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Film and Screen Media

MA

Application options include:

Full-time Part-time
On campus

Course Overview

On our MA Film and Screen Media you will have the opportunity to explore the history, development and interaction of film, television and other screen media in historical, sociological, aesthetic and anthropological terms, and in a variety of cultural and national contexts.

Why choose this course?

  • This course is unique in its combination of world-class, rigorous postgraduate study with strong creative and practical opportunities.
  • It offers you an optional two-month work placement module on which you can gain valuable, practical experience that will enhance your career prospects in the film and screen media industries.
  • It includes further option modules that offer you exciting networking opportunities and can help you stand out in a competitive job market and further your career in the media, creative and cultural industries. 
  • It gives you the chance to specialise depending on your interests and career goals.

What you will learn

You will gain advanced knowledge in the history, theory and contemporary practice of film, TV and related media, and creative media practice. You will also gain in-depth understanding of the historical, technological and cultural interaction between the main media forms - from pre-cinematic forms to sound cinema, television, the digital turn, the internet, VR and generative AI.

This course is designed so that you can graduate with one of the following awards by focusing on film and screen media studies or by specialising further:

  • MA Film and Screen Media
  • MA Film and Screen Media with Film Programming and Curating
  • MA Film and Screen Media with Television

You can also apply separately for the MA Film and Screen Media (with Study Abroad) to spend a term abroad at one of our partner institutions.

How you will learn

This course is available to study full- or part-time. It has an evening timetable with classes taking place in the evening. These consist mostly of small group and seminar teaching, with some individual supervision, and are delivered by leading film and media academics.

You will learn about industry practice via guest speakers and work placement opportunities. You will also have the chance to engage in practice-based learning in workshops and pursue individual research projects supported by tutors. 

Discover the career opportunities available by taking Film and Screen Media (MA).

Key information and modules

Pathways for Film and Screen Media (MA)

This course has additional Pathways to offer you the chance to specialise depending on your interests and career goals.

Find another course:

Highlights

  • Birkbeck is part of the Screen Studies Group, so to gain further experience you may take one of your option modules at participating University of London institutions too, such as at Goldsmiths, Kings College London, Queen Mary's, SOAS and UCL.
  • Teaching and supervision are delivered by leading film and media academics, including Drs Mike Allen, Janet McCabe and Dorota Ostrowska, and Professors Laura Mulvey and Ian Christie. The research expertise of our academics is in cinema history, exhibition cultures, programming and curating, film aesthetics, television industry and form, and contemporary and future new media opportunities inform every aspect of the course.
  • Birkbeck was ranked as one of the top four universities in the UK for its Art and Design research in the 2021 Research Excellence Framework.
  • The award-winning Birkbeck Cinema is central to this course. The 70-seat cinema is equipped with 35mm and state-of-the-art DVD projection. The Birkbeck Institute for the Moving Image (BIMI) runs a busy, intellectually stimulating programme of events, including conferences, screenings and film-related events of all kinds. You will have the opportunity to participate in and attend the Essay Film Festival, jointly run by BIMI and the Institute of Contemporary Arts (ICA), with free admission to events hosted at Birkbeck. There are practical film-making opportunities offered through the Derek Jarman Lab.
  • Located in central London, in the heart of historic Bloomsbury, Birkbeck is within easy reach of cinemas and galleries, as well as facilities such as the British Film Institute and the British Library.
  • We offer a number of bursaries for postgraduate students.
Come and meet us Request a prospectus Contact us

Birkbeck makes all reasonable efforts to deliver educational services, modules and programmes of study as described on our website. In the event that there are material changes to our offering (for example, due to matters beyond our control), we will update applicant and student facing information as quickly as possible and offer alternatives to applicants, offer-holders and current students.

Most of our courses are taught in the evenings, however some of our courses offer a daytime timetable. Where there is an option to attend daytime teaching sessions, this is stated in the Key Information section under Attendance.

  • Entry Requirements Entry Requirements

    Entry Requirements

    A second-class honours degree (2:2 or above).

