Film and English

Film and English is a degree that examines two of the most important and widely consumed narrative art forms, asking how stories are told, what purposes they serve, and what they reveal about the cultures that produce and receive them. English literature has developed sophisticated tools for reading texts closely, understanding genre and form, situating works in their historical and social contexts, and thinking about the relationship between language and meaning. Film studies applies analogous approaches to the moving image, asking how cinema creates meaning through composition, editing, sound, and narrative, and how the conventions of filmmaking have evolved across periods and national traditions.

At the University of Southampton, this three-year, full-time programme includes a year abroad, giving you the chance to study English and film in a different national context, deepening both your comparative and cross-cultural perspective. You will analyse writing across the full range of literary history, from early poetry through to the contemporary novel, and examine film from Hollywood blockbusters and European art cinema to world cinema traditions, developing the critical vocabulary to move across both art forms with confidence. The year abroad enriches this comparative dimension by placing you within a different cultural and cinematic environment.

Southampton's strong humanities research culture provides an intellectually rich setting for this work.

Graduates of Film and English work in journalism, criticism, publishing, broadcasting, education, cultural management, arts administration, and the creative industries. The analytical and communicative skills both disciplines develop are valuable in any profession that requires close reading, clear writing, and cultural understanding. Many graduates continue to postgraduate study in film studies, English literature, cultural studies, creative writing, or screen studies, and some move into production, screenwriting, or related practice-based careers.

The year abroad adds international experience that strengthens the graduate profile.