Film Studies Degree 2013
Film is a special medium which inspires a loyal following, but it is also part of a wider media landscape. This is why we have designed a Film Studies degree programme which integrates the study of contemporary film-making as well as the film industry into the broader study of film history, aesthetics and theory.
Degree programmes
Entry requirements
Minimum entry requirements
- A-level grades ABB
We do not include General Studies or Critical Thinking in our offers.
Conditional offers from Surrey will be made in grades or marks, and not listed in points from the UCAS tariff.
Required subjects
GCSE English Language and Mathematics at grade C or above (or equivalent).
Film Studies: Preference given to candidates having studied at least one of the following: Film Studies, Media Studies, English Language/Literature, Theatre Studies, Sociology or any modern language.
Film Studies with Creative Writing: English Language/Literature required.
English language requirements
Non-native speakers of English will normally be required to have IELTS 6.5 or above, with a minimum of 6.0 in each component (or equivalent).
Please note that the University of Surrey offers English language programmes and is also an IELTS Test Centre.
Other suitable qualifications
Cambridge Pre-U
M1, M1, M2
European Baccalaureate
74%
International Baccalaureate
34 points
BTEC (QCF Level 3) Extended Diploma
DDM
In addition, we accept a wide range of qualifications, including other Level 3 QCF Level 3 qualifications, Scottish qualifications, the Irish Leaving Certificate, Access Diplomas and foundation courses. Other qualifications will be considered on an individual basis.
It is important to check whether the qualifications you are taking are suitable for your chosen degree. If you are uncertain whether your qualification meets our entry requirements, please contact us.
If you are an international student and you don’t meet the entry requirements to this degree, we offer the International Foundation Year.
Selection process
Offers are made in terms of grades. We invite suitable candidates to visit the University to find out more about the programme and meet staff and students.
Tuition fees
UK/EU students
Tuition fees are currently set at £9,000 per year for UK/EU undergraduates starting in 2012.
The tuition charge will be accompanied by a generous financial support package, underlining our continued commitment to widening access for those students who come from low income households.
Overseas students
The fee for students classed as overseas for fees purposes is £12,130.
The University will assess your fee status. If you are unsure whether you are likely to be considered a home, EU or overseas student for fees purposes, the UKCISA website offers more information.
Professional Training Year Fees
Programmes marked with an asterisk (*) in the table above include a professional training year.
Currently fees of £1,050 (based on an inflation assumption of 2.5%) are charged for the Professional Training Year. Fees will not have to be paid up front for those students who decide to take up the Government’s loan for higher education fees. The Professional Training year is a key factor in the high employability rates achieved by students with Surrey degrees.
Our degrees
Studying film at Surrey also allows you to gain practical insights into the process of creating moving images. You will be able to use the Department’s digital filming and editing equipment and the professional studio located on the campus.
The Film Studies programme at Surrey enables you to specialise in the study of audiovisual media and particularly film. You will study methods of film analysis, film theory and the history of film, and develop an understanding of the historical evolution of particular genres, aesthetic traditions and forms, as well as their current characteristics and possible future forms.
In the first year of the programme you will learn how to plan and make a short digital film, and you will be able to develop these skills further in subsequent years by producing more short films and a final-year video project. You will be able to use our filming, editing and studio equipment, and will learn about the industrial framework for film-making, as well as the ethical and legal issues involved in film-making practice.
Our teaching staff have particular expertise in the study of documentary film and world cinema including European, South American and Chinese cinema. This allows you to gain an insight into the development of audiovisual media and cultural forms in a local, regional, national, international or global context. Further modules focus on screenwriting, adaptations of literature in film and animation.
We also offer Film Studies with Creative Writing.
Programme content
Programme overview
The Film Studies programme at Surrey will provide you with a structure to learn about the increasing importance of the moving image. Throughout your degree you will learn about film from a variety of different perspectives and develop your skills in film analysis, writing and reviewing, and your filming and editing skills.
Year 1 will provide you with the foundation for your next two years of study. The modules are designed to give you an overview of film studies. You will study film history, film production and film analysis. You will also be introduced to the study of mass media as part of the relationship between art and society. By the end of year 1 you will have written reviews and essays, and given some presentations. You will also have planned and made a short digital film.
Year 2 will concentrate on developing and strengthening your skills in interpretation and analysis. You will study two compulsory modules: one in world cinema and one on film research. You will then choose from a list of core options such as Documentary Film Practice and Cultural Industries. You may also choose from a list of modules in related disciplines to complement your growing expert knowledge.
In year 3 you will either write a dissertation based on a film studies topic, put together a short documentary video or make a short fiction film. You will also choose four to six optional modules in areas such as Animation, Green Film or TV Studio Practice.
Programme structure
Year 1 (FHEQ Level 4)
Modules include:
- Introduction to Film Studies
- Introduction to Film History Hollywood and Film Genres
- Films from Latin America
- Introduction to Audiovisual Media Practice
Year 2 (FHEQ Level 5)
Modules include:
- Research in Film
- Adaptations: Film and Literature
- Documentary Film History
- Developing the Short Fiction Film
- Documentary Film Practice
- Chinese Cinema
- Screenwriting
Professional Training year
• Optional Professional Training year
Year 3 (FHEQ Level 6)
Modules include:
• Dissertation
• Video Project
• Bollywood to Hollywood
• Director Study
• Green Film
• TV Studio Practice
• Animation
Professional training
The Professional Training year offers you the opportunity to develop a range of relevant transferable skills and enhance your future employment prospects. The School of Arts helps and supports students who wish to undertake a professional placement in the third year of their programme, putting them in contact with production companies, film festival organisers or social network organisations involved in making and distributing films.