    You are required to complete a 700-1000-word written exercise by choosing a film or television programme which you have recently seen and explaining why you found it innovative. Your completed exercise should be  or alternatively uploaded to the Applicant Portal, either as a Word document or a PDF. Please ensure that you include your reference number and name on each page of the document. Successful candidates will be invited to attend an interview.

    Applications are reviewed on their individual merits and your professional qualifications and/or relevant work experience will be taken into consideration positively. We actively support and encourage applications from mature learners.

    On your application form, please list all your relevant qualifications and experience, including those you expect to achieve.

    Apply now to secure your place. The earlier you apply, the sooner your application can be considered and you can enrol. You do not need to have completed your current qualification to start your application.

    English language requirements

    If English is not your first language or you have not previously studied in English, the requirement for this course is the equivalent of an International English Language Testing System (IELTS Academic Test) score of 6.5, with not less than 6.0 in each of the sub-tests.

    If you don't meet the minimum IELTS requirement, we offer pre-sessional English courses and foundation programmes to help you improve your English language skills and get your place at Birkbeck.

    Visit the International section of our website to find out more about our English language entry requirements and relevant requirements by country.

    Visa and funding requirements

    If you are not from the UK and you do not already have residency here, you may need to apply for a visa.

    The visa you apply for varies according to the length of your course:

    • Courses of more than six months' duration: Student visa
    • Courses of less than six months' duration: Standard Visitor visa

    International students who require a Student visa should apply for our full-time courses as these qualify for Student visa sponsorship. If you are living in the UK on a Student visa, you will not be eligible to enrol as a student on Birkbeck's part-time courses (with the exception of some modules).

    For full information, read our visa information for international students page.

    Please also visit the international section of our website to find out more about relevant visa and funding requirements by country.

    Please note students receiving US Federal Aid are only able to apply for in-person, on-campus programmes which will have no elements of online study.

    Credits and accredited prior learning (APL)

    If you have studied at university, you may have accumulated credits through the modules you studied. It may be possible to transfer these credits from your previous study to Birkbeck or another institution.

  • Fees Fees

    Fees

    Film and Screen Media: January start MA: 1 year full-time or 2 years part-time, on campus, starting in academic year 2024-25

    Academic year 2024–25, starting January 2025

    Part-time home students: £5,400 per year
    Full-time home students: £10,800 per year
    Part-time international students: £9,915 per year
    Full-time international students: £19,830 per year

    Film and Screen Media MA: 1 year full-time or 2 years part-time, on campus, starting in academic year 2025-26

    Academic year 2025–26, starting October 2025

    To be confirmed

    Film and Screen Media: January start MA: 1 year full-time or 2 years part-time, on campus, starting in academic year 2025-26

    Academic year 2025–26, starting January 2026

    To be confirmed

    Students are charged a tuition fee in each year of their course. Tuition fees for students continuing on their course in following years may be subject to annual inflationary increases. For more information, please see the College Fees Policy.

    If you’ve studied at Birkbeck before and successfully completed an award with us, take advantage of our Lifelong Learning Guarantee to gain a discount on the tuition fee of this course.

    Discover the financial support available to you to help with your studies at Birkbeck.

    International scholarships

    We provide a range of scholarships for eligible international students, including our Global Future Scholarship. Discover if you are eligible for a scholarship.

  • Teaching and Assessment Teaching and Assessment

    Teaching

    At Birkbeck, most of our courses are taught in the evening and all of our teaching is designed to support students who are juggling evening study with work and other commitments. We actively encourage innovative and engaging ways of teaching, to ensure our students have the best learning experience.

    Teaching may include formal lectures, seminars, and practical classes and tutorials. Formal lectures are used in most degree programmes to give an overview of a particular field of study. They aim to provide the stimulus and the starting point for deeper exploration of the subject during your own personal reading. Seminars give you the chance to explore a specific aspect of your subject in depth and to discuss and exchange ideas with fellow students. They typically require preparatory study.

    In addition, you will have access to pastoral support via a named Personal Tutor.

    Methods of teaching on this course

    Lectures, seminars, screenings, field trips and events.

    Teaching hours

    Our evening hours are normally between 6pm and 9pm (6-7.30pm and 7.30-9pm). Some programmes also offer teaching during the day and this will be clearly signposted to you where it is available.

