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King's College London
You are viewing a course in < Arts, culture and media
Postgraduate degree

Film Studies (Film & Philosophy pathways available) MA

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This course has been designed for students who want to deepen their knowledge of world cinemas and media. It offers an extensive range of options covering all aspects of film and media including theory, style, representation, spectatorship, philosophy, and critical media practice (filmmaking). As the leading program for film studies located in the centre of London, our perfect location close to BFI Southbank (including the BFI Library), Southbank Centre, and Tate Modern means you will be studying in the heart of London with access to fantastic resources. The course is ideal for careers in the media, arts and related culture industries, or preparation for further study.

Key benefits

  • Department of Film – jointly ranked 4th in the UK with Music (REF 2021). 100% of research impact and research environment was rated either ‘world leading’ (4*) or ‘internationally excellent’ (3*).
  • Internationally renowned staff with specialist teaching and research expertise
  • A focus on cutting-edge ideas and developments in Film Studies and moving image culture
  • A curriculum which ranges across European, North American and Asian cinema and media (including popular cinema, avant garde film, and documentary)
  • An unbeatable location in the heart of London, one of the world’s most stimulating and dynamic cities
  • Film & Philosophy pathway available
  • Learn about media practice and filmmaking from a critical perspective
  • Enviable facilities including two dedicated, sound-proofed screening rooms, a large film theatre with 35mm/digital projection, 4K digital video projection, and a huge collection of printed and electronic publications, DVD/Blu-ray discs, and video streaming materials via the Maughan Library
  • A friendly and supportive learning environment with a diverse and inclusive curriculum and a highly international mix of students and staff
  • Knowledge, training and skills relevant to careers in the film industry, media and communications, the arts, education and research, and related professions
  • Opportunities to create short films, in solo and collaborative projects, using professional equipment

We host a prestigious series of cutting edge research seminars, guest lectures, and conferences every year, welcoming experts from around the world. Opportunities for creative practice in digital video and sound are also available, using professional 4K DV cameras, audio equipment, and editing software such as Adobe Premiere Pro and Avid Pro Tools. We also run an MA Internship module which facilitates employment in London-based film and media companies.

Base campus

strand-quad
Strand Campus

Located on the north bank of the River Thames, the Strand Campus houses King's College London's arts and sciences faculties.

Regulating bodies

King's is regulated by the Office for Students

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Teaching methods - what to expect

Course Aims

  • To provide you with a rigorous and advanced knowledge and understanding of cinema and related visual media, their history, theory, and analysis, and their social context
  • To familiarise you with the intellectual, artistic, political, and philosophical debates that have revolved around cinema, and other moving images and visual culture
  • To extend and deepen your analytical and interpretive abilities with regard to film and related media
  • To develop your skills in critical media practice, especially short filmmaking, using professional equipment and combining artistic expression with scholarly rigor
  • To develop your skills and employability for careers in media, the arts, education and research, and related fields

Contemporary film studies is a diverse, interdisciplinary field that incorporates a variety of approaches to the analysis of film and film culture. Our Film Studies MA builds on the research strengths of our distinguished staff to offer modules that examine a wide range of cinema styles and approaches to studying film.We have designed this course for students who want to deepen their knowledge of the world’s cinemas and explore the very latest approaches to studying them. You will participate in a number of research activities, including a programme of lectures by nationally and internationally distinguished scholars, international conferences, twice-weekly 35mm cinematheque screenings, a focused graduate training course, and a student-organised work-in-progress conference in May. The course comprises five taught modules and research project leading to a dissertation.

Teaching

If you are a full-time student, we will provide you with six hours in first semester and at least six hours of teaching in second semester each week through lectures and seminars. We will expect you to undertake 32 hours of independent study.

If you are a part-time student, we will provide you with four hours in first and second semesters, two hours every semester thereafter of teaching each week through lectures and seminars, and we will expect you to undertake 16 hours of independent study.

Typically, one credit equates to 10 hours of work.

Assessment

    Your performance will be assessed through a variety of courseworks. Forms of assessment may typically include essay writing, class presentation, and critical flim and media projects. Coursework contributes approximately 100% to your final mark.

