Comaparative Literature and Film

Comparative literature and film is the study of stories across languages, cultures, and media, examining how narrative, meaning, and artistic form work differently in different contexts and what we learn by reading across those differences. Comparative literature asks what is gained when we refuse to confine our reading to a single national tradition, exploring how texts in dialogue across languages and cultural contexts reveal things that single-tradition study cannot. Film studies brings a related but distinct set of questions, examining cinema as an artistic and cultural form with its own conventions, histories, and theories.

Together, the disciplines offer an unusually broad toolkit for understanding how human beings use narrative to make sense of experience.

At Queen Mary University of London, this three-year, full-time degree explores stories that take us across time, geography, and the boundaries between different artistic forms. You will engage with texts and films from multiple traditions, developing the close reading and critical thinking skills that literary and film studies share, and you will encounter the most important issues in history, politics, gender studies, and cultural theory through the lens of narrative and representation. Queen Mary's location in East London gives it access to one of the most diverse and culturally rich cities in the world, and the programme reflects that cosmopolitan intellectual environment.

The typical entry tariff of 136 points reflects a strong academic foundation.

Graduates of comparative literature and film programmes work in publishing, journalism, broadcasting, the creative industries, teaching, arts administration, and cultural criticism. Many also pursue careers in film production, distribution, and exhibition, or in the growing field of content creation for digital platforms. Academic careers in literature, film studies, or cultural studies require postgraduate study, and the degree provides an excellent foundation for doctoral research.

The analytical and communication skills developed through the programme are transferable across a wide range of professional environments.