Gain a close-up view of the diversity of film and television cultures. Explore how the moving image relates to history, politics, philosophy, sociology, the visual arts, drama and literature. Our Film Studies degree covers the foundations of film and television history, theory, analysis and interpretation. From this foundation, you will develop your understanding of national and historic film and television cultures.
We live in a world of moving images. Studying them provides a unique means for you to better understand the world in which you live. At Warwick, you’ll explore how they work and what they mean in ways that encompass history, politics, philosophy, sociology, performance, and literature.
Having explored the breadth of the subject, you will then be able to follow your academic curiosity by specialising in topics of particular interest. In your third year, you will also have the opportunity to apply for a place on a specialist film production module. Within the framework of our traditional focus on film and television history, theory and criticism, we offer innovative teaching, including practice-led learning and assessment, as well as conventional essay writing.
Our vibrant extracurricular culture means you will be surrounded by others who share your love of the subject. Students and staff also engage with film and television through writing, blogging and screening films in cinema clubs. You will emerge from your course with the highly valued ability to research, structure, argue and write to a very high standard on a breadth of current media-related issues, and with an exceptional level of audio-visual literacy.
Entry requirements
A level typical offer
ABB, including one subject from: Classical Civilisation, Drama and Theatre, English Language-Literature (combined), English Language, English Literature, Film Studies, History, Media Studies, Philosophy, Politics, Religious Studies, Sociology.
Film Studies requires skills in critical writing. Applicants must be able to demonstrate a high level of achievement and experience in such skills.
A level contextual offer
We welcome applications from candidates who meet the contextual eligibility criteria. The typical contextual offer is BBB, including one subject from: Classical Civilisation, Drama and Theatre, English Language-Literature (combined), English Language, English Literature, Film Studies, History, Media Studies, Philosophy, Politics, Religious Studies, Sociology. See if you're eligible.
We advise that you also check the English Language requirements for your course which may specify a higher GCSE English requirement. Please find the information about this below.
International Baccalaureate (IB) typical offer
32 points overall to include one of the following Higher Level subjects: English Language-Literature (combined), English Literature, Literature and Performance, Film, Global Politics, History, Philosophy, Social and Cultural Anthropology, Theatre.
International Baccalaureate (IB) contextual offer
We welcome applications from candidates who meet the contextual eligibility criteria. The typical contextual offer is 30 points overall to include in one of the following Higher Level subjects: English Language-Literature (combined), English Literature, Literature and Performance, Film, Global Politics, History, Philosophy, Social and Cultural Anthropology, Theatre. See if you're eligible.
We advise that you also check the English Language requirements for your course which may specify a higher GCSE English requirement. Please find the information about this below.
BTEC
We welcome applications from students with other recognised qualifications. Our typical BTEC offers are as follows:
BTEC Level 3 National Extended Certificate plus 2 A levels (Typical Offer)
EITHER D in BTEC Level 3 National Extended Certificate in [subject] plus AB at A Level OR D* in BTEC Level 3 National Extended Certificate in [subject] plus BB at A Level. This must include one A Level subject from: Classical Civilisation, Drama and Theatre, English Language-Literature (combined), English Language, English Literature, Film Studies, History, Media Studies, Philosophy, Politics, Religious Studies, Sociology
BTEC Level 3 National Diploma plus 1 A level (Typical Offer)
EITHER DD in BTEC Level 3 National Diploma in [subject] plus A at A Level OR D*D in BTEC Level 3 National Diploma in [subject] plus B at A Level. This must include one A Level subject from: Classical Civilisation, Drama and Theatre, English Language-Literature (combined), English Language, English Literature, Film Studies, History, Media Studies, Philosophy, Politics, Religious Studies, Sociology
BTEC Additional Requirements
Applicants studying at least one A Level essential subject (Classical Civilisation, Drama and Theatre, English Language-Literature (combined), English Language, English Literature, Film Studies, History, Media Studies, Philosophy, Politics, Religious Studies, Sociology) alongside BTEC qualifications are considered on an individual basis. Our courses focus on the close analysis of texts and are (primarily) assessed through critical essays.
Scotland Advanced Highers
AA in two Advanced Highers including one of: Classical Studies, Drama, English, History or Religious, Moral and Philosophical Studies, and ABB/BBB in three further Highers subjects
OR
AB in two Advanced Highers including one of: Classical Studies, Drama, English, History or Religious, Moral and Philosophical Studies, and BBB in three further Highers subjects.