    Structure

    Required modules

    You are required to take:

    Dissertation (60 credits)
    Formations of Film Studies: An Advanced Introduction to the Field (30 credits)
    London Film Culture (30 credits)

    If you are taking the Film & Philosophy pathway you are required to take at least 30 credits from a list of options such as (but not limited to):

    The Politics of Aesthetics: Perspectives from Weimar Germany (15 credits)
    Thinking Cinema
    Media Aesthetics (15 credits)

    Optional modules

    In addition, you are required to take 30 to 60 credits (depending on your pathway) from a range of optional modules such as:

    Topics in Global Cinema
    Topics in European Cinema
    Topics in Asian Cinema
    Topics in British Cinema
    Topics in American Cinema (15 credits)
    History, Society and the Screen
    Critical Visual Practice (15 credits)
    Internship (15 credits)

    King’s College London reviews the modules offered on a regular basis to provide up-to-date, innovative and relevant programmes of study. Therefore, modules offered may change. We suggest you keep an eye on the course finder on our website for updates.

    Please note that modules with a practical component will be capped due to educational requirements, which may mean that we cannot guarantee a place to all students who elect to study this module.

    Employability

    Many of our students transfer the skills and knowledge they develop with us into careers in the media, the arts, education, film programming, film and media producing, and journalism. Many also go on to pursue research in film and visual culture at the MPhil/PhD level, often at top-tier universities in the US, UK, and elsewhere.

    Tuition Fees

    UK:

    Full time: £11,040 per year (2022/23)

    Part time: £5,520 per year (2022/23)

    International:

    Full time: £24,660 per year (2022/23)

    Part time: £12,330 per year (2022/23)

    These tuition fees may be subject to additional increases in subsequent years of study, in line with King’s terms and conditions.

    Deposit

    When you receive an offer for this course you will be required to pay a non-refundable deposit to secure your place. The deposit will be credited towards your total fee payment.

    The UK deposit is £500.

    The INTERNATIONAL deposit is £2,000. 

    • If you receive an offer on or before 31 March, payment is due by 25 April 2022.

    • If you receive an offer between 1 April and 30 June, payment is due within one month of receiving the offer.

    • If you receive an offer between 1 July and 31 July, payment is due within two weeks of receiving the offer.

    • If you receive an offer between 1 August and 21 August, payment is due within one week of receiving the offer.

    • If you receive an offer from 22 August onwards, payment is due within three days of receiving the offer.

    If you are a current King’s student in receipt of the King's Living Bursary you are not required to pay a deposit to secure your place on the programme. Please note, this will not change the total fees payable for your chosen programme.

    Please visit our web pages on fees and funding for more information.

    Additional Costs

    In addition to your tuition costs, you can also expect to pay for:

    • books if you choose to buy your own copies
    • library fees and fines
    • personal photocopies
    • printing course handouts
    • society membership fees
    • stationery
    • travel costs for travel around London and between campuses
    • graduation costs

    Funding

    We host a prestigious series of cutting edge research seminars, guest lectures, and conferences every year, welcoming experts from around the world. Opportunities for creative practice in digital video and sound are also available, using professional 4K DV cameras, audio equipment, and editing software such as Adobe Premiere Pro and Avid Pro Tools. We also run an MA Internship module which facilitates employment in London-based film and media companies.

    Base campus

    strand-quad
    Strand Campus

    Located on the north bank of the River Thames, the Strand Campus houses King's College London's arts and sciences faculties.

    Regulating bodies

    King's is regulated by the Office for Students

    Loading...

    Teaching methods - what to expect

    Course Aims

    • To provide you with a rigorous and advanced knowledge and understanding of cinema and related visual media, their history, theory, and analysis, and their social context
    • To familiarise you with the intellectual, artistic, political, and philosophical debates that have revolved around cinema, and other moving images and visual culture
    • To extend and deepen your analytical and interpretive abilities with regard to film and related media
    • To develop your skills in critical media practice, especially short filmmaking, using professional equipment and combining artistic expression with scholarly rigor
    • To develop your skills and employability for careers in media, the arts, education and research, and related fields

    Contemporary film studies is a diverse, interdisciplinary field that incorporates a variety of approaches to the analysis of film and film culture. Our Film Studies MA builds on the research strengths of our distinguished staff to offer modules that examine a wide range of cinema styles and approaches to studying film.We have designed this course for students who want to deepen their knowledge of the world’s cinemas and explore the very latest approaches to studying them. You will participate in a number of research activities, including a programme of lectures by nationally and internationally distinguished scholars, international conferences, twice-weekly 35mm cinematheque screenings, a focused graduate training course, and a student-organised work-in-progress conference in May. The course comprises five taught modules and research project leading to a dissertation.

