Film & Screen Media (MA)

1. Study
2. Postgraduate
3. Taught Courses
4. Masters
5. Film and Screen Media

About This Course

Explore This Section

Fact File

• Title

  Film & Screen Media

• Code

  MAFX

• College

  Arts, Celtic Studies and Social Sciences

• Duration

  1 Year Full-time

• Teaching Mode

  Full-time

• Qualifications

  MA

• EU Fees

  €6,630
  See Fees and Costs for full details.

• Non-EU Fees

  €16,700

• Entry Requirements

  Second Class Honours, Grade I in a primary honours degree in the Humanities. See Requirements for full details.

• Closing Date

  Open for EU applications, check rounds closing under How to Apply

• Non-EU Closing Date

  30 June 2023

• Start Date

  11 September 2023

Course Outline

Our MA in Film & Screen Media is a one-year taught course that offers students advanced-level critical skills in the discipline of Film & Screen Media, training in digital filmmaking, and transferrable IT/web skills.

This exciting MA combines film studies in theory, analysis, history and practice, with an emphasis on encouraging students’ academic skills and creativity (in critical writing; filmmaking; film/media journalism; cultural administration). Students will benefit from specialised tuition in the areas of film and screen media and digital filmmaking and may also avail of voluntary work for cultural projects and film festivals, such as the Fastnet Film Festival, Schull.

With its annual seminar series of visiting speakers and guest practitioners, as well as mentorship by resident UCC/Arts Council Film Artist, UCC Film & Screen Media gives students ample opportunities to meet and be taught by professionals and experts. We are also the only Irish partner in the European University Film Award — an award of the European Film Academy (EFA) and Filmfest Hamburg presented and voted for by university students across Europe — with one student gaining the opportunity to travel to Germany to participate in the Awards.

Programme Content

The MA in Film & Screen Media is a 90-credit programme with both a taught and a research component. Students take core modules and a selection of optional modules and complete either a traditional research dissertation or a practice-based project under expert supervision.

You can opt to complete a practice-based project, incorporating a short film/visual project and a reflective piece (40 credits) or a 16,000-word research-based dissertation (40 credits).

Our students avail of specialised tuition in the areas of film and screen media and digital filmmaking, and benefit from state-of-the-art facilities, that include large screen and surround sound system; Apple™ lab; digital cameras and industry-standard filmmaking equipment; and teaching and performance space, all located in the heart of one of the most beautiful University campuses in Ireland. 

Your can avail of a selection of option modules, in film studies, in filmmaking, in cultural/film studies, as well as a core module that offers advanced-level studies in film and screen media. In total students take 90 credits as follows:

Part I

• FX6010 Irish Cinema: History, Contexts, Aesthetics (10 credits)
• FX6017 Film and Screen Cultures and Industries (20 credits)
• FX6018 Research Methodologies Seminar (10 credits)

plus 10 credits from the following:

• GE6020 Questions of Adaptation and Adoption: ReWritings/ReViewings/ReReadings (10 credits)
• CS6104 Digital Video Capture and Packaging (5 credits)*
• CS6504 Digital Video Project (5 credits)*
• FX6014 Introduction to Creative Practice (10 credits)**
• MU6037 Music and Cinema (10 credits)

Part II 

• FX6016 Dissertation in Film and Screen Media Studies (40 credits) OR
• FX6019 Creative Practice Project (40 credits)

Notes:

• *CS6104 and CS6504 must be taken together. Maximum 6 FX students.
• **FX6014 is an introductory module designed only for students that have not previously studied practical filmmaking.
• Not all optional modules may be available in a given year.

See the University Calendar (MA Film & Screen Media) for further information.

Course Practicalities

This full-time, one-year degree adopts a range of teaching methods and techniques, including traditional lectures, seminars, small-group tutorials, film screenings, practical labs, group work. You attend taught modules throughout the two teaching semesters (September to March), then focus entirely on your dissertation/project during the summer months. Some modules may involve some extra hours of self-directed filming and editing. Students may have opportunities to avail of voluntary work in film festivals or cultural events.  You are required to attend all classes and to prepare for seminar discussion by reading assigned materials and by viewing prescribed films.

