Film Studies at Surrey has a great combination of theoretical and practical modules. This has enabled me to learn, but also helped me to realise what I do and don’t enjoy doing.
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.
Studying film at Surrey allows you to gain practical insights into the process of creating moving images. You are able to use the Department’s digital filming and editing equipment and the professional studio located on campus.
The Film Studies degree programme at Surrey enables you to specialise in the study of audiovisual media and particularly film. You 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 degree, you 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 are able to use our filming, editing and studio equipment, and learn about the industrial framework for film-making, as well as the ethical and legal issues involved in film-making practice.
Our teaching staff has particular expertise in the study of documentary, animation, German and French cinema, film theory, experimental film and European New Wave. This allows you to gain an insight into the development of audiovisual media across different genres in varied cultural contexts. Further modules focus on screenwriting and adaptations of literature in film.
Our Film Studies programme at Surrey provides you with a structure to learn about the increasing importance of the moving image. Throughout your degree, you 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 provides you with the foundation for your next two years of study. The modules are designed to give you an overview of film studies. You study film history, film production and film analysis. You are also introduced to the study of mass media as part of the relationship between art and society. By the end of your first year, you will have written reviews and essays, and given some presentations. You will also have planned and made a short digital film.
Modules include:
Year 2 concentrates on developing and strengthening your skills in interpretation and analysis. You study two compulsory modules: one in documentary studies and one on film theory. You 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.
Modules include:
The Professional Training placement 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.
In Year 3, you either write a dissertation based on a film studies topic, put together a short documentary video or make a short fiction film. You also choose four to six optional modules in areas such as Animation, Green Film or TV Studio Practice.
Modules include:
The Professional Training placement 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 offers advice to you on how to go about organising your placement, and works with you to ensure that you are fully prepared to make the most of your placement period.
Our Film Studies degree 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 is also 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.
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 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 quickly progress through practice with the help of feedback from your tutorial sessions and from your module leaders, who assess your strengths and help you to work on any weaknesses.
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 are 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 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 recently been upgraded to house a full 1080i HD three-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.
A degree in Film Studies will provide you with a choice of exciting career opportunities. Throughout your study, you acquire 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 are able to use your Surrey degree to gain entry to further education and training in order to specialise in a particular area. Having this comprehensive knowledge and training enables 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.
Our degree programme equips you with audiovisual literacy, production and public communication skills, making you suitable for employment in a diverse range of jobs in the film, media and culture industries.
Come to one of our Open Days, when you can tour the campus, speak to students and academic staff, see our student accommodation and ask as many questions as you like. In the meantime, order a personal prospectus – tailored to only include the subjects that interest you.
GCSE English Language and Mathematics at grade C or above (or equivalent).
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.
Offers are normally made in terms of grades. Suitable candidates will be invited to an Applicant Day. During the visit to the University the candidate can find out more about the programme and meet staff and students.
Non-native speakers of English will normally be required to have IELTS 6.5 or above, with a minimum of 6.0 in each sub-skill (or equivalent).
We offer intensive English language pre-sessional courses, designed to take you to the level of English ability and skill required for your studies here.
| Award | Course Length | Professional Training | UCAS code | KIS code |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BA (Hons) | 3 years | W620 | View KIS data set | |
| BA (Hons) | 4 years | W620 | View KIS data set |
We offer a range of bursaries, scholarships and other financial support.
See course information for students applying to start in September 2013.
Phone: +44 (0)1483 681 681
