Film Studies and East Asian Studies
Film studies and East Asian studies is a combination that opens an unusually rich and specific analytical terrain. Film studies examines cinema as an art form, a cultural industry and a social phenomenon, developing the critical vocabulary and theoretical tools needed to analyse moving-image texts in their aesthetic, historical and ideological dimensions. East Asian studies focuses on the cultures, languages, histories and societies of the region, providing deep contextual knowledge of the traditions and contemporary conditions of China, Japan, Korea and other East Asian societies.
Together they allow you to engage with some of the world's most distinctive and globally influential film traditions from a position of genuine cultural and historical understanding.
At the School of Oriental and African Studies the programme is taught within an institution whose global and cross-cultural perspective is embedded in its identity and mission. You will study film history and theory alongside the scholarly study of East Asian culture, history and society. The programme includes a foundation year, providing an entry route for students developing the academic skills needed for degree-level study, with the main degree running full time over three years.
You will develop skills in close film analysis, cultural criticism, area studies research, language learning (depending on your language choices within the programme) and academic writing that draws on both disciplines. The ability to engage with cultural products in their social and historical contexts is a transferable intellectual skill valued across many professions.
Graduates from this combination pursue careers in film journalism and criticism, cultural programming, arts administration, international communications, teaching, publishing, and roles in organisations engaged with East Asian culture or business. Postgraduate study in film studies, Asian studies, cultural studies or related fields is also a natural path for those seeking specialist expertise.