Modules use a variety of forms of assessment including essay writing, oral presentations with technological support, portfolios, treatments, films and creative/practical projects. By being exposed to diverse forms of assessment, you acquire a broad set of discipline-specific as well as transferable skills that prepare you for different professions or for further study at postgraduate level in film or related areas. In addition to the taught modules, you can choose what kind of final project to undertake under expert one-to-one supervision, be it a research-focused dissertation or a creative practice-based portfolio.

Teaching staff

The MA is taught by Film and Screen Media lecturers based in the Department of Film and Screen Media, School of Film, Music and Theatre; by PhD and Post-doctoral Researchers in Film and Screen Media at UCC; and by lecturers based in other Schools and Departments including Computer Science, French, German, Hispanic Studies, and Music.

With its Masterclass Series of visiting speakers and guest practitioners, as well as mentorship by our resident UCC/Arts Council Film Artist as part of UCC Creative, UCC Film and Screen Media provides our students with ample opportunities to meet and be taught by professionals and experts.

Why Choose This Course

The MA in Film & Screen Media’s distinctive blend of theory, creative practice, and industry links is unique in Ireland. Students will benefit from state-of-the-art facilities, that include large screen and surround sound system; Apple™ lab; digital cameras and industry-standard filmmaking equipment; and teaching and performance space, all located in the heart of one of the most beautiful University campuses in Ireland. 

Placement or Study Abroad Information

Students may have opportunities to avail of volunteering work with one of our Industry partners (Cork Film Festival; Schull Fastnet Film Festival; European University Film Award - EUFA). 

Skills and Careers Information

Students of the MA in Film & Screen Media will avail of a range of modules that combine theory/analysis with practice. The emphasis is on equipping students with transferrable skills in digital filmmaking, IT, and writing. Film and Screen Media offers a dynamic interface with the Industry and students can avail of cultural industry placements and masterclasses and tuition from Industry professionals. 

What can I do after I graduate with an MA in Film Studies?

Graduates of our master’s degree have developed careers in media and filmmaking, in cultural industries (including the programming and administration work with major film festivals); second and third level teaching/lecturing; journalism (national and international); library information. While studying on the MA in Film & Screen Media students have the opportunity to avail of placements within the Industry that will equip them with transferable skills and professional experience. 

Occupations associated with the MA in Film Studies degree:

• Film and Media Industries
• Cultural industries
• Journalism
• Teaching
• Academia
• Event management
• Public Sector

Read what some of our graduates are doing now:

Teaching: Dr Abigail Keating

I enjoyed every aspect of the MA, and I’ll always look back on that year with great fondness. It introduced me to a diverse range of filmmakers and cinematic movements, and it gave me the opportunity to carry out research on and write about one of my greatest passions.

Undertaking an MA equips you with very general but very important skills in written communication and project management, developed through research and the scholarly writing of your thesis and assignments. In the period after completing the MA and before undertaking a PhD in Film Studies, I worked as a web content writer and in a legal service for asylum seekers — both of which required strong communication skills, in terms of an ability to convey complex information in a cogent, concise manner. I have also been working freelance as a video editor, videographer and web designer for a number of years. While the MA is not a practice-based degree, it is a visual studies degree, and I am a firm believer that the theoretical aids the practical.

I was awarded my PhD in 2014. So, the MA was of course perfect training for what I am now doing. Currently, I am lecturing in Film & Screen Media at University College Cork. I have published widely on my areas of expertise, and I am co-founding editor (along with colleagues at UCC) and web designer of the open access journal of film and screen media Alphaville.

Filmmaking: Shaun O’Connor

Since completing the Master in Film Studies, I have been working as a director and editor of short films and music videos. These have been screened all over the world and won awards at various festivals, including the DC Shorts Film Festival, the Corona Cork Film Festival, the Fastnet Short Film Festival, the Kerry Film Festival, the Charlie Chaplin Comedy Film Festival and the Irish Music Television Awards.  

