Film Studies BA
ABB at A level, one subject from: Classical Civilisation, Drama and Theatre, English Language-Literature; graduates earn a median £22,000 three years on.
Typical A level offer
ABB
one subject from: Classical Civilisation, Drama and Theatre, English Language-Literature · 85% of entrants came with A levels · 95% stay on after year 1 · Warwick course page, Discover Uni
Year 13 · applying
What do you need to get in?
ABBtypical A level offer; abb, including one subject from: classical civilisation, drama and theatre, english language-literature (combined), english language, english literature, film studies, history, media studies, philosop
Typical offer — the grades most applicants are asked for. Contextual offer: BBB, for applicants from under-represented backgrounds.
Warwick course page, read 19 September 2026 · Discover Uni entry profile
- 1one subject from: Classical Civilisation, Drama and Theatre, English Language-Literature
Who actually got in: 85% with A levels, 10% with the IB. 5% arrived with 208 or more UCAS tariff points — roughly A*A*A or better. Based on 45 entrants.
UCAS tariff points — a points scale for grades: A* = 56, A = 48, so A*A*A = 160. Entrants’ totals include extra subjects.
Other qualifications4
| Qualification | Typical offer | Required subjects |
|---|---|---|
| IB | 32 points32 points overall to include one of the following Higher Level subjects: English Language-Literature (combined), English Literature, Literature and Performance, Film, Global Politics, History, Philoso | one of the following Higher Level subjects: English Language-Literature |
| BTEC | DDWe 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 | — |
| Advanced Highers | AAAA 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 Advanc | one of: Classical Studies, Drama, English, History or Religious, Moral and Philosophical Studies, and BBB in three further Highers subjects |
| Access | 45 Credits at Level 3, including Distinction in 33 Level 3 credits and Merit in 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 Di | — |
Years 1–3
What do you study?
8compulsory modules in year 1
Compulsory modules this year: arts & humanities 84% · transversal skills 6% · social & cultural skills 5% · language & communication 3%.
Module — one course unit, usually a term or a year long; “core” means everyone takes it. One UK credit is about ten hours of study; a full year is 120 credits.
Warwick course page · optional modules vary by year
Year 1 · 8 core · 120 credits ≈ 1,200 hours
- Film History
What you learn (3)
- describe key periods and developments in the history of cinema
- analyse films in relation to their production and exhibition contexts
- explain approaches used in film historiography
- Visual Cultures
What you learn (6)
- evaluate debates concerning the specificity of visual media
- compare visual media using historical frameworks
- distinguish between visual media using theoretical frameworks
- apply intermedial theories to analyse individual texts
- apply intermedial theories to analyse groups of related texts
- explain how interactions between media have shaped their historical development
- Screen Technologies
What you learn (5)
- describe key theoretical approaches to technological evolution
- analyse how technological developments influence aesthetic qualities of screen media
- reflect on how personal access technologies shape experience of screen media
- reflect on how paratexts and viewing conditions influence screen media experience
- judge the historiographical reliability of different evidential sources
- Film and Television Criticism
What you learn (5)
- analyse film and television style and form in close textual analysis
- examine a range of published film and television criticism
- construct arguments linking critical writing to specific texts
- describe social, cultural, historical and political contexts of texts
- apply academic referencing and bibliography conventions
- The Business of Film
What you learn (6)
- describe the main organisational roles and structures within the film industry
- explain how film industries can be understood in national and transnational contexts
- analyse the social, cultural and political contexts shaping the film business
- assess the role of different labour practices in the film industry over time
- describe current trends in film production, distribution, exhibition and marketing
- discuss recent developments in film industry policy
- Theories for Film Studies
What you learn (6)
- situate film theory models within wider interdisciplinary contexts
- explain key areas of theoretical debate in film studies
- use theoretical terminology accurately in written analysis
- analyse arguments rigorously for logical coherence
- apply theoretical frameworks to specific film texts
- integrate conceptual perspectives into close textual analysis
- Film and Television Analysis
What you learn (4)
- construct a reasoned interpretation of a film text
- apply audiovisual analysis techniques to film and television material
- evaluate the validity of existing critical interpretations of film texts
- apply standard academic referencing conventions in written work
- Film Theory
What you learn (8)
