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Film and Screen Studies (Joint Honours) BA (Hons)

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Key Facts

  • Level:

    Undergraduate

  • Duration:

    3 years full time
    4 years part time

  • Starting:

    September

  • Fees UK:

    Full Time: £9,250
    Part Time: £1,465 per 20 credit module

  • Fees International:

    Full Time: £13,000

Get in touch

For questions regarding study and admissions please contact us:

UK/EU Students enquiries

study@northampton.ac.uk
0300 303 2772

International Students enquiries

international@northampton.ac.uk
+44 (0)1604 894503

Overview

Screen media is not just entertainment: it’s the primary medium for storytelling, and for learning more about the world we live in and the people who live in it with us.  Film and Screen Studies is a dynamic and forward-facing joint honours programme that will give you the opportunity to explore the narrative, artistic, cultural, economic, and political implications of a wide range of diverse, global media.

The modules on the course combine world class staff expertise with a contemporary and industry informed curriculum. In particular, the course will provide a space to think about the potential for screen texts to be a force for positive social change, and how representations on screen have the power to alter and effect people’s opinions and attitudes towards both historical and contemporary issues. We offer a supportive environment for learning where you can develop your love of cinema, television and many other forms of screen media, and learn vital life skills for your future career.

We will support you to achieve your career and study ambitions, which is why if you complete our Employability Plus Gold programme or Changemaker Gold certificate alongside your studies and if you haven’t secured full-time employment 12 months after graduating* we will secure a three – six month paid internship for you, or support you into postgraduate study.

*with a 2:2 degree classification or higher

Updated 25/05/2021

Highlights

  • Covers an exciting, contemporary and diverse range of film and screen media, encompassing everything from traditional Hollywood cinema and cult film and television, to the output of streaming platforms such as Netflix and Disney+ and the latest cutting-edge video games.
  • Engage with vital contemporary issues concerning diversity and social justice movements
  • As well as utilising the facilities of the new Waterside Campus, we are one of the only degree programmes in the UK to teach students in a working independent cinema, helping students learning about industry practices such as distribution, marketing, curation and exhibition.
  • Access to specialist technology and editing facilities
  • Free UK site visits and trips and partake in masterclasses with industry practitioners. (All trips subject to national and local Covid-19 guidelines and restrictions. See our situation updates page for more on the University’s response to Covid-19)
  • Tuition fee waiver for placement and study abroad modules
  • Guaranteed paid internship with the Northampton Employment Promise.
  • HP laptop and software included with this course for eligible students* (*see Eligibility criteria and Terms and Conditions)

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If you’d like to see more of our Waterside campus, come and join us for a socially distanced CAMPUS TOUR.

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Course Content

  • Focusing on the study of the moving image, the program enables students to analyse how screen media creates meanings through particular forms, techniques, and styles; how industrial organization affects the way films are produced and received; and how the social context in which they are made and consumed influence the way we understand and make meaning.

    The curriculum covers a diverse range of media formats, with emphasis upon popular and contemporary screen media (film, television, streaming services, mobile and digital screen media.)

    Year 1

    The course is structured on a three-stage progressive model. The first year will introduce students to the history and development of screen media, as well as how society and scholars have sought to understand the content, audiences, and industry of popular media; specific modules include investigating the figure of the superhero, animation and representation, stardom, transmedia, Hollywood film and the auteur.

    Year 2

    In stage two you will build on the skills gained in stage one; more optionality allows focus on specific areas of screen media, developing your knowledge of how film and screen media operate in the field of popular culture and its various industrial contexts. Typical modules include Fan Cultures, scriptwriting, European Cinemas, sci-fi and fantasy genres, and critical and cultural screen theory.

    Year 3

    In stage three, building on the work done over prior years, module options will provide the opportunity for students to pursue specialised interests, such as Cult Media, East Asian Cinemas, and Videogames. You will also have space to explore your specific passions via a written dissertation.

    Combining your interests

    Film and Screen Studies is a Joint Honours subject, so you will combine this with another area of interest, allowing you to study two subjects. You can study both equally, or focus on one more than the other, creating a major/minor split.

    If you wish to study the media from both theoretical and practical standpoints, then combining Film and Screen Studies with the Creative Film, Television and Digital Media Production course is recommended. However, the course works well with all available joint honours subjects, and we of course welcome students with all manner of different joint honours combinations.

    Career prospects

    Students study Film and Screen studies for a great variety of reasons; whether you wish to pursue a career in the creative industries, or simply explore your passion for screen media, the course will open up a range of career opportunities.

    Recent graduates have secured jobs with Disney, The BBC and Channel 4, and have formed their own media production companies. Others have pursued careers in web design, publishing, teaching, or gone on to further academic study.