Most recently, I wrote and directed Disappear which has had four Irish film festival screenings and will begin touring the international festival circuit soon. My short film Pat is also touring internationally, screening recently at the Boston Irish Film Festival and at the Fastnet Film Festival where it was nominated for two awards.

In 2014 I directed (R)onanism, a short series for RTE / IFB Storyland, produced by the Oscar-winning Fantastic Films. My 2013 short film Uisce Beatha won the ‘Filmmaker’s Choice’ Award at DC Shorts, the biggest short film festival on the East Coast of the US. It was also selected to screen at the Jameson Dublin Film Festival 2014, the Helsinki Film Festival and Raindance London, the largest independent film festival in Europe.

In addition to my film work, I have extensive experience in directing and editing music videos, ranging from local bands to working with national stars like Julie Feeney and Declan Sinnott, and extensive corporate work. My work can be viewed at www.shaunoconnor.com.

Requirements

An applicant will have a Second Class Honours, Grade I in a primary honours degree (NFQ, Level 8 or equivalent) in the Humanities. Successful applicants will normally have evidence of successful performance in undergraduate modules taken in Film Studies and/or Media Studies and/or practical/professional expertise or qualification in the area.

Applications from students with a Second Class Honours, Grade II in a primary honours degree (NFQ, Level 8 or equivalent) in a suitable subject may be considered under Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL). These applicants may be requested to submit a proposal and/or attend an interview.

All candidates must satisfy a Selection Committee and must provide two written references.

Fees and Costs

The EU fee for this course is €6,630.

The Non-EU fee for this course is €16,700.

How Do I Apply

Additional Requirements (All Applicants): Please note you will be required to provide additional information as part of the online application process for this programme. This will include the following questions:

• Please describe your motivation and readiness for this programme
• Please enter all relevant work experience that will support your application.
• Please detail your research interest(s).
• In addition to your previously declared qualifications, please outline any additional academic courses, self-learning and professional training relevant to your intended programme.
• Please describe your portfolio of work or achievements.
• Please upload a portfolio of relevant work.
• After the application is submitted, you will be required to enter the names and email addresses of 2 referees (one academic and the second professional/experience) and request 2 references from the application portal.

The closing date for non-EU applications is 30 June 2023

Our MA in Film & Screen Media is a one-year taught course that offers students advanced-level critical skills in the discipline of Film & Screen Media, training in digital filmmaking, and transferrable IT/web skills.

This exciting MA combines film studies in theory, analysis, history and practice, with an emphasis on encouraging students’ academic skills and creativity (in critical writing; filmmaking; film/media journalism; cultural administration). Students will benefit from specialised tuition in the areas of film and screen media and digital filmmaking and may also avail of voluntary work for cultural projects and film festivals, such as the Fastnet Film Festival, Schull.

With its annual seminar series of visiting speakers and guest practitioners, as well as mentorship by resident UCC/Arts Council Film Artist, UCC Film & Screen Media gives students ample opportunities to meet and be taught by professionals and experts. We are also the only Irish partner in the European University Film Award — an award of the European Film Academy (EFA) and Filmfest Hamburg presented and voted for by university students across Europe — with one student gaining the opportunity to travel to Germany to participate in the Awards.

Programme Content

The MA in Film & Screen Media is a 90-credit programme with both a taught and a research component. Students take core modules and a selection of optional modules and complete either a traditional research dissertation or a practice-based project under expert supervision.

You can opt to complete a practice-based project, incorporating a short film/visual project and a reflective piece (40 credits) or a 16,000-word research-based dissertation (40 credits).

Our students avail of specialised tuition in the areas of film and screen media and digital filmmaking, and benefit from state-of-the-art facilities, that include large screen and surround sound system; Apple™ lab; digital cameras and industry-standard filmmaking equipment; and teaching and performance space, all located in the heart of one of the most beautiful University campuses in Ireland. 