- identify key questions in moving image theoretical debates
- distinguish theoretical inquiry from other modes of inquiry
- apply theoretical terminology precisely in written argument
- analyse the logical structure of a theoretical argument
- critique a theoretical text's conceptual framework through close reading
- extend or challenge the premises underlying a theoretical text
- summarise the central ideas of a theoretical text in writing
- paraphrase key concepts from theoretical texts accurately
Year 2 · 2 core, 6 optional · 30 credits ≈ 300 hours
- World Cinema
What you learn (10)
- describe key critical debates on world cinema study
- analyse historical debates shaping world cinema scholarship
- describe how national cinemas are framed in international criticism
- analyse construction of national cinema identities in critical discourse
- describe global issues represented in specific filmmaking traditions
- analyse audience reception of world cinema representations
- describe concepts of genre, realism and authorship in film
- analyse how genre, realism and authorship apply to world cinemas
- describe definitions of identity used in world cinema studies
- analyse cultural specificity within world cinema texts
- Hollywood Cinema
What you learn (6)
- describe the stylistic conventions of Hollywood filmmaking
- identify key industrial structures shaping Hollywood cinema
- analyse ideological dimensions of Hollywood as a commercial industry
- explain political contexts that have shaped Hollywood cinema
- evaluate how film format and form inform critical analysis of screenings
- explain how audience reactions can influence film interpretation
6 optional modules
- Silent Cinema
What you learn (7)
- describe key developments in early film history
- discuss scholarly debates relevant to early cinema
- apply appropriate methodologies to analyse silent films
- explain the social factors influencing the rise of cinema
- explain the technological developments that enabled cinema's emergence
- explain the cultural context underpinning the rise of cinema
- present arguments clearly using academic writing conventions
- Television History and Criticism
What you learn (6)
- present critical accounts of television theories orally and in writing
- apply different approaches to television historiography
- evaluate different approaches to television historiography
- analyse the textual features of various television forms
- describe the historical development of various television genres
- explain key debates and concepts in television studies
- Audio-visual Avant-gardes
What you learn (1)
- identify key features of experimental film and video art texts
- Transnational Action Cinema (Year 2 Option)
What you learn (8)
- explain how action cinema has been defined across different historical periods
- explain how industrial and cultural contexts shape conceptions of action cinema
- evaluate approaches to transnational cinema studies applied to specific genres
- explain theoretical approaches such as phenomenology and affect theory in film studies
- apply philosophical and ethical frameworks to analyse action cinema texts
- evaluate the strength and persuasiveness of scholarly arguments in film studies
- construct a coherent written argument supported by textual evidence
- apply close analysis techniques to audio-visual texts across varied contexts
- British Screens
What you learn (5)
- analyse screen media using film, television and cultural studies methods
- explain how national identity is represented on screen
- explain how screen media construct notions of nationhood historically and culturally
- relate personal viewing experiences to course themes
- construct coherent written arguments from organised ideas and evidence
- Two Filmmakers
What you learn (7)
- explain theories of authorship as applied to cinema
- communicate complex film-theoretical concepts with precision
- apply knowledge of film history and theory to new material
- evaluate films using established analytical approaches
- describe the work of the filmmakers studied in depth
- evaluate critical discourses surrounding selected filmmakers
- produce detailed critical analyses of selected filmmakers' works
Year 3 · 2 core, 12 optional · 30 credits ≈ 300 hours
- Film Aesthetics 2
What you learn (6)
- conduct academic research using scholarly sources
- compose structured academic writing on film topics
- identify key debates in the philosophy of art
- identify key debates in the sociology of art
- describe how philosophical and sociological debates relate to audiovisual media
- analyse the relationship between aesthetic judgement and other forms of judgement
- Film Aesthetics 1
What you learn (4)
- describe key debates in the field of aesthetics
- explain how aesthetic debates relate to audiovisual media
- analyse stylistic elements of film to support an interpretation
- evaluate film style to justify a critical judgement
12 optional modules
- Horror and the Gothic in Film and Television
What you learn (9)
- explain key theoretical approaches used to study horror film and television
- evaluate theoretical concepts and methodologies applied to horror genre texts
- explain key theoretical approaches used to study the Gothic in film and television