Your tutor will advise you on how to go about organising your placement, and work with you to ensure that you are fully prepared to make the most of your placement period.
Career opportunities
Graduate prospects
This programme equips students with audiovisual literacy, production and public communication skills, making them suitable for employment in a diverse range of jobs in the film, media and culture industries.
Career opportunities
A degree in Film Studies will provide you with a choice of exciting career opportunities. You will have acquired specialist skills to draw upon for careers in film and television, journalism, professional writing, advertising and editing, and our programme also offers excellent preparation for postgraduate studies.
If you are keen to develop a career in production after graduation, you will need to use your degree to gain entry to further education and training in order to specialise in a particular area. Having this comprehensive knowledge and training will enable you to develop a career as a film or video producer, an editor or researcher.
Many students also become involved with the University newspaper, media production team or radio station, as this helps them build up a strong portfolio of work. This experience can then be used to demonstrate to future employers their passion for the industry.
Whatever direction you choose, the University has an excellent Careers Office which has helped us to maintain our reputation as a top university for graduate employment prospects. You can use the resources at the Careers Office as soon as you join the University and at any stage during your time at Surrey.
Additional information
Teaching
Our Film Studies programme is designed to ensure that you get the most out of every individual module. Each module of the Film Studies programme has its own learning outcomes, and our teaching and assessment is carefully designed to help you achieve great results. For modules where you are learning about examples from film history, teaching will involve lectures including viewing and discussing film clips in groups.
This will relate directly to teaching and practising your writing skills in film studies. Here, practice followed by individual and group feedback is key to our teaching and learning process. Theory will also be taught through examples, linking the learning of terminology with an understanding of how the words are applied.
To be a successful student in film studies, and a qualified employee in the industry, you will need research and presentation skills. Much of the teaching focuses on developing and practising these.
You will be introduced to Library and internet resources available at the University at the beginning of the programme. Throughout the programme you will learn how to use these resources for research, and practise various forms of presentation of your results in class or as part of your coursework. Again, written and spoken feedback on your work will guide you in your development.
Facilities
The University has equipped most of its teaching rooms with projection facilities to show films and film clips from video and DVD. For work on the history of film and critical analysis, we use these facilities. You will be able to view films in the media room in the main Library for individual study or in a group room for study with fellow students. You will also have 24-hour access to the University’s computing and media labs.
For practical film-making modules, we use JVC GYHM100E high-definition cameras with a selection of lenses, microphones, field mixers and portable lighting kits. We have 24-hour access to Final Cut Pro 7 edit suites with colour grading, motion graphics, DVD authoring and sound design for teaching, individual and group work.
Our broadcast studio has very recently been upgraded to house a full 1080i HD 3 camera studio with 32-channel lighting mixer and fluorescent lighting rig and gantry. The associated control room is equipped with a full HD broadcast vision mixer together with XDCAM HD, HD-DVCAM, DVCAM, DVD, HD mini DV, mini DV, DVCpro and Betacam video recorders, a broadcast 16/32-channel audio mixer, broadcast quality CD recorders and players, DAT and a hard disc recorder with associated ‘Soundforge’ audio editing software.
Assessment
You will be assessed through your written work such as your reviews, essays or reports, or you will sit examinations where your ability to write during a set time will be tested. For film-making and editing modules, your individual and group productions will be assessed and your production process evaluated. You will also have the chance to be assessed through presentations by demonstrating how well you can pitch your ideas using aids such as PowerPoint and film clips. You will quickly progress through practice with the help of feedback from your tutorial sessions and from your module leaders, who will assess your strengths and help you to work on any weaknesses.Why Surrey?
Film Studies degree 2013 at Surrey
- Ranked in the top twenty departments in the country by The Times Good University Guide 2013, The Guardian University Guide 2013 and The Complete University Guide 2013
- An exciting programme in Film Studies, blending practical, historical and theoretical learning
- Strong focus on graduate employability with industry-related modules, career planning and placement year
- Staff specialising in the study of documentary, world cinema and film industries
- Option to spend a year on a professional placement in a film/media/marketing organisation
- Opportunity to be part of a lively arts community on campus, with student collaborations across disciplines and the new Ivy Arts Centre which opened in 2011
- Benefit from good transport links to London and access to one of the world’s leading cultural and media centres
The practical side of the programme is one of its best aspects.
Charles Diable
BA Film Studies
I’ve known since taking my GCSEs that I wanted to pursue a career in film or media and after studying Media and Film Studies at A-level, I decided I wanted to continue developing my knowledge of the subject. I chose Film Studies at the University of Surrey because the programme offers a solid understanding of the industry – both the past and the present. The opportunity to choose modules was also really appealing as you can base these around your particular interests.
The practical side of the programme is one of its best aspects. I have a passion for film-making, whether it be filming, acting or editing, and working closely with your fellow students to create short films makes the experience much richer. There’s a lot of equipment at your disposal too, like a real television studio for live broadcasts and 24/7 access to editing suites.
On my Professional Training year I put everything I’d learnt into practice. I worked for a television production company in London and I was regularly on programme sets, helping with sound, filing and editing. You’re not on your own either – Surrey supports students throughout their placements, ensuring that they are having the best possible learning experience. Studying, as well as undertaking a Professional Training experience, is the ideal mix and really does set you up to be an employable individual.
Film Studies at Surrey
