Film and Screen Studies

Film and screen studies examines moving images as art forms and cultural documents, asking how they produce their meanings, what effects they have on audiences and societies, and what the history and theory of cinema and screen culture tell us about the world we live in. It is a discipline that develops close reading skills, historical knowledge and critical thinking applied to one of the most pervasive and influential art forms in human history. At the University of Nottingham, this three-year full-time degree includes a foundation year option for those who need additional academic preparation, and is taught by researchers who are actively engaged with the history, theory and criticism of cinema and screen culture.

You will study film history from the earliest silent cinema through the classical Hollywood era, European art cinema, world cinema and contemporary screen culture, developing the analytical tools to understand formal choices about editing, cinematography, sound and narrative alongside the social, political and institutional contexts in which films are made and received. Theory and criticism, including auteur theory, genre analysis, feminist film theory and post-colonial approaches to cinema, give you conceptual frameworks for understanding what films do beyond simply telling stories. Nottingham's programme has research strengths in film history, adaptation and screen culture.

A typical tariff of around 136 points is expected for standard entry.

Graduates pursue careers in film programming, festival curation, film and television criticism, journalism, publishing, arts administration, cultural policy, education and academic research. The analytical skills film studies develops are also valued in advertising, communications, digital content creation and heritage work. Many graduates proceed to postgraduate study in film studies, cultural studies or journalism, while others move into practical production roles alongside their critical training.