- evaluate theoretical concepts and methodologies applied to Gothic genre texts
- produce critical analyses of film and television texts studied in the module
- conduct independent historical research on horror or Gothic screen media
- present research findings clearly in written and oral formats
- use digital tools to communicate research outcomes
- describe historical and current trends in producing and distributing horror media
- Issues in Documentary
What you learn (7)
- explain key theoretical concepts and perspectives in documentary studies
- evaluate documentary texts using relevant theoretical methodologies
- analyse documentary film, television and video texts critically
- describe the historical development of the documentary form
- identify contemporary trends in documentary media
- conduct independent research on documentary representation of fact
- communicate critical understanding of documentary in written form
- The Practice of Film Criticism
What you learn (3)
- identify the features of an effective film review or essay
- produce a well-crafted written essay on film
- produce a well-crafted visual essay on film
- Screenwriting
What you learn (16)
- apply core dramatic writing techniques for screen
- revise a script in response to editorial feedback
- identify visual storytelling techniques in screen construction
- explain how action and imagery convey narrative without dialogue
- construct a scenario demonstrating basic dramatic structure
- identify dramatic functions of dialogue in screenplays
- explain risks of overusing dialogue in scriptwriting
- depict character traits through combined action-based writing exercises
- pitch a screenplay idea clearly to an audience
- adjust a pitch based on peer and tutor feedback
- give and receive constructive feedback on creative writing
- summarise a screenplay concept into a structured step outline
- identify appropriate and excessive uses of foreshadowing
- evaluate potential foreshadowing choices for a screenplay
- explain how to set up and resolve dramatic irony in a screenplay
- identify risks of overusing dramatic irony in scripts
- Film Production
What you learn (8)
- apply practical skills in directing short films
- apply technical skills in cinematography for short film
- apply sound recording and editing techniques to film production
- create a film treatment to guide production planning
- produce a short fiction film based on a treatment
- compose a reflective critical essay linking project intentions to learning experience
- relate film production skills to postgraduate study and career opportunities
- relate film production skills to postgraduate study and career opportunities
- Science Fiction: Theory as Film
What you learn (5)
- describe key theoretical approaches such as postmodernism and posthumanism
- evaluate critically the differences between theoretical approaches studied
- critique scholarly readings of selected science fiction films
- analyse aesthetic elements of science fiction such as the sublime
- relate theoretical frameworks to detailed analysis of films
- Television History and Criticism
What you learn (7)
- formulate relevant research questions for television studies
- explain key theoretical and conceptual debates in television studies
- communicate complex ideas about television clearly and precisely
- apply knowledge of television history and theory to analyse texts
- describe the historical development of various television genres
- discuss key concepts and debates relating to television genres
- evaluate television texts through critical textual analysis
- The Art of Animation
What you learn (7)
- describe the historical development of animation across media over 120 years
- identify key studios, movements and works in animation history
- explain how key animation moments relate to broader historical development
- identify different animation styles and techniques
- evaluate animated images using key theoretical debates on animation versus live action
- explain how socio-historical context shapes animation's representation and ideology
- situate animated film within the wider context of live action cinema
- Transnational Action Cinema (Finalist Option)
What you learn (10)
- explain how action cinema has been defined across different historical periods
- describe industrial and cultural factors shaping the action genre
- evaluate the usefulness of transnational cinema approaches for specific genres
- explain key theoretical approaches used to study action cinema
- apply theoretical frameworks to analyse action films
- evaluate the strength of existing scholarly arguments on film
- construct a coherent written argument supported by textual evidence
- apply close analysis techniques to audio-visual texts
- formulate research questions and thesis statements for film study
- identify suitable resources and methods to investigate a research question
- Film Seriality and Franchising
What you learn (7)
- compare modes of film seriality within historical and industrial contexts
- apply critical concepts and methodologies to analyse franchise cinema
- evaluate serialised and franchise films using textual analysis
