trip to a Film Festival throughout the duration of the course. Indicative cost: £375 per academic year.
Technology
It is recommended that students purchase their own hard-drive storage at the beginning of the course. Indicative cost: 2TB devices cost £80.
Disclosure and Barring Service
A Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) clearance check may be required if you undertake a placement, volunteering, research or other course related activity where you will have contact with children or vulnerable adults. The requirement for a DBS check will be confirmed by staff as part of the process to approve your placement, research or other activity. The indicative cost is £40.
Mandatory
Printing and Binding
The University is pleased to offer our students a printing allowance of £5 each academic year. This will print around 125 A4 (black and white) pages. If students wish to print more, printer credit can be topped up by the student. The University and Student Union are champions of sustainability and we ask all our students to consider the environmental impact before printing.
SCHOLARSHIPS, BURSARIES AND AWARDS
We have a variety of scholarship and bursaries available to support you financially with the cost of your course. To see if you’re eligible, please see our Scholarships and Awards.
CAREER PROSPECTS
Graduates have entered careers in the film and film-related industries. Other students have entered professions in the creative industries including advertising, media and teaching.
The University of Winchester ranks in the top 10 in the UK for graduates in employment or further study according to the Graduate Outcomes Survey 2023, HESA.
Pre-approved for a Masters
If you study a Bachelor Honours degrees with us, you will be pre-approved to start a Masters degree at Winchester. To be eligible, you will need to apply by the end of March in the final year of your degree and meet the entry requirements of your chosen Masters degree.
OUR CAREERS SERVICE
