This PhD enables students to incorporate practice into their doctoral study, taking an approach which understands practice as a mode of research, or as the application of research.
The project must be led by clear research questions, with the practice element working as a means to investigate, challenge or respond to those questions. The practice element can take a variety of forms and proportions (with a minimum of 30% and a maximum of 50%), but in all cases represents the exploration of critical, theoretical or historical issues in Film and Television/Screen Studies, through a practice-based output.
The various forms of this applied screen practice include, but are not limited to:
A critical video essay
A moving image and/or audio documentary or experimental film
Curated screenings
An exhibition of creative works or artefacts
A digital installation
An innovative collaboration with a partner institution
An engagement and impact project at regional, national and/or international level
The balance between written and practical elements in this PhD will depend on the form that the applied practice takes. Those making a documentary, for example, might produce a 40,000 word written piece that would represent 50% of their PhD.
Those pursuing a more traditional research-driven written doctoral project would produce a 55,000 word thesis and an 'applied research' portfolio, which translates the research into a set of screen-based impact and public engagement activities. This element would then represent 30% of the PhD.
At the mid-year review in year one, the student will present a case for the percentage split of their particular project between the written thesis and practice work. This is also the point at which the format of the practice element will be decided.
Teaching and learning
Doctoral Study in Applied Screen Studies proceeds through regular meetings between the student and their PhD supervisor or supervisory team, with the additional resource of a designated mentor.
Together, you will design and develop your topic and the structure of, and timetable for, your practice-based thesis. You will refine your research, writing and practice through a process of drafts and close commentary, constructive critique and discussion.
You will also be required to take Research Methods classes in order to deepen your knowledge of existing debates and methodologies in the field.
The department also offers teaching opportunities for PhD students from their second-year of study onwards, subject to availability and a formal application process in any given year.
Entry requirements
A good Master’s degree (or equivalent) in a relevant discipline. Experience and/or training in the field or form related to the practice element of the proposed research is welcome.
IELTS overall score of 7.0, minimum component scores of two at 6.0/6.5 and the rest at 7.0 or above.
Please adjust your country as required:
We welcome applications from students with other internationally recognised qualifications. For more information, please visit the international entry requirements page.
We typically ask for two academic references for research courses.
You will be asked to include an email address for your referee(s) when submitting your application and we will contact them for you.
Anyone interested in applying to our MPhil/PhD programme is advised to first visit the department PhD webpageLink opens in a new window for further information and contact our PhD Admissions Tutor, Prof Michele Aaron, at m.aaron@warwick.ac.uk, to ascertain if their intended project can be supervised in this department.
Research themes
Film and Television Aesthetics, History and Theory
Classical and Contemporary Hollywood Cinema
European Cinema (especially British, Italian, French and Spanish)
British and US Television
Documentary Film and Television
Silent Cinema
Feminist Film and Television Theory, History and Criticism
There are several routes to finding a PhD supervisor at University of Warwick. Searching for a supervisor and submitting a research proposal will look different depending on the opportunity you are applying for. Below you’ll find guidance from the department about what is required for this course.
For more general advice, including top tips for finding and contacting a potential supervisor, and what to include in your research proposal visit the university’s guidance webpages.
Find your supervisor using the link below and discuss with them the area you'd like to research.
To ascertain if a project can be supervised by one of our staff members in Film and Television Studies, we kindly ask prospective applicants to send the following:
A research proposal of around 2,000 words containing title, research aims and questions, methodology, scope of the project, and an indicative bibliography.
Your most updated CV.
A sample of your best writing on film and/or television (a chapter from your Master’s dissertation, for example).
Fees and scholarships
Tuition fees are payable for each year of your course at the start of the academic year, or at the start of your course, if later. Academic fees cover the cost of tuition, examinations and assessment and some student amenities.
We carry out an initial fee status assessment based on the information you provide in your application. Students will be classified as Home or Overseas fee status. Your fee status determines tuition fees, and what financial support and scholarships may be available. If you receive an offer, your fee status will be clearly stated alongside the tuition fee information.
Do you need your fee classification to be reviewed?
If you believe that your fee status has been classified incorrectly, you can complete a fee status assessment questionnaire. Please follow the instructions in your offer information and provide the documents needed to reassess your status.
As well as tuition fees and living expenses, some courses may require you to cover the cost of research trips in the UK and overseas. In addition, you should consider the more general costs below:
Access to research material that is not available via university resources
Printing and binding a personal copy of your dissertation
Robe hire for your degree ceremony
Find out about the different funding routes available, including; postgraduate loans, scholarships, fee awards and academic department bursaries.