    On our taught courses, you will have scheduled teaching and study sessions each year. Scheduled teaching sessions may include lectures, seminars, workshops or laboratory work. Depending on the modules you take, you may also have additional scheduled academic activities, such as tutorials, dissertation supervision, practical classes, visits and field trips. On our taught courses, the actual amount of time you spend in the classroom and in contact with your lecturers will depend on your course, the option modules you select and when you undertake your final-year project (if applicable).

    Alongside your contact hours, you will also undertake assessment activities and independent learning outside of class. The amount of time you need to allocate to study both for taught sessions (this might include online sessions and/or in-person sessions) and personal study will depend on how much you are studying during the year and whether you are studying full time or part time.

    Birkbeck’s courses are made up of modules and allocated ‘credit’. One credit is equivalent to ten hours of learning time. Modules are usually in 15, 30 or 60 credit units. A 15-credit module will mean around 150 hours of learning, including taught sessions and independent study or group work. This is spread out over the whole period of that module and includes the time you spend on any assessments, including in examinations, preparing and writing assessments or engaged in practical work as well as any study support sessions to help you in your learning.

    On our distance-learning and blended-learning courses, discussion, collaboration and interaction with your lecturers and fellow students is encouraged and enabled through various learning technologies.

    Timetables

    Timetables are usually available from September onwards and you can access your personalised timetable via your My Birkbeck Profile online (if you have been invited to enrol).

    Indicative class size

    Class sizes vary, depending on your course, the module you are undertaking, and the method of teaching. For example, lectures are presented to larger groups, whereas seminars usually consist of small, interactive groups led by a tutor.

    Independent learning

    On our taught courses, much of your time outside of class will be spent on self-directed, independent learning, including preparing for classes and following up afterwards. This will usually include, but is not limited to, reading books and journal articles, undertaking research, working on coursework and assignments, and preparing for presentations and assessments.

    Independent learning is absolutely vital to your success as a student. Everyone is different, and the study time required varies topic by topic, but, as a guide, expect to schedule up to five hours of self-study for each hour of teaching.

    Study skills and additional support

    Birkbeck offers study and learning support to undergraduate and postgraduate students to help them succeed. Our Learning Development Service can help you in the following areas:

    • academic skills (including planning your workload, research, writing, exam preparation and writing a dissertation)
    • written English (including structure, punctuation and grammar)
    • numerical skills (basic mathematics and statistics).

    Our Disability and Dyslexia Service can support you if you have additional learning needs resulting from a disability or from dyslexia.

    Our Counselling Service can support you if you are struggling with emotional or psychological difficulties during your studies.

    Our Mental Health Advisory Service can support you if you are experiencing short- or long-term mental health difficulties during your studies.

    Assessment

    Assessment is an integral part of your university studies and usually consists of a combination of coursework and examinations, although this will vary from course to course - on some of our courses, assessment is entirely by coursework. The methods of assessment on this course are specified below under 'Methods of assessment on this course'. You will need to allow time to complete coursework and prepare for exams.

    Where a course has unseen written examinations, these may be held termly, but, on the majority of our courses, exams are usually taken in the Summer term, during May to June. Exams may be held at other times of the year as well. In most cases, exams are held during the day on a weekday - if you have daytime commitments, you will need to make arrangements for daytime attendance - but some exams are held in the evening. Exam timetables are published online.

    Find out more about assessment at Birkbeck, including guidance on assessment, feedback and our assessment offences policy.

    Methods of assessment on this course

    Essay assignments and a placement/research report of approximately 5000 words each, and a dissertation of 15,000 words due in September of the final year.

  • Careers and employability Careers and employability

    Careers and employability

    Graduates can pursue career paths in film and television companies, film festival organising, museums and galleries, arts administration, education, publishing and film criticism. Possible professions include:

    • programme researcher
    • television/film/video content producer
    • museum or gallery curator
    • teaching
    • communications and PR.

    It is also possible to continue on to a PhD which offers employment opportunities in academia and other areas of advanced research.