- explain how intertextuality shapes meaning within and across film series
- construct arguments about how film franchises evolve over time and across cultures
- present film analysis arguments clearly in written form
- present film analysis arguments clearly in oral form
- Postcolonial Film
What you learn (5)
- describe how colonial history has shaped national film industries
- evaluate how technology and aesthetics shaped imperial cinema
- explain orally how film reflects or reinforces colonial ideologies
- write a critical analysis of how film resists or rewrites colonial legacies
- analyse film texts in depth within postcolonial theoretical debates
- Screening Venice (15 CAT)
What you learn (14)
- evaluate historical debates on venice's role as a cinematic city
- evaluate theoretical perspectives on venice's cinematic identity
- apply knowledge experientially through collaborative on-site workshops
- extend subject knowledge through group discussion activities
- collaborate effectively within a fast-paced immersive learning setting
- reflect critically on personal learning experiences
- demonstrate inter-cultural awareness during fieldwork
- gather on-site audio-visual material using production techniques
- analyse collected audio-visual material critically
- retrieve and analyse documentation of on-site events
- apply critical and contextual thinking to real-life scenarios
- relate academic study to professional work situations
- apply filmmaking practices to study an urban-littoral environment
- develop a conceptually informed critical approach to film practice
Year not stated · 0 core, 1 optional
1 optional module
- Dissertation
What you learn (4)
- work independently to conduct research and produce written work
- analyse a chosen topic in film and television studies in depth
- design a research project with clear aims and structure
- carry out a research project to produce a successful outcome
“What you learn” restates each module’s published learning outcomes in our own words, as short skill statements in the same form as the GCSE and A level curriculum, with the help of an AI model; fields of knowledge follow the twelve fields of the knowledge sphere. The university’s module page, linked from each title, is the authoritative description.
After graduating
Where does it lead?
£22,000median pay three years after graduating
Lower quarter£18k
Median£22k
Upper quarter£26k
Median — the middle earner: half earned more, half less. Pay is for graduates of this subject at this university who finished in 2016-18, not adjusted for inflation; based on 30 graduates.
Discover Uni dataset (HESA and Office for Students, CC BY 4.0, contains HESA data); earnings from the Longitudinal Education Outcomes data (Department for Education) · aggregation level 13, 14, 23
Half of graduates earned between £18,000 and £25,500. Five years on, the median is £29,000. 90% were in work or further study 15 months after finishing; 70% of those in work were in professional or managerial jobs.
All outcome figures7
| Measure | Value | Based on |
|---|---|---|
| Continue after year 15% left | 95% | 35 |
| In work or study, 15 months on15% studying | 90% | 15 |
| Professional or managerial job | 70% | 20 |
| Pay 15 months on, median | £27,000 | 15 |
| Pay 3 years on, median | £22,000 | 30 |
| Pay 5 years on, median | £29,000 | 30 |
Money
What does it cost?
£10,050a year for UK students, 2027/28 entry
Tuition fee loan — paid straight to the university; repayments start the April after you leave, at 9% of income above the threshold. UK fees are capped by government and rise with inflation; placement and study-abroad years are usually charged at a lower rate.
Warwick fees page · source
About £30,150 in fees over 3 years, covered by a tuition fee loan you repay only when earning above the threshold.
National Student Survey 2025-26
What do students say?
88%agreed the course was good overall (question 26)
NSS — a yearly survey of final-year students at every UK university; 73% of this course’s final year answered. Small groups can swing a lot year to year.
National Student Survey, via Discover Uni · 25 students answered
Highest: 100% agreed on question 1; lowest: 71% on question 24.
All questions26
| Question | Agree |
|---|---|
| Question 1 | 100% |
| Question 2 | 100% |
| Question 3 | 100% |
| Question 4 | 96% |
| Question 5 | 96% |
| Question 6 | 96% |
| Question 7 | 96% |
| Question 8 | 92% |
| Question 9 | 74% |
| Question 10 | 79% |
| Question 11 | 92% |
| Question 12 | 88% |
| Question 13 | 92% |
| Question 14 | 88% |
| Question 15 | 100% |
| Question 16 | 96% |
| Question 17 | 88% |
| Question 18 | 92% |
| Question 19 | 92% |
| Question 20 | 100% |
| Question 21 | 96% |
| Question 22 | 91% |
| Question 23 | 87% |
| Question 24 | 71% |
| Question 25 | 74% |
| Question 26 | 88% |
Question texts are published by the Office for Students; the dataset carries only the question numbers.
Modules, entry requirements and fees are facts read from University of Warwick’s course page on 2026-09-19 and may change; the university’s page is authoritative. Descriptions are not reproduced. Outcome figures are from the Discover Uni dataset. University of Warwick is a trade mark of the university; sch.today is independent of it.