Your can avail of a selection of option modules, in film studies, in filmmaking, in cultural/film studies, as well as a core module that offers advanced-level studies in film and screen media. In total students take 90 credits as follows:

Part I

• FX6010 Irish Cinema: History, Contexts, Aesthetics (10 credits)
• FX6017 Film and Screen Cultures and Industries (20 credits)
• FX6018 Research Methodologies Seminar (10 credits)

plus 10 credits from the following:

• GE6020 Questions of Adaptation and Adoption: ReWritings/ReViewings/ReReadings (10 credits)
• CS6104 Digital Video Capture and Packaging (5 credits)*
• CS6504 Digital Video Project (5 credits)*
• FX6014 Introduction to Creative Practice (10 credits)**
• MU6037 Music and Cinema (10 credits)

Part II 

• FX6016 Dissertation in Film and Screen Media Studies (40 credits) OR
• FX6019 Creative Practice Project (40 credits)

Notes:

• *CS6104 and CS6504 must be taken together. Maximum 6 FX students.
• **FX6014 is an introductory module designed only for students that have not previously studied practical filmmaking.
• Not all optional modules may be available in a given year.

See the University Calendar (MA Film & Screen Media) for further information.

1. Study
2. Postgraduate
3. Taught Courses
4. Masters
5. Film and Screen Media

About This Course

Explore This Section

Fact File

• Title

  Film & Screen Media

• Code

  MAFX

• College

  Arts, Celtic Studies and Social Sciences

• Duration

  1 Year Full-time

• Teaching Mode

  Full-time

• Qualifications

  MA

• EU Fees

  €6,630
  See Fees and Costs for full details.

• Non-EU Fees

  €16,700

• Entry Requirements

  Second Class Honours, Grade I in a primary honours degree in the Humanities. See Requirements for full details.

• Closing Date

  Open for EU applications, check rounds closing under How to Apply

• Non-EU Closing Date

  30 June 2023

• Start Date

  11 September 2023

Course Outline

Our MA in Film & Screen Media is a one-year taught course that offers students advanced-level critical skills in the discipline of Film & Screen Media, training in digital filmmaking, and transferrable IT/web skills.

This exciting MA combines film studies in theory, analysis, history and practice, with an emphasis on encouraging students’ academic skills and creativity (in critical writing; filmmaking; film/media journalism; cultural administration). Students will benefit from specialised tuition in the areas of film and screen media and digital filmmaking and may also avail of voluntary work for cultural projects and film festivals, such as the Fastnet Film Festival, Schull.

With its annual seminar series of visiting speakers and guest practitioners, as well as mentorship by resident UCC/Arts Council Film Artist, UCC Film & Screen Media gives students ample opportunities to meet and be taught by professionals and experts. We are also the only Irish partner in the European University Film Award — an award of the European Film Academy (EFA) and Filmfest Hamburg presented and voted for by university students across Europe — with one student gaining the opportunity to travel to Germany to participate in the Awards.

Programme Content

The MA in Film & Screen Media is a 90-credit programme with both a taught and a research component. Students take core modules and a selection of optional modules and complete either a traditional research dissertation or a practice-based project under expert supervision.

You can opt to complete a practice-based project, incorporating a short film/visual project and a reflective piece (40 credits) or a 16,000-word research-based dissertation (40 credits).

Our students avail of specialised tuition in the areas of film and screen media and digital filmmaking, and benefit from state-of-the-art facilities, that include large screen and surround sound system; Apple™ lab; digital cameras and industry-standard filmmaking equipment; and teaching and performance space, all located in the heart of one of the most beautiful University campuses in Ireland. 