    Whatever your ambitions, studying Film and Screen at Northampton will provide you with the transferable skills of analytical thinking, research, and presentation that will make you in demand in the 21st-century workplace, putting you in a great position to secure employment or to further continue your studies.

    Methods of Learning

    We aim to bring out the best in all our students, and we recognise that employers are increasingly demanding that graduates are well equipped with a range of transferable skills. Throughout your degree we will offer you the best support available to allow you to get the most from your independent and team-based learning. You will be taught through a variety of lectures, seminars, workshops, and online discussion forums.

    You will be assessed in all sorts of ways, including: traditional essays, video essays, individual presentations, group projects, blogs, pitches and critical reviews.

  • General entry requirements apply. A typical offer would be BCC at A-Level or DMM at BTEC. We welcome international applications and applications from students with a range of non-traditional educational or professional qualifications.

    For more more information on how to make an application, please visit our How to Apply page.

    If you are an International student and would like information on making an application, please see our How to Apply page.

    Integrated Foundation Year Entry Requirements

    Admission to this foundation programme is normally DEE at A-Level or MPP at BTEC. However, we would also like to hear from you if you have professional or industry experience instead, a range of other qualifications or self-developed subject knowledge that relates to the programme you wish to study.

    English Language Requirements

    All International and EU students applying for a course with us must meet the following minimum English language requirements:

    • IELTS 6.0 (or equivalent) with a minimum of 5.5 in all bands for study at undergraduate level.

    For information regarding English language requirements at the University, please see our IELTS page.

  • 21/22 Tuition Fees

    Fees quoted relate to study in the Academic Year 21/22 only and may be subject to inflationary increases in future years.

    • UK – Full Time: £9,250
    • UK – Part Time: £1,465 per 20 credit module
    • International – Full Time: £13,000
    Additional costs
    • printing costs: £50+ per year
    • external hard drive to store material: £50
    • travel to Film Shoots: no more than £50
    2020/21 Tuition Fees

    Fees quoted relate to study in the Academic Year 20/21 only and may be subject to inflationary increases in future years.

    • UK and EU – Full Time: £9,250
    • UK and EU – Part Time: £1,450 per 20 credit module
    • International – Full Time: £12,900
    Additional costs
    • printing costs: £50+ per year
    • external hard drive to store material: £50
    • travel to Film Shoots: no more than £50

     

    For information on the scholarships available to you, please see our scholarships page.

     

  • At the University of Northampton, everything we do, from funded trips to paid internships, is to give you everything you need to make a difference when you leave.

    If you join this full time degree at Northampton you will receive a laptop when your course begins. The laptops are built to a bespoke custom specification ideal for use in the seminar room, collaborative group work or studying at home.

    Whatever your ambitions, we’re here to help you to achieve them. We’ll support you to identify the skills you’re learning during your course, find your strengths and secure practical experience so that when it comes to applying for jobs or further study you’ll feel confident in standing out from the crowd. We’ve created the Northampton Employment Promise because we are so confident that if you focus on your studies and complete one of our awards you’ll be highly employable by the time you graduate. Putting you in a great position to secure employment or continue your studies.

    To check out the full list of perks visit our Student Perks page.

  • Our Film and Screen Studies Joint Honours has some great combinations so you can tailor your degree to your ambitions. Here are the following course combinations available to you:

  • All applications for full-time undergraduate courses are completed through UCAS. The code for the University of Northampton is N38, which you will need to complete your application.

    If you would like to apply for part-time study, distance or online learning, professional courses, post registration study, the BA in Learning and Teaching, the foundation degree in early years or full-time postgraduate study, please apply directly to the University.

  • How will I be taught?

    We aim to bring out the best in all our undergraduates and we recognise that employers are increasingly demanding that graduates are well equipped with a range of transferable skills. You will be taught via a variety of lectures, seminars, and workshops, augmented by online blending learning content.

    How will I be assessed?

    You will be assessed in a variety of ways; alongside more traditional assessment methods such as essays, presentations, and projects, you will also engage in innovative technology-supported assessment, such as video essays and podcasts, via the University virtual learning environment. Throughout your degree we will offer you the best support available to allow you to get the most from your independent and team-based learning.

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Staff

Mike Starr

Senior Lecturer in Film & Screen Studies

Specialisms: Film Philosophy, Sci-fi, Popular Culture, Global Cinemas.

The Film and Screen course team are internationally recognized experts who have a passion for all forms of screen media, and take teaching as seriously as they take their own research. The team is big enough to offer a variety of modules catering for all interests, but small enough to provide you with a close-knit learning environment. You will know your tutors personally and see them regularly, and there will always be someone to help you with your academic study, and to provide pastoral support hand–in-hand with Northampton’s student support services.

Is this course for you?

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