MA Film & Screen Studies

Explore film philosophy, find out how images create meaning in experimental modes, and discover how we can think through the moving image on this eclectic Masters.

• This theory-led MA Film and Screen Studies course goes beyond the borders of a traditional film studies degree. We go back to the beginning of film history to explore what it means to fashion yourself in a moving image, or for society to see itself reflected.
• You’ll explore how images gain meaning from the past, to consider where they’re going next in terms of digital aesthetics, AI, and immersive interfaces.
• We’re interested in the cultural evolution of the moving image through the historical avant-garde, cinematic technology and culture, in both mainstream and underground filmmaking, to then contextualise contemporary and emerging screen cultures.
• You’ll engage deeply with philosophical approaches to film, where moving images represent, reflect and refract established ideas, but also generate a form of non-verbal thinking of their own. How do screen technologies impact on perception, feeling, and memory? How can we experimentally use them to think differently (or do they experiment on us)?
• This is not a film-making course, but as audiovisual media constitute more and more of our communication, you will have the opportunity to put your thoughts into audio-visual form on several modules.If you take this MA’s Media Arts Pathway, you can make your own DIY work and submit it as part of your assessment. Production values are not the focus–we’re interested in what you do with an idea.
• As part of the University of London, you will also have the chance to explore one option from the MA Film & Media programmes at other universities.
• You'll study in one of the top Media, Communications and Cultural Studies departments globally. We are ranked second in the UK for 'world-leading or internationally excellent' research (REF, 2021) and 16th in the world (third in the UK) in the 2024 QS World Rankings by Subject.

Contact the department

If you have specific questions about the degree, contact Daniel Strutt or Michael Goddard.

You should have (or expect to be awarded) an undergraduate degree of at least upper second class standard in a relevant/related subject.

You might also be considered if you aren’t a graduate or your degree is in an unrelated field, but have relevant experience and can show that you have the ability to work at postgraduate level.

International qualifications

We accept a wide range of international qualifications. Find out more about the qualifications we accept from around the world.

If English isn’t your first language, you will need an IELTS score (or equivalent English language qualification) of 6.5 with a 6.5 in writing and no element lower than 6.0 to study this programme. If you need assistance with your English language, we offer a range of courses that can help prepare you for postgraduate-level study.