Welsh Baccalaureate
BBB in three subjects at A level including one subject from: Classical Civilisation, Drama and Theatre, English Language-Literature (combined), English Language, English Literature, Film Studies, History, Media Studies, Philosophy, Politics, Religious Studies, Sociology, plus grade C in the Advanced Skills Baccalaureate Wales.
Access to Higher Education Diplomas
We will consider applicants returning to study who are presenting a QAA-recognised Access to Higher Education Diploma on a case-by-case basis.
Typically, we require 45 Credits at Level 3, including Distinction in 33 Level 3 credits and Merit in 12 Level 3 Credits. We may also require subject specific credits or an A level to be studied alongside the Access to Higher Education Diploma to fulfil essential subject requirements.
We advise that you also check the English Language requirements for your course which may specify a higher GCSE English requirement. Please find the information about this below.
Warwick may make differential offers to students in certain circumstances, such as those who have participated in a Widening Participation programme or who meet the University’s contextual data criteria. These offers are usually one or two grades below Warwick’s standard offer.
Do you offer foundation programmes?
All students who successfully complete the Warwick International Foundation Programme (IFP) and apply to Warwick through UCAS will receive a guaranteed conditional offer for a related undergraduate programme, for selected courses only. Further details are available in the standard offer and conditions for the IFP.
Can I take a gap year before starting my course?
Yes, Warwick welcomes applications for deferred (gap year) entry.
Will I need to interview for this course?
Warwick does not typically interview applicants. Offers are made based on the UCAS application, including predicted and achieved grades, the personal statement, and the school reference.
In your first year, you will be introduced to the foundations of film and television analysis, theory and history. You will also encounter topics related to film technology and the film industry, as well as modules engaging with wider context of critical theory and visual cultures that complement the study of film and television.
You will study the following core modules:
The Business of Film
Film and TV Analysis
Film and TV Criticism
Film History
Film Theory
Screen Technologies
Theories for Film Studies
Visual Cultures
In addition to your core modules, you will also take part in our skills module, which covers essential aspects of scholarly practice, academic writing, and guides you through the transition to University education.
In your second year, you will study World Cinemas and Hollywood Cinema modules. These modules will develop your understanding of specific world and transnational film cultures, as well as providing essential skills and contextual knowledge relevant to your further study.
Alongside these core modules, you will have the opportunity to pursue your own interest by applying for modules from the list of available second year options. In addition to options in Film and Television Studies, you may also be able to apply for optional modules from within the Faculty of Arts or the Institute of Advanced Teaching and Learning, subject to approval from the Head of Department.
In your final year, you will be able to specialise in a wide range of topics led by staff with specific expertise. These will be taught alongside the compulsory year-long core module on Film Aesthetics 1 and Film Aesthetics 2.
In your final year you also have the opportunity to apply for either our Film Production module or Dissertation. These are challenging final year modules focused on a substantial independent project. The Film production module is offered in association with the London Film School, and involves the production of a short film. This is a highly competitive module open to 20 students each year. The Dissertation is an independent research project on a topic of your choice.
Note that the module catalogue is subject to change for future years of study, as we evolve our courses in response to the latest developments in academia and industry. If optional modules are listed below, these can vary from year to year.
Year 1
Year 2
Year 3
Optional Modules
The optional modules available each year will depending on staff availability and current research interests. In the 2025 – 2026 academic year, the following optional modules were available:
On 26 November 2025, the UK government announced that the tuition fee cap for UK undergraduate students for the 2026-27 academic year would increase to £9,790 from the 2025-26 rate of at £9,535.
Students who qualify for government-regulated fees are classed as ‘Home’ students for fees purposes. In future years, fees for continuing students may be subject to an increase in fees in line with any inflationary uplift as determined by the UK Government (if permitted by law or government policy).
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.
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.
You will repay your loan or loans gradually once you are working and earning above a certain amount. For students starting their course after 1 August 2023 (on Student Finance England’s Plan 5), you will repay when your income is over £25,000 a year.
Repayments will be taken directly from your salary if you are an employee. If your income falls below the earnings threshold or you stop working, your repayments will stop until your income goes back up above this figure.