The moving image is the most significant art form of the twentieth century. By studying it, you will develop a unique way of understanding the world you live in. You will be exposed to a diverse film and television culture at the forefront of change as our means of viewing evolve. Whether it's a pure passion for the moving image, its stars, genres and history, or academic curiosity that excites you, follow a curriculum that’s as ambitious and innovative as Film and Television Studies are.
From day one, you will be taught by the country’s leading scholars through state-of-the-art lectures, seminars and individual tutorial supervisions. Think, live and breathe the moving image through discussion, reading, writing, blogging, video-essays and screenwriting.
We pride ourselves on being able to screen films and television programmes in a format that is as close as possible to how audiences would have originally seen them.
The department offers cinema-standard facilities in its screening rooms, two of which are equipped with 35mm and 16mm film projectors alongside DVD and Blu-Ray equipment. Our main lecture theatre is fitted with a cinema-quality 4K digital projector. We have access to the newly-refurbished Warwick Arts Centre cinema which offers 4K projection and Dolby Atmos surround sound.
Students also have access to dedicated IT facilities, Steenbeck viewing tables, digital video equipment (including DVD, Blu-Ray, VHS and online streaming) in various departmental rooms, as well as a special study room which includes viewing and seminar preparation facilities, and a Radio Times collection.
Library
Our library has one of the largest collections of film and television-related books in the country, providing access all the major books in the field in the English language as well as substantial holdings in French, German and Italian.
We subscribe to all the major scholarly journals including Cahiers du cinéma, Cinema Journal, Movie, Screen, Positif, as well as trade and fan periodicals like Broadcast, Picturegoer, and Variety.
We also hold over 25,000 VHS, DVD, Blu-Ray, and 4K titles. You will enjoy subscriptions to all major film databases, including BFI Film Index International and the FIAF index, and you can use the Library's plasma screen viewing facilities too.
Life at Warwick
This is where your journey begins. Our campus is the heart of it all. It’s more than just a campus - it's the places you visit, the people you meet, the fun that you have; the experiences you have here will be transformative.
Within a close-knit community of staff and students from all over the world, discover a campus alive with possibilities.
Our campus is where all the elements of your student experience come together in one place. You won't be short of ways to spend your time on campus - whether it's visiting Warwick Arts Centre, using our incredible sports facilities, socialising in our bars, nightclub and cafés, or enjoying an open-air event. Or if you need some peace and quiet, you can explore lakes, woodland and green spaces just a few minutes’ walk from central campus.
Follow our students around campus on our social channels to see their experiences first-hand.
Teaching facilities
Our campus is designed to cater for all of your learning needs. You will benefit from a variety of flexible, well-equipped study spaces and teaching facilities across the University.
Oculus, our outstanding learning hub, houses state-of-the-art lecture theatres and innovative social learning and network areas
Different study spaces offering you flexible individual and group study spaces, computers, printing and scanning facilities, multimedia resources and more
Supporting you
Our continuous support network is here to help you adjust to student life and to ensure you can easily access advice on many different issues. These may include managing your finances and workload, and settling into shared accommodation. We also have specialist disability and mental health support teams.
Whether you live on campus or off campus, in private accommodation in the well-serviced local area, you’ll be part of a community to get the most from your experience at Warwick.
Societies and sports play a huge part in community life at Warwick. With over 300 to choose from, getting involved is one of the easiest ways to make friends and share in experiences. Whether you’re into films, martial arts, astronomy, gaming or musical theatre, you can instantly connect with people with similar interests.
Your university experience is defined by far more than your course or the career path you follow. At Warwick, it’s where you discover who you could become.
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Warwick is ranked 68th in the world and top 10 in all major UK league tables
Our alumni community still call Warwick home. From a few hundred in 1965 to more than 310,000 alumni, and it's ever-growing.
As Warwick graduates, our students have access to employability support for two years after graduation, including access to careers appointments, job vacancies and professional networks.
Applications for courses starting in academic year 2026/27 are now open.
For research courses that start in September and October 2027, the application deadline for students who require a visa to study in the UK is 2 August 2027.
For courses starting at other times of year we recommend that you submit your application a minimum of 3 months prior to your intended start date.
This should allow sufficient time to complete the admissions process and to obtain a visa to study in the UK if required. We will still accept late applications, however cannot guarantee that the application will be processed in time to complete the admissions process if received late or there are a number of conditions to meet.
If applying late please include your degree certificates and transcripts, English proficiency evidence (if needed) and ensure referees can submit references promptly to allow time for CAS and visa processing (if applicable).
This information is applicable for 2027 entry. Given the interval between the publication of courses and enrolment, some of the information may change. It is important to check our website before you apply. Please read our web page 'Important information to consider before making an application' in advance of applying to Warwick.
Next steps
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