    Teaching

    If you are a full-time student, we will provide you with six hours in first semester and at least six hours of teaching in second semester each week through lectures and seminars. We will expect you to undertake 32 hours of independent study.

    If you are a part-time student, we will provide you with four hours in first and second semesters, two hours every semester thereafter of teaching each week through lectures and seminars, and we will expect you to undertake 16 hours of independent study.

    Typically, one credit equates to 10 hours of work.

    Assessment

      Your performance will be assessed through a variety of courseworks. Forms of assessment may typically include essay writing, class presentation, and critical flim and media projects. Coursework contributes approximately 100% to your final mark.

      Structure

      Required modules

      You are required to take:

      Dissertation (60 credits)
      Formations of Film Studies: An Advanced Introduction to the Field (30 credits)
      London Film Culture (30 credits)

      If you are taking the Film & Philosophy pathway you are required to take at least 30 credits from a list of options such as (but not limited to):

      The Politics of Aesthetics: Perspectives from Weimar Germany (15 credits)
      Thinking Cinema
      Media Aesthetics (15 credits)

      Optional modules

      In addition, you are required to take 30 to 60 credits (depending on your pathway) from a range of optional modules such as:

      Topics in Global Cinema
      Topics in European Cinema
      Topics in Asian Cinema
      Topics in British Cinema
      Topics in American Cinema (15 credits)
      History, Society and the Screen
      Critical Visual Practice (15 credits)
      Internship (15 credits)

      King’s College London reviews the modules offered on a regular basis to provide up-to-date, innovative and relevant programmes of study. Therefore, modules offered may change. We suggest you keep an eye on the course finder on our website for updates.

      Please note that modules with a practical component will be capped due to educational requirements, which may mean that we cannot guarantee a place to all students who elect to study this module.

      Employability

      Many of our students transfer the skills and knowledge they develop with us into careers in the media, the arts, education, film programming, film and media producing, and journalism. Many also go on to pursue research in film and visual culture at the MPhil/PhD level, often at top-tier universities in the US, UK, and elsewhere.

      Tuition Fees

      UK:

      Full time: £11,040 per year (2022/23)

      Part time: £5,520 per year (2022/23)

      International:

      Full time: £24,660 per year (2022/23)

      Part time: £12,330 per year (2022/23)

      These tuition fees may be subject to additional increases in subsequent years of study, in line with King’s terms and conditions.

      Deposit

      When you receive an offer for this course you will be required to pay a non-refundable deposit to secure your place. The deposit will be credited towards your total fee payment.

      The UK deposit is £500.

      The INTERNATIONAL deposit is £2,000. 

      • If you receive an offer on or before 31 March, payment is due by 25 April 2022.

      • If you receive an offer between 1 April and 30 June, payment is due within one month of receiving the offer.

      • If you receive an offer between 1 July and 31 July, payment is due within two weeks of receiving the offer.

      • If you receive an offer between 1 August and 21 August, payment is due within one week of receiving the offer.

      • If you receive an offer from 22 August onwards, payment is due within three days of receiving the offer.

      If you are a current King’s student in receipt of the King's Living Bursary you are not required to pay a deposit to secure your place on the programme. Please note, this will not change the total fees payable for your chosen programme.

      Please visit our web pages on fees and funding for more information.

      Additional Costs

      In addition to your tuition costs, you can also expect to pay for:

      • books if you choose to buy your own copies
      • library fees and fines
      • personal photocopies
      • printing course handouts
      • society membership fees
      • stationery
      • travel costs for travel around London and between campuses
      • graduation costs

      Funding

      Application closing date guidance

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