The film studies degree is a fantastic opportunity to engage critically with one of the most significant and popular art forms of the 20th and 21st centuries
Essential Info
It is an exciting time to be involved in the creative arts in Cardiff. The city is a vibrant place to connect with film and cinema, and your studies will be supported by the excellent resources and facilities at ATRiuM, as well as those in the wider community.
By studying film and related media against their historical, cultural and technological backdrops, you will gain a wide perspective of the history and experience of film and cinema in our global media culture. You will mainly study theory based modules, but you will also have optional practical opportunities in video production and scriptwriting. These modules will give you extra practical skills and help you better understand the relationship between practice and theory.
News and Events
Read all the latest news stories involving students and staff from the Division of Film, Photography and New Media at our Film, Photography and New Media News and Events page.
What You Will Study
The first year provides a broad overview of the language, theory, history and technology of cinema. You will also investigate the crucial roles of Hollywood and French cinema, and have the opportunity to engage with the creative process through video production or scriptwriting.
You can expand your horizons in year two by investigating trends in Italian, British, American, Eastern European and avant-garde cinema. If you want even more practical experience, you can choose modules in fiction film-making and screenplay writing.
The third year allows you to specialise in areas that interest you most. You will demonstrate your knowledge, research and writing skills through a dissertation on your chosen subject, and can study areas as diverse as art cinema, comedy, cult, independent, Hispanic and African cinemas.
The following modules are attached to each year of this award:
Year One
Critical Approaches to Film
Classical Hollywood
Cinema, Nation and Identity: French Film
Silent Cinema
Scriptwriting for the Media
Video Production 1
Year Two
Writing, Research and Presentation Methods
New Hollywood
Avant-Garde Cinema
European Cinema (Central and Eastern)
British Cinema
TV Genres
Italian Cinema
Fiction Filmmaking
Short Film Screenplay
Year Three
Film Studies Dissertation
Major Project: Film and Video
Major Project: Screenplay
Art Cinema
Comedic Traditions in Film and Television
Themes in Avant-Garde Cinema
Cinema on the Small Screen: Single Dramas on British Television
Film, Television and Identities
Popular American Film and TV Since the 1980s
The Sundance Generation – British and North American Independent Cinema
Themes in World Cinema
Third Cinema
Hispanic Cinemas
Cult Cinema
Africa on Screen
The Self On Screen: Autobiographical Film
Film Symposium
How You Will Study
Film Studies is taught in a variety of ways, including lectures and seminars, while production oriented modules are taught through practical demonstrations and workshops. The emphasis, however, is always firmly on viewing films, so there will be weekly screenings in ATRiuM’s cinema. Assessment methods are varied and challenging, and include seminar participation, essays, class tests, practical projects, extract analyses, and individual and group presentations.
Prospects
Possible Career Options
We hope that your learning experience at ATRiuM will be a springboard to a wide range of careers in broad areas such as the media, culture and education. Our graduates have skills that are sought-after in the arts, media, entertainment, culture and education, along with excellent written and verbal communication skills that will prove invaluable in any career.
