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Film and Television Studies (MA)

Find out more about our Film and Television Studies taught Master's degree at Warwick

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MA

1 year full-time;
2 years part-time

28 September 2026

Film and Television Studies

University of Warwick

The MA in Film and Television Studies at the University of Warwick has led graduates into diverse and creative roles within a wide range of industries. Warwick's Film and Television Studies has a worldwide reputation for the quality of its teaching and research within the fields of film and television aesthetics, history and theory.

Film and Television Studies at Warwick is internationally recognised as one of the leading programmes in the field, offering an unparalleled training in the study of audiovisual media as cultural, historical, and aesthetic forms. 

You will learn from leading scholars in the field through exciting modules that explore film theory, history, style, genre, representation, and global film cultures. Rooted in the critical traditions of the humanities, the curriculum draws on a wide range of methodologies, offering an alternative to media industry- and communications-based approaches. 

The programme provides a rigorous training in textual analysis alongside the historical and methodological study of film and television. Through research-led teaching and specialised skills training, students develop competencies including critical thinking, interpretation and audiovisual literacy. In the final phase, students hone these skills through an independent dissertation under supervision, allowing for in-depth exploration of a specialised area of interest. 

The course equips students with a solid foundation in film and television studies. It fosters advanced research and analytical skills essential for careers in media and cultural sectors, or for those preparing for further academic study. 

During the Autumn term you will take a core module, Advanced Methods in Screen Studies: Analysis, History, Theory , where a number of staff will introduce key methodological and conceptual approaches, often drawing on elements of their own research . You then choose three further optional modules taken over the first two terms (one in the Autumn term and two in the Spring term). 

The core elements of the Film and Television Studies curricula are supported by a programme of research seminars (departmental staff, PhD students and visiting speakers) and the wide range of screenings for other courses and more generally on campus. As postgraduate students, you are an important part of the research culture in the department. 

The programme also includes dedicated sessions in Skills Training and Research Workshops that will equip you with the necessary academic skills to excel in Master’s assignments, develop your scholarly aptitude and prepare you for PhD applications 

We have a superb staff-student ratio: for example, our taught MA is normally restricted to twenty students whilst there are seventeen full-time members of staff, and all MA students are allocated a personal tutor.

There is an average of 16 contact hours per week.

A combination of assessed essays and a 15,000 word dissertation.

Reading lists

If you would like to view reading lists for current or previous cohorts of students, most departments have reading lists available through Warwick Library on the Talis Aspire platformLink opens in a new window.

You can search for reading lists by module title, code or convenor. Please see the modules tab of this page or the module catalogue.

Please note that some reading lists may have restricted access or be unavailable at certain times of year due to not yet being published. If you cannot access the reading list for a particular module, please check again later or contact the module’s host department.

Your timetable

Your personalised timetable will be complete when you are registered for all modules, compulsory and optional, and you have been allocated to your lectures, seminars and other small group classes. Your compulsory modules will be registered for you and you will be able to choose your optional modules when you join us.

2:1 undergraduate degree (or equivalent) in an adjacent subject.

All applicants are asked to provide us with a sample piece of written work of around 1,500-3,000 words (preferably, though not necessarily, on a film/TV-related subject) and a short (c. 200-300 words) description of the kind of research topic(s) they would be interested in studying for the mandatory 15,000 word dissertation undertaken by our students on the MA in Film and Television Studies.

For a speedier decision on your application, we advise you to provide us with these supplementary documents when you apply. This supplementary materials can be uploaded in one document to your application.

• Band B
• IELTS overall score of 7.0, minimum component scores of two at 6.0/6.5 and the rest at 7.0 or above.

There are no additional entry requirements for this course.

Read more about the core and optional modules for this course on the Film and Television Studies websiteLink opens in a new window. 

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