Access thousands of part-time opportunities through our agency UnitempsLink opens in a new window (such as office work, retail jobs or helping at events)
Choose to apply for a job as one of our Student Ambassadors to share your own experience at events like Open Days
There are many different funding routes available, including a number of bursaries and scholarships for full-time undergraduates. If you struggle to meet your essential living costs, our Student Funding team will be on hand to offer advice and support.
Provides additional financial support for qualifying Home students from lower income families of up to £2,500 for eligible students
This bursary is paid directly into your bank account in three equal termly instalments to help with the costs of studying
There is no application for this bursary as your details will be provided directly from the student support awarding bodies (Student Finance England, Student Finance Northern Ireland, and Student Awards Agency Scotland)
A number of scholarship opportunities are open to full-time undergraduate students. These include sporting and musical bursaries, and scholarships offered by commercial organisations.
If you experience financial difficulties during your studies, you may be eligible for Hardship Funding from the University, in the form of an Emergency Loan and/or a non-repayable award
There are no Departmental scholarships available for our Undergraduate courses, however there are other scholarships which you may be eligible for. Please see our scholarships web pages for more information.
Tuition fee
If you are an overseas student enrolling in 2026-27, your annual tuition fees will be as follows:
Band 1 – £27,870 per year (classroom-based courses, including Humanities and most Social Science courses)
Band 2 – £35,530 per year (laboratory-based courses, plus Mathematics, Statistics, Theatre and Performance Studies, Economics, and courses provided by Warwick Business School, with exceptions)
Overseas Tuition fees for 2027-28 academic year have not been set. In future years, fees for continuing students may be subject to an increase in fees in line with an inflationary uplift. Please check our website for updates about 2027-28 fee rates before you apply.
If you are an EU student and eligible for student finance, you may be able to get a Tuition Fee Loan to cover your fees, please visit our Student Funding webpage for guidance for students ordinarily resident outside of England.
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.
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.
Eligibility for student finance will depend on certain criteria, such as your nationality, residency status, course, and previous level of study. The information below is based on the package of financial support available to students starting their course in 2026.
Eligible European Union (EU) Undergraduates can apply for a loan to help with the cost of Tuition Fees. Eligible EU students who meet additional residency criteria may also be eligible for a loan to assist with living costs.For more information please see Student Finance for Undergraduates - EU StudentsLink opens in a new window.
Access thousands of part-time opportunities through our agency UnitempsLink opens in a new window (such as office work, retail jobs or helping at events)
Choose to apply for a job as one of our Student Ambassadors to share your own experience at events like Open Days
If you are an international student, you may be eligible for financial help from your own government, from the British Council or from other funding agencies. You can usually request information on scholarships from the Ministry of Education in your home country, or from the local British Council office.
A number of scholarship opportunities are open to full-time undergraduate students. These include sporting and musical bursaries, and scholarships offered by commercial organisations.
If you experience financial difficulties during your studies, you may be eligible for Hardship Funding from the University, in the form of an Emergency Loan and/or a non-repayable award.
As well as tuition fees and living expenses, some courses may require you to cover the cost of field trips or costs associated with travel abroad.
Associated costs can be found on the Study tab for each module listed in the Module Catalogue (please note most of the module content applies to 2025/26 year of study). Information about module specific costs should be considered in conjunction with the more general costs below:
Core text books
Printer credits
Dissertation binding
Robe hire for your degree ceremony
Are there any course specific costs?
For departmental specific costs, please see the list of core and optional core modules with hyperlinks to our Module Catalogue, where module-related costs are detailed.
Teaching and learning
Most core modules in your first year are taught by means of one lecture, one seminar and several screenings per week in terms one and two. In your second and third years, optional modules are more varied and might include lectures, seminars, workshops, student presentations and peer-review sessions. In terms of assessment, you will write essays, deliver presentations, and take exams. You might also produce a short film or video, essay or design a film festival.
You will usually take part in seminars with around 12-15 other students.
Degrees in our department are 3-year programmes made up of smaller units called modules. You will take between 4 and 8 modules per year of your degree. Typically there will be 4-6 hours contact time per module per week. For each module you take you can expect to have 1-2 screenings, 1 lecture and 1 seminar per week.
Screenings are an essential part of our teaching and attendance is compulsory.
Lectures are typically 50 minutes long and contain a lot of information about that week’s topic.
Seminars are perhaps the biggest change from school or college. A seminar is a small group discussion led by a tutor. We usually teach in groups of around just 10-15 students to give everyone focused attention and to allow each student plenty of space to speak.
