Biblical Studies and Film Studies

Biblical studies and film studies is an unusual and intellectually rich combination that connects one of the most ancient and influential bodies of literature with one of the most powerful artistic media of the modern era. As the University of St Andrews describes its biblical studies programme, it provides an opportunity to explore the profound influence that the Christian and Jewish Scriptures have had on Western civilisation, studying the Old and New Testaments alongside a wide range of Jewish and Christian writings from the same periods, including the Dead Sea Scrolls. Film studies, meanwhile, develops your ability to analyse cinema as an artistic form and cultural product, examining how moving images generate meaning and how screen media both reflect and shape the cultures that produce them.

St Andrews' four-year full-time Biblical Studies and Film Studies degree includes a year abroad option, giving you the chance to study at a partner institution and broaden both your academic and personal horizons. The typical entry tariff is not stated, but the programme is particularly suited to those who want a broad range of options across arts subjects while still giving significant attention to divinity. The combination is distinctive: biblical literature has had an enormous influence on the history of film, from the earliest biblical epics to contemporary allegorical cinema, and studying both opens rich possibilities for comparative and interdisciplinary analysis.

Graduates work in education, journalism, the cultural sector, broadcasting, arts administration, theological and religious organisations, heritage, and publishing. The close reading skills, cultural literacy, and analytical abilities developed through the combination transfer well across many professional contexts. Postgraduate study in biblical studies, theology, film, or media is a natural direction for those wanting to develop specialist expertise or pursue academic research.