Your can avail of a selection of option modules, in film studies, in filmmaking, in cultural/film studies, as well as a core module that offers advanced-level studies in film and screen media. In total students take 90 credits as follows:

Part I

• FX6010 Irish Cinema: History, Contexts, Aesthetics (10 credits)
• FX6017 Film and Screen Cultures and Industries (20 credits)
• FX6018 Research Methodologies Seminar (10 credits)

plus 10 credits from the following:

• GE6020 Questions of Adaptation and Adoption: ReWritings/ReViewings/ReReadings (10 credits)
• CS6104 Digital Video Capture and Packaging (5 credits)*
• CS6504 Digital Video Project (5 credits)*
• FX6014 Introduction to Creative Practice (10 credits)**
• MU6037 Music and Cinema (10 credits)

Part II 

• FX6016 Dissertation in Film and Screen Media Studies (40 credits) OR
• FX6019 Creative Practice Project (40 credits)

Notes:

• *CS6104 and CS6504 must be taken together. Maximum 6 FX students.
• **FX6014 is an introductory module designed only for students that have not previously studied practical filmmaking.
• Not all optional modules may be available in a given year.

See the University Calendar (MA Film & Screen Media) for further information.

Course Practicalities

This full-time, one-year degree adopts a range of teaching methods and techniques, including traditional lectures, seminars, small-group tutorials, film screenings, practical labs, group work. You attend taught modules throughout the two teaching semesters (September to March), then focus entirely on your dissertation/project during the summer months. Some modules may involve some extra hours of self-directed filming and editing. Students may have opportunities to avail of voluntary work in film festivals or cultural events.  You are required to attend all classes and to prepare for seminar discussion by reading assigned materials and by viewing prescribed films.

Modules use a variety of forms of assessment including essay writing, oral presentations with technological support, portfolios, treatments, films and creative/practical projects. By being exposed to diverse forms of assessment, you acquire a broad set of discipline-specific as well as transferable skills that prepare you for different professions or for further study at postgraduate level in film or related areas. In addition to the taught modules, you can choose what kind of final project to undertake under expert one-to-one supervision, be it a research-focused dissertation or a creative practice-based portfolio.

Teaching staff

The MA is taught by Film and Screen Media lecturers based in the Department of Film and Screen Media, School of Film, Music and Theatre; by PhD and Post-doctoral Researchers in Film and Screen Media at UCC; and by lecturers based in other Schools and Departments including Computer Science, French, German, Hispanic Studies, and Music.

With its Masterclass Series of visiting speakers and guest practitioners, as well as mentorship by our resident UCC/Arts Council Film Artist as part of UCC Creative, UCC Film and Screen Media provides our students with ample opportunities to meet and be taught by professionals and experts.

Why Choose This Course

The MA in Film & Screen Media’s distinctive blend of theory, creative practice, and industry links is unique in Ireland. Students will benefit from state-of-the-art facilities, that include large screen and surround sound system; Apple™ lab; digital cameras and industry-standard filmmaking equipment; and teaching and performance space, all located in the heart of one of the most beautiful University campuses in Ireland. 

Placement or Study Abroad Information

Students may have opportunities to avail of volunteering work with one of our Industry partners (Cork Film Festival; Schull Fastnet Film Festival; European University Film Award - EUFA). 

Skills and Careers Information

Students of the MA in Film & Screen Media will avail of a range of modules that combine theory/analysis with practice. The emphasis is on equipping students with transferrable skills in digital filmmaking, IT, and writing. Film and Screen Media offers a dynamic interface with the Industry and students can avail of cultural industry placements and masterclasses and tuition from Industry professionals. 

What can I do after I graduate with an MA in Film Studies?

Graduates of our master’s degree have developed careers in media and filmmaking, in cultural industries (including the programming and administration work with major film festivals); second and third level teaching/lecturing; journalism (national and international); library information. While studying on the MA in Film & Screen Media students have the opportunity to avail of placements within the Industry that will equip them with transferable skills and professional experience. 

Occupations associated with the MA in Film Studies degree:

• Film and Media Industries
• Cultural industries
• Journalism
• Teaching
• Academia
• Event management
• Public Sector

Read what some of our graduates are doing now:

Teaching: Dr Abigail Keating

I enjoyed every aspect of the MA, and I’ll always look back on that year with great fondness. It introduced me to a diverse range of filmmakers and cinematic movements, and it gave me the opportunity to carry out research on and write about one of my greatest passions.