Assessments vary by module. Forms of assessment include long and short essays, examinations, portfolios, reading and viewing diaries, presentations, video essays, short film production, film festival design etc. The second and third year count 50% each towards your final mark.
In your second year, you will have the opportunity to apply for study abroad. If you are successful, you will be transferred to the four-year full-time BA Film Studies with Year Abroad degree and spend your third year at one of our partner institutions. In your fourth year you will return to Warwick to complete the final year of your degree.
A year abroad provides opportunities to:
Develop your knowledge by looking at a range of topics from different perspectives
Gain a specialist understanding of local and national media and film cultures of the area in which you study
Be taught using different teaching styles
Have a chance to experience the underlying international nature of film
We have embedded employability skills throughout our Film Studies degrees. There are also many opportunities for applied learning and assessment across our modules. In particular, our optional final year modules offer training in:
Critical writing on film
Digital editing
Film production
Curation and festival design
Your career
Graduates from these courses have pursued careers such as:
Programmers
Curators
Arts officers
Producers
Directors
Authors
Writers
Translators
Business and related associate professionals
Journalists, newspaper and periodical editors
Photographers
Audio-visual and broadcasting equipment operators
Public relations professionals
Educational professionals
Our department has a dedicated professionally qualified Senior Careers Consultant to support you. They offer impartial advice and guidance, together with workshops and events throughout the year. Previous examples of workshops and events include:
Our Student Opportunity (Careers) department offer a wide range of workshops, from developing confidence and interview techniques to learning how to articulate what you have to offer in order to impress potential employers. Online resources are also available, including training in drafting CVs and covering letters, practice aptitude and psychometric tests, practice online interviews, and other resources to help you research job opportunities. The myAdvantage databaseLink opens in a new window also advertises job, placement and internship vacancies that are from employers who are targeting Warwick students for their recruitment.
You can find and apply for a work placement in the UK or abroad, and the Film and Television Studies careers consultant is also able to provide support.
Studying or even working in another country can add to your skillset and broaden your outlook. All students have the opportunity to apply for a year abroad, which transforms your degree into a four-year course. You’ll need to discuss this with your tutors of course, but we encourage you to consider exploring this option.
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 in a campus residence or in partnership accommodation off campus, 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.
74th
Warwick is ranked 74th 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.
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 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.
Screenings will form an essential part of your studies at Warwick. Our dedicated technical staff, extensive Moving Image Research Collection (MIRC), and specialist teaching spaces.
Our specialist screening spaces include the Faculty of Arts Building (FAB) cinema and three smaller screening rooms. Across these spaces we have facilities to screen a range of media: from 35mm and 16mm film; VHS and other home media formats, right up to current industry standard 4K DCP (Digital Cinema Package). Our team of projectionists enable us to provide cinema quality screenings, while our Moving Image Librarian ensures our collection is up to date and works with distributors to lease DCPs and 35mm releases.
In addition to the specialist spaces in the FAB, some of your screenings may take place in the Warwick Arts Centre. Situated at the heart of campus, Warwick Arts Centre has recently benefited from a £25.5 million transformation including three new state-of-the-art cinema auditoria featuring 4K screens, Dolby surround sound, and quality seats with excellent sight-lines.
In addition to these teaching spaces, you will have access to two bookable viewing stations so that they can study material on VHS or DVD independently, complete with headphones and comfortable chairs!
Some of your modules will involve the use of camera, lighting, and audio equipment. Others might see you manipulating sound and image using editing software. For these modules you will have access to a range of cameras and filmmaking equipment, as well as the expertise of our Film Technician. You will also have access to an editing suite as well as a dedicated sound booth for recording podcasts and foley.
Faculty of Arts Building
Film and Television studies is located in Faculty of Arts building offers, with staff offices and a shared student workspace located in the Academic Studio on the first floor.
The sustainably built, eight-storey building is located next to the refurbished Warwick Arts CentreLink opens in a new window in the heart of the University’s creative and cultural arts quarter.
As an Arts student at Warwick you’ll find your home amongst excellent teaching, learning and social spaces, including specialist facilities, all designed to support collaborative working and to enable your creativity and innovation to flourish.
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
Experience campus at an Open Day. Can't visit? Receive regular email updates or ask current students and staff questions about life at Warwick.
