Here are some answers to common questions about studying with us at Warwick, which were suggested by our current undergraduate students. There will be much more information about all these topics, and plenty of chances to ask your own questions, at the start of the new term.

You may also be interested in the special pre-arrival module on Moodle (our virtual learning environment) created by Faculty of Arts students.

 

What is a module?

Modules are the building blocks of your degree course. They run for either one or two university terms. Each module focuses on a specific subject area, and it is run by a different member of academic staff (or a team of staff members) who specialises in that subject. You will take several different modules at the same time (usually 3 or 4 a term).

 

Will I get to choose what modules I study?

In the first year, everyone on your degree course (either Film and Literature or Film Studies) studies the same combination of modules. These are designed to introduce you to important foundational ideas and approaches in the disciplines. In the second and final year of your degree course, you will be able to choose from a range of different subjects, depending on which ones interest you the most.

 

How are modules taught?

Each module will be taught through a combination of lectures, seminars and independent study. Some modules will also include guest lectures from visiting speakers, workshops, field trips and elements of group work. All modules taught in Film and Television Studies will usually include at least one weekly screening, which you are expected to attend.

 

What is the difference between a lecture and a seminar?

Lectures are designed to introduce or develop your knowledge of a particular issue or approach. They are usually given by the lecturer who is running the module or by another member of academic staff who is an expert in that topic. Each module typically includes one lecture a week, which everyone attends together. In lectures, you will be expected to listen carefully, take notes and sometimes ask and answer questions. In Film and Television Studies, lectures also help to introduce the screening that relates to that week’s topic.

Seminars usually happen after the weekly lectures and screenings for a module. They meet in smaller groups, and they are designed to give you a chance to discuss that week’s topic in more depth, based on lectures and screenings as well as your independent reading and viewing. Seminars tend to be much more interactive than lectures, and you will be expected to contribute to them by sharing ideas, asking questions and learning from your classmates. Seminars are typically led by the member of staff who runs the module or by a postgraduate researcher in the department.

 

How are university lecturers different from teachers at school or college?

There are some important similarities and differences between the academic staff you will meet at university and teachers at school or college. Like teachers, university lecturers care deeply about your education, and they want you to succeed in your studies. They are also passionate about the subjects they teach. Unlike teachers, though, most university lecturers at Warwick also have experience as researchers in specialist areas of film and television studies. So, alongside teaching, a large part of their job involves contributing new knowledge and ideas by presenting at conferences, collaborating with colleagues at other universities on research projects, and writing academic books and journal articles (including some of the things you’ll be reading). University lecturers are also responsible for designing the modules and degree courses you study, and for assessing your learning at the end of each module.

Many lecturers have formal titles such as ‘Dr’ and ‘Professor’. But most staff members are happy for you to address them by their first names. If in doubt, just ask!

 

How much interaction will I have with my lecturers?

You will be working very closely with your lecturers over the course of your degree. As well as discussing topics together in lectures and seminars, you can meet with lecturers after classes or during drop-in office hours to carry on talking about an idea, to get advice or to ask for feedback on your assignments.

When you arrive at Warwick, you will also be assigned a lecturer to serve as your personal tutor throughout the degree. Your personal tutor is someone you can arrange to talk to if you experience any difficulties in your studies or university life more broadly. There will plenty of other members of staff here to support you when you need it, including course administrators, librarians, IT services, the careers service and the student wellbeing team.

 

What will I be doing every week outside of lectures, screenings and seminars?

One of the big differences between school or college and studying at university is that you will be expected to take more responsibility for your own learning. This means that the work you do on your own, outside of timetabled sessions, is just as important as the work you do with your lecturers and classmates. In a typical week, you will be expected to spend time reading selected book chapters, academic essays or set texts in preparation for each of your seminars, and thinking about specific questions or tasks that your lecturers have set. For some Film and Television Studies modules, there may also be extra viewing to do in your own time.

 

What will my assignments be like, and how many will I have to do in my first year?

During your degree, you will encounter a variety of assignments. The most common type of coursework assignment in Film and Television Studies (and in English Literature) is the written essay. Other types include individual or group presentations, essay plans or project proposals, creative assignments such as video essays and short films, portfolios and curatorial projects (comprising shorter pieces of work), and reflective essays or journals. You will usually be asked to complete between 1 and 3 pieces of assessed work for each of your first-year modules. Some of these will be shorter writing exercises designed to help you adjust to university-level work.

 

Will there be exams?

Yes, some modules will use exams to test what you’ve learned. These will normally take place in the Summer Term, and they will be held either in person or online. The grades you get in for assignments and exams in your first year won’t count towards your final degree grade, but you do need to pass all of your modules in order to progress to the second year.

 

Does it matter if I haven’t studied film or television before?

No, the first-year teaching for your degree doesn’t assume any prior knowledge of the subjects, so those of you who haven’t studied film or television before won’t be at a disadvantage compared to classmates who have. Plus, your course will be introducing everyone to a broader range of material and ideas than you’ll have had the chance to study so far, so everyone will be learning new things.