Undertaking an MA equips you with very general but very important skills in written communication and project management, developed through research and the scholarly writing of your thesis and assignments. In the period after completing the MA and before undertaking a PhD in Film Studies, I worked as a web content writer and in a legal service for asylum seekers — both of which required strong communication skills, in terms of an ability to convey complex information in a cogent, concise manner. I have also been working freelance as a video editor, videographer and web designer for a number of years. While the MA is not a practice-based degree, it is a visual studies degree, and I am a firm believer that the theoretical aids the practical.

I was awarded my PhD in 2014. So, the MA was of course perfect training for what I am now doing. Currently, I am lecturing in Film & Screen Media at University College Cork. I have published widely on my areas of expertise, and I am co-founding editor (along with colleagues at UCC) and web designer of the open access journal of film and screen media Alphaville.

Filmmaking: Shaun O’Connor

Since completing the Master in Film Studies, I have been working as a director and editor of short films and music videos. These have been screened all over the world and won awards at various festivals, including the DC Shorts Film Festival, the Corona Cork Film Festival, the Fastnet Short Film Festival, the Kerry Film Festival, the Charlie Chaplin Comedy Film Festival and the Irish Music Television Awards.  

Most recently, I wrote and directed Disappear which has had four Irish film festival screenings and will begin touring the international festival circuit soon. My short film Pat is also touring internationally, screening recently at the Boston Irish Film Festival and at the Fastnet Film Festival where it was nominated for two awards.

In 2014 I directed (R)onanism, a short series for RTE / IFB Storyland, produced by the Oscar-winning Fantastic Films. My 2013 short film Uisce Beatha won the ‘Filmmaker’s Choice’ Award at DC Shorts, the biggest short film festival on the East Coast of the US. It was also selected to screen at the Jameson Dublin Film Festival 2014, the Helsinki Film Festival and Raindance London, the largest independent film festival in Europe.

In addition to my film work, I have extensive experience in directing and editing music videos, ranging from local bands to working with national stars like Julie Feeney and Declan Sinnott, and extensive corporate work. My work can be viewed at www.shaunoconnor.com.

Requirements

An applicant will have a Second Class Honours, Grade I in a primary honours degree (NFQ, Level 8 or equivalent) in the Humanities. Successful applicants will normally have evidence of successful performance in undergraduate modules taken in Film Studies and/or Media Studies and/or practical/professional expertise or qualification in the area.

Applications from students with a Second Class Honours, Grade II in a primary honours degree (NFQ, Level 8 or equivalent) in a suitable subject may be considered under Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL). These applicants may be requested to submit a proposal and/or attend an interview.

All candidates must satisfy a Selection Committee and must provide two written references.

Fees and Costs

The EU fee for this course is €6,630.

The Non-EU fee for this course is €16,700.

How Do I Apply

Additional Requirements (All Applicants): Please note you will be required to provide additional information as part of the online application process for this programme. This will include the following questions:

• Please describe your motivation and readiness for this programme
• Please enter all relevant work experience that will support your application.
• Please detail your research interest(s).
• In addition to your previously declared qualifications, please outline any additional academic courses, self-learning and professional training relevant to your intended programme.
• Please describe your portfolio of work or achievements.
• Please upload a portfolio of relevant work.
• After the application is submitted, you will be required to enter the names and email addresses of 2 referees (one academic and the second professional/experience) and request 2 references from the application portal.

The closing date for non-EU applications is 30 June 2023

Please note you will be required to provide additional information as part of the online application process for this programme. This will include the following questions:

• You may enter the details of professional or voluntary positions held. We strongly encourage you to complete this section with all relevant work experiences that will support your application.

• In addition to your previously declared qualifications, please outline any additional academic courses, self-learning and professional training relevant to this programme.

• Please describe your motivation and readiness for this programme.