    Jobs gained by some of our MA and PhD graduates include:

    • Deputy Editor, Sight & Sound
    • freelance editor
    • independent film producer running their own company
    • Temporary Exhibitions Curator, Science Museum
    • Curator of Public Programmes, British Film Institute
    • Associate Lecturer, University of Surrey
    • Reader, King’s College London
    • Academic Publishing Sales Manager, Taylor & Francis Group.

    We offer a comprehensive careers service - Careers and Enterprise - your career partner during your time at Birkbeck and beyond. At every stage of your career journey, we empower you to take ownership of your future, helping you to make the connection between your experience, education and future ambitions.

  • How to apply How to apply

    How to apply

    You apply directly to Birkbeck for this course, using the online application link.

    You will need to prove your identity when you apply - read more about suitable forms of identification.

    When to apply

    You are strongly advised to apply now, to ensure there are still places on your chosen course and to give you enough time to complete the admissions process, to arrange funding and to enrol.

    You don't need to complete your current programme of study before you apply - Birkbeck can offer you a place that is conditional on your results.

    You will also receive information about subject-specific induction sessions over the summer.

    Help and advice with your application

    Get all the information you need about the application, admission and enrolment process at Birkbeck.

    Our online personal statement tool will guide you through every step of writing the personal statement part of your application.

    Apply for your course

    Apply for your course using the apply now button in the key information section.

Visit the School of Creative Arts, Culture and Communication

Related courses

Pathways for Film and Screen Media (MA)

Course structure

Course structure listing

Course structure and modules for Film and Screen Media: January start MA: 1 year full-time or 2 years part-time, on campus, starting January 2025

You must complete modules worth a total of 180 credits, consisting of:

  • a core module (30 credits)
  • two to four option modules (60 credits)
  • a research project or work placement (30 credits)
  • a 15,000-word dissertation (60 credits).

We are part of the Screen Studies Group and participate in the intercollegiate module exchange which involves SOAS, UCL, KCL, Queen Mary University and Goldsmiths. You may take one of your option modules at the participating colleges of the University of London.

Core module
Indicative option modules
Research/placement project and report
MA Film and Screen Media dissertation

Course structure and modules for Film and Screen Media MA: 1 year full-time or 2 years part-time, on campus, starting October 2025

You must complete modules worth a total of 180 credits, consisting of:

  • a core module (30 credits)
  • two to four option modules (60 credits - if you choose to study abroad, 30 credits must be taken at the European partner institution)
  • a research project or work placement (30 credits)
  • a 15,000-word dissertation (60 credits).

Pathways

You may also exit this award with:

  • MA Film and Screen Media with Film Programming and Curating or
  • MA Film and Screen Media with Television

in which case you will need to take the following modules:

  • MA Film and Screen Media with Film Programming and Curating: Film Festivals 
  • MA Film and Screen Media with Television: Issues in Global Television: Analogue, Digital, National, Transnational

Option modules at other institutions

We are part of the Screen Studies Group and participate in the intercollegiate module exchange which involves SOAS, UCL, KCL, Queen Mary University and Goldsmiths. You may take one of your option modules at a participating college of the University of London.

Core module
Indicative option modules
Research/placement project and report
MA Film and Screen Media dissertation

Course structure and modules for Film and Screen Media: January start MA: 1 year full-time or 2 years part-time, on campus, starting January 2026

You must complete modules worth a total of 180 credits, consisting of:

  • a core module (30 credits)
  • two to four option modules (60 credits - if you choose to study abroad, 30 credits must be taken at the European partner institution)
  • a research project or work placement (30 credits)
  • a 15,000-word dissertation (60 credits).

Pathways

You may also exit this award with:

  • MA Film and Screen Media with Film Programming and Curating or
  • MA Film and Screen Media with Television

in which case you will need to take the following modules:

  • MA Film and Screen Media with Film Programming and Curating: Film Festivals 
  • MA Film and Screen Media with Television: Issues in Global Television: Analogue, Digital, National, Transnational

Option modules at other institutions

We are part of the Screen Studies Group and participate in the intercollegiate module exchange which involves SOAS, UCL, KCL, Queen Mary University and Goldsmiths. You may take one of your option modules at a participating college of the University of London.

Core module
Indicative option modules
Research/placement project and report
MA Film and